We Need to Balance Work and Rest, So Let's Relax with Some Combat Training

Mark's strange expression had a simple cause: the Wimpod information that had appeared on the Trainer Panel could not be opened with his mind at all.

In fact, it was more than just impossible to open.

After looking closely, Mark discovered that the Wimpod (Unhatched) (2.38%) entry was completely gray.

Besides that, the 2.38% itself seemed off.

At first, Mark had assumed that 2.38% was the Pokemon's hatching progress, but after thinking it over carefully, he realized there was a problem with that number.

According to the Village Elder, a Wimpod Pokemon Egg's incubation period should not have been that long. It had been by his side for so many days already; its hatching progress could not possibly be this low.

"Then what exactly is this 2.38%?"

Mark lightly pinched his chin and met Caterpie's eyes.

Caterpie was initially somewhat confused, but then seemed to think of something and looked at him excitedly.

"You know what this 2.38% means?"

Mark was full of suspicion.

Although it was a little insulting to Caterpie's intelligence, he truly did not think Caterpie could figure this out.

Still, out of respect, Mark carefully watched what Caterpie did.

Caterpie found a small stick by the roadside and quickly wrote the three numbers 2, 3, and 8 on the ground. After finishing, Caterpie seemed to think of something and added a dot after the 2.

Looking at the numbers written on the ground, Caterpie nodded in satisfaction, then gave Mark an expression that plainly awaited praise.

The corner of Mark's mouth twitched as he watched Caterpie's actions.

More and more, he felt as if raising Caterpie was like raising a human toddler, even though he had never had children.

Honestly, if he were the owner of a company right now and Caterpie were one of his employees, he would have slapped it upside the head long ago.

But Caterpie was not his employee. It was his child.

Though Mark mostly felt speechless inside, he was also inexplicably a little moved and relieved—Caterpie had not even figured out counting yet, but it had learned decimal points.

"Good, very good. It would be even better if you could write your numbers more neatly. I remember the Village Elder saying that you have to write numbers neatly before he'll subsidize half the cost of our Pokeballs, so not only do you need to learn to count backward, you also need to practice writing your numbers."

"Caterpie!"

Caterpie nodded vigorously, immediately picked up the stick, and began practicing numbers on the ground.

Watching Caterpie's extremely serious expression, Mark shook his head helplessly before turning back to the Trainer Panel.

Perhaps Caterpie's actions had shifted his perspective. When he looked at the 2.38% on the panel again, he suddenly understood something.

"This 2.38%... could it represent the progress of Wimpod becoming my Trainer?"

"Wimpod's information is gray right now. Once this value reaches 100%, will its information return to normal, allowing me to touch it with my mind and view its detailed information?"

"That should be it."

"Then how do I make this value increase?"

Mark pondered the matter, then suddenly raised his brows again—the 2.38% in his vision flickered slightly and became 2.39%.

"The progress can grow naturally?"

Mark recalled what the Village Elder had told him.

There was some wondrous connection between Pokemon and humans. When a Pokemon Egg stayed near a human, it would hatch faster, and the Pokemon that emerged would regard that human as family.

Could it be that this mysterious connection was what increased Trainer Progress?

Then what if he used a Trainer skill on Wimpod?

With that thought, Mark immediately used the Tackle Training Method on Wimpod's Pokemon Egg, connecting to the consciousness inside the egg.

Just as before, the Pokemon Egg trembled for a while before calming down, and the consciousness within it fell asleep once more.

The original 2.39% also became 4.69% after this use of the Tackle Training Method, increasing by a full 2.3%.

As long as he used it around forty more times, the progress would reach 100%.

At the moment, after each use of the Tackle Training Method, the consciousness inside the Wimpod Pokemon Egg would sleep for two to five hours, averaging three and a half hours.

In other words, in about seven days, this Wimpod would become his Trainer.

As he thought, Mark suddenly realized something was wrong.

Over the past several days, he had used the Tackle Training Method on the Wimpod Pokemon Egg dozens of times already. If each use increased the progress by 2.3%, why was it only at 2.38%?

And he had also used the Tackle Training Method on many Caterpie in the forest. Why had none of those Caterpie appeared on his Trainer Panel?

Memories from the past few days kept flashing through his mind, and Mark suddenly realized something.

—Quantitative change led to qualitative change.

Over these past few days, he had spent every waking moment with the Wimpod Pokemon Egg and continuously used the Tackle Training Method on it for Prenatal Education. In the end, quantitative change had led to qualitative change, forming some kind of connection between him and the Wimpod Pokemon Egg—or perhaps, a bond.

Only after a bond formed would a Pokemon appear on his Trainer Panel and gain a percentage progress value.

Having figured everything out, Mark finally let out a long breath.

In truth, Mark had been somewhat worried before—worried that he would be unable to turn Pokemon other than Caterpie into his Trainers.

After all, when he had first transmigrated, the Trainer System's prompts had mentioned reloading, activating simplified compatibility mode, and other such things. It had even ended with garbled text. He had truly been worried that the Trainer Panel's functions were incomplete.

Now, however, everything appeared normal. In the future, he could use this method to convert other spirits into his own trained spirits.

Having figured everything out, Mark decided to continue onward with Caterpie.

By his calculations, nearly an entire day had passed. The Caterpie colony had probably recovered enough by now, making it the perfect time for him and Caterpie to continue their training.

Mark said, "Caterpie, do you remember what the Village Elder said? He told us that we can't just train relentlessly—we need to balance work and rest."

"Hiss hiss!"

Caterpie nodded repeatedly.

Ever since the Village Elder had agreed to sponsor half a Pokeball for it, Caterpie had felt that everything the Village Elder said made perfect sense.

Mark continued, "I also think the Village Elder was right. I've been studying by myself all morning, and you've been working on counting backward for ages. So let's change things up and go to Caterpie Territory to have some Combat Training with the Caterpie there. We can relax a little!"

Caterpie blinked. It always felt that there was something off about Mark's words, but it could never figure out exactly what was wrong.

Still, it had spent the entire morning studying how to count backward, leaving its mind a complete mess. It really was time to relax, just as its master had said.

"Hiss hiss!"

With that thought, Caterpie ran toward the forest just as it had before, repeatedly urging Mark to hurry up from ahead.

Mark followed after it.

He had thought they would head straight to Clear Stream Forest, but as soon as they reached the village exit, they encountered an unexpected visitor.

It was none other than Clear Stream Village's village chief, Old Man Qian.

Old Man Qian lightly rubbed the stubble on his chin and wore an expression that said he had known it all along. "I knew it. After school, you brat would definitely head to Clear Stream Forest. Are you two going into the forest for Combat Training again?"

"Mm."

"Hiss hiss!"

Caterpie raised its forelimbs and struck a muscle-flexing pose.

Old Man Qian laughed heartily and rubbed Caterpie's head. "Ever since you came to your senses, your Caterpie seems to have not only grown bigger, but also become more lively and cheerful. Back when you were in the village, it always hid behind you and was very shy.

Oh, right, I nearly forgot the important matter.

I came here to wait for you because there's something very important to you. Now that you've come to your senses, do you still remember your family's house?"

As he spoke, Old Man Qian handed him a booklet. It was a Land Certificate for a plot in Clear Stream Village, with Mark's name printed on it...