Terrifying Human Trainer and Caterpie Partner (Part 1)

"Hiss, hiss."

"Hiss hiss hiss, hiss, hiss."

"Hiss, hiss."

Caterpie and the Caterpie Leader kept communicating, trying to explain the relationship between training and battle, but they could never make it clear. In the end, both Caterpie turned their gazes toward Mark.

Mark lightly pinched his chin and thought for a moment before looking into the Caterpie Leader's eyes. "You've misunderstood. Although the training we're doing does take the form of battle, and injuries are unavoidable in the process, you need to understand the purpose behind it.

Battle and injury are only the process. Training and growth are what matter. This is fundamentally different from Caterpie being attacked by other Pokémon as usual.

In fact, this kind of Combat Training can bring growth not only to my Caterpie and me, but to the Caterpie Group as well.

As far as I know, Caterpie living in the forest face all kinds of danger at all times, including but not limited to bird Pokémon like Pidgey and Spearow. They can also be harassed by Ekans.

Through constant battle and tempering, along with the Tackle Training Method I'll teach you, the Caterpie Group's overall strength can improve as well. When facing those predators, you'll be able to resist more effectively.

Besides, after these past few days of battles, you should have noticed that my Caterpie has always been holding back.

Caterpie may get injured during this kind of Combat Training, but they won't die from it. And there are several Oran Berry trees in the Caterpie territory that can help injured Caterpie recover.

This is a win-win proposal. My Caterpie, you, and the Caterpie Group can all benefit from it, so why not agree?"

As Mark spoke, the Caterpie beside him revealed an admiring expression.

What Mark said was exactly what it had wanted to say. Its mind was just a little slow, so it could never explain it clearly.

Several meters away, the Caterpie Leader did not immediately answer Mark's question. Instead, it stared into the eyes of Mark and Caterpie, as though trying to see through this human and bug.

The result was obvious. It could not understand the thought processes of either of them at all.

But there was one thing it knew: if they kept battling as Mark said, the Caterpie Group's overall strength really could improve, allowing the Caterpie to deal with danger more effectively.

Perhaps the ordinary Caterpie in the territory could not understand it, and even if it tried to explain, it would not be able to make them understand. But the truth was indeed as this human had said—battle could bring not only injury, but also reduce injury.

But...

As if seeing the Caterpie Leader's concerns, Mark continued, "I can roughly guess what you're worried about. My Caterpie is a little too strong compared to ordinary Caterpie. Although it holds back, it could still cause excessive harm to the Caterpie Group.

Actually, that isn't something I want to see either, because fighting like that would not be very effective training for my Caterpie.

So before each battle, I'll have Caterpie expend some of its stamina first. Then it will conduct Combat Training while tired. That will not only reduce the harm suffered by the Caterpie Group, but also give my Caterpie and me better training results.

The only problem is that my Caterpie might end up in danger during battle. Can you have the Caterpie avoid going for the kill as well?"

The Caterpie Leader fell silent for a while before finally nodding.

Seeing this, Mark smiled and turned to his Caterpie. "You heard what I said to the Caterpie Leader. In the next battles, you need to expend some stamina first, then fight the Caterpie Group. That will give you better training results too. Are you confident?"

"Hiss!"

Caterpie nodded vigorously and once again struck a muscle-flexing pose.

Mark laughed. "Full of spirit. Then use your combo finisher to burn some stamina first. Use Tackle Five-Shot Barrage twice, then decide whether to use it a third time depending on the situation!"

"Hiss!"

Caterpie gathered the power within its body.

Tackle (Power-Up Tackle) + Tackle (Five-Hit Combo)!

First, it changed the nature of the warm current within its body. Then, following those changes, its body naturally stretched and unfolded.

Caterpie's center of gravity lowered slightly. As it crouched, its body curved faintly, and the patterns on its skin visibly became brighter and greener, seeming to emit a fluorescent glow.

Then, emerald-green steam rose from the surface of its skin.

Boom!!

Wrapped in a blast of emerald-green air, Caterpie shot forward close to the ground, making consecutive turns as it advanced.

As three trees along its path crashed down, Caterpie returned to a spot three meters from where it had started, panting slightly.

The dust and air currents mixed with green energy slowly dispersed, revealing several furrows in the ground, each twenty centimeters deep and one meter wide. They were the movement tracks left behind by Caterpie's combo finisher, Tackle Five-Shot Barrage.

In the Caterpie Leader's eyes, that Caterpie did not become smug after using such a powerful move. Instead, it seemed somewhat annoyed.

The human walked up to the Caterpie and analyzed its move, offering guidance.

From the human's words, the Caterpie Leader learned why that Caterpie was annoyed. Apparently, it was because it had not drawn the five-pointed star properly and had missed by three meters.

That was right. Caterpie's original plan had been to use Tackle Five-Shot Barrage and return precisely to its original position after changing direction five times in a row.

The idea had been good, and Caterpie had felt pretty good about itself, but reality had taught it a lesson.

Several meters away, the Caterpie Leader's body trembled faintly beyond its control as it gradually understood everything.

Was this what human Trainers and their Pokémon partners were like?

Over the past few days, it had believed it understood this human Trainer and Caterpie well enough. Now, however, it seemed what it knew was obviously not the whole picture.

Although it did not know why this Caterpie had not been raised inside a Pokeball as the rumors described, there had to be some reason.

Unlike ordinary Caterpie, the Caterpie Leader knew some Pokémon from species beyond Caterpie and had spoken with several of them.

A One-Eyed Scyther living near Fallen Sky Mountain had told it about the world beyond Clear Stream Forest.

Humans differed from one another. Not all humans were as weak as Bug Catchers and forest rangers.

There was a kind of human known as a Trainer. Those humans and their Pokémon were incredibly powerful; even seeing them from afar made them tremble uncontrollably.

The Caterpie Leader still remembered how, after saying those things, the One-Eyed Scyther had gently patted its body with the flat of its blade and told it not to be nervous. Not all human Trainers were that strong.

It had even said that the Caterpie Leader had good potential, and that they could spar after it evolved.

Since it did not like fighting by nature, it had declined the One-Eyed Scyther's challenge.

Memories of the past flashed rapidly through its mind.

In front of the Caterpie Leader, that Caterpie unleashed Tackle Five-Shot Barrage once again.

Boom!!

The Caterpie returned to its original position once more, though it was off target again. Still, it had deviated less than the first time.

Then, very quickly, that Caterpie unleashed a third Tackle Five-Shot Barrage...