Speed Training

Xinhai gently picked up Torchic, carried it outside, and carefully set it on the screen of the control console. Turning to Hatake Changlin, he said, "Brother Hatake, Torchic still isn't proficient enough with Flame Charge. Let's head to the speed training room next."

Hatake Changlin laughed heartily and nodded in agreement. "Good idea. Flame Charge is more likely to be used successfully while moving at high speed. With a few more attempts during speed training, Torchic should master it soon."

Xinhai looked at Hatake Changlin with anticipation in his eyes. "Then let's take Torchic over there now."

"Alright, let's go."

The two of them headed toward the speed training room with Torchic. Before long, they reached their destination. A spacious training room came into view, filled with treadmills of various sizes.

The ultimate goal for Pokémon in this speed training room was to run faster! There were no particular requirements for reaction speed or energy-gathering speed; it was simply the most traditional kind of speed training, without any fancy designs.

The treadmills in the speed training room were specially designed training equipment for different types of Pokémon. Their speed, intensity, and other aspects had all been improved and reinforced. Even if Pokémon used moves like Quick Attack or Agility on them, the treadmills could handle it perfectly well.

Furthermore, a specially made soft mat had been installed behind each treadmill. Made from a special material, it could instantly absorb kinetic energy like a thoughtful protective shield, preventing Pokémon from getting hurt if a move failed or an accident caused them to fall from the treadmill during training.

Hatake Changlin led Xinhai and Torchic to a treadmill designed for small Pokémon, then bent down and skillfully adjusted its settings.

Torchic stood beside Xinhai, its little eyes blinking with curiosity and confusion as it examined the unfamiliar yet novel training equipment before it. It softly chirped, "Torchic~"

Xinhai looked at Torchic with a gentle smile. "Torchic, I'll demonstrate first. In a moment, you can train along with me."

After saying that, Xinhai stepped onto the treadmill beside it and pressed the start button. The treadmill slowly started up with a faint mechanical hum. Torchic curiously stared at Xinhai's feet, looking as though it were saying, So that's how this thing is used! Then it gave an excited cry. "Torchic!"

Hatake Changlin smiled at Torchic. "Torchic, get on the treadmill beside that one too. I'll start it for you."

Torchic obediently nodded, neatly hopped onto the treadmill, and let out another clear cry. "Torchic~"

Once Hatake Changlin saw that Torchic was ready, he pressed the start button. The treadmill began running. At first, it was very slow, and Torchic found it extremely easy, almost no different from taking a walk.

But that ended when Hatake Changlin increased the treadmill's speed.

Seeing that Torchic was ready, Hatake Changlin pressed the switch. The treadmill slowly began moving. Its speed was initially low, and Torchic ran with ease, as if it were taking a leisurely stroll. Its little head even turned from side to side, full of curiosity about everything around it.

But this easygoing time soon came to an end as Hatake Changlin continuously accelerated the treadmill.

"+1, +1, +1, +1, +1..." The speed gradually rose, and Torchic's expression slowly turned serious. Its originally light steps began to grow hurried.

"+1, +1, +1..." Torchic's little face flushed red. Gritting its teeth, its short legs moved desperately as it tried to keep up with the treadmill's ever-increasing pace.

"+1, +1..." Torchic's eyes widened round with tension and concentration, looking as though it had started competing with the treadmill.

Torchic: (ﾒﾟ皿ﾟ)ﾒ

Hatake Changlin, who had been watching Torchic's condition closely, smiled at the sight. Feeling the speed was about right, he stopped accelerating it.

Watching Torchic run desperately from his own treadmill, Xinhai began increasing the speed of his treadmill as well.

"+1, +1, +1, +1, +1..." The speed grew faster and faster, and Xinhai ran with great enjoyment.

Hatake Changlin watched Xinhai and could not help scratching his head. Did this kid Xinhai forget why they came here?

Seeing Xinhai wholeheartedly accelerating himself without directing Torchic to use Flame Charge at all, Hatake Changlin reminded him, "Xinhai, did you forget why we came here?"

Xinhai, who was increasing his own speed, froze for a moment at those words. While running, he gave an embarrassed laugh. "How could I? I was just speeding up first so I could train alongside Torchic, haha."

Hatake Changlin looked at Xinhai skeptically. "Alright, get to the point already. If you keep wasting time, Torchic will be exhausted."

Coming back to his senses, Xinhai gave Torchic an order. "Torchic, keep using Flame Charge."

Upon hearing the command, Torchic immediately tried to use the move on the rapidly moving treadmill. Flames gradually appeared around its body, but they flickered unstably. Before long, the move failed because of those unstable flames. Torchic nearly lost its balance and fell from the treadmill as a result.

Xinhai broke out in a cold sweat at the sight. Although there were safety measures in place, Pokémon could still get hurt. Fortunately, Torchic reacted quickly, adjusted its posture in time, and steadied itself without falling.

Torchic was not discouraged by the failure. It quickly adjusted its state and tried to use Flame Charge again. But this time, it still failed.

However, with the experience from the previous attempt, it steadily controlled its body and did not have another frightening near-fall. This time, though, it did not shift its position forward like it had after the first failure.

Instead, after thinking briefly and quickly summarizing the lessons from its first two attempts, it used [Flame Charge] once more. Xinhai and Hatake Changlin's pupils both shrank, but fortunately, this time [Flame Charge] was successfully used.

Orange-red flames began swirling around Torchic's entire body, and its speed increased. It quickly returned to the position it had been in before it nearly fell off the treadmill due to the failed move.

Just as Torchic was immersed in the joy of successfully using its move, it heard its trainer's command.

"Torchic, slow down."

Torchic looked at Xinhai in confusion, but all it saw was his back as he gradually slowed down. It could not help letting out a puzzled cry. "Torchic?"

Hatake Changlin understood as well and lowered the speed of Torchic's treadmill. As the speed decreased, the flames around Torchic gradually went out, and it slowly came to a stop.

After stopping, Torchic looked at its trainer in confusion. Xinhai was looking at it rather seriously, making Torchic feel a little panicked. It had no idea what it had done wrong.

Xinhai noticed Torchic's flustered expression and realized that he might have been too serious. Torchic is still young. We have plenty of time to correct these small details.

With that thought, a smile bloomed on Xinhai's face again. He crouched down, gently stroked Torchic's head, and said softly, "Torchic, you did well just now. You successfully used Flame Charge."

As soon as Torchic heard that, the panic in its eyes instantly vanished, replaced by overwhelming joy. It happily chirped, "Torchic~ Torchic~," and affectionately rubbed against Xinhai's hand.

Xinhai smiled, though his expression became somewhat serious again. "But do you know why I told you to stop?"

Torchic tilted its head, looking completely lost. It carefully recalled what had just happened, but could not figure out why.

Seeing its confused expression, Xinhai took the initiative to explain. "When your second attempt at using the move failed, why didn't you shift your position forward like you did the first time? Do you know how dangerous your position was then? If the move had failed again, you could very well have fallen off the treadmill."

Torchic understood upon hearing this. Remembering the dangerous moment from before and seeing Xinhai's reaction, it immediately lowered its head and sincerely apologized.

"Torchic."

Seeing that it had a good attitude in admitting its mistake, Xinhai forgave it, but he still patiently reminded it, "Torchic, if you encounter this situation again, you must make sure you're safe first. Understand?"

Torchic nodded hard and responded brightly, "Torchic~"

Xinhai smiled at that and looked at Torchic. "Alright, then let's continue practicing [Flame Charge]."

Torchic happily answered with a "Torchic~," then nimbly hopped onto the treadmill, ready to throw itself back into training.

Hatake Changlin stepped forward and pressed the treadmill's switch for Torchic. Torchic began its move training once again.