Pidgey's Effects Were Great, So Mu Yun Decided to Add Another Session!

Noon came soon enough.

Outside the familiar old pavilion, a Pidgey was perched watchfully on the branch of a large tree, gazing into the distance like a stone statue.

Compared to the cheerful way he had looked when meeting Mu Yun yesterday, he now seemed somewhat lonely. The feathers that should have been neat were slightly disheveled.

The feathers at the tips of his wings were even a little messy, barely noticeable at a glance. He looked just like a naughty child who had gone wild playing outside, dirtied his clothes and hair, then carefully wiped himself down before going home because he was afraid his parents would notice—though the traces were still visible.

Yet this "naughty child" was not being mischievous at all. He was quietly waiting for something.

It was not until the figures of one person and one Pokémon appeared around the corner of a residential building in the distance that he seemed to step out of a black-and-white layer. His eyes instantly came alive.

"Pidgey!"

He quickly flapped his wings and flew forward, as cheerful as if welcoming a friend who had come to visit.

"Good afternoon, Pidgey."

Mu Yun also raised a hand and greeted him.

This Pidgey had a strong sense of time. He came so early every time.

"Woo-oh!!"

(Crybaby gluttonous stupid bird!!)

Weedle still seemed angry about being tricked by Pidgey yesterday. The moment they met, it offered an especially "friendly" greeting.

"Pidgey~~"

Pidgey was not annoyed at all. He even raised a wing and replied to Weedle.

Unfortunately, Mu Yun did not understand bird language and had no idea what he said. Judging from Weedle's reaction, though, it probably was not an exchange of insults.

"Then I'll be troubling you today, Pidgey."

Although this Pidgey was gluttonous and had a lot of inner drama, he was conscientious as a sparring partner. He also had an excellent sense of time, never arriving late or leaving early.

His temperament was even exceptionally good. After being wrapped in String Shot for over an hour, he still acted as though nothing had happened today and held no grudge whatsoever.

If this had been a vengeful Spearow that liked calling its friends over, Mu Yun might have considered moving.

"Coo-coo!!"

Pidgey nodded seriously, indicating that there would be no problem leaving it to him.

And just like that, Pidgey was on duty as a sparring partner.

"Woo-oh!!"

Weedle remembered Mu Yun's instruction from yesterday and did not rush to use String Shot Net.

Instead, it used ordinary String Shot to constantly force Pidgey to reposition.

Unfortunately, landing single shots of String Shot on Pidgey was extremely difficult. Only after building up energy and firing in succession did it show even a trace of being able to seal off his movements.

[ Ding! Weedle used String Shot in simulated battle. Proficiency +2! ]

[ Ding! Weedle's Competitive spirit was stimulated. It gained greater insight into the move String Shot. Additional proficiency +2! ]

[ String Shot (Perfected, 220/1000) → String Shot (Perfected, 300/1000) ]

Inside the pavilion.

While listening to the system's pleasant notifications, Mu Yun removed the weighted equipment from his body.

Ordinary short-distance jogging did not offer him much training benefit, so he had found time yesterday to buy several pieces of weighted equipment.

Unfortunately, running was not counted as a skill by the system. Otherwise, training while carrying weight might have increased the efficiency of gaining experience.

After taking off the weights, Mu Yun stretched for a while before beginning his Calisthenics training.

During the workout, he did not forget to observe Weedle's situation.

"Why does this Pidgey feel more agile...?"

As he watched, Mu Yun suddenly realized that this Pidgey seemed more nimble than during their first sparring session.

He had dodged all twenty String Shots, each fired at incredible speed.

Most importantly, Pidgey had not avoided them through straight-line bursts of speed. Instead, he had smoothly dodged within a small area, moving with extraordinary fluidity.

Moreover, he had clearly taken yesterday's String Shot Net into account. Every time he dodged a String Shot, he would powerfully flap his wings in the opposite direction, blowing the threads off course while maintaining a safe distance from them.

Without anyone to teach or raise him, surviving entirely on his own, he had still made such obvious progress.

This Pidgey's battle talent was truly impressive.

His reaction speed, concentration, and control over his body were all exceptional.

If his potential and level were higher, Pokémon Eggs produced with him as the father would probably be priced somewhat above average.

Although no research had shown that Pokémon with high battle talent would definitely pass that talent on to their offspring, a tiger father would not sire a dog son, and a flood dragon would not produce a snake. A champion-bred dog costing ten million was a principle universally acknowledged by people.

Everyone was willing to pay for that possibility.

At the very least, the odds of a strong one appearing among the descendants were higher than if the parents were useless.

Outside the pavilion.

Weedle's tiny eyes were filled with solemnity. This crybaby gluttonous stupid bird seemed to have some real ability.

"Alright, Xiao Du, Pidgey, take a break."

Just as Weedle was considering whether to use String Shot Net, Mu Yun suddenly walked out of the pavilion.

"Training requires a balance between work and rest. Come over and rest for a while. Eat something to replenish your energy before continuing."

As he spoke, Mu Yun took some Energy Cubes and sandwiches out of his storage space.

"Woo-oh!"

Weedle still wanted to continue, but since Mu Yun had spoken, it naturally chose to eat first.

As for Pidgey—

Nothing was more important than food!

What else had he worked so hard all night for, if not this sandwich?

I'm eating! I'm eating! I'm eating, eating, eating, eating, eating!!

Watching Pidgey feast, Mu Yun thought for a moment before taking another Energy Cube from his storage space and holding it out in front of him.

"Coo?"

Pidgey was puzzled.

What was this little cube? It did not smell fragrant at all. At a glance, it was clearly not as delicious as a sandwich.

"This counts as an extra gift. If you're willing to continue training with Xiao Du this afternoon, I can give you some more sandwiches for dinner," Mu Yun said.

At first, he had only wanted Pidgey to serve as a bonus buff and accelerate the growth of Weedle's String Shot proficiency.

But after observing him just now, he felt that this Pidgey had great potential. If he served as a long-term sparring partner, he would also provide excellent stimulation for Xiao Du.

As for the Energy Cube, it was meant to replenish Pidgey's Stamina and energy.

Sandwiches were ordinary food, after all. For Pokémon, aside from satisfying their cravings, they were of little practical use.

The Stamina consumed by high-intensity training could not be recovered quickly through ordinary sandwiches alone.

"Coo-coo!!"

Pidgey did not know what an Energy Cube was, but the moment he heard that there would be sandwiches for dinner, he immediately perked up. He nodded vigorously and agreed at once.

Wasn't it just continuing in the afternoon? Even if he had to be a sparring partner for the entire day, he could accept it as long as the sandwiches kept coming!

"Then I'll be troubling you this afternoon. I'll probably come over around four o'clock. The same pavilion."

Mu Yun placed an Energy Cube in front of Pidgey. Seeing him happily eating, he could not resist reaching out and stroking him.

Unlike Weedle, whose skin was smooth and tender and felt like a water balloon, Pidgey's feather-covered body felt like satin. Unfortunately, the uneven ends of his feathers were slightly prickly.

It was only after touching him and observing him up close that Mu Yun noticed the subtle disorder in Pidgey's feathers. At the tail, where Pidgey could not see, there was even a small, broken leaf caught among them.

"Are you injured?"

That was Mu Yun's first thought.

But after thinking it over, Pidgey looked so energetic that he clearly did not seem injured.

He had probably been sleeping in a tree and accidentally picked it up.