There were few people on the beach this early in the morning. Aside from a handful of Trainers working with Water-type Pokémon, there were only some middle-aged fishing enthusiasts.
As before, Yong chose a spot near a low hill facing the sea and let Onix and Marshtomp out.
He fitted Marshtomp with the forced-training device he had obtained earlier. It automatically adjusted to Marshtomp's size, snug against its body, then set the load to 100 kg based on its physical condition.
Thud!
"Marsh~!"
Caught completely off guard by the sudden weight, Marshtomp flopped onto the beach, all four limbs splayed out in a comical sprawl. It was flattened.
Yong shook his head in amusement and manually lowered the load to 80 kg. Marshtomp had only recently evolved and had yet to fully master its strength. It was better to start slowly than risk injuries that might go unnoticed.
"Get used to it first, Marshtomp! Your top priority right now is to familiarize yourself with your body as soon as possible and master your new strength and moves. Hmm... except Earthquake..."
Earthquake was too powerful and struck indiscriminately. Until Marshtomp had mastered its strength, it would be better to practice that move gradually in a dedicated facility.
"Once you're comfortable, keep building your strength! Especially in your arms. As you gradually increase the load, try splitting the waves with your own strength. You need to withstand the pressure of the sea to get the most out of your training."
"Marsh!"
Having begun to adjust to the training device, Marshtomp answered earnestly.
"Good. Go practice in the shallows. Don't go too deep."
Yong gave careful instructions, watched Marshtomp nod and turn toward the sea, then turned to Onix.
"Onix, you've got a lot on your plate! First, learn and master two moves, then keep absorbing rocks and minerals to improve yourself. Whether you fight in the Gym battle will depend on the situation, but Marshtomp will definitely go first. Your goal right now is to absorb as much energy as possible and build up your strength. Once I get a Metal Coat, you'll be able to evolve."
Onix nodded. Having grown up together, they understood each other without needing to say much.
Yong took out the two TMs he had bought and pressed the Protect TM against Onix's forehead first. As the disc turned into white light and flowed into its head, Onix closed its eyes, absorbing and learning the move. Yong quietly sat down beside it, watching Marshtomp train in the distance while he waited for Onix to finish.
That wait lasted two whole hours!
Ding! Onix learned Protect (beginner)!
Onix finally opened its eyes and nodded to Yong.
"Excellent!"
He gave its body an encouraging pat.
"You can talk to Marshtomp about Protect. It'll help you improve!"
Yong took out the Dragon Breath TM next and looked at Onix as he asked,
"Can you keep going? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"
After all, these were imprints of an Elite Four-level Pokémon's mental energy! Though gentle, learning too much at once could still be overwhelming. It was best to limit each session to one or two TMs and fully absorb them before continuing.
"Roar~"
Onix shook its head, indicating that it could still manage.
Seeing that, Yong could only trust it. He pressed the disc against its forehead, and the same light flowed into it once more. Onix closed its eyes again, immersing itself in the mental world as it learned.
Yong let out a breath and settled down to wait, preparing lunch in the meantime.
More and more people arrived at the beach. Trainers battling, girls sunbathing, middle-aged men fishing, and families enjoying a day out soon filled it with activity.
Out in the water, Marshtomp hammered the waves with its arms again and again, only to be knocked over each time. Then it got back up and continued, steadying itself and resisting the pressure over and over.
Ding! Onix learned Dragon Breath (beginner)!
Beside him, Onix finished learning as the system notification sounded and crawled into the shallows on its own. After blinking briefly, it endured the discomfort the seawater brought. Then it closed its eyes again and resumed its familiar water-treading exercises to build up its resistance!
Smiling at his two Pokémon, Yong changed into workout clothes and began exercising too.
After all, a Trainer needed a strong body as well. He didn't have to become like a certain Ash from Pallet Town, but at the very least, he should be able to withstand Pikachu's Thunder Shock, right?
And so the first day of intensive training unfolded, as one boy and two Pokémon began their final preparations before facing a Gym Leader.
Day after day...
The Rustboro Gym was Rustboro City's official Pokémon League Gym! Its Gym Leader, Miss Roxanne, specialized in Rock-type Pokémon. Trainers who successfully challenged her could earn the Stone Badge.
The real Roxanne was nothing like her counterpart in the games, where catching any Grass-type or Water-type Pokémon could let you sweep her entire team with just that one Pokémon.
As the Gym Leader of a major city like Rustboro, Roxanne possessed tremendous strength and potential!
She had graduated from the Pokémon League's Pokémon Trainer Academy with outstanding grades and earned her position as the Rock-type Gym Leader through her elite-level strength. The League's senior officials recognized her abilities and had high hopes for her.
Among the many Gym Leaders in the Hoenn Region, Roxanne and the twin Gym Leaders in Mossdeep City were the youngest, possessing both youth and considerable strength.
And her strength was growing rapidly!
Despite being a Rock-type expert, Roxanne looked like a quiet, high-achieving schoolgirl with a composed way of speaking!
After graduating from Rustboro City's Trainer School, she had become a Gym Leader while also teaching at the school. Deeply influenced by Rock-type Pokémon, she loved searching for rare stones, much like a certain Hoenn Champion who neglected his proper duties!
Roxanne's Rock-type Gym stood in northern Rustboro City, occupying a vast plot of land!
The entire building was shaped like a low mountain. Its earthen-yellow exterior made it look like a truly enormous rocky hill from a distance, solid and steady! It gave the same impression as Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon.
Standing before the Gym's entrance, Yong felt a flutter of excitement! The time had finally come for a real Gym challenge. He had waited, worked, and prepared for this for so long.
Seven days of grueling training by the sea had strengthened Onix and Marshtomp further! Both had made great strides in mastering their new moves and controlling their own strength.
Onix had reached level 27, and Marshtomp had risen to level 19! Yong had spent all the Training Points earned through training and battles, greatly improving their move proficiency as well.
Although they had fought many Trainers, those opponents were fellow novices. Even those who had reached the beginner rank offered little experience for his two Pokémon now.
Occasionally, they encountered an opponent with some strength, but even those only caused a little trouble. After all, Yong had the knowledge and experience of two lifetimes. With an adult's mindset, beating children in battle was still quite easy.
That was why he longed for opponents-powerful opponents who could help him grow stronger. And Gym Leaders were the best teachers and targets!
Every Gym Leader raised several tiers of Pokémon, adjusting their team to match the strength of the Trainer challenging the Gym. Otherwise, if a novice Trainer arrived and the Leader sent out a main-team Pokémon around level 60... there would be no point in battling! It would be a complete rout!
Choosing Pokémon to suit the opponent, maintaining heavy pressure while holding back appropriately, was therefore the primary way Gym Leaders assessed challengers.
Of course, when they encountered a novice with exceptional strength and potential, they would take things a little more seriously, displaying their own strength while testing the Trainer's character and command skills.
That meant winning or losing wasn't what mattered. The most important thing was to show what you could do and earn the Gym Leader's recognition!
Now was the time!
Steadying himself, Yong pushed hard against the Rustboro Gym's doors. As they creaked open,
The moment had finally arrived!