John had always assud that his teacher only had a handful of students—Damian, Violet, and Harisson. But after spending a full seven days at the teacher's house, he realized just how wrong he was.
Every day, more than ten students would drop by, bearing New Year's gifts, paying their respects, and seeking guidance. And that wasn't even counting those who couldn't make it in person. The sheer number of visitors was staggering.
The gifts alone could fill the entire house, and eventually, they had to be moved to a storage room across the hall—a space Damian had specifically bought for their teacher years ago. Clearly, this wasn't the first ti such a massive number of offerings had been received.
According to Damian, most of these students had only received a few pointers from their teacher. Whether their continued respect was out of genuine gratitude or just an attempt to maintain connections, no one could say for sure. But the teacher himself didn't seem to mind. If anything, he enjoyed the lively atmosphere and welcod them all each year without fail.
John couldn't help but recall the ti his teacher had publicly declared him a student to protect him. That mont had been more than just an act of kindness—it was proof that his teacher truly cared about nurturing his students.
But despite the large crowd, those who were personally trained and ntored by the teacher were fewer than ten. Many others had to send their New Year's greetings over the phone, unable to return in ti.
For John, those seven days were nothing short of brutal.
It wasn't just the constant stream of visitors—it was the relentless battles.
Damian led the charge, Harisson acted as his right hand, and Violet played the role of the strategist, forming different teams and challenging John every single day.
They rotated squads, testing John at every level. The main team would battle the second team, the second team would challenge the third, and so on. It didn't matter what LV John needed to fight against—they always had Pokémon ready to match him.
To make things even tougher, Violet had a team specializing in healing, with a Milotic, Blissey, and Audino. This ant John never even had to go to a Pokémon Center. After each grueling battle, his team would be fully healed within minutes, ready to fight again. And with Violet's dical expertise, there was no risk of long-term injuries.
The cycle repeated endlessly—fight, heal, fight again.
By the end of the week, John felt like he was on the verge of collapse. But the results spoke for themselves.
His Pokémon weren't just getting stronger; they were evolving in ways he hadn't expected.
Gardevoir and Greninja, his main fighters, had gained an entire LV each, thanks to the high-intensity battles. Aggron and Steelix, part of his second team, had leveled up three or four tis. But the biggest jump ca from his third team—each Pokémon had gained at least seven levels.
The sheer amount of experience they were accumulating was absurd. In the gas, leveling up took ti, but here, the progress was near-instant. The constant battles ant multiple Pokémon were training at once, accelerating the growth rate exponentially.
Yet, beyond raw power, the most significant improvent was in their technique.
Battling against experienced trainers—Gym-level elites, Pokémon researchers, and seasoned veterans—ant John and his Pokémon were learning from the best.
These weren't just high-level trainers; they were people who had spent decades refining their battle styles. Their Pokémon had mastered techniques that went beyond brute strength.
John had seen it firsthand when his teacher's Machamp and Harisson's Haxorus used Slash—but instead of just cutting, the move created visible sword energy, extending the attack's range.
It was a revelation.
When John asked about it, Harisson explained that it was an advanced technique—an extension of standard moves. By applying the right energy manipulation, a simple Slash could be transford into a ranged attack.
Determined to master this himself, John imdiately began training his Pokémon to replicate the effect.
Greninja was his first target. If he could apply the sa principle to Cut, then scale it up to his other Pokémon, the potential was limitless. A move as basic as Cut suddenly held the possibility of ranged attacks, making it far more useful in battle.
The thought alone made John excited.
One particular day, John found himself in a one-on-one match against Harisson.
Both of them had a Garchomp, making it a true test of skill.
John's Garchomp had a natural advantage, thanks to the held item Orb of Harvest, an item that gave it superior control over the battlefield. Despite being lower in LV, John's Garchomp consistently outmaneuvered its opponent, controlling the terrain and limiting its rival's movents.
Harisson eventually called for a halt, raising a hand in surrender. "Alright, alright, that's enough." He sighed, looking slightly annoyed. "I don't get it, my Garchomp is stronger than yours, so why am I the one getting outplayed?"
Damian, who had been watching from the sidelines, nodded thoughtfully before turning to John. "Your Garchomp has incredible talent for ground control. You should focus on developing that aspect."
John didn't need to be told twice. "Got it, Senior," he replied imdiately.
With the Orb of Harvest amplifying its ground-based attacks, his Garchomp had the potential to be a powerhouse. Moves like Earthquake and Bulldoze would not only benefit from the ability's boost, but also play into Garchomp's natural strengths.
By stacking these advantages, John knew he could create a monster in battle. The proof was already there—his Garchomp had just dominated an opponent ten levels higher.
After the fight, he handed his Pokémon over to Violet for treatnt while he took a break, sipping tea to soothe his dry throat from all the battle commands.
Just as he was getting comfortable, his phone rang.
It was Mark.
"Hey, John."
"Hey," John answered, setting his cup down.
"I'm heading back to the Gym. Should I co find you at Riverstone first, or do we et at Verdiantia Airport?"
"Let's et at the airport," John decided. "Send your flight details, and I'll book a ticket around the sa ti."
Originally, he and Mark had planned to leave together from Aetherre City. But since John hadn't gone ho for New Year's, their schedules had changed. Still, a promise was a promise, he'd make sure to travel with him.
After hanging up, John went to inform his teacher.
The old man was watching TV in his room, a Sylveon curled up on his lap. The Pokémon, which belonged to Violet, had been left there specifically to keep the teacher company during the holiday.
There was sothing about his teacher that made Pokémon naturally gravitate toward him. Sylveon, usually wary around strangers, looked completely relaxed, snoozing comfortably on his lap.
"Teacher, I'm heading to Chiba Gym in Verdiantia City tomorrow," John inford him. "I'll be back before you know it."
His teacher nodded. "If you see Isaac, tell him I said hello."
"You know him?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I did him a favor years ago," the teacher said, chuckling. "Every New Year, he still sends gifts as thanks. A few days ago, so of his students even ca by to pay their respects."
John smiled. So things never changed.
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