Later
Right before Tetsuya was about to begin training, his plans were suddenly interrupted.
"What? You want me to take your place on the St. Anne this year?" Tetsuya looked at Brock, confused.
Brock smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I've just been really busy lately you know?"
Every year, the St. Anne invited representatives from various Gyms for a social gathering. Brock was supposed to go, but due to his responsibilities—especially with his many siblings—he simply couldn't make it.
"I should be the one attending, but I don't have the time. You know my situation, so do me a favor, will you?" Brock clasped his hands together, pleading.
After nearly a month together, the two had become close. They were similar in age, shared common interests, and had long since dropped any initial awkwardness.
"No way. If you don't have time, that doesn't mean I do. I still need to train Boldore." Tetsuya frowned. "Besides, what's the point of me going?"
He had no interest in mingling with the heirs of the League's top families. It was far too soon for that.
"Really not interested?"
"Really not interested."
"Two million Pokédollars for the errand."
"Deal."
As the saying goes, it's not about having the time or the willingness—it's just about whether the price is right.
Tetsuya quickly agreed to Brock's offer. A week's trip on the St. Anne while getting paid? That was an easy decision.
The ship was massive, and there would be plenty of room to train. Not to mention the luxury accommodations—he could train and enjoy top-tier service at the same time.
"I knew it. You only care about money. It's kind of hurtful, you know?" Brock said, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
"This is fair compensation for hard work. Do you have any idea how expensive training is? Money doesn't grow on trees." Tetsuya dismissed Brock's complaint with a smirk. "I'd say my heart is shaped like a Pokédollar sign at this point. Maybe I should cash it in."
"Oh, by the way, there's a tournament on the ship. The grand prize is any Evolution Stone of your choice, plus a Charcoal with a 10% power boost."
Tetsuya's ears perked up.
"Apparently, the sponsors are those rich brothers from Stone Town. Damn, they've got way too much money to burn."
Brock spoke casually, then turned to leave—only for Tetsuya to suddenly lunge at him, pinning him to the ground.
"What? You want me to enter for you too?" Tetsuya scowled. "If you try to run again, I swear I'll make sure you never escape. Got it?"
"Ow, ow! Okay, okay! If you win, you get all the rewards—and I'll bump up the errand fee to five million!" Brock yelped, immediately resorting to his ultimate move: throwing money at the problem.
"No problem! Please stand up, be careful, I'm really sorry!" Tetsuya's attitude flipped in an instant.
Brock dusted himself off and gave Tetsuya an exasperated look. "You change your mind way too fast."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a ticket, and handed it over. "Here. This is your pass for the St. Anne. Don't lose it—it's the only one."
"Don't worry." Tetsuya knew exactly how valuable this was. Between the errand fee, the tournament prize, and the ticket itself, he was making out like a bandit.
VIP rooms on the St. Anne cost at least twelve million Pokédollars. No wonder tickets sold for as high as five million on the black market. The ship, after all, was the most luxurious in the world, docking in Vermilion City only twice a year—once for departure, once for return.
Everyone wanted a taste of that kind of luxury. And with so many wealthy people in Kanto, there was no shortage of demand.
"What if I just sell this thing?" Tetsuya mused, an idea forming in his mind.
"If you dare sell it, I will personally beat you to a pulp," Brock warned, his expression darkening.
Tetsuya quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Got it. Just joking!"
Brock sighed, shaking his head. This was just who Tetsuya was—calculated and steady when it came to battles and training, but with the occasional ridiculous idea.
"At least do well in the tournament and bring some glory to Pewter Gym," Brock said.
Seeing Tetsuya's puzzled look, he explained, "This is basically an annual showcase. Most Gym representatives are either future Gym Leaders or up-and-coming trainers connected to the League.
The tournament is a way for everyone to see who has strong Pokémon bloodlines. Winning brings prestige—not just for the trainer but for their Gym as well.
Only trainers between sixteen and twenty can enter, so you're in a pretty good position."
Tetsuya nodded in understanding. Then, something clicked in his mind. "Wait a second. That means you only have two Pokémon, doesn't it? That's why you don't want to go—you'd get stomped and humiliated."
"That's nonsense! It's normal for a sixteen-year-old to lose against them. There's no shame in it!" Brock turned red, scrambling for an excuse. "Besides, my Geodude just reached Normal-tier, and my Onix is on the cusp of Elite—"
Tetsuya tuned him out, instead glancing at the date on the ticket.
Over ten days left before departure. That was enough time.
With the Pewter Gym's facilities and a strict training plan, Boldore should be able to reach a stable level before the tournament. Early-level growth was always fast, and Boldore's primary concern was energy absorption rather than battle experience.
Even if it wasn't completely ready, Pidgeot and Combusken would carry the team. Winning the whole thing wasn't the priority—maintaining his reputation was.
"...And anyway, there are plenty of other trainers who are weaker than me—"
"Oh, by the way, what's for lunch?" Tetsuya suddenly interrupted.
Brock, caught off guard, instinctively replied, "Stewed potatoes, braised synthetic beef, stir-fried greens, and steamed eggs."
"Sounds good. I'll go train, then. See you later."
"Yeah, okay—"
Brock nodded before realization struck. He turned quickly, but by then, Tetsuya had already bolted, nowhere in sight.
That guy had completely sidestepped the conversation.
Brock sighed in defeat. "I'll bring it up again at lunch..."
After shaking off Brock, Tetsuya arrived at the training room, pushing his Pokémon to train harder while also studying new information to improve himself and Zero.
"The concept of Pokémon abilities is a unique one, first proposed by Dr. Uchiki of the Orange Islands, who specialized in studying the differences between Pokémon.
Later, researchers from various regions joined forces to conduct in-depth studies on the subject. Eventually, a team led by Professor Oak provided a formal definition: Abilities are special traits that every Pokémon possesses.
Essentially, abilities are innate qualities that some Pokémon have based on their biology. Take the Chlorophyll ability found in many Grass-type Pokémon, for example. Because their bodies function similarly to plants, they become more active in sunlight, significantly increasing their speed in clear weather.
Another example is Cubone. Due to the exceptional hardness of its skull, it has developed the Rock Head ability, which prevents it from taking recoil damage from its own attacks.
Through research, scientists discovered that different Pokémon species possess varying numbers of abilities. Some species have only one, while others can have up to three. Notably, Pokémon with two or three possible abilities tend to have more exceptional individuals who can manifest two abilities simultaneously. This is distinct from Pokémon that have only a single ability.
After compiling extensive data, researchers classified abilities into three categories: Primary Abilities, Secondary Abilities, and Hidden Abilities.
For Pokémon with only one ability, there is no variation—all individuals of that species share the same trait. However, if a species has both a Primary and Secondary Ability, most individuals will have only one of the two.
So far, no Pokémon have been observed possessing both a Primary and a Secondary Ability simultaneously.
Things change when Hidden Abilities come into play. If a species has a Hidden Ability in addition to its Primary or Secondary Ability, then the most exceptional individuals can possess both a standard ability (either Primary or Secondary) and the Hidden Ability.
For example, Onix's Primary Ability is Rock Head, its Secondary Ability is Sturdy, and its Hidden Ability is Weak Armor. Most Onix will have either Rock Head or Sturdy, while the most outstanding ones will have an additional Hidden Ability—Weak Armor—alongside one of the other two.
According to data, individuals with Hidden Abilities tend to be of higher caliber. Among Pokémon with the potential to reach Elite Four levels, about 50% possess a Hidden Ability. That probability increases to 60-70% for those with Champion potential. Among confirmed Champion-level Pokémon, every single one has a Hidden Ability.
Conversely, Pokémon below the Elite Four level never manifest Hidden Abilities.
Additionally, researchers found that Pokémon Abilities can change upon evolution, but there is a pattern. This pattern is known as "Ability Continuity."
Essentially, if a Pokémon with a Primary Ability experiences an ability change upon evolution, the new ability will still be the Primary Ability of the evolved form, rather than the Secondary Ability. The same applies to Pokémon with a Secondary Ability.
For instance, Geodude's Primary Ability is Sturdy, and its Secondary Ability is Weak Armor. After evolving into Graveler, these abilities remain unchanged. So a Geodude with Sturdy will retain Sturdy as a Graveler, while one with Weak Armor will keep Weak Armor.
However, once it evolves into Golem, its Primary Ability changes to Rock Head, and its Secondary Ability becomes Sand Veil. Following the same continuity pattern, a Geodude or Graveler with Sturdy will evolve into a Golem with Rock Head, while one with Weak Armor will evolve into a Golem with Sand Veil.
This principle also applies to Hidden Abilities if they are different before and after evolution.
Scientists speculate that Hidden Abilities may have additional properties, but due to the limited number of Pokémon possessing them, conclusive evidence has yet to be established.
Tetsuya put down the research notes and muttered, "So that's how it works... Combusken's Speed Boost ability must be due to its exceptionally developed leg muscles, which is fitting for a Pokémon of Champion potential.
As for Pidgeot and Boldore, I guess I just got lucky. Given that both of them have Hidden Abilities, that means they also have Elite Four-level potential at the very least."
Yes, Boldore also possessed a Hidden Ability.
On Zero's status panel, Boldore's details were listed after reaching its juvenile stage:
Boldore
Category: Puppy Pokémon
Type: Rock
Height: 0.5m (Average: 0.4m)
Weight: 22kg (Average: 18kg)
Ability: Weak Armor (When hit by physical attacks, Defense decreases while Speed sharply increases.)
Hidden Ability: Sand Rush (During sandstorms, Rock, Ground, and Steel-type moves gain increased power.)
Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Harden, Stealth Rock, Gravity (Inherited), Wide Guard (Inherited)
Level: 6 (Novice)
Potential: Elite Four Level
Training Strategy: Due to its unique biological traits, it should be fed high-energy crystals until evolution (Synthesis method detailed below...)
Special Note: Because of its high Rock-type aptitude, exposure to various specialized rocks can influence its abilities and resistances (Further details below...)
"Moreover, Boldore's Weak Armor ability will transform into Sand Rush upon evolving into Lycanroc, which, when combined with its Hidden Ability, will make it a force to be reckoned with in sandstorm conditions.
That confirms Boldore's exceptional talent in Rock-type techniques, and it also aligns with Zero's assessment," Tetsuya thought to himself, nodding in satisfaction.
Knowledge like this wasn't publicly available. In the past, he had always wondered why Hidden Abilities existed. Now he understood—they were simply the result of Pokémon with superior genetics excelling in particular aspects.
As he mulled over his findings, Tetsuya glanced over at Combusken and noticed something off. "Combusken, watch your right calf when you push off. Don't let it slack too much."
A good trainer wasn't just someone who provided commands; they had to be observant. Pokémon, like any living beings, got tired, had emotions, and could lose focus during training. It was the trainer's job to remind them and guide them forward.
Tetsuya smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, let's keep pushing. We've got work to do."