"Teacher… this doesn't look like a Poison-type energy cube."
Su Qingxue opened the pouch and immediately noticed something off.
The energy cube inside wasn't the deep purple typically associated with Poison-types—
but rather a dark brown shade, like coffee.
Guo Yi stood and explained, "You're right. This one isn't for Poison-types. It's a Dark-type energy cube, crafted specifically to help Nidoran♀ learn [Hone Claws]."
Teaching a Pokémon a move wasn't as simple as posing or mimicking gestures.
The real key lay in energy manipulation.
If the move aligned with the Pokémon's innate type, the process was relatively easier.
After all, the Pokémon already had access to the energy needed to perform it—it just had to learn how to channel it.
But if the move came from a type the Pokémon didn't naturally possess...
Then the first step was learning to sense that type of energy—only then could it be used.
That's where energy cubes came in.
They allowed a Pokémon to skip that first step entirely and begin training directly from the energy manipulation stage.
"The move [Hone Claws] enhances two stats—Attack and Accuracy."
"Between those two, boosting Attack is simpler, so we'll start there."
"Qingxue, go ahead and feed Nidoran♀ an energy cube, and have her sharpen her claws over here."
On a clear patch of open ground outside the villa, Guo Yi was guiding Su Qingxue and Nidoran♀ through move training.
He didn't step in directly to train Nidoran♀ himself.
Instead, he explained the teaching process to Su Qingxue.
Because only through a trainer's own instruction
could the bond and understanding between Pokémon and trainer truly deepen.
Guo Yi's role was to observe and correct her mistakes.
Under his guidance, Su Qingxue began her first real lesson.
"Nidoran♀, here—eat one energy cube, and then sharpen your claws on this tree."
Nidoran♀ gave a nod, gulped down the cube her trainer handed her, and padded up to the rough tree bark to begin scraping her claws against it.
As the energy from the cube entered her system,
Nidoran♀ felt a new current flow into her forelimbs—sharpening her claws, filling them with power.
"Nidoran♀, feel that energy. Try to control it."
Guo Yi, watching her reactions closely, gave a timely prompt.
"Nido!"
Nidoran♀ nodded again, eyes narrowing in focus, doing her best to sense and control the unfamiliar Dark-type energy.
Seeing her gradually ease into it, Guo Yi turned to Su Qingxue with a reminder.
"Qingxue, being a trainer isn't just about issuing commands. You have to observe your Pokémon's condition constantly, and help draw out its full potential."
Su Qingxue listened intently to his guidance.
"I understand, Teacher! I'll work even harder."
Even in their short time together, Su Qingxue could already see—
This teacher of hers was the real deal.
And so, her attitude toward learning became all the more serious.
Guo Yi nodded, satisfied.
"Alright. Keep an eye on Nidoran♀'s condition. Once the Dark energy fades, feed her another cube."
"When she can control it smoothly, have her try channeling the energy into her eyes."
"When she can enhance both Attack and Accuracy simultaneously—that's when [Hone Claws] will be considered mastered."
Guo Yi continued explaining the core points of the training progression.
"I've got it, Teacher," Su Qingxue said earnestly, returning her full attention to Nidoran♀.
Seeing this, Guo Yi didn't linger any longer.
He turned and walked into the nearby forest.
He'd already explained the methodology in full.
From this point on, it was up to Su Qingxue to teach and train on her own.
As for why Guo Yi had left—
A new [Fortune] had just triggered for him.
After entering a few desired ingredients into the search bar...
[Ding! This Fortune costs 200 Trainer Points.]
"Whoa! 200 [Trainer Points]?! That's steep!"
[Ding! This Fortune involves a Nidoran♂ with Champion-tier potential and a Hidden Ability.]
A Champion-tier Nidoran♂ with a Hidden Ability…
Exactly what he needed, just when he needed it.
He still had open slots for templates!
Even though Guo Yi had access to the system's templates, that didn't mean a Pokémon's potential was irrelevant to him.
Equipping a template didn't instantly max out a Pokémon's power.
They still needed time to grow and develop.
And the higher a Pokémon's potential, the shorter that growth curve would be.
Not to mention—
At the same strength level, the higher-potential Pokémon would always hit harder in real combat.
As soon as the 200 [Trainer Points] were deducted, a stream of information flooded Guo Yi's mind.
[Two kilometers southwest, in the swamp area—]
[A secret realm will appear in fifteen minutes.]
[A group of Arbok will launch a surprise attack on a Nidoqueen and her child while Nidoking is away.]
Immediately after, a map materialized in his hand.
Unfolding it, he found a fully detailed route with all relevant terrain notes and potential wild encounters marked.
"No wonder it cost 200 [Trainer Points]—this is absolutely worth the price."
"Let's move, Beedrill!"
Stowing the map, Guo Yi called out to his partner and headed straight for the swamp.