Chapter 99: Guidance
As Mr. Leo's voice rang out, Persian's fierce, tiger-like demeanor vanished in an instant. It once again became a graceful, gentle cat.
"Drilbur, are you okay?" Basalt rushed over and helped Drilbur to its feet.
"Drilburr..." It managed a weak smile, but its spirits were low. Its most powerful move, Drill Run, had been effortlessly swatted away by Persian's claw. The blow to its pride was significant.
"Don't be discouraged, Drilbur," Basalt said quickly, trying to comfort it. "How long have you been training? Persian has been with Mr. Leo for at least ten years. If you train for that long, I'm confident you'll be even stronger than it is." He was afraid Drilbur would fall into the same obsessive slump as Bronzor. A trainer's most important job was to manage their Pokémon's mental well-being.
"Drilburr..." Hearing Basalt's words, Drilbur clenched its claws. Ten years? I can't wait that long. I need to get stronger, and I need to do it fast. Looks like I'll have to put in some extra training tonight.
"Basalt, your Drilbur is more impressive than I expected," Mr. Leo said, walking over with his Persian. He crouched down and gently stroked Drilbur's head. "Sorry about that. I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"Drilburr..." (▼ヘ▼#) Drilbur hated being touched by strangers, and while it was still resistant, it didn't fight back this time. Persian was standing right behind Mr. Leo, its eyes fixed on it. The pressure was immense.
"You're too kind, sir," Basalt said, his gaze intense. "Based on that battle, what areas do you think I need to improve on?"
"Alright, let me give you my assessment of your Drilbur," Mr. Leo nodded. "Overall, it's been raised very well. Its physical condition, reaction time, speed, power, and fighting spirit are all excellent, with no major flaws. As for its moves, Dig, Screech, and Drill Run are all outstanding. All you need to do is continue practicing them."
He stood up and looked at Basalt. "Today, I want to focus on a few moves that I think have room for improvement."
"Please, go on," Basalt said. He and Drilbur exchanged a look, their attention fully focused, not wanting to miss a single word.
"First, Rock Tomb. It's clear your Drilbur has a high affinity for the Rock type. But when you're attacking, especially against a highly evasive opponent, you shouldn't just throw all the rocks at once, with no thought for follow-up."
"You could try using your control to spread the rocks out, increasing the move's area of effect and guaranteeing a hit. Remember, a move is only useful if it connects. If it misses, it doesn't matter how powerful it is."
Basalt fell into deep thought. Rock Tomb was one of Drilbur's signature moves. It was powerful and fast, and at a critical moment, he could even make one of the rocks change direction. Against an average opponent, it was more than enough. But if he was aiming for Group A, it was clear the move needed refinement. Against Skye's Pidgeotto, it was unlikely his current Rock Tomb would ever land.
Damn it. I've improved so fast, but my mindset is still lagging behind. Basalt slapped his own cheek in frustration. He was competing against the top talents in Metro City. He couldn't keep setting his standards at the level of beating Group C and D trainers.
Seeing that Basalt understood the gravity of the situation, Mr. Leo nodded, satisfied. "Your Drilbur can currently create seven rocks. You could consider a five-two formation. Launch the first five rocks, spreading them out to cut off the opponent's escape routes. Once they've been hit and slowed down, you can use the remaining two rocks for a powerful follow-up strike to maximize the damage."
"Of course," he added, "this is just a suggestion. If you're facing an extremely agile Pokémon and five rocks aren't enough, you can launch all seven and then use a second Rock Tomb as a follow-up. In battle, you can't rely on experience alone, nor can you be too rigid. You have to make your own judgments based on the situation. Do you understand?"
He had encountered students before who were too dogmatic, who would follow his five-two formation to the letter, stripping the battle of all its beauty and spontaneity.
"I understand, sir. Thank you," Basalt said with a serious nod.
After Rock Tomb, Mr. Leo analyzed Drilbur's Sand Tomb and Bulldoze.
"Sand Tomb is a trapping move. A larger area of effect makes it easier to catch an opponent, but it also increases the energy consumption. I saw in your battle with Persian that you already have a basic grasp of prediction. You could try waiting for your opponent to move or jump, predict where they're going to land, and set a trap for them. This method is more targeted, has a higher hit rate, and consumes less energy, but it requires a high level of prediction and reaction time from your Drilbur."
Basalt quickly jotted it down in a notebook. "Prediction and reaction time..."
After giving him a moment to process, Mr. Leo continued. "As for Bulldoze, your Drilbur's execution is... adequate. It's not nearly as impressive as its Dig or Drill Run."
"Uh... well, Mr. Leo, it only learned Bulldoze a few days ago," Basalt said, scratching his head. Bulldoze, with its speed-lowering effect, was not an easy move to learn. Drilbur had only managed to master it while they were in the Savanah Region.
"A few days ago?" Mr. Leo was stunned. "Adequate" might not be a compliment, but it wasn't a word he used lightly.
"Yeah... less than four days ago," Basalt said with a sheepish grin.
Mr. Leo's mouth twitched. "Uh... in that case, just pretend I didn't say anything."
A brief, awkward silence fell between them.
"However," Mr. Leo said, changing the subject, "while your Drilbur can use the move, its power is not focused enough; it's too dispersed. The point of Bulldoze is a single, explosive burst of power to deal massive damage and cripple the opponent's legs, thereby lowering their speed. In the next stage of your training, you should focus on honing Drilbur's control over its power, from large to small, from superficial to deep. This kind of training will take time and might not show immediate results."
He looked at Basalt, his expression serious. "But if you want to break into Group A, become a member of the city team, and achieve good results in the provincial tournament, this kind of training is essential. In battles between masters, victory is often decided by the smallest of details."
Mr. Leo looked up, a distant, nostalgic look in his eyes. Basalt suddenly got the feeling that this instructor had a story to tell.
Mr. Leo then spent the next hour teaching Basalt the training methods for power control.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Go back and digest what you've learned," he said, clapping Basalt on the shoulder with a smile. "Although I've taken a liking to you, as the instructor for Group B, I still hope you'll work hard and make it into Group A soon."
"Don't worry, sir. I will," Basalt said with a sincere nod.
Mr. Leo's insight was truly profound. His advice was always fresh and eye-opening, as if he were opening the door to a new world.
As he was about to leave, an idea struck Basalt. He called out, "Mr. Leo, if I'm going to challenge for a spot in Group A, do you have any advice?" He was going to squeeze every last drop of knowledge out of this opportunity. It was free, after all.
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