Pokémon: Trainer Paul

Soaring through the sky, feet barely touching the white clouds, the rushing wind swept past, carrying itself far into the horizon.

After leaving the Pokémon Daycare, Paul boarded a flight from Veilstone City to Jubilife City.

As the largest metropolis in the Sinnoh region, Jubilife City was a bustling hub, its skyline dominated by towering buildings. People and Pokémon moved together in harmony, while cutting-edge tech companies thrived across the cityscape.

"We've arrived. There's still plenty of time—let's get moving."

Leaving the airport, Paul glanced at the sunlit sky. He slung his bag over his shoulder, gradually moving away from the bustling city into the quieter outskirts.

Beyond the city lay endless mountains, forests, and grassy fields. Paul had already mapped out his route—he only needed to pass through Route 202 and traverse a forest to reach Sandgem Town.

If he picked up the pace, the journey would take just over a day.

However, as this was the start of his journey, Paul wasn't in any rush. His purpose was merely to retrieve a custom Pokédex, not a starter Pokémon, so there was no need to hurry.

"Don't just stay in your Poké Ball and sleep—come with me."

After walking for a while, Paul remembered he wasn't traveling alone. He retrieved a Poké Ball and released Elekid.

"Bzzzt-bzzzt~!"

The freshly released Elekid looked a bit bewildered. It wasn't sleeping in the ball—it had been training, pushing itself to get stronger and avenge its defeat against a Bibarel.

Seeing Paul already walking ahead, Elekid quickly scurried after him.

Just as it caught up, Paul issued a command:

"Take it down—use Thunder."

Standing at the edge of the path, Paul pointed to a Starly perched on a nearby branch.

"Bzzzt!"

Elekid, eager for a battle, rushed forward. Sparks of golden electricity crackled across its body as it unleashed a powerful Thunder attack aimed at the unsuspecting Starly.

"Caw~!"

The Starly, startled awake by the incoming attack, tried to flap its wings and escape.

However, just as it left the branch, the golden lightning engulfed it entirely. Pain and paralysis spread through its body, rendering it unable to act.

It's super effective!

The Starly plummeted to the ground, its eyes spinning in a daze as it fainted.

"Bzzzt~!"

Though Elekid had won in a single strike, it showed no sign of arrogance. Instead, its expression held disdain for the defeated Starly.

Previously, Elekid might have celebrated such a victory. But after witnessing the prowess of those two trainers on the livestream and experiencing firsthand the overwhelming strength of that Bibarel, it knew it was still just a novice.

What's there to celebrate about a small fry beating another weakling?

Paul didn't even glance at the fallen Starly. Such Starly were a dime a dozen in Sinnoh—he didn't need a Pokédex to assess its potential. He didn't even feel the urge to capture it.

"Your Thunder is too slow. Even as a sneak attack, it gave the opponent time to react. A stronger opponent would've dodged it with ease."

Continuing down the path, Paul didn't praise Elekid. Instead, he pointed out its flaws.

"Bzzzt..."

Elekid, well-acquainted with Paul's strict nature, showed no outward reaction. Silently, it resolved to train harder.

More Thunder outside the ball. More punches inside. It would keep pushing itself until it became strong enough.

"From now on, use Thunder to defeat every wild Pokémon we encounter on this road."

Since they were traveling, Paul decided to incorporate training into their journey. This method would hone Elekid's skills while building its stamina—a win-win situation.

The only downside? The wild Pokémon along the route would bear the brunt of their training. But that's how growth works—defeating others to gain strength.

After all, in the real world, Pokémon recover quickly. A fainted Pokémon usually regains its energy after a short rest.

"Bzzzt!"

With renewed determination, Elekid turned its attention to the wild Pokémon on either side of the road.

Lightning flashed, and thunder roared. Along the path, one wild Pokémon after another fell, only to scramble away once they regained consciousness.

Eventually, it seemed like word had spread among the Pokémon. The roadside became eerily quiet, with no wild Pokémon in sight.

By now, Elekid was thoroughly exhausted. Though its stubborn expression remained unchanged, its weariness was evident. Yet, its eyes gleamed with excitement—it hadn't experienced such effective training in the daycare. Battling wild Pokémon was far more beneficial.

"Recover your strength. We're heading into the forest next—there'll be even more Pokémon there."

Paul tossed a few Oran Berries to Elekid before leaning against a tree to rest with his eyes closed.

"Bzzzt~"

Elekid didn't care about appearances. It plopped down on the ground, devouring the berries before taking a brief rest.

Once they were ready, Paul led Elekid into the forest.

"Waaa~!"

"Hoho~!"

Not long after entering, the sounds of Pokémon squabbling reached their ears.

Following the noise, Paul spotted a Mankey and a Geodude beneath a large tree. The two Pokémon were fiercely grappling over a massive berry.

A Fighting-type Pokémon and a Rock/Ground-type Pokémon arguing over food? The scene was oddly amusing.

But a cold, commanding voice shattered the moment.

"Thunder."

"Bzzzt~!"

Startled, both Mankey and Geodude turned to see a surge of electricity rushing toward them. There was no time to react.

In an instant, the two Pokémon, along with the berry, were engulfed in the powerful lightning.

"Waaa~!"

Mankey cried out in pain before collapsing, releasing its grip on the berry.

Geodude, thanks to its Ground typing, remained unscathed but was visibly shaken.

"What weaklings."

Paul's icy remark brought Geodude back to its senses. Spotting Paul and Elekid, it angrily balled itself up and launched a Rollout attack.

"Elekid, use Brick Break."

Paul didn't even flinch as he issued the command.

"Bzzzt~!"

Elekid charged forward, its arm glowing white as it struck Geodude head-on.

Crash!

The two collided, but Geodude's momentum faltered. Overwhelmed by Elekid's strength, it was sent flying into a tree, fainting upon impact.

"Pokémon this weak aren't worth capturing. Let's go, Elekid."

After a brief glance at the two fainted Pokémon, Paul dismissed the idea of capturing them and continued on his way.

"Gaaah~!"

"Hmm?"

A sudden cry echoed from nearby...

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