Beedrill and Scizor were only panting slightly; one could tell their warm-up had consumed a significant amount of stamina. Heracross, on the other hand, was gasping for air beside them with much greater intensity. Furthermore, there were visible injuries on Heracross, particularly a rather obvious bruise on its head.
Eichi didn't call it out, but it was clear what had happened. When he sent them off for their warm-up, Heracross likely tried to slack off, only to be caught and beaten by Scizor.
Once they had rested enough, Eichi began arranging their training. At their current levels, they were already capable of self-directed training. To prevent Heracross from loafing around, Eichi announced the plan.
"This morning's training will focus on actual combat. In a moment, I will blindfold you. Heracross, Scizor—the two of you will take turns battling Beedrill. Do it for real; do not hold back."
Upon hearing the morning's contents, Heracross was not happy at all. It knew it was about to get another beating.
Eichi took three items resembling glasses cases from his backpack. He opened them and took out the contents: objects that looked like goggles. He fitted one onto Beedrill's head. There was a button on the side; when pressed, a black lens slid down over the goggles, blocking Beedrill's vision completely and making it impossible to see.
Eichi had specially ordered these from someone in Silver Town. There was a general store in town where the owner worked part-time making custom training equipment. Since Silver Academy was right there, many students required unique or strange training gear that department stores wouldn't stock. Following a senior's recommendation, Eichi went to try it out and ordered three pairs of glasses designed for sensory training. They were inexpensive, durable, and most importantly, Eichi had spotted many other good items in that shop.
After equipping the three Pokémon with the goggles, he let them begin. First was the sparring session between Heracross and Beedrill. As the two Pokémon faced off, Scizor signaled the start, and Beedrill vanished instantly. Heracross immediately began to sense its surroundings. In its perception, an afterimage flickered left and right, making it impossible to tell where the opponent actually was.
Since drinking the Carbos, Beedrill's speed had become even greater, leaving no trace of a shadow behind. Although Eichi had said not to hold back, its opponent was Heracross, not Scizor. For Beedrill, if it didn't go easy, Heracross wouldn't be able to fight at all.
Ignoring the miserable cries coming from Heracross in the background, Eichi continued Wimpod's training. Wimpod had rested sufficiently by now, so Eichi gave it a Pokéblock to consume.
"Wimpod, another 20 laps."
Wimpod looked a bit reluctant this time, but seeing Eichi's serious expression, it had no choice but to continue swimming. For the first five laps, its speed was just as fast as before. However, starting from the sixth lap, it began to slow down. This time, its speed dropped off rapidly rather than decreasing slightly per lap like the first run.
By the time Wimpod finished the 20th lap, its pace had turned into a "turtle speed," and it drifted sluggishly back to the shore to rest. Eichi noted that this third set took three minutes longer than the second.
Eichi let Wimpod rest for another five minutes before starting the next set. This one was two minutes slower still. After a ten-minute rest, Wimpod had very little stamina left. Eichi quickly fed it a bottle of Moomoo Milk and several Pokéblocks.
When it came to the final set, Wimpod was truly exhausted and unwilling to run again, but Eichi was firm. He steeled his heart and made it go one last time. After finishing the final lap, Wimpod was completely drained of energy, lying motionless on the shore.
Eichi didn't push it further; Wimpod's morning training was officially over. He used a bit of Bug Force to help it recover some stamina, leaving the rest to natural recovery. Eichi then turned his attention to the battle between Beedrill and the others.
Currently, it was a combat session between Beedrill and Scizor. Both Pokémon were blindfolded. Hovering in the air, they remained motionless, relying on their senses to pinpoint the other's location and find the optimal moment to strike.
The scene was quiet. In the distance, Heracross lay motionless on the ground resting. It had just battled Beedrill and had been beaten quite badly, covered in injuries. It used this time to recover as quickly as possible.
Suddenly, Scizor made a slight movement. Beedrill sensed it immediately, its body flickering as it disappeared. Scizor likewise vanished in the blink of an eye.
Clang! Bang!
Beedrill's twin needles collided with Scizor's claws. Beedrill's needles glowed with white light, while Scizor, refusing to be outdone, let its claws erupt with white light as well. They clashed head-on, producing a series of metallic clangs and bangs. The two Pokémon disappeared again, only to collide a second later.
This was the power of speed. An ordinary, slow Pokémon would be nothing more than a target under such an offensive, forced to take hits helplessly.
Beedrill and Scizor broke apart, hovering in the air. Beedrill began releasing Pin Missile. The entire space was filled with needles of light shooting toward Scizor. Scizor sensed the incoming attack and used Protect, forming a light screen around its body that blocked every needle.
Once the needles vanished, Scizor unleashed the Flamethrower it had been brewing in its mouth, aiming directly at Beedrill. Beedrill reacted quickly, mobilizing energy in an instant. Countless electrical currents surged and crackled from its body. Beedrill gathered all the lightning together and released it in one go.
It was Hidden Power (Electric)!
The lightning collided with the pillar of flame. Neither side gained the upper hand, and the two energy attacks resulted in an explosion.
Boom!
A massive cloud of dust and a shockwave were generated, but they had little effect on Beedrill and Scizor. They continued their exchange. Eichi watched from the side with great interest, and it was also the first time Wimpod had seen such an exciting battle.
After half an hour, Beedrill eventually won; Scizor was still a bit behind. Eichi let them rest for a while before dragging Heracross back up to fight again. What awaited it was another beating, but Eichi carefully noticed that Heracross was improving with every iteration.
As expected, he needed to push Heracross; otherwise, it would never know how much potential it truly possessed.