After reading the manual given by Nurse Joy in detail, Tetsuya finally understood the nature of the training here.
Trainers here push their Pokémon to battle against these fierce tsunamis and powerful ocean currents, testing both their physical endurance and skill. Through this process, Pokémon often gain significant strength, and some even master difficult techniques they wouldn't have learned otherwise.
Tetsuya now understood why veteran trainers on the Pokémon forums always said, "Here, you will witness the supreme power of nature." It was likely that these trainers had once been put through the wringer, struggling against the relentless forces of the ocean while training their Pokémon, and now wanted the next generation to experience the same.
That said, the effectiveness of this training method was undeniable, which explained why so many trainers flocked here.
At the end of Nurse Joy's guide, there was a clear safety warning:
Trainers were strictly advised against bringing Fire-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokémon near the sea—or, worse, throwing them into the water. Pokémon that couldn't swim should also be kept away. Ignoring these warnings would only lead to regret when disaster struck.
This warning was clearly aimed at novice trainers. Despite the League's extensive education system, many rookies still failed to grasp the importance of type interactions. One could easily imagine the sheer terror of a Rock- or Fire-type Pokémon suddenly plunged into the ocean.
Luckily, Tetsuya wasn't reckless. His main goal here was to train Pidgeot, while his other two Pokémon were focusing on gathering energy for their upcoming evolutions.
There were alternative training grounds for Pokémon of other types, but these facilities came at a price—unlike the raw, free challenge provided by the sea itself.
As Tetsuya strolled through the town, he listened to the chatter of fellow trainers.
"Oh man, I was terrified. My Tentacruel was nearly swept away by the tide, but thankfully, I had all the safety measures in place."
"That's nothing! My Kingler just bolted out of the sea by itself! I didn't see it for two whole days—I thought I'd lost it for good. Then, out of nowhere, it just came crawling back like nothing happened."
The White Cape felt like an entirely different world—far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life. Here, most people were trainers, and their daily conversations revolved around their training experiences, battles, and strategies.
That wasn't to say tourists never came. Many couples visited just to admire the stunning scenery—the sunsets, the crashing waves, and the raw beauty of nature.
According to some statistics, at least ten couples each year took the extreme step of jumping off the White Cape's cliffs, believing it to be a symbol of eternal love. Tetsuya, for one, didn't get it at all. (●—●)
Walking into a fruit shop, Tetsuya scanned the prices. Bulk purchases here weren't much different from the posted buy rates at the Hunter's Guild.
With so many trainers coming and going, selling basic resources like berries had become a solid way for locals to make a living.
However, what really caught Tetsuya's attention was a special fruit on display at the center of the shop—a Sand Scale Berry.
A real Sand Scale Berry had the remarkable ability to enhance a Pokémon's speed and refine its overall physique. However, artificial cultivation had never been successful. Wild Sand Scale Berries were extremely rare, usually found deep in forests or remote wilderness, and even then, a single tree would only produce one or two of them at most.
The Sand Scale Berry in the store, as expected, was just a holographic projection used for marketing.
When Tetsuya asked the shopkeeper about it, the man laughed. "It's the store's treasure—mainly for publicity."
That said, the shopkeeper did own an actual Sand Scale Berry, though it wasn't for sale. In fact, he had been lucky enough to obtain two in his lifetime. One had been donated to the Oak Research Institute for study. In exchange, the other was being safely preserved at the institute—along with the protection of the authorities, ensuring no one tried to steal it.
Tetsuya could only admire the man's luck. As for why he hadn't used the berry himself, the shopkeeper explained that, by the time he acquired it, he had already reached his peak as a trainer. His Pokémon had hit their natural limits, and consuming the Sand Scale Berry would have been a waste.
Instead, he had retired to Vermilion City and opened this shop, using the Sand Scale Berry's reputation to attract customers. It had worked like a charm, earning him a steady income of Alliance Coins.
Everyone had their own way of making a living, and the shopkeeper's life seemed quite fulfilling in its own way.
After their chat, Tetsuya bought a large stock of berries and arranged for them to be delivered to his room before heading out.
This purchase left a significant dent in his finances. Ever since he had asked Brock to help him acquire special evolution stones, his funds had dwindled. He was now down to just three million Alliance Coins.
Spending another five hundred thousand on berries cut his balance further to 2.5 million.
There wasn't much choice. Although he could buy resources from Pewter Gym at half price, there was a limit to how much he could get. Since his Golem would require a substantial number of evolution stones, most of his remaining quota at the Gym would have to be reserved for that.
So, for basic supplies like berries, he had to rely on external purchases.
Next to the fruit shop was a well-equipped rental training ground. Though not as advanced as Pewter Gym's facilities, it was still more than adequate.
The price wasn't bad either—100,000 Alliance Coins per day. Considering the maintenance costs for repairing equipment and battle arenas, it was a reasonable rate.
Realizing he didn't need to carry so much training gear with him anymore, Tetsuya returned to his room and sold off some of his excess equipment. In the past, he had prepared for training in the wild, but now that he had access to facilities, he didn't need to lug everything around.
Selling three of his six pieces of gear at a discount, he managed to recover 400,000 Alliance Coins.
Though it didn't completely offset the berry expenses, at least it softened the blow.
Checking the time, Tetsuya hesitated for a moment before deciding to take advantage of the morning to complete a B-level bounty mission.
If things went smoothly, he could return around one or two in the afternoon, submit his completed mission, and then check out the seaside training grounds.
It would also be a great opportunity to give Pidgeot a good workout.
After getting his bearings, he adjusted his bag, took one last glance at the map, and headed toward the nearby mountains.
"Boldore, use Quicksand Hell to restrain it! Pidgeot, use Air Slash to harass it after the Shadow Clone! Combusken, hit the area below its pattern with Flamethrower!"
Amidst the rocky mountains, the sounds of a fierce battle echoed across an open stretch of land.
Towering boulders surrounded the battlefield, enclosing Tetsuya and his three Pokémon as they faced off against a massive, purple cobra-like Pokémon.
The opponent was enormous—at least six meters long by Tetsuya's estimation. Compared to it, he and his team looked almost insignificant.
With its powerful body and deadly venom, this was Arbok, a predator with few natural enemies in the wild.
But the most striking feature of this Arbok was the pattern on its hood. According to recent studies, Arboks possess more than twenty different pattern variations. The one before Tetsuya resembled an angry human face—black 'eye sockets,' red and yellow 'glasses,' a black 'mouth' with upward-curving 'corners,' and black 'eyebrows' forming a downward-pointing arrow.
Tetsuya had been observing this Arbok for some time. It had just finished a hunt.
That was one reason he targeted it—like real-world snakes, Pokémon like Arbok tend to be sluggish after digesting prey.
This particular Arbok had no special pattern-related abilities, nor did it possess an extreme regenerative factor. It was a standard specimen.
That was a relief. Some Arboks were rumored to regenerate even if their bodies were severely damaged. So long as the head remained intact, they could regrow lost sections. If this had been one of those, capturing it alive would have been worth a fortune.
But this one? It had only just reached elite-level strength, and due to its aggressive nature, it wasn't particularly valuable.
Tetsuya had taken on a long-term task, officially registered as Mission No. 19789170519, which required collecting fresh Arbok skins.
He'd been interested in this job for a while, but back when Pidgeot wasn't as strong and his Roggenrola had just hatched, it had been out of the question. He had chosen simpler cleanup assignments instead.
Now, with three well-trained Pokémon at his side, he was confident he could take down an Arbok like this. The payout was excellent, too.
After all, even stored Arbok skins retained high medicinal value—fresh ones were just the most sought after.
The challenge? Arboks were tenacious hunters. Once they locked onto a target, they wouldn't stop pursuing it.
That meant there was only one good way to handle this—either kill it or capture it.
Otherwise, a wounded Arbok might track you down while you were out adventuring, waiting for an opening to strike back.
They were patient like that.
Of course, a rare Arbok with a shifting pattern and enhanced regeneration could be an incredible asset. For reference, one only needed to look at Agatha's Arbok.
"Chabaku!" Arbok hissed, its voice low and menacing, as it slithered forward.
Boldore's Quicksand Hell churned beneath Arbok, restricting its movement.
It broke free quickly with brute strength—but only after a momentary delay. Another wave of quicksand formed beneath it.
At the same time, Pidgeot's Shadow Clones swarmed around, making it difficult for Arbok to predict where the real attacks were coming from. A true Air Slash mixed among the illusions, striking its massive body.
Combusken unleashed a Flamethrower, blocking Arbok's path forward.
Then, the giant snake reared up, flaring its hood. Its pattern glared down at them—this was Arbok's signature intimidation tactic.
The 'Glare' move could instill fear and hesitation in opponents.
However, Pidgeot and Boldore weren't fazed. Their levels were on par or even higher than Arbok's. And in truth, both of them were simply stronger.
Arbok's poisonous attacks were the real threat. Without them, it wouldn't be as dangerous.
Pidgeot alone could have handled this fight, but getting poisoned in the process would be a hassle. Antidotes could only slow the effects. Full recovery required a visit to a Pokémon Center and the care of Nurse Joy.
So, rather than risk it, Tetsuya opted for a three-on-one strategy to neutralize the threat safely.
Still, Glare affected Boldore.
Though it was meant as support, the level difference meant Boldore hesitated, momentarily frozen in fear.
Tetsuya had anticipated this.
"Boldore, don't be afraid! Use Mud-Slap on its eyes!"
Arbok lunged toward Combusken, weaving in a zigzag to dodge incoming attacks.
It had no choice. It had already expended some venom while hunting and couldn't use Acid Spray at the moment.
Its main strategy was to constrict its prey once it hesitated, squeezing until its heartbeat stopped.
Its crushing power was immense—it could flatten an iron barrel. Once caught, there was no escaping its coils.
Tetsuya watched closely.
"Boldore." His voice was steady.
"Dangoro!"
The ground in front of Arbok suddenly collapsed, revealing a deep pit.
Arbok, in full charge, slithered straight into it.
"Combusken, Fire Blast! Pidgeot, use Hurricane!"
No hesitation—Tetsuya gave the final order.
"Boldore, use Gravity to pin it down!"
A deafening explosion filled the pit as fire and wind combined. The blast surged through the hole, growing fiercer with the added air current.
Pinned by Gravity, Arbok struggled to climb out but was overwhelmed by the onslaught.
It let out a final screech before going still.
Tetsuya had Pidgeot send another gust into the pit, ensuring there was no further movement.
Satisfied, he walked forward and tossed a Poké Ball.
Arbok barely twitched before being absorbed into the sphere.
Click.
The ball locked, confirming the capture.
Tetsuya exhaled, finally allowing himself to relax.
He pocketed the ball, making sure it was secured—there was no telling what an Arbok might try if it regained consciousness too soon.
Wild Pokémon like this were apex predators. No trainer wanted to encounter one unprepared in the wilderness.
They were vengeful, highly venomous, and undeniably strong.
Getting poisoned meant immediate retreat for treatment. The best solution was to avoid unnecessary risks.
Fortunately, humans had the advantage of strategy and tools.
While Arbok had been hunting, Tetsuya had been watching, waiting, and planning his move.
And in the end, the hunter had become the hunted.