In the quiet little house in Oldale Town, the morning sunlight filtered through the window frame, casting soft golden streaks on the weathered wooden floor. The silence was suddenly broken by a rapid, sharp sound.
"Bang… bang… bang…" — the clash of metal rang out repeatedly, sharp like a hammer striking an anvil. Each heavy strike echoed, making the walls tremble.
In the training room, a thick metal plate, specially designed to test striking power, shook with every hit. Deep dents marked its surface, some areas glowing red-hot, until — BAM! — a powerful punch from Lucario pierced it, leaving a smooth, circular hole. Light smoke curled from the edges of the metal.
Lucario stood there, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down its dark blue fur. Heat radiated from its body as if each punch had burned all the energy in that instant. Its sharp yellow eyes gleamed with pride mixed with fatigue, but its fists remained clenched — ready to strike again if needed.
The testing metal was connected directly to a computer beside Alex. On the screen, numbers and graphs danced continuously, displaying detailed data for every punch. The blue light from the monitor illuminated Alex's focused face, reflecting in his calculating eyes.
"The peak force reached... 238 kilograms per punch," Alex muttered, a hint of admiration in his voice. "Very strong."
He quickly switched through other data tables. "All physical stats have developed remarkably. If he keeps this pace, it won't be long before he masters... and becomes a master of Sword Dance."
Alex leaned closer to study the charts, speaking firmly: "When the time comes, his strength will increase exponentially."
In Alex's mind, Lucario was an almost perfect warrior — strong attacks, fast speed, and good endurance thanks to its Fighting and Steel attributes. But to become a true fighter, Lucario needed to master Sword Dance — a skill that doubles attack power for a short time, turning every strike into a potential finishing blow.
However, to use this skill, a Pokémon's physical condition must meet strict standards, and Alex knew Lucario was still on that journey.
"I... feel stronger too." The voice came not through speech but directly into Alex's mind — Lucario using its Aura power to communicate. It raised its hand, clenching a fist lightly, feeling the power flow through muscles and tendons, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Since evolving, the Waveguide power inside Lucario's body had surged, allowing it to flexibly use Aura as a second language to communicate with Alex.
Alex smiled softly, then walked to a metal cabinet in the corner of the room, opened it, and took out a special protective suit. "Here... this is the new ultra-heavy armor I prepared for you. Try it on."
The suit consisted of many thick metal plates reinforced at the joints, with a dull silver sheen. Each arm and leg had a heavy piece, adding 10 kilograms to the original 20 — altogether, when fully worn, it weighed 120 kilograms, double Lucario's weight after evolution.
"Yeah!" Lucario responded briefly. With Alex's help, it started putting on the armor. The clinking of metal echoed as each plate locked into place, making its body feel wrapped in a heavy shell. Every step caused the wooden floor to creak.
"At first, it'll feel a bit uncomfortable," Alex said, patting Lucario's shoulder, "but you'll get used to it. Wear this regularly and train according to the plan I've arranged."
Lucario nodded slightly. Though its power had greatly increased post-evolution, standing before Alex, it still sensed an invisible pressure — not from any specific attack, but like a novice martial artist facing a seasoned master.
"Rocky," Alex spoke seriously, "evolving into Lucario isn't the goal — it's just the beginning. From now on, it's time for us to widen the gap between us and the others."
Lucario said nothing, bowing its head, eyes shining with determination. "Luca!" — it responded firmly before turning toward the training area.
Heavy but steady footsteps echoed in the room, metal armor clanking sharply. It began repeating the most basic moves — punch, retract, punch, retract — each strike accompanied by the hiss of air being sliced.
Alex watched with a satisfied smile. Lucario showed no arrogance from its new strength; instead, it poured all its passion into training, each move etched deeply into its fighting instincts.
After some guidance, Alex turned his attention elsewhere and called, "Luna~."
From a corner of the room, Kirlia stepped forward gracefully. Her movements were fluid, as if gliding, the short petal-shaped dress swaying gently with each step. Luna stopped a short distance from Alex — no longer rushing into his arms as before.
Alex knew why. Usually, after evolving, a Kirlia's personality changes little, aside from power and appearance. But Luna was different — all three had changed. She had once been a Ralts who always wanted to be held, to stay close by, but now she was a bit shy. Perhaps becoming more of a "young lady" made her heart more sensitive.
Alex pretended to frown, his tone mockingly reproachful: "I feel... after evolving, you don't like me as much anymore. You're still my Luna, right?"
Luna immediately blushed. Her rosy red eyes widened with worry. Instantly, a spiritual thread connected their minds. Her voice came gently but urgently: "No, Luna is still your Luna. The little Luna loves you most."
Alex laughed and bent down, wrapping Luna in a gentle hug and squeezing softly. "Let me check if you're really my Luna."
"A~" — Luna gasped softly, face burning red. She hadn't expected Alex's sudden "attack." Only after a few seconds of being "molded" did she break free, stepping back, both embarrassed and a bit annoyed.
Alex chuckled, then quickly returned to training. "Luna, the skill you need to master now is Teleport. Since evolving, your psychic power has grown a lot, so your control will be smoother than before."
"Yes." — Luna nodded, focusing her power.
Whoosh — she vanished, then reappeared 40 meters away in a faint glow.
"This is the maximum distance I can teleport now." Luna's voice echoed in Alex's mind, tinged with pride.
"Good. Try doing it repeatedly in a short time and see what your limit is." Alex pulled out a stopwatch, eyes closely tracking every movement.
"Yeah." — Luna inhaled deeply and began.
"Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh..." — her figure flashed repeatedly, appearing at different spots each time.
After only a few tries, Luna's breath grew heavier, her face flushed. "This... is my limit..."
"Very good. The interval between teleports is about 5 seconds. You managed four in a row — far beyond my expectations." Alex placed a hand on Luna's head, rubbing gently.
Luna smiled, no longer avoiding the praise. Tired but filled with joy.
"Focus on Teleport first, then practice Dazzling Gleam when you have time."
"Yes." — Luna nodded, then stepped aside to continue training.
Alex looked at his two Pokémon — a steel warrior hammering out punches and a small sorceress moving in the blink of an eye — and began planning their next steps.