Training didn't look heroic.
There were no explosions, no dramatic shouts, no sudden leaps in strength. Just repetition, correction, and patience—the kind that broke careless trainers long before Pokémon ever did.
Inside the Sovereign Genesis Realm, Eren stood with Honedge hovering in front of him. Lia watched from a few steps back, Charmander at her side.
"Again," Eren said calmly.
Honedge rotated, its spectral eye narrowing. Its blade dipped, then moved—not slashing, but adjusting, shifting its angle mid-motion.
The ground beneath it subtly resisted, forcing micro-corrections.
"That's the realm testing balance," Lia observed. "Not strength."
Honedge reacted instinctively, stabilizing its core, correcting the angle.
The movement was cleaner this time.
[Minor Proficiency Increase Detected.]
Charmander, meanwhile, was struggling.
Not physically—mentally.
"Easy," Lia said, crouching. "Control first. Power later."
Charmander inhaled, chest expanding. A thin flame escaped its mouth, wavering dangerously before flaring brighter.
The realm responded immediately.
Heat dispersion softened the air, preventing runaway ignition.
Charmander blinked, startled.
"See?" Lia said gently. "It won't let you hurt yourself. But it will show you your limits."
Charmander growled softly, frustrated—but listened.
Eren watched both Pokémon carefully.
The difference between them was stark.
Honedge was disciplined, analytical, learning through refinement.Charmander was emotional, pride-driven, learning through resistance.
Both were dangerous in different ways.
"Split focus," Eren said. "Honedge trains precision. Charmander trains restraint."
They didn't push levels.
They pushed control.
Hours passed unnoticed.
By the time they exited the realm, exhaustion clung to them—not physical, but mental.
Lia collapsed onto the couch. "This is worse than exams."
Eren smirked. "And we don't even get grades."
Charmander curled beside her, tail flame steady and calm. Honedge hovered near the window, eye dimmed slightly—resting.
No fireworks.
But something had changed.
The system confirmed it quietly.
[Growth Assessment:]Honedge — Foundation StabilizedCharmander — Bloodline Suppression Strengthened
Eren leaned back.
"This is how we survive," he said. "Slow enough to stay invisible."
Lia glanced at the city outside.
"And fast enough," she added, "that when someone notices—it's already too late."