"Um, Granny Sun, could we take a look at the Fire-types as well?"
Owen didn't make a decision immediately. Though he felt a bit bad about troubling the elderly woman, he wanted to understand all his options. Granny Sun gave a small "hmpf" of acknowledgment and continued leading the way.
"As for Fire-types," she said, "there are five with particularly special talents."
"Understood," Owen replied.
...
Fire-types, naturally, couldn't be raised in the same environment as Grass-types. This area was a vast open space resembling a valley, littered with various rocks and boulders. The abundance of rock was likely a safety measure—stone doesn't burn easily.
"This Charmander has an outstanding affinity for Dragon-type energy. Its physical constitution is excellent, though it has a terrible temper.
Because of that temperament, it managed to learn Dragon Rage quite early," Granny Sun explained as they reached a group of Charmander.
Next came the Cyndaquil.
"That one in the middle has the rare Flash Fire ability. Its parent was a Ninetales, and it inherited the move Extrasensory."
Owen gulped. That sounded impressive. Adding those to the Grass-types he'd seen, the talent levels here were practically on par with his Magneton.
Considering Magneton's primary edge was its Psychic talent, Owen realized how incredibly lucky he had been to find it in that abandoned power plant. It was pure "dog-shit luck," as they say.
As for his Eevee's talent... Owen couldn't quite say. Thinking back, Eevee didn't have some god-tier innate ability; it was just that he had trained it exceptionally well.
"Torchic..." Owen watched a few Torchic sprinting around the rocks. "Is that first one the Speed Boost ability? It's incredibly fast."
"Yes. A Speed Boost Torchic with a natural talent for agility. It's already mastered Quick Attack. In this area, there probably isn't a Fire Pokémon faster than that one," Granny Sun continued. "And over there is a Chimchar with a unique talent. That's the last of them."
The Dragon-talented Charmander didn't tempt Owen. If he had a Mega Stone, he might have considered it, but "ifs" didn't win battles.
The Extrasensory Cyndaquil was a good match for his blue Pokéblocks, but Typhlosion's general temperament didn't quite vibe with Owen's style.
The Speed Boost Torchic, paired with red Pokéblocks, would be a powerhouse of speed and strength. Very tempting.
But Owen's gaze shifted to one of his two original top choices: Chimchar.
Following Granny Sun, Owen saw the Chimchar sitting cross-legged on a rock. He was puzzled. "Aren't Chimchar supposed to be mischievous and hyper-curious? This one... looks like it's practicing meditation for a long life."
"That's just the surface," Granny Sun said. "This little one inherited the move Focus Energy. It has the Iron Fist ability, meaning its punching moves are exceptionally powerful.
It truly has a gift for it; it's less than two months old, but has already self-taught Fire Punch and Thunder Punch. Oh, it also manifested Hidden Power, and its attribute is Electric."
"Hidden Power..." Owen was stunned.
This Chimchar is destined for me.
Both of his current Pokémon knew Hidden Power. If this Chimchar knew it too, that would make three—enough to start a card game.
However, the real reason he had shortlisted Chimchar was because Infernape was one of the few Pokémon that could maximize the benefits of both the purple-red and light blue Pokéblocks.
Infernape can master Calm Mind to train its mental strength, while its physical prowess is naturally immense. It is among the rare Fighting-types—like Lucario, Medicham, and Mienshao—that walk the dual path of body and spirit.
The hallmark of such Pokémon is powerful perception and unbreakable willpower. This Chimchar seemed to have both, especially the latter.
Suddenly, Chimchar opened its eyes and looked at Owen. It hopped off the rock in silence and focused its gaze on a massive boulder in front of it.
"What is it doing?" Owen asked.
"Practicing its punches," Granny Sun replied. "This Chimchar isn't mischievous because it spends its time adjusting its breathing—practicing Focus Energy to enhance the destructive force of its strikes."
Whoosh! Bang! Crack.
Chimchar's fist flared with flames. It drove a straight punch into the boulder. The surface was instantly scorched black, and a web of cracks radiated from the point of impact.
Chimchar looked at the result with a dissatisfied expression, then hopped back onto the rock, closing its eyes to readjust its breath.
"That training method is quite unique," Owen said, genuinely impressed.
And that Fire Punch was powerful. When Eevee was two months into training, it couldn't even break a tree. What is this? Achieving a state of 'Unity of Spirit and Body'? Does it think it's a cultivation master?
This peculiar training style fascinated Owen. While other Pokémon had special talents, they still retained their typical racial behaviors. This Chimchar had a strong, distinct personality. It wasn't just about talent; it was about character.
Owen shook his head with a smile and followed Granny Sun to see the Water-types. They were solid—including a Marshtomp with an Ice-type talent that Owen liked—but "liked" wasn't "loved."
"Phew."
Having toured the entire facility, Owen made his decision.
"I choose the Chimchar."
There are plenty of Venusaur that can control nature, but an interesting Chimchar like this might be one of a kind. Owen's intuition told him he wouldn't regret this.
Inherited Focus Energy... if it learns Calm Mind later to boost its mental power, combined with a Focus Punch that requires total concentration... Unity of Essence, Ki, and Spirit. It would be a literal "One-Punch Man." No, a "One-Punch Monkey." Just thinking about it was cool.
"Decided?" Granny Sun was surprised but respected Owen's eye for talent. This Chimchar was indeed top-tier, easily top three among this batch. With the right resources, it could easily become a pro-level ace.
"Decided," Owen said.
With the purple-red Pokéblocks, this Chimchar could become a mainstay of his team within a year. Its physical power would be pushed to the limit, while the light blue Pokéblocks would ensure its mental strength didn't lag behind.
...
They returned to the Chimchar's training spot. Owen issued his invitation as the little monkey sat on its rock.
In the next second, flames flared from Chimchar's body. It opened its eyes and locked its gaze onto Owen. Owen stared right back.
Neither of them blinked.
Chimwar: ??? Owen: ???