Chapter 36

Early on the weekend morning, Gastly used its Lick move to gently rouse Luke from his late slumber. The paralysis effect was triggered, causing Luke to shiver. With a trembling hand, he reached for a Cheri Berry from the nightstand and chewed it absentmindedly before nodding at Gastly.

"Thank you for waking me up," he said.

Gastly responded with a cheerful "jie jie~ jie jie~!"

Having been informed by Luke that training Toxic required specific conditions, Gastly was eager to get started early in the morning. It flew around the room excitedly, eagerly awaiting the training session ahead.

As Luke got up and went to freshen up, he couldn't help but yawn. Having played games with the wealthy woman late into the night and now gearing up for a training session with Gastly, he mused about the daily routine of a Trainer. It struck him as amusing and somewhat surreal.

Nonetheless, having committed to training Gastly, Luke was determined to see it through. He opened the Pokémon Pokédex on the system, reviewing the moves that Gastly had already mastered.

[Gastly, Ghost + Poison Type

Ability: Levitate

Moves: Confuse Ray, Lick, Hypnosis, Curse, Night Shade, Will-O-Wisp, Mean Look, Protect, Substitute]

Gastly had almost learned every move it could before evolving. All that was left was to master Toxic, which was crucial for its 'Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis' tactic, given its early offensive strategies.

"Let's go, grab the Poison Gem, and head to the special training venue," Luke said, stifling another yawn.

Gastly responded with its characteristic "jie jie~ jie jie~!"

With his income from Bilibili and the live broadcasts now in hand, along with the extra earnings from the previous day, Luke had around 60,000 yuan. This gave him the confidence to invest in formal professional training.

Although the hourly rate was steep, Luke recognized the importance of professional venues with their skilled trainers and safety measures. He also appreciated the presence of a medical team, which would put his mind at ease while training Toxic.

Luke opted for a fighting club known as the "Bulls Arena." The club offered the choice of paying directly or using a training card to access the venue. Knowing his own habits, Luke acknowledged that he might only visit a few times a year, so he paid 3,000 yuan to secure a small training area for himself.

At Luke's request, the club arranged for an elite Poison Type Trainer named Xena to provide guidance and assistance. Xena was a tall, slender woman with sharp features and a confident demeanor.

"Are you here to train Poison Type Pokémon?" Xena glanced at Luke. "It's quite rare, especially selecting Gastly as a Starter Pokémon."

Due to the less popular Poison Type and Ghost Type Attributes, few trainers chose Gastly as their Starter Pokémon. However, as Gengar was a prominent champion in the Poison Type, Xena had a favorable view of Gastly.

Luke nodded, saying, "I want to train Gastly's Toxic moves. I apologize for the trouble."

"How should we proceed?" Xena crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Through battles? Or something else?"

After a moment of consideration, Luke recalled Koga's explanation of "Toxic Experience" regarding Poison Type Pokémon. Unlike other Attributes, Poison Type Pokémon theoretically had the ability to absorb toxins from other Pokémon and bolster themselves due to their immunity to poisoning.

This concept resembled the idea of absorbing different types of fires, with the absorbed toxicity of Toxic becoming stronger and more challenging to eradicate.

The concept was initially introduced by Koga in his work "Toxic Experience," detailing the intricate method of blending various toxins. Without access to Koga's insights, having Poison Type Pokémon attempt such a mixture would only lead to unnecessary suffering. This made the "Toxic Experience" a highly valuable resource.

The poison gem possessed the capability to enhance Gastly's inherent toxicity. When combined with toxins from other Pokémon, Toxic's potency would amplify significantly. This was precisely why Luke had sought out a Poison Type Trainer at the specialized training venue.

Luke offered a faint smile and advised, "Teach it the move, preferably employing a Poison Type move directly."

Xena nodded and retrieved a Poké Ball, summoning her serpent-like partner, Arbok.

Previously non-toxic as an Ekans, Arbok had developed the ability to poison an opponent in a mere three seconds since its evolution.

Examining the imposing cobra before him, Luke's brow furrowed. "Start with Poison Sting."

Luke then turned his attention to Gastly. "Remember to use the technique Koga taught. Don't overexert yourself!"

Gastly, bolstered by its immunity to poisoning, flashed an eager grin and nodded confidently.

With her arms crossed, Xena commanded in a low tone, "Arbok, Poison Sting!"

A hissing sound escaped Arbok's mouth as it reared up, displaying a menacing pattern on its body. Venomous spikes shot forth, propelled by its sharp fangs.

Being an elite Trainer, Xena's Arbok executed Poison Sting swiftly. However, Gastly's response was equally swift.

Employing the Protect technique, Gastly created a hazy shield that slowed the advance of Poison Sting.

Following that, Gastly opened its mouth wide and chomped down on the toxic thorns as if devouring a chocolate bar. The sound of chewing echoed in the air.

Xena's expression turned incredulous.

Was this another training method?

Even with its immunity to poisoning, consuming Poison Sting directly was unprecedented.

Arbok's sting met Gastly's fog, which seemed to exude darker toxins as the interaction progressed.

"Jie jie~ jie jie~!"

Gastly sported a wide, triumphant grin.

Observing Gastly's unscathed state, Luke breathed a sigh of relief and addressed Xena with a smile. "Carry on!"

Xena hesitated momentarily, then issued a command: "Arbok, Acid!"

A barrage of acidic projectiles was launched at Gastly. The corrosive substance weakened Pokémon's special defense, potentially overwhelming even Gastly.

Frowning, Xena watched as Gastly retrieved the poison gem and hurled itself into the acid-filled barrage.

"Bah–"

To Xena's astonishment, Gastly gleefully shook its head amidst the corrosive acid, seemingly relishing it like a Scald bath.

"Jie jie~ ~www!"

"Good heavens!" Xena exclaimed, her eyes widening.

The acid had corroded the shell of the poison gem.

Gastly was lapping up the toxic contents of the gem with delight, even extending its long, scarlet tongue to revel in the experience.

"Sucking–"

The extraordinary spectacle left Xena dumbfounded.

Despite her expertise as an elite Poison Type Trainer, she had never witnessed a battle of this nature.

"Wha... what kind of training method is this?" Xena managed to utter, her astonishment evident.

"This is utterly astounding!"

Luke himself was taken aback.

Could Koga's training approach truly be this remarkable?

Upon further reflection, Koga was a seasoned Poison Type Elite, and "Toxic Experience" was the culmination of his life's dedication. Furthermore, Gastly possessed a fourfold resistance to poisoning.

As long as Gastly engaged in a Poison Type skirmish on equal footing, it would inevitably dominate.

A puzzled expression crossed Luke's face. "I thought this would be my initial training... How did it suddenly become invincible?"