Logan noticed that Blue's way of training Pokémon wasn't much different from how he himself had begun—using running, weight-lifting, or other physically demanding methods to build up the Pokémon's body. This made Logan deeply skeptical. Did Blue not realize how inefficient this type of training was? But thinking it over, it was understandable. Blue was just a fifteen-year-old kid, after all, and in this world, he hadn't had the benefit of higher education. When it came to synthesizing knowledge and experience, Logan—a college graduate from another world—definitely had the upper hand.
In Logan's eyes, those nine years of compulsory education, followed by three years of high school and four more in university, had been invaluable. It wasn't so much about the factual knowledge he had acquired, but rather the way of thinking he had learned. Modern humans weren't inherently more intelligent than those from ancient times—after all, thousands of years wasn't enough for the human brain to evolve significantly. But the advantage of modern education meant that people learned to think in more rational, systematic ways. In ancient times, only the noble class had access to education, and education itself was one of the pillars upon which social hierarchies were built.
What truly set Logan apart, though, was his ability to observe the energy fluctuations in Pokémon using Mewtwo's vision. Through this, he had discovered the actual path to strengthening Pokémon. No wonder so many trainers roamed the world with their partners. Even without scientific methods, they developed valuable experience of their own.
It wasn't that Blue's training method had no results—it just progressed too slowly. Logan wasn't in the habit of correcting others uninvited. Instead, he simply continued commanding Gible to focus on improving the speed and accuracy of its attacks.
In his eyes, true growth for a Pokémon came from developing mental resilience in dangerous environments. Outside of combat, the most effective use of time was to hone a Pokémon's skill execution—faster, sharper, cleaner. Using every available moment wisely was the most efficient way to become strong.
After an hour, both trainers called their Pokémon to rest. Preserving energy in a dangerous environment was a mark of any competent trainer. Blue didn't challenge Logan to another battle either—it would've been foolish to spar in such perilous terrain, and Blue clearly wasn't an impulsive idiot.
"Thanks for your hospitality last night. I'll be heading out now," Blue said after resting with his Charmander.
"You planning to stay in the forest a while longer?" Logan asked, standing up from the rock he'd been sitting on.
"No. Both Charmander and I are at our limit physically and mentally. Staying any longer could be dangerous. Like you, I plan to leave today," Blue replied with a shake of his head.
"Heading back to Viridian City?"
"I came from Viridian. This time I'm heading northeast, straight to Pewter City."
"Ah, so we're not on the same path. I'm going to Viridian first, then onward to Pewter. Looks like you'll be ahead of me," Logan chuckled and patted Blue's shoulder.
They had no real rivalry yet, and even if they were destined to be future opponents, Logan saw Blue as the kind of rival one could grow alongside—not an enemy. In this unfamiliar world, where he knew almost no one, building friendships was more necessity than luxury. No one truly liked solitude. As a socially-inclined human being, Logan too longed for a circle of his own.
Clearly unused to being patted, Blue subtly leaned away. The cool and composed teen closed his eyes and said, "Next time we meet, if there's a chance, let's battle again. I won't lose that badly next time."
"Oh?" Logan raised a brow playfully. "So you're admitting you'll still lose, just not as miserably?"
"Hmph! I never said that! You're twisting my words!" Blue huffed, his tone brimming with tsundere energy as he turned and disappeared into the woods with Charmander.
"Tch. If you were a cute girl, being tsundere might be adorable. But a dude acting all tsundere? Come on…" Logan muttered, rolling his eyes as he packed up his tent and left with Gible, heading east.
Logan didn't make any more stops on the way. Three days later, he was approaching Viridian City. As he left the deeper parts of Viridian Forest behind, the surrounding danger eased up considerably. He no longer had to keep his senses constantly on high alert. It was almost disorienting—like a soldier fresh off the battlefield experiencing post-combat stress.
As the signal for his Pokédex grew stronger, Logan contacted the person he felt closest to in this world—Professor Oak—to let him know he was safe.
"Ha! What a surprise, getting a call from you, Logan! So, you made it out of Viridian Forest, huh? You've really changed a lot. Hurry up and find a place to rest and clean up!" Oak's hearty laugh came through as his face appeared on the Pokédex's video screen.
Hearing his joking tone, Logan chuckled. "And you haven't changed at all, Professor."
"Well, I'm just an old man now—nothing left to change! Judging from your appearance, it seems you've learned a lot in the forest."
"Yeah. I stumbled plenty early on, even faced some serious danger. But the growth has been real—especially for Gible."
Logan panned the screen over to Gible, who raised its little paw and waved at the professor. They had spent a year together in the lab, after all.
"Gible's come a long way. I can tell just by looking into its eyes—it's on the verge of evolution, isn't it? For Pokémon that evolve twice, the first stage usually isn't too hard. But getting Gible to this point in just a month? Logan, you've done a great job."
Professor Oak's experienced eye picked up on Gible's state immediately. While most trainers relied on battles and experience over time to meet evolution requirements, Logan's scientific training had accelerated the process dramatically.
"Thank you, Professor… Huh? There's someone behind you?"
"Oh, that's my granddaughter, Daisy. I asked her to help around the lab after you left. Daisy, come say hello—this is the Logan I told you about."
Professor Oak stepped aside, and a young woman with the same chestnut hair as Blue appeared on screen. Wearing a pale green sweater beneath a lab coat, her long hair cascaded down her shoulders. She smiled politely.
"Nice to meet you, Logan. I've heard a lot about you—especially your cooking. Grandpa complained quite a bit after you left," Daisy said with a laugh.
Unlike Blue's aloof and smug attitude, his sister seemed approachable and warm.
"Next time, starve the professor for two days. That'll shut him up about your cooking," Logan joked.
From the sound of the background, Oak was already grumbling. Logan continued, "Actually, I ran into Blue in the forest four days ago."
"My brother… He's not always the most pleasant person. If he said anything rude, I hope you won't take it to heart," Daisy said graciously.
"No, actually I thought he was a pretty decent guy," Logan replied. Though maybe I was the one who said something to piss him off.
"How's he doing? That boy never contacts us even when he has a signal—never thinks to tell us he's okay."
Professor Oak leaned back in, sounding worried.
"He's a little roughed up, but no serious harm."
"That's a relief… So, Logan, was there a reason you called besides checking in?"
"You really know me too well, Professor…" Logan smirked. "I saw Mew in Viridian Forest."
"Mew?"
Professor Oak paused, not looking shocked at all. Instead, a proud smile spread across his face.
"Logan, do you know the meaning behind 'Pallet' in 'Pallet Town'?"
Before Logan could respond, Oak raised his voice slightly, as if declaring something important.
"'Pallet' means pure white—completely untainted. This place, my life's work, is what I'm most proud of. There have been countless sightings of legendary Pokémon around here. So if you ever see a legendary near Pallet Town, don't be surprised. Because to those Pokémon, this is a sanctuary—a place they seek out."
Logan quietly listened. For a man like Oak, perhaps neither fame nor power could compare to the joy and fulfillment of seeing his dream town become a haven for legendary Pokémon.
After chatting for a while longer, Logan ended the call and continued his walk along a gentle river, deep within a lush green forest. The sound of flowing water and the peaceful sight of playful Pokémon and animals brought a rare sense of calm to his mind—finally free of the tense alertness he'd grown used to.
But just as he rounded a bend along the riverside, he spotted a small figure by the water—fishing.
--------------------
T/N:
Check out my Patreon
[email protected]/FictionalRealms784 - (Replace '@' with 'a')
for 5 Advanced Chapters absolutely FREE—or unlock 35 Advanced Chapters
--------------------