Ding-dong—
Daily Training Activated.
First Stage of Training: "Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg" — One-minute countdown.
Clap clap clap—
Activating the system, Riku immediately clapped his hands at the three silly birds and Groudon, who had finished breakfast half an hour earlier.
"Hurry up and get up. It's time for daily training—half an hour's rest after eating is more than enough."
"What's daily training?" Groudon asked, blankly glancing at the three birds.
The three birds ignored him. Their faces drooped, but they still stood upright and slightly raised their left bird claws.
"Roar roar roar—"
"Hahahaha! What are you three dumb birds doing?" Groudon rolled on the ground laughing.
"Too funny, you're killing me!"
"Don't laugh so happily," Snowy said coldly, radiating a chill even under the scorching summer sun.
"You'll know how miserable it feels soon enough. If you've got the guts, try not to join us!"
"Humph!" Groudon snorted, gray smoke puffing from its nostrils.
"Who am I? The majestic Lord of the—"
"Red Shrimp, show some propriety." Before Groudon could finish its boast, Riku, standing above, looked down and cut him off with a glare.
"The three birds have already started training. And you're still daydreaming?"
"Hurry up and join in. I'm doing it too!"
As he said this, Riku raised his left leg and stood on one foot.
Groudon panicked. Even the master himself was participating—how could it dare to slack off?
Under the mocking gazes of the three birds, Groudon gritted its teeth and laboriously lifted its short, stubby leg.
Thump—
After barely ten seconds—maybe eight or nine—it crashed to the ground.
Panting heavily, looking like it might start foaming at the mouth from exhaustion, Groudon lay sprawled out while the three silly birds laughed heartily.
"Hahaha!"
"Red Shrimp, you're useless!"
"You're an embarrassment to Pokémon everywhere!"
"From now on, when you see us, you have to bow and call us Daddy!"
Groudon was furious, but it stayed on the ground.
Who knew if Riku would make it keep training? Might as well lie down for as long as possible.
Still, in those few seconds of effort, Groudon had felt a faint trace of Earth Power gathering in the soil beneath its feet.
It wasn't clear if that power could enter its body, but over time, it might aid comprehension.
Even so, Groudon wasn't impressed.
It was the Lord of the Land. Earth Power was always welcome—but not at the cost of such exhausting training.
If it were Flying Power, now that might be worth going through fire and water!
"Enough!" Riku turned to the three silly birds and scolded them.
"When you started out, you weren't any better than Red Shrimp!"
"Red Shrimp, get up. Now!"
"Roar…" Groudon gave a weak growl, but it earned no sympathy.
The three birds had pulled this pitiful act countless times before. Riku was immune.
Under the looming threat of no food, Groudon reluctantly returned to training.
Within the hour, it fell over nearly fifty times.
At first, it managed ten seconds. Then six. Then four. It was collapsing faster and faster.
Riku was slightly dissatisfied but could only sigh.
After all, Groudon had once been a weak Pokémon that couldn't even find enough food.
Ding-dong—
First Stage of Training Completed. Reward: 100 points.
An hour passed, and Groudon lay collapsed on the ground, thoroughly exhausted. Even the three birds were visibly drained.
After resting for several days, suddenly resuming intense training really took its toll.
"Let's go! The second stage of training starts now!"
"Anyone who keeps lying down—don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Snap—
A black riding crop, nearly two meters long, somehow appeared in Riku's hand.
Although it had been a while since they'd been whipped, the three dumb birds knew all too well: if Riku pulled that out, things would not end well.
Helplessly, the four weary legendary Pokémon followed Riku to a small mountain. At the foot of the mountain flowed a river, above which thundered a massive waterfall with rapid currents.
Riku immediately warned, "Snowy, this time you cannot freeze the entire waterfall."
"If you do it again—no food for you!"
Articuno looked dejected. It had indeed been thinking about doing just that.
Soon, Riku had driven the four Pokémon to the base of the waterfall.
Roar roar roar—
The crushing impact of the falling water instantly overwhelmed the three birds, making it difficult to lift their heads as they staggered under the force.
Groudon, however, handled it relatively well.
As the Lord of the Land, its body was tougher than bedrock. The waterfall's force, though intense, couldn't harm it.
Riku observed for a while. The three birds and Groudon seemed to be taking it seriously—no cheating.
He thought for a moment and then tossed out a Poké Ball.
"Feebas, come on out!"
"Goo—!"
The moment Feebas popped out, it saw water all around and excitedly dove into the river, swimming happily.
Originally, Riku had intended to make Feebas train too, but considering its small body, the waterfall might have turned it into fish paste.
So he let it swim freely below.
Feebas's carefree demeanor instantly made the others jealous.
Wasn't this the legendary truth?
"The weaker you are, the more privilege you get."
The three birds had visited the waterfall before to wash off. At that time, the force wasn't much for Tier 2 Legendary Pokémon like them.
So why now, under Riku's training, did the waterfall feel at least twenty times stronger?
Ding-dong—
Second Stage of Training Completed. Reward Points Granted.
The system notification chimed, and Riku waved to the four exhausted Pokémon, beckoning them to rest.
There were still several training segments left, but up until now, the three birds had only ever reached the third stage—then collapsed halfway through.
Now, with Groudon added, completing two stages was already commendable.
Riku understood well that haste makes waste.
Beep—
As the four Pokémon lay down, the system suddenly issued another prompt:
"Earth Fruit is ripe. Please harvest in time to prevent Earth Power leakage."
"To preserve the berry, spend 500 points to purchase an exquisite glass box from the system shop."
"Let's go!" Riku stood up immediately.
He glanced at the four unmoving Pokémon and smiled.
"The berry's ripe. If you don't want to eat it, feel free to keep lying down."
Splash—
The three legendary birds and Groudon, who had been too lazy to move a moment ago, sprang up after a two-second pause.
Especially Groudon—its eyes gleamed brightly with excitement.
Lurking beside this human was clearly the right choice.
Good food, warm shelter—and now power berries?
If only today's training didn't exist… this island would be paradise!
---Support with power stones