Pokémon: The Master who emerged from the slums

In the room, Machop was happily munching on the energy cubes, finishing them off in no time. Afterward, it patted its small, bloated stomach and began to do push-ups on the floor.

James, seeing that Machop was full, walked over to its side and said, "Machop, my future happiness depends on you."

Machop scratched its head in confusion, not fully understanding what James meant, but still energetically replied, "Machop! Machop!"

Machop's enthusiasm was infectious, and James couldn't help but smile. He could see the fiery determination in Machop's eyes, full of fighting spirit.

James dug through his pockets, pulled out a small notebook, and started jotting down notes from time to time. After a while, he paused and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already past 4 PM.

With plenty of time left, James decided to take Machop out to the backyard. He now lived in a rented house in the county town, and since his grandmother passed away, he had rarely returned to the old house in the countryside. Though he hadn't sold it, the house held deep memories of his arrival in this world, and the land wasn't worth much.

Ever since Pokémon arrived on this planet 500 years ago, the planet's size had gradually increased. Now, there were many places where humans had yet to set foot. Before her death, James's grandmother left him a small inheritance. This money, a few tens of thousands of yuan, had been earned from small jobs she did in various villages, plus the savings James had accumulated over the years.

Now, with his first Pokémon, James could accept some bounty missions from the Alliance or take his chances in the wild.

In the backyard, James pulled out a heavy tree stump from the storage shed. This stump had been discovered during one of his trips to the park, where he found it washed up by the river. About a meter long and weighing 50 kilograms, it was made of a dense, ironwood-like material. Curious about its unusually heavy weight, James had picked it up, and over time, he'd used it for weight training.

Today, he brought the stump out into the yard and ordered, "Machop, use 'Bullet Punch' to attack the stump!"

("Bullet Punch": A rapid and hard punch, like a bullet, designed for quick attacks.)

Upon hearing the command, Machop leaped into action, instantly appearing before the stump. Its fists alternated in rapid punches, leaving afterimages. The stump shook with each hit, making loud "bang" noises.

James watched Machop's agile movements, nodding in satisfaction. As expected, being a Pokémon with a genetic skill, Machop used it with great proficiency.

"Very good, Machop," James praised. "Now, try 'Fire Punch'!"

Machop responded with a determined "Machop!" and began to gather fire-type energy in its hands. Though the energy was still weak, with a sharp "bang," a charred mark appeared on the stump.

James nodded and made a note in his notebook: Fire Punch: Unskilled, needs more practice.

After finishing the record, James commanded, "Machop, continue with 'Low Kick'!"

("Low Kick": A powerful kick aimed at the opponent's legs, its strength increases with the opponent's weight.)

Machop immediately complied, swiftly kicking the stump. With a loud "thud," the 50-kilogram log was knocked over.

James smiled and made another note in his notebook.

"Good job, Machop! Now, try 'Leer' followed by 'Fire Punch.'"

James watched as Machop used "Bullet Punch" again on the adjusted stump. While "Leer" didn't seem to affect the stump, James observed that after using "Leer," Machop's attack power significantly increased.

He knew that "Leer" was supposed to lower an opponent's defense, helping increase the chances of landing a successful hit. Though there was no opponent to test against, James could feel that after using "Leer," Machop's attacks were noticeably stronger.

After a while of training and testing, James had a clearer understanding of Machop's basic abilities, including its proficiency with different skills, speed, strength, and stamina.

James's goal for Machop was to train it as a physical attacker. After all, Machop's final evolution, Machamp, had a base Attack stat of 130, which was quite high. Plus, James's system rewards could further boost Machop's physical attack ability, with a daily supply of berry-based rewards that would help in its training.

Just as he was contemplating Machop's growth, a new task appeared on his system panel:

Task: The host has obtained their first Pokémon. To help the host become a powerful figure in this world, please train Machop in the following physical training exercises.

Task List:

Run 5 kilometers (If carrying weight, the distance may be reduced. The final interpretation of the task rests with the system.)

Squat Training (Perform continuous frog jumps within a 100-meter distance, at least 5 round trips.)

Skill Training (Use and familiarize yourself with skills to increase proficiency...)

...

[System Note: These tasks are tailored specifically for your Pokémon and will not exceed their physical limits. Rest assured, the training is designed to be manageable.]

[Completion Reward: One random fruit (the quantity of fruit may increase based on how well the training is completed).] If no rare fruit is drawn during this period, the system will provide a guaranteed backup reward. Within a maximum of 7 days, at least one rare fruit will be drawn!