Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect-Chapter 241: Learning Moves by Viewing Paintings

Wisdom? What wisdom?'

John had no idea what the old master was talking about.

"My calligraphy and paintings were left behind by an Urshifu. They have the power to calm living beings. If a Pokemon studies them, they can immerse themselves in the essence and even learn some of the Urshifu's techniques," Justin Sane explained.

John frowned. "But my Smeargle isn't really studying the calligraphy. It's just painting on instinct, not actually understanding the art."

"If it can truly capture the essence of the Urshifu's calligraphy, it will be a great benefit to both you and your Pokemon."

John was intrigued. The Urshifu's calligraphy?

This particular legendary Pokemon was different from most. Unlike others that lived in remote, dangerous regions and rarely appeared before humans, this one had a unique approach to life. Before evolving, it started as a Kubfu—a small bear Pokemon that actively sought out human companions to train and grow alongside them. Many Kubfu searched for trainers to help them refine their fighting styles.

In this world, there was no "Tower of Two Fists" where evolution was determined by a simple test. A Kubfu had to integrate everything it had learned and develop its own unique style before it could evolve into an Urshifu. Even after evolving, they continued seeking strong opponents, traveling the world, and battling their way to the top. Many considered them the strongest known Fighting-type legendary Pokemon.

The idea that an Urshifu had once practiced calligraphy and left behind its works was fascinating. But could a Pokemon really learn moves just by looking at them?

If Justin weren't standing right there, John would have already pulled out his Gameboy to check if any new moves had appeared in his Pokemon's skill list.

After a long silence, Hariyama was the first to react. It stood up, pressed its palms together in front of its chest, and bowed respectfully toward the calligraphy painting. Something had clearly resonated with it.

"Your Hariyama seems to have understood something," Justin noted. "You should recall it and send out a Dark-type Pokemon next. The Urshifu that left these paintings followed the 'Single Strike Style.'"

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Depending on what style a Kubfu mastered, it would evolve into one of two different forms of Urshifu.

The "Single Strike Style" was a Fighting/Dark-type, specializing in overwhelming power and a devastating move called Wicked Blow.

The "Rapid Strike Style" was a Fighting/Water-type, favoring fluid combos and the signature move Surging Strikes.

Since the Urshifu that had created these paintings followed the Single Strike Style, Dark-type Pokemon would benefit the most from its teachings.

John nodded, recalling Hariyama and sending out Greninja. The ninja-like Pokemon sat cross-legged before the painting, closing its eyes as it immersed itself in the teachings.

Meanwhile, Blaziken had finished its meditation. John returned it to its Pokeball and sent out Tyranitar next.

The massive Pokemon plopped down on the ground, tilting its head at the calligraphy. It stared blankly for a few seconds before looking up at John, its eyes full of confusion.

"Tyranitar?" (Why did you send me out?)

Justin chuckled. "This one isn't suited for this kind of training."

John sighed and recalled his Tyranitar. That big guy wasn't exactly the brightest, and now it was confirmed.

After a while, Greninja finished its study, and Vigoroth was the last to rise. Smeargle, however, was still lost in its art, having already painted hundreds of copies of the calligraphy. John had to step out halfway through to buy more paper just to keep up.

Of course, he took the chance to check his Gameboy and see what new moves his Pokemon had learned.

Hariyama had gained Reversal, a move that became stronger the lower its health was. A great choice for a Pokemon that specialized in counterattacks.

Blaziken had learned Detect.

In the games, Detect functioned like Protect, blocking all attacks. But in reality, it was much more than that. Detect allowed a Pokemon to read an opponent's attack patterns, giving them the ability to dodge and counterattack with precision. A Blaziken with a mastered Detect could dominate most close-range battles.

John was thrilled. This was a top-tier move.

Greninja had learned Sucker Punch, a high-priority move that struck first as long as the opponent was about to attack. In reality, it was a technique that required careful prediction. If John could read his opponent's moves correctly, Greninja would be able to strike first and seize control of the fight.

Still, he had been hoping Greninja might have learned Wicked Blow, the Urshifu's exclusive move. But it seemed signature techniques weren't so easily obtained.

Finally, there was Vigoroth.

It had learned Mind's Eye.

John's mind flashed back to a conversation he'd had with his instructor during a battle against their Machamp. They had once told him that for a melee fighter, there was one move that was absolutely essential: Mind's Eye.

Mastering this technique was like unlocking a special ability. It allowed a Pokemon to see everything in a 360-degree radius, eliminating blind spots. Smoke, darkness, or even blinding techniques wouldn't affect them. It was even more practical than Detect in some cases.

Originally, John hadn't expected much from his Vigoroth. He figured it would take the brute-force route, relying on raw power rather than finesse. But now, it had unexpectedly picked up one of the most valuable combat skills possible.

Every one of his Pokemon had learned something incredible from these calligraphy paintings. John was beyond satisfied.

"That's enough for today," Justin said, stretching. He looked at John. "Your Vigoroth still needs to learn Mega Punch and Body Slam, right?"

John nodded.

"Leave it here for another week. Come back then, and it should be ready."

"What about Smeargle?" John asked, watching his Pokemon furiously painting away.

"It can stay too, but you'll need to bring someone to keep feeding it paper. If it starts doodling all over my courtyard, I'm kicking it out."

John grinned. "Fair enough."

Today had been a good day.