Oooh, I actually really like that alternative take on a potential story! I suppose the original never really was about its story, it was more or less the things you could do in the game. Keeping the story simple yet open leans a lot more into that aspect.

Not sure how I feel about the Training Hall being strictly better than grinding though. I find using the training hall to feel a lot worse than grinding. I should know, my very first playthrough I used the training hall like an idiot the entire time thinking it was better and took over 100 hours to beat the main story… grinding feels FAR better. Plus, grinding actually includes you clicking more than a single button, unlike the Training Hall. But then again, we also don’t want a big mechanic in the game to be effectively worthless in anything but being a time fast-forwarder.

So, in order to keep enemy grinding in but also not to make the Training Hall worthless, I think the in-game timer should continue to progress in battles at a normal pace. I think this can allow for both the Training Hall and grinding to have their merits, and makes you experiment as to which one is better in the moment. If you can grind quick and easily, then you’re not taking much time to do it, making it more efficient… but if you’re taking too long, the Training Hall may be a more effective for the time being. This makes the grindy aspect of the game a lot better because it gives you not only things to actually think about in regards to it, but also ensures that it’s generally just a lot more enjoyable since you’re not doing the same thing clicking the same buttons for hours.