Luke is panicking now.
I was quite panicked.
At 8 o'clock this morning, Luke was planning to go to the school district for class, and suddenly received a greeting from the world Champion.
[Red: Early. ]
[Luke: …Red Boss, you have something to say straight,]
[Red: What is your address? I have something to send to you. ]
Luke was taken aback for a moment.
Send something to me?
Isn't it sending blades?
I haven't broadcast live for three days!
At the end of the term, Luke, whose schoolwork pressure suddenly increased, had to temporarily shelve his live broadcast career.
On the other hand, he has to take a good look at Gastly to prevent Gastly from having setbacks during training.
What is this called!
Others are eager for Pokémon to train hard.
How can Pokémon force the master to train?
Luke was sighing, and Red sent another message.
[Red: (Scroll.png)]
The picture is a sealed scroll with exquisite patterns and an imposing manner that is indescribable.
[Red: Mr. Koga entrusted me to give it to you. ]
Koga?
Luke was stunned for a moment, and suddenly an image of Ninja wearing a mask appeared in his mind.
As the Poison Type Gym Leader of the original Kanto Region, Koga was on the throne of the Johto Elite Four after three years of experience, relying on the unpredictable and mysterious Poison Type Pokémon.
This is definitely not a messy master!
[Luke: Red Boss, you just keep it, there's no need to give it to me! ]
[Red: No, this is Mr. Koga's experience of "Toxic" over the years. He like to repay your kindness by sharing his knowledge with you. ]
Luke was left stunned in his tracks.
'Toxic' experience?
What kind of "Toxic" experience could the Poison Type Elite possess?
If he were to impart this knowledge to Gastly for training, one wrong move could result in an unpleasant outcome!
A bead of cold sweat formed on Luke's forehead, his anxiety becoming palpable.
With trembling hands, Luke composed a reply.
[Luke: When did he owe me any favors?]
[Red: Your "Shrink Squad" strategy... uh, it actually inspired him.]
Red had also watched Luke's gameplay videos afterward.
In the eyes of this world-renowned Champion, the Minimize tactics still have certain weaknesses when applied in actual combat scenarios.
However, Koga had taken a unique approach, leveraging the advantage of numbers to compensate for the shortcomings of the 'Shrink Squad' strategy.
Even Red had to acknowledge this fact.
In a field battle, when hundreds of 'Minimize' Pokémon were strategically positioned in advance, even members of the Elite Four might find themselves in a precarious situation.
Red murmured to himself, "I hope Team Rocket doesn't adopt this tactic."
Despite the fact that Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni, remained elusive, remnants of the villainous organization still lurked around the world, posing a threat. Ensuring regional stability and apprehending these remnants were among the responsibilities of Champions and the Elite Four.
Meanwhile, Luke was grappling with his own thoughts.
Did I really inspire an Elite Four member?
I'm not even a certified Trainer yet, but here I am, potentially contributing to the training methods of Elite Trainers?
"This is mind-boggling," Luke mumbled to himself.
[Red: To wrap it up, the logistics company will deliver this scroll to your home.]
[Red: I believe this also presents an opportunity for you to enhance your 'Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis' strategy. (Smile)]
Though Luke's true strength was still a mystery to him, Red sensed that a Trainer who could inspire Elite Four member Koga was no ordinary person.
He was convinced that this 'Toxic' experience would propel Luke's abilities to new heights.
"Indeed, battling powerhouses is truly exhilarating!" Red clenched his fists, a spark of passion for battle igniting within his dark pupils.
If Luke were to discover that he was seen as a formidable opponent by Red, he might very well be overwhelmed by the realization and flee overnight.
Yet, in this moment, he set aside his phone, his expression reflecting a sense of uncertainty.
"Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis... only Protect is missing?"
He had even ridiculed Gastly's 'Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis' strategy as a subpar version.
However, in just two weeks, Gastly had not only mastered the utilization of 'Substitute', but had now also acquired the esteemed [Toxic experience] from Poison Type Elite Koga.
This certainly was no longer the inferior version; it was just beginning to take off!
Yet, this development also triggered a sense of crisis within Luke.
"Having Gastly learn Toxic... am I about to face some serious challenges?" he contemplated.
The [Toxic experience] imparted by Poison Type Elite Koga was undoubtedly a top-notch 'Toxic' TM, worth a value starting in the millions.
But if Luke was to sell this knowledge, he could only imagine that Koga might find himself targeted for assassination that very night.
In the end, teaching this [Toxic experience] to Gastly remained the only viable choice.
With a perplexed expression, Luke mumbled, "Why do you keep giving me TMs one after another?"
"I don't really need these TMs; I can offer them to people who require them," he responded.
Despite the banter, Luke still shared Red's contact information with him.
After all, considering the million-dollar worth of the [Toxic experience], it was only fair to provide something in return.
The address indicated in Luke's contact details did raise Red's eyebrows.
Magic City?
Certainly, given Teacher Luke's prowess, becoming the Gym Leader of Magic City was a fitting position.
That night, a Dragonite traveled across the oceans and arrived at Luke's doorstep, causing quite a commotion among the onlookers.
"Wow, a Dragonite! What an eye opener!"
Amid the gathered crowd, Luke approached and gently retrieved the scroll from Dragonite's plump paws.
He also discreetly handed Dragonite a couple of Pokéblocks.
With a glance at the photograph on the scroll and then at Luke, Dragonite gleefully popped the Pokéblocks into its mouth.
Dragonite: ('▽`〃)
Had it not been for the timely intervention of the police, who arrived to rescue Luke from Dragonite's enthusiastic embrace, his sternum might have suffered a fracture.
"I can't believe Ash managed to withstand a Dragonite hug," Luke muttered, rubbing his reddened chest in discomfort. "Being a Trainer is just so risky!"
After receiving repeated assurances from Red and confirming the safety of the situation, Luke finally sighed with relief.
Luke returned to his house, unfurled the intricately designed scroll, and laid it out on the table.
The process of learning a move using this type of paper-based TM was distinct from recorded videos. It required the alignment of both Trainer and Pokémon's perceptions.
Lack of compatibility between the two could make mastering the move challenging even for Pokémon capable of learning it.
However, Luke never harbored any concerns about Gastly's perceptiveness.
What did worry him, though, was his own safety.
"Gligar's tail needle, Beedrill's venom, Drapion glands..." Luke scanned the list of required Items for the 'Toxic' training, his forehead breaking into a cold sweat.
These items contained lethal toxins.
The mere thought of having these substances in his home sent shivers down Luke's spine.
As his gaze traveled further down the list, his complexion grew even paler.
"Two hundred thousand Black Sludge, two million Toxic Orb..."
"Is this move training or a money-burning ritual?" Luke exclaimed.
He glanced over at Gastly.
Gastly's eyes gleamed as if he had just discovered a new plaything, and his scarlet tongue seemed eager to give it a try.
"You absolutely cannot lick these substances," Luke remarked, his expression a mix of complexity.
"What if there's Toxic... oh, but you're a Poison Type, so maybe it's fine!"
Nonetheless, allowing Gastly to undertake Toxic training on his own would be akin to courting disaster.
This wasn't a game; in reality, Poison Type Trainers often faced mortal danger.
Luke recalled how he nearly burned down his house when training Will-O-Wisp the last time.
Considering training Toxic this time around, Luke couldn't even fathom the consequences.
Staring at the valuable scroll on the table, with the words "Dangerous" and "[Toxic experience]," he wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead.
"I really want nothing to do with this... thing."