In stark contrast to the jubilant cheers of the audience, the guest section remained in utter silence.
Applauding while someone else's child loses a game would indeed be considered impolite in such a situation.
Tang Hui and Song Pengcheng exchanged a glance, offering an awkward smile and saying, "It was quite a well-fought match, evenly matched, you could say."
"Lu You displayed remarkable performance. Excellent, but the opponent proved to be too crafty," commented Lu Jianghai with a complex expression.
He wondered if calling this contest evenly matched was truly appropriate.
By the end of the game, Magneton hardly made a dent in Haunter.
The only damage incurred was due to Haunter's Substitute.
It was difficult to fathom that this rolling game had materialized into a finals showdown.
The rival that Luke had overcome was none other than the chosen successor from the Electric Type Gym in Lei Province!
Gazing at a dejected Lu Jianghai, Tang Hui inwardly sighed.
In this battle, Luke seemed to have deciphered Lu You's moves.
The tactics employed were ingenious, yet they were far from clean!
Lu Jianghai couldn't help but rub his temples.
Coming here, he had even imagined his son receiving the winner's accolade.
Never did he expect that reality would deliver such a harsh blow!
"Now, I'm starting to somewhat believe the rumors circulating on the Internet," Lu Jianghai said with a forced smile. "For Lu You to lose to him... it's not a matter of shame, ha... haha!"
Song Pengcheng regarded Luke on the field with a meaningful glint in his eyes.
From Gastly in the qualifiers to the present Haunter.
In just two months, Luke's rate of progress was nothing short of meteoric.
Though his true strength remained a mystery, Luke's remarkable expertise could be gauged from the caliber of Pokémon he raised!
"Is someone of his stature really competing for the prize money?" Song Pengcheng shook his head.
"Perhaps, this individual is truly from a prestigious lineage..." Tang Hui speculated, trying to jest.
However, seeing Song Pengcheng's serious demeanor, he felt a tad embarrassed and scratched his head.
"It's not completely out of the question..." Tang Hui muttered contemplatively.
Amid the cacophony in the arena, a new Piplup Cup Champion was crowned.
Indeed, the teachings of Haunter had certainly been worth the price of admission.
Fans of Teacher Luke weren't exactly taken aback by his triumph, but they still found the experience quite enriching.
"Why didn't Teacher Luke employ Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis?"
"For Steel Types, using Toxic along with a hammer works wonders! Pairing Burn and Hex is ample!"
"Man, Teacher Luke is seriously cunning!"
The victory appeared to come more easily than expected.
Luke's expression grew complex.
Was this it?
He had been intending to seriously train Haunter. Who would have anticipated such rapid growth?
Perhaps a couple of games against Gold would be more of a challenge!
"Well... even if I can't emerge as the strongest, it's too dull to win without any challenge."
Luke mused, nodding thoughtfully.
"What a Trainer... he truly excels at being a mischievous rascal!"
Amidst the overwhelming cheers, media reporters crowded around Luke.
"May we hear your thoughts at this moment?"
Luke responded with a smile as radiant as a spring breeze, saying, "I'm feeling good."
A female reporter in the front row blushed slightly, and a male reporter hastily interjected, "Could you share your experience of training Haunter?"
A peculiar expression flickered across Luke's face.
So that's what you're after now!
"Haunter was self-trained," Luke replied with gritted teeth.
"Train by itself?"
Luke succinctly replied, "Indeed, Haunter trained on its own!"
The male reporter appeared thoughtful, rapidly scribbling down notes like a Fly, jotting down a series of concise phrases.
[Emphasizing Pokémon's self-management awareness through training, embodying the philosophy of inaction in Lao Zhuang, highlighting the spiritual portrayal of the Eastern Trainer...]
"As expected of Teacher Luke!" The male reporter's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
The level of conscientiousness in a Trainer such as Luke greatly surpassed that of the other competitors!
...
Having claimed the Piplup Cup Championship prize, Luke had already received his reward.
The 50,000 yuan bonus was duly credited to Luke's account, swelling his deposits to nearly 100,000.
And the [Soothe Bell], which Luke held in high regard, now lay nestled in an exquisitely crafted wooden box.
Opening the box, Luke extracted the delicate little bell and gave it a gentle shake.
A delightful sequence of clear, melodious chimes ensued. Although not overly remarkable, they imparted a sense of relaxation and joy.
Luke couldn't help but smile, remarking, "Eevee should really like this."
Haunter also seemed entranced, his scarlet tongue extending reflexively towards the Soothe Bell.
Luke was taken aback and hastily lifted the Soothe Bell out of reach.
"Don't even think about licking it, Haunter. If you try, be prepared to face Eevee's bite!"
Haunter responded with a sheepish grin, scratching his head in mild embarrassment.
It wasn't that he was afraid of Eevee's bite, but rather, as the older brother figure, he felt a responsibility to look out for his younger siblings!
Back at home, Eevee wagged its tail excitedly, crouching in front of the computer engrossed in watching a video.
[#133 Eevee.Avi]
"Uh?" Luke arched an eyebrow.
"Well, now you're learning from Haunter?"
Sneaking up behind Eevee, Luke suddenly exclaimed.
"Vui~?! (ﾟДﾟ*)ﾉ"'
Eevee let out an adorable yelp, leaping off the computer and performing a Quick Attack straight into Luke's embrace.
"What the heck?!"
Right on time, Haunter appeared, placing his hand on Eevee's little head and chuckling mischievously in Luke's direction.
"You're a Trainer too, aren't you?"
Abruptly, Haunter's demeanor shifted, his body quivering violently.
Looking down, Luke discovered that Eevee had clamped onto Haunter's ghostly claw, refusing to let go.
"Jie jie~ jie jie~ !ﾍ(;´Д｀ﾍ)"
Luke scratched his chin.
"Um… I was almost bitten."
"Thanks, Haunter!"
Luke offered a sincere nod.
Gripping the back of Eevee's neck, the little rascal kicked its legs, squirming back and forth with evident reluctance.
"Vui~ !(〃＞﹏<)"
Luke cast a glance at the video file on the computer.
Oh boy, here I am secretly training Protect, and I've been caught red-handed!
"Blocking is better than healing."
Luke muttered to himself.
"It seems I need to establish strict regulations on daily training durations..."
"Otherwise, these two will train day in and day out. If they end up getting injured, the losses would outweigh the gains."
Luke wore a bemused expression.
What kind of logic is this...
The rest of the Trainers force their Pokémon to train, while I'm contemplating how to limit their training time?!
Releasing Eevee, the little one's demeanor remained sullen.
I don't feel like talking to him any longer.
At least not until dinnertime. I'd rather not engage with this fellow for now!
"Here you go, I got you a little present."
Luke produced the Soothe Bell, gently fastening it around Eevee's neck, then affectionately ruffled the Pokémon's head.
"Haunter isn't the only one around here, you know!"
"Ei... vui~?"
Eevee emitted a soft sound, its expression momentarily dazed. It bowed its head and extended a paw to inspect the bell dangling before its neck.
Ring Ling Ling——
"Vui~ ~(๑´ㅂ`๑)"
The resentment that was once evident vanished.
Eevee resembled a bouncing ball, frolicking across the floor, rolling back and forth with boundless enthusiasm.
"Vui~ vui~ ('▽`〃)!"
The little creature beamed contentedly, casting curious glances at the bell adorning its neck.
As the bell ceased its jingling, Eevee extended its pudgy paws, giving it a firm tug and breaking into a fit of giggles.
"Vui~ ~!!!"
Haunter gazed perplexedly at the scene.
The sound was pleasing, but its taste was beyond his comprehension.
Haunter: (¯﹃¯)
Observing Eevee's exuberant antics, Luke's cheeks flushed and he instinctively clutched his chest.
"System, do we have any fast-acting heart medication?"
[? ]
"So endearing..."
"Aw, so sweet!!"