In Viridian City, Kanto Region:
"Roar!"
Muscles all over its body tensed, Rhyperior pounded the ground, unleashing a terrifying Earthquake that swiftly consumed the opposing Machamp.
A senior Trainer exclaimed in disbelief, "But Rhyperior was clearly paralyzed!"
Blue, with one hand casually in his pocket, calmly retorted, "A Trainer isn't just for show."
He deftly recalled Rhyperior using its Poké Ball. Rhyperior transformed into a red beam of light and returned to its ball, which rebounded into Blue's palm.
The senior Trainer was left stunned, his robust demeanor cracking as tears welled up.
Was Viridian Gym supposed to be this challenging?
Suddenly, Blue's phone vibrated in the hallway. Recognizing Red's incoming call, he answered it with a serious tone.
"The arena is scheduled for repairs this afternoon, so you don't need to come over for discussions."
"No, it's about something else," Red responded.
Blue, his curiosity piqued, inquired further. "What is it?"
"Teacher Luke mentioned your tactics during his live broadcast," Red said with a smile.
"My tactics?" Blue furrowed his brow.
Trained by Chuck, a Fighting-type Gym Leader, Blue excelled at identifying opponents' weaknesses in battle. Additionally, Giovanni's "Profound Truth of the Earth" had greatly inspired Blue in breeding Pokémon.
Though the details varied, Blue had to admit that Teacher Luke possessed a profound understanding of Space Focused tactics.
However, Blue's expression turned complex as he considered the implications. Did this mean that many challengers would come to face Viridian Gym in the future?
Blue asked, "Who was he battling against?"
Red scratched his head. "It seems to be Sabrina."
Out of curiosity, Blue tuned into Teacher Luke's live broadcast. As he watched, he found himself deep in thought.
"Space Focused tactics haven't lost their edge," he mused.
Blue took pride in his Pokémon breeding. Tactics that lacked solid Pokémon support, such as Space Focused, often posed difficulties against higher-ranked challengers. Nevertheless, Blue acknowledged Teacher Luke's tactical prowess.
When Teacher Luke's voice resounded through the live broadcast, Blue raised the corners of his mouth and spoke on the public screen:
"Viridian Gym is open to challengers at any time starting tomorrow. Welcome to the Space Focused team."
The barrage of comments filled with question marks.
"Is Blue... acknowledging Teacher Luke's Space Focused tactics?!"
"Wow, even the Champion recognizes these tactics. Teacher Luke is incredible!"
"Time to learn this!"
Blue's phone buzzed again, and a teasing message from Red appeared.
"Surprisingly, you're also using Present!"
Blue responded with a quizzical, "How?"
Red chuckled, "Yellow is too strict... I ran out of pocket money."
Blue was momentarily taken aback.
Did their relationship progress that quickly?
Blue's face displayed a mix of emotions. "I can lend you some."
Red replied with a smile, "No need. I already borrowed some from Misty!"
Blue raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"Do you have steel bars for brains or something?"
"Prepare for tomorrow's challenge; I'll be there!" Red added cheerfully.
Blue sighed and smiled slightly. "I'll be waiting."
...
Lt. Surge crossed his arms, a touch of emotion in his expression.
"No wonder Sinnoh's Elite Four lost to this kid... he's something else."
Sabrina, her tone unchanged, remarked, "Not bad at playing."
Lt. Surge burst into hearty laughter. "Every now and then, it's satisfying to crush opponents. I even beat that guy from Sinnoh a few times; his Electric-type Pokémon had some skill!"
"I'm just a bit curious," Sabrina said as she navigated to Teacher Luke's online profile. "I've never heard of a Trainer like Orient before."
Lt. Surge shrugged.
"That's what happens when you're not into gaming. He actually developed a game recently, and it's quite entertaining."
Sabrina regarded Lt. Surge calmly.
"The Rookie mentioned by Giovanni is also from Orient."
"Are you saying Giovanni invited 'Teacher Luke'?"
Lt. Surge expressed his discontent. "God... Can such a coincidence really happen?"
"Just a gut feeling," Sabrina replied without arguing.
Lt. Surge placed a can of ice-cold cola in front of Sabrina with a thud and sneered, "Alright, after you finish this Coke, please leave."
"I'm a law-abiding citizen now!" Sabrina opened the cola tab, took a graceful sip, and smiled.
"Me too."
Sabrina had come to Vermilion City by chance while on vacation to visit her old friend. However, in the realm of Psychic-type Pokémon where she excelled, 'Teacher Luke' had surpassed her solely through his commanding skills. This kind of strength left Sabrina feeling a bit uneasy.
Sabrina furrowed her brow, walked over to a roadside phone booth, and dialed Team Rocket's secret line.
Matori's cold, unfeeling voice answered from the other end of the line, "This is Matori, speak."
"I want to know the full name of the new Executive that Giovanni invited," Sabrina stated.
"You don't have permission to know," Matori refused.
"Tell me," Sabrina calmly demanded.
Matori remained silent for a while before replying, "I'll be heading to Orient soon. I don't know the full name. He's a Trainer who wins with tactics and commands."
"The one known for the Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis and Shrink Squad?" Sabrina inquired.
"...No comment."
"Thank you, Matori," Sabrina said with a slight smile.
The intuition of Psychic individuals was never without reason. Sabrina was determined to find out what kind of powerhouse this Trainer, approved by Giovanni, truly was.
She clicked on Teacher Luke's personal homepage and a look of astonishment spread across Sabrina's face.
"The Master Group's... Online Friends Group?"
...
Meanwhile, Blue had finished responding to the Mega Rockets, and he didn't ask any more questions. It seemed that this round of Space Focused sharing had greatly intrigued him.
Luke relaxed and said with a smile, "Today's live broadcast concludes here, but there will be tutorial videos available later."
"I'll definitely check them out. See you next time!"
"Oh no, Teacher Luke is signing off, and we'll have to wait for weeks!"
"Tears!"
"Goodbye, little Eevee-san!"
"Thumbs up to everyone!"
Luke swiftly wrapped up the live broadcast session, acknowledging the rapid-fire comments from his dedicated viewers. He then checked the backstage, noticing the many red dots signifying new applications.
Luke couldn't help but feel puzzled. Among the members of the Online Friends Group, there was a familiar avatar.
For a moment, he was stunned. Sabrina from this world...
She was the one who had bathed with Red at Mt. Silver when she was not yet twenty years old.
Considering her age, Sabrina, the current film and television celebrity, couldn't be older than twenty-six.
Luke gazed up at the sky. Lately, it seemed like everyone joining the group had some connection to Red. Despite being in the Online Friends Group, it appeared that he attracted a different kind of fanbase—no female fans for Red?
Yet, when he recalled the scene of Red dealing with Asura, a subtle smile played on Teacher Luke's lips.
He carefully clicked the "Agree" button and nodded in all seriousness.
Your move next, Fighter!
[Group member 'Saffron City Gym Leader' has joined the chat group!]