Friday, September 10.
When Luke woke up, he found Growlithe sitting at the edge of the bed, its tongue hanging out.
"Growlithe has a very active temperament and shouldn't be kept in a Poké Ball for too long. You need exercise, walks, and battles to help you grow properly," Luke thought as he remembered something from the Breeder's Handbook. He reached out and rubbed the dog's head.
"We'll go for a walk in the evening, and in the morning, you can help me with the house."
Growlithe wagged its tail eagerly and affectionately licked Luke's cheek.
"Jie jie~! (.ớ₃ờ)"
Haunter, looking dejected, drooped down.
Luke was taken aback for a moment, but then he realized what had happened. He had avoided Haunter's Lick before and had shown preference for Luke. Now, Haunter was eager to use lick too.
Taking a Cheri Berry from the headboard, Luke gritted his teeth.
"Haunter, use Lick!"
Haunter hesitated for a moment, then opened its mouth to expose its tongue's base and happily moved towards Luke.
"Jie jie~!(⁎˃ꌂ˂⁎)"
A cold, tingling sensation followed.
Luke shivered involuntarily, muttering, "30% chance of paralysis. Maybe I shouldn't have had such a stern expression..."
Suddenly, Luke was struck with realization: he was "paralyzed"!
Luke used a "Cheri Berry" to cure the "paralysis."
Haunter's favorability greatly increased.
A calm breakfast ensued. Luke rubbed his still-tingling face, yawned, and served some Pokéblock to Growlithe.
Growlithe squatted on the floor, sniffed the scent of the Berries, and wagged its tail happily.
Crash! Bang!
As the Pokéblock piled up in the bowl, Growlithe's expression transitioned from anticipation to concern.
"ao wu..." Growlithe took a cautious step back.
The Pokéblock had grown into a mountain.
Luke nodded with satisfaction, saying, "I didn't know your preferences, so I made a little bit of everything, just in case I made something you like."
Growlithe grinned, its mouth trembling with a mix of emotions.
As he sat on the sofa with Sylveon in his arms, Luke muttered, "I've missed a week of classes, and I should get back to school."
Though somewhat reluctant to leave, Luke was still the coach of the school team, and there were responsibilities to fulfill. He didn't want Growlithe to remain locked in its Poké Ball for too long and risk losing its favor.
Luke told Haunter, "Take care of this little guy in the afternoon. Train it until it's exhausted!"
"Jie jie~!(ノ￣▽￣)"
Haunter eagerly conveyed a promise.
Indeed, his owner was deeply concerned about Growlithe's training regimen, and Haunter was determined to develop it into a formidable Pokémon.
"ao wu!"
Growlithe let out a determined growl.
I'll work hard and become a hero, just like my mother!
The editing of "Late Night Cafeteria" would take some time, and Luke planned to release it in the early hours of the following night. He attended a couple of classes just to show his face.
Damien, who was nervously gripping the few strands of hair he had left, whispered, "Brother Luke, your team is making it to the final four!"
Luke was momentarily puzzled. "What team?"
"Aren't you an assistant coach for the school team?" Damien seemed equally bewildered.
"Magic University made it to the semi-finals yesterday. You didn't know?"
The college league was a platform for trainer academies to compete, similar in nature to other youth tournaments.
Luke wore a strange expression. Magic University was in the final four?
Wait... the college league had already begun? Why didn't he know about it?
Damien licked his lips and said, "Brother Luke... you shouldn't have..."
A drop of cold sweat formed on Luke's forehead.
"Don't worry too much," Damien reassured with a big smile, patting Luke's shoulder. "The semi-finals are coming up in a few days, and I'm looking forward to your performance."
Luke was still somewhat bewildered by the end of class.
It was Coach Zhai who contacted him:
"Luke, the semi-finals are coming up in a few days. Make sure you're there!"
"Sure, no problem," Luke replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Coach, I was away on a trip for a few days and missed the previous games. I'm sorry."
Coach Zhai chuckled heartily. "We've made it to the semi-finals, so don't worry about it."
"Maybe, but I just can't forget about it," Luke said with a smile.
"That's good," Coach Zhai said, grinning. "If you get in the ring, we'll aim for the championship. It's achievable!"
Luke couldn't help but wear a somewhat peculiar expression.
Setting such a high goal, Coach Zhai!
After ending the call, Coach Zhai turned to Director Yan Zhe and remarked, "Luke... even though he's busy with his startup, he still cares a lot about the school team."
Battle Department Director Yan Zhe nodded and added, "Dean Du is also keeping an eye on him. If he performs well in this league, we might recommend him to Celadon University."
Celadon University is a dream destination for many aspiring Trainers.
If the opportunity arises for Luke to study there, he wouldn't pass it up.
Coach Zhai considered this and nodded, saying, "Indeed, this time, Capital University has shown remarkable performance. They've put together a solid Sandstorm team, and it's the foundation of their strength."
Magic University relies heavily on space-type strategies, primarily the performance of space players. It doesn't translate well into the ring format. In team competitions, a Sandstorm strategy is often more effective.
Coach Zhai admitted that he wasn't entirely confident about the college league this time.
Director Yan Zhe smiled and said, "Motivate these kids a bit more. Those who perform well can expect to receive Move Secrets and other resources as rewards."
The mention of Move Secrets piqued Coach Zhai's interest.
He recalled how ecstatic Luke had been when he acquired "Reflect" and "Light Screen" last time.
"You're right," Coach Zhai said with enthusiasm. "I think Luke would have no reason to decline!"
Once home, Luke checked the "Baby Cup" schedule.
"So many games have already been played..."
After contemplating for a moment, he nodded to himself.
"Let the players take the initiative and give it their best shot. It's a reasonable approach!"
Nonetheless, teaching assistants had performance-based incentives, and it was essential to deliver results.
"I'll take a look in a few days," Luke mused. "After all, it's just the Baby Cup. It shouldn't be my top priority."
As he looked around, he realized that the house seemed uncharacteristically quiet. He attributed this to the afternoon training session.
Growlithe, who had been quite energetic earlier, was now sprawled lazily on the ground.
But upon hearing that Luke planned to take it for a walk, Growlithe instantly sprang to life, full of energy.
Luke strolled alongside Growlithe, taking a couple of laps around the neighborhood, and exchanged greetings with Sister Liu, who was also out walking her dog. She watched Luke walk away, muttering to herself:
"Little Luke has tamed Growlithe... He must be quite well-off."
In the middle of the night, all was quiet.
Holding Sylveon in his arms, Luke clicked the "video upload" button.
"Teacher Luke's Late Night Canteen 03: Burgundy Beef Stew."
As expected, just after 1 AM, when the hunger-stricken night owls struggled with their cravings and resisted ordering takeout, Teacher Luke's food video struck like a bolt of lightning.
"I knew it! Videos like this can only come out in the middle of the night!"
"I've lost my Farfetch'd because of this."
"Is this a late-night poison attack?!"
The video showcased a delicious beef stew, beautifully presented and steaming hot. It was truly mouthwatering.
Luke had informed the group members in advance about the review, so they didn't have to wait long for the video to be approved.
To his surprise, at 1 AM, precisely when countless midnight snackers' stomachs were growling with hunger, the video had an enormous impact.
In the comment section, viewers marveled at the mouthwatering dish.
"I understand now... Luke is actually a professional chef!"
Although it was late at night, the barrage of comments kept pouring in.
Subsequently, the eating and broadcasting scenes featuring Growlithe caused an outpouring of question marks in the comments.
"What's going on? Even Growlithe gets a better meal than me?!"
"People are not as good as dogs."
"Luke has too much money! He even raised Growlithe!"
Luke noticed the envious comments and smiled knowingly.
He was planning to cook a late-night meal for himself, but when he opened the refrigerator door, he was taken aback.
Having been busy poisoning others late at night, he had forgotten to replenish the food supply!
With a rumbling stomach, Luke slapped his forehead.
"What a careless mistake..."