Thursday, September 17.
Within the Magic City Taurus's Club.
"The next one."
Observing the live broadcast on the screen, the receptionist at the front desk nonchalantly munched on potato chips and commented, "Teacher Luke is really handsome!"
"Jie jie~! (*≧▽≦)," Haunter chimed in, snatching a potato chip with skill and experience.
Xena cradled her docile Growlithe and inquired without much thought, "By the way, you asked me to find the decoration team last time, what are you up to?"
Haunter's reaction was a momentary pause, beads of sweat forming on its forehead.
Growlithe, too, shook its head with a wry wag of its tail.
After the day's schedule concluded, Haunter returned home gloomily, bearing Growlithe.
Though there were numerous communities nearby, the attention-grabbing red villa stood out the most.
A large hole in the second-floor wall exposed the bricks beneath, affording a clear view of the interior.
The burned flooring, soot-stained ceiling, and charred remnants indicated that a recent fire had ravaged the premises—a grim and tragic sight.
"Jie jie~..."
Haunter scratched its head and extracted a notepad from the shadows, jotting down notes with a ballpoint pen.
The artistry was quite abstract, but if Sylveon were present, it would probably decipher Haunter's training logs.
[9.14, Will-O-Wisp, had minimal effect.]
[9.15, Thrash, showed exceptional results.]
[9.16, Flame Wheel, mastered.]
Mastering new moves within three days was a source of pride for any Trainer, even if it had come at a considerable cost. Growlithe's abilities had markedly improved, and Haunter was quite content.
However, the house needed to be redecorated before its owner returned...
"Jie jie~..."
Haunter cautiously opened the door and surveyed the chaotic scene, sweating profusely.
Inside, Sister Liu was directing a crew of workers in their renovation efforts.
Turning to face Haunter, Sister Liu said with a smile, "I've brought in a decoration team."
"Don't fret too much; I've been wanting to spruce up this place for a while."
"Jie jie~..." Haunter expressed its chagrin.
Evidently, its Master's instructions had fallen by the wayside.
"Ao wu!" Growlithe's eyes sparkled, and they radiated a wisdom beyond their appearance.
Bending down, Sister Liu gently patted the heads of Haunter and Growlithe and remarked with a smile, "Money is secondary... Little Luke will be delighted when he learns about the new moves, won't he?"
Haunter and Growlithe exchanged glances, their spirits lifted, and they couldn't help but smile.
"Jie jie~!"
"Ao wu!"
In the Imperial Capital's Phoenix Nest, the finals of the college league seemed to be reaching a climactic conclusion.
Spectators gazed in disbelief at the remarkable Trainer.
"Is he planning to battle with all five trainer?!"
"Capital's last trainer has entered the fray!"
"There's still a glimmer of hope! Sylveon's strength is fading like a flickering candle!"
Nonetheless, the Capital supporters concealed the sense of despair that surged within them. This was due to the final Pokémon of Capital's player, Gu Fengyuan.
It was Gabite, a creature with ivory bony fins raised on its arms, resembling a shark.
If it were any other opponent, this future Quasi-Legendary Pokémon would surely pose a significant challenge for Capital.
However, Gabite, being of Dragon Type, faces a natural disadvantage when up against Sylveon.
"Vui~!(▼皿▼#)," Sylveon regarded Gabite with an unfriendly gaze.
A small bead of sweat quietly trickled down from Gabite's forehead.
"Capital's trump card turned out to be Gabite," Du Yuanshan playfully taunted.
"Sun Principal certainly knows how to play a game," Sun Huaian admitted, his face pale. "This time, I have been defeated, and I've lost to you once again."
"You've never won!" Du Yuanshan laughed heartily. "Since you've lost the bet, you should hand over your item."
"Isn't it the Move Secrets of Ice Punch?" Sun Huaian retorted with a cold snort. "But I have to admit you care a lot about this kid."
Du Yuanshan stroked his beard and gazed at Luke, who stood in the center of the arena. He felt a sense of admiration for this young Trainer, realizing that this youngster had the potential to grow to astonishing heights.
"Sylveon, Quick Attack!"
Sylveon moved nimbly, and its ribbon seemed like a sharp blade as it sliced through Gabite's abdomen.
Gabite cried out, attempting to retaliate with its sharp claws.
Sylveon agilely leaped back, the whoosh of the wind accompanying its retreat. Simultaneously, Sylveon swung its ribbon, releasing a sparkling Fairy Wind that enveloped the entire arena.
Gabite stiffened as if time had frozen. After a long pause, Gabite toppled backward with a thud.
A cloud of dust billowed around it.
At that moment, the referee blew his whistle.
"Magic City University...wins!"
The entire stadium fell into an eerie silence.
All eyes turned to Teacher Luke. It took quite some time before someone muttered, "Teacher Luke...sweep five Pokémon trainer?"
"Wait, he sweep all five!" The audience seemed to awaken from a dream.
Cheers erupted after the initial shock. Even Capital University supporters couldn't help but applaud.
Teacher Luke had single-handedly defeated Capital University, and he had done it in spectacular fashion.
Fireworks filled the sky overhead.
Simultaneously, in Luke's ear, the system beep sounded.
[Ding! Achievement of the Youth Cup Champion.]
[Achievement Reward: Random Skill Lv3; Premier Ball *1]
"Hmm? More Abilities?" Luke's eyes lit up, and he clicked on the reward.
[Play Lv3: Enhance your music perception ability, improve proficiency in various musical instruments, and also apply this bonus to musical sense, music theory, etc. (Music and dance go hand in hand!)]
Luke was momentarily surprised by the new Ability. The potential to master various musical instruments proficiently was an incredible gift. This was a skill level that rivaled [Cooking].
Upon careful consideration, he realized that this Ability also improved his composition and melody abilities to a certain extent, even if it didn't directly aid in singing. As long as he mastered the rhythm, becoming a singer was still a possibility.
Luke had previously contemplated creating cover songs. However, the vast landscape of musical theory had stymied his efforts. He wiped his chin and muttered to himself, "It seems that I can explore a new transformation, perhaps become a Content Uploader in the music category!"
The Orient Youth Cup came to a close, and Teacher Luke, who sweep five Pokémon trainers in the final match, was the center of attention.
Capital University supporters looked pained while Magic University fans affectionately called Teacher Luke, "How can a Trainer be this devious?"
"Is this the Magic University spirit? We love it!"
In the wake of Teacher Luke's astounding performance against Capital, he also secured the MVP title.
While his heart didn't flutter with excitement, Luke's lips couldn't help but curve upward when he pocketed 200,000.
After losing so many times, he had finally made a profit.
He handed a clear, near-transparent Mystic Water pendant to Squirtle, who wore it around his neck.
"Squirtle~!"
Squirtle received the pendant cautiously, a glint in its eyes.
The Master had said that, outside official competitions, they could carry as many items as they liked.
But could he... perhaps start stocking up a few hundred vials of Mystic Water?
Squirtle pondered this idea, gazing at the drop-shaped pendant around its neck.
At the same time, an inexplicable unease settled in Luke's heart.
Glancing at Squirtle, he scratched his head, "I hope everything is okay back home..."
"Sister Liu is keeping an eye on it...," Luke shook his head with a smile. "I hope they won't accidentally destroy the house again!"