I Really Don't Want To Be A Trainer

The second round of the 'Piplup' Cup group match stirred up quite a frenzy in the major media outlets.

News had spread like wildfire among reporters, all eager to capture the Gastly Trainer in action.

Just outside the players' area, a swarm of reporters armed with cameras and microphones formed a bustling crowd. Even the past semi-finals had never seen such a massive media presence.

Thanks to the event's marketing and publicity efforts, Gastly had turned into a dark horse that garnered significant attention in the tournament.

"Look, isn't that the young guy?"

"Yes, that's the one with the Gastly!"

A tall and handsome young man in a white shirt had a Poké Ball fastened to his waist, and a faintly visible Gastly floated above his head.

Reporters swarmed towards Luke, armed with questions and cameras at the ready.

"Are you confident about this match?"

"Why did you sit out in the previous rounds?"

"Could you share your expectations for your ranking?"

Luke responded with a polite smile to the cameras, saying, "I'll do my best not to have any regrets."

Internally, Luke's thoughts were more along the lines of, "It's so hot, I just want to get back to the air conditioning!"

Gastly, observing the sweaty Luke, let out a mischievous chuckle.

Being a Ghost Type, Lord Gastly wasn't bothered by the heat at all!

The matchups for the Contest Category were revealed, and Luke was set to face a senior high school student from Hangzhou No. 2 Middle School.

These students who had chosen the path of becoming Trainers could apply for early approval to join Pokémon Academy through participation, interviews, and various other means.

However, the disparity in commanding skills between the senior high school student and Luke was clearly evident.

Amid gasps of astonishment, Luke read his opponent like an open book, predicting their moves with ease.

"Why does it seem like Butterfree's every move is anticipated by Gastly's Foresight?"

"The difference in strength is causing Butterfree to struggle to keep up with Gastly's speed!"

"No, it's more about Luke's impeccable timing in his commands!"

Butterfree, its wings adorned with the effects of Will-O-Wisp, descended mournfully from the air.

Simultaneously, the referee's banner proclaimed Luke as the winner.

"Whoa, where did this dark horse come from?"

"I heard he's from Magic City University, but isn't he just a casual player?"

"The neighboring court is also generating impressive results!"

In the adjacent match, Angela Shen from Magic City University showcased her absolute dominance over her opponent from Magic City University of Communications.

Angela Shen's Granbull further demonstrated the Fairy Aristocratic Family's strength, embodying the principle of focusing on internal battles and prevailing in external conflicts.

"Why did I win again…"

Luke withdrew Gastly, wearing a puzzled expression.

As he exited the contestant area, he suddenly halted in front of a figure.

The person before him was slender and tall, sporting a Poké Ball attached to his shorts, with an excited expression on his face.

"Lu, Teacher Luke?"

With excitement, he exclaimed, "I'm Fang Shu! I've been supporting your channel! I have even become a level-ten tier!"

After a brief moment of thought, Luke realized that he didn't recognize the name immediately.

However, given the level-ten tier status, this person must be a dedicated and long-time fan.

Luke chuckled and replied, "Ah, it's you! Take your time and tell me what you want to say."

"My username on your live stream is 'Bulbasaur How Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis'."

Fang Shu scratched his head, smiling sheepishly. "I want to thank you for your guidance. My Bulbasaur has evolved now!"

"Really? You used three initial starters as your starter Pokémon?"

Luke was pleasantly surprised. "Did you also participate in this tournament?"

"Yes, I've already advanced to the top 16!" Fang Shu enthusiastically declared.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Luke recalled that Twain had mentioned this individual to him before. Fang Shu, a new student in the Battle Department at Z-University, comes from a family of senior Grass Type Trainers. As expected, Fang Shu lived up to his background by successfully passing the school team selection in his freshman year.

Fang Shu's wealth and prowess are no less than Angela Shen's. In fact, his strength is even greater.

"It's all right, do your best in the next match and aim for the championship!" Luke encouraged, giving Fang Shu a pat on the shoulder.

"No, no, no," Fang Shu vehemently shook his head. "If you're in the competition, I can only hope for second place at most."

"My Gastly might not necessarily be able to defeat your Ivysaur!" Luke chuckled, torn between amusement and disbelief.

"Don't kid around! What if you bring out another Pokémon? The competition won't stand a chance against you!"

Fang Shu had previously witnessed Luke's tactical prowess, which even surpassed Sinnoh's Grass Type Gym Leader. How could someone with such remarkable command skills not be a formidable Trainer?

The most logical conclusion is that Teacher Luke took over a Gastly just before the start of the Piplup Cup. Initially dismissing the novice event, Teacher Luke reluctantly participated to help Gastly level up. By not appearing in the first two matches and allowing Gastly to battle independently, he inadvertently provided undeniable evidence.

"I'm content just to compete alongside you!" Fang Shu expressed his gratitude with a deep bow.

In a way, Fang Shu's deduction isn't entirely unfounded. A Trainer's strength is a combination of their command level and their Pokémon's prowess. Could a Trainer like Teacher Luke, who went toe-to-toe with a Master Trainer, have only captured a Gastly? The likelihood is slim to none.

Besides, considering Teacher Luke's young age, Fang Shu's admiration flows like an uncontrollable river. A Master Trainer at such a tender age – it's truly impressive!

For individuals of this caliber to participate in the Piplup Cup, even if they use a recently captured Gastly, it spells out certain victory.

"Please, just don't let me face Teacher Luke in a match!" Fang Shu exclaimed.

Luke sighed lightly. "What you're saying makes sense."

The predicament lies in the fact that he truly only has Gastly as his Pokémon.

"I only have one Gastly," Luke cautiously admitted.

"You only brought Gastly?" Fang Shu's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Uh... you could say the same," Luke responded with a tired wave of his hand. "Catch you in the live broadcast tonight!"

"Rest assured, Teacher Luke. I'll make sure to bring you a present when I return!"

—

Upon arriving home, Luke found the chat group buzzing about a new video on YouTube. Given that this group of enthusiasts primarily communicated in Japanese, making it difficult for other fans to understand, Luke decided to create a smaller subgroup for them.

The current members included prestigious individuals such as the World Championship Tournament Champion, Red; the Kanto Champion and Viridian Gym Leader, Blue; the Sinnoh Grass Type Gym Leader, Gardenia; the owner of the Viridian Forest, Yellow; the persistent Electric Type Gym Leader of the Hoenn Region, Wattson; and the wandering Gold.

Ah... Gold's moniker is 'The Hatcher,' a title Luke believed to be a formidable ability for a main character in a special episode. The Pokémon Gold hatches are at least 5V in quality, a feat many players yearn for even in their dreams!

[Gold: Relying on my skills! The top YouTube video is seriously blowing up!]

[Yellow of Viridian Forest: (•̀ω•́)✧ I watched it too, looking so handsome!]

[Blue: Lucian made quite a few mistakes; otherwise, he could have won.]

[Wattson: Hahaha, watch out old man, I'm itching for a battle!]

[Red: …]

Due to slow typing speed, Red only managed to send a series of ellipses, a typical display of his autistically intense focus.

[Teacher Luke: What video are you talking about?]

[Gold: You'll know once you watch it yourself! Come online later tonight, I'll be ready to challenge you!]

[Teacher Luke: ?]

[Gardenia: Oh, Miss Cynthia looks so impressive...]

Cynthia?

Luke scratched his head and opened the YouTube video with a sense of curiosity.

At the top of the trending list was the latest battle video titled "Sinnoh Alliance Champion Challenge: Cynthia vs. Lucian."