Chapter 289: All Villains Assemble
December 15th, Tuesday.
Cynthia’s schedule was as hectic as ever.
Early the next morning, she had to rush off to the Pokémon League again.
Though Lu Ye felt a bit down about it, he quickly pulled himself together.
Like a Swanna skimming gracefully across the water, or the ripples left by a Milotic in a lake—
It’s precisely because they’re rare and beautiful that Trainers are drawn to catch and chase after them.
That said—
Lu Ye’s main priority was still hitting his small goal.
“Still gotta keep teaching, huh.”
He swung himself up onto Arcanine and patted its head. “Let’s go, to Yuhong Academy!”
“Awoo~~凸(｀0´)凸”
“Holy sh*t—not Extreme Speed, damn it!!”
…
With his wind-blown hairstyle, Teacher Lu kicked off today’s lesson.
Technically speaking, Lu Ye was still a teacher at Yuhong Academy.
Even though the semester’s teaching had officially wrapped up—
Plenty of students still couldn’t get enough of his classes.
“Teacher Lu, give me another UR—uh, I mean, teach a few more lessons!”
“Next year, can we have a no-rules battle simulation class?”
“Teacher Lu, the old man in the training hall said he wants to see you!”
Lu Ye gave a faint smile as he gently dispersed the crowd of students.
Inside, his heart sank.
Crap, looks like this month’s paycheck might be going down the drain again!
With growing unease, Lu Ye headed to the training hall, only to find the equipment perfectly intact. He frowned in confusion.
Husky and Gengar didn’t seem to cause any chaos today either…
“It’s like this, my granddaughter’s place is about to get renovated,”
The old man chuckled. “I heard you know a thing or two about this stuff, so I wanted to ask you.”
Lu Ye’s expression turned complicated.
Did he just say I’m tight with the renovation crew?
D*mn it… and I can’t even argue against it!
…
During lunch break—
The little ones waved goodbye to Lu Ye, off to raid the Fighting Gym in a party today.
Lu Ye was already used to this scene.
All he felt now was deep guilt for the Karate King...
“I forgot to ask his name last time,”
Lu Ye recalled the Fighting-type Gym Leader in Saffron City who got steamrolled by Sabrina, feeling a little awkward:
“Don’t tell me… his name actually is ‘King’?”
As for the lineup, even the slacker Farfetch’d was included in the team.
Top-lane “Onion Pancake” connected!
Sure, it was basically food-tier…
But with teammates carrying, Farfetch’d could just hang out on the sidelines and spectate.
“In a lot of ways, it really is just like me!”
Lu Ye nodded with a laugh.
“I’ll be waiting for you to be the livestream mascot tonight—come home early!”
“Kwaa (O_O)?”
“Yeah, I’m talking about you, duck!”
Farfetch’d bonked its head against its leek and sighed deeply.
Not only did it have to worry about getting eaten every day…
Now it had to serve as the livestream mascot too—
This duck’s exhausted… so exhausted...
…
Saffron City, Fighting Gym.
Once glorious, the dojo had fallen into decline after losing to the Psychic prodigy Sabrina.
Under a single overhead light—
A middle-aged man in a karate gi stood solemnly.
I, the Karate King, Wude, have a dream.
To become the Fighting-type Elite Four of the Kanto League, and restore the dojo’s honor!
Swish! Wude tightened his belt, flames burning in his eyes.
“There he goes again, the Gym Leader in his daily trance,” whispered one apprentice.
“Yeah, I make that same face when I’m daydreaming too!”
“Ahem.” Wude didn’t respond, instead standing like a sage, hands behind his back.
After a long moment, he said slowly:
“Any challengers today?”
“After you lost to Bea, she kinda lost interest in our dojo,” one apprentice sighed. “Plus, the hobby class next door has been ridiculously popular. We haven’t had new students in a while…”
Guh! Wude choked on a mouthful of metaphorical blood.
He knew full well what was going on next door.
Teacher Lu’s Gengar served as the instructor—fun and fresh, attracting droves of enthusiasts.
By contrast, the Fighting Dojo was a ghost town.
Aside from padding the challenge records of a few Trainers, it served no real purpose anymore.
“Close the dojo for today,” Wude sighed, suddenly looking much older.
“G-Gym Leader!” another apprentice ran in excitedly. “We have challengers!”
“Who!?” Wude’s eyes lit up.
“It’s that Sylveon again… and she brought a whole gang of thugs!”
Wude froze, pushing open the dojo doors to look outside.
Sylveon was strutting up front, her ribbons fluttering in the wind.
Gengar floated behind her, grinning menacingly behind a pair of shades.
Squirtle and Farfetch’d had shades too, looking sharp and serious.
Sweet little Togepi was riding on the fierce Arcanine, clapping its tiny hands in delight.
“Chaa~ Toge~ ♪(ﾉ´▽｀)ﾉ♪”
Wude gulped hard.
That day—
Alongside Tang Hui, the Gym Leader from Modu—
Wude, the man who dreamed of being the Fighting Elite, truly understood…
The fear of being dominated by a Sylveon!
…
As the sun began to set—
The little gang had come with a bang and left just as energetically.
Left behind, Wude looked pale and hollowed out.
“Not a single one left…”
He muttered, “I seriously couldn’t beat even one of them…”
“Gym Leader,” one student whispered, “that Farfetch’d, the one that looked strongest, didn’t even make a move.”
Wude froze. His limbs turned cold.
Thinking back to that utter one-sided slaughter—they hadn’t even needed Farfetch’d.
If it had joined the battle… it would’ve been a bloodbath!
Wude looked up at the sky, tears welling at the corners of his eyes.
Not only did they crush the Saffron Gym…
They crushed my confidence too…
Too strong, Teacher Lu… just too strong!
…
Lu Ye had already clocked out early.
It wasn’t until the sunset stretched the shadows long—
That the “all-villain crew” finally returned from the horizon.
Lu Ye’s mouth twitched.
Say what you will… Farfetch’d really did suit those shades and that bling.
Squirtle? No question. A classic bald-headed “yakuza” look.
Gengar and Arcanine, naturally fierce—checks out.
Sylveon with the contrast cuteness? Okay, that works.
But… why does Togepi fit in so damn well too!?
Are you guys really not corrupting it!?
…
“Well then.”
Lu Ye rested his chin on his palm.
Watching Togepi bounce around on the coffee table, he let out a long sigh.
Not only had it not been corrupted, it even learned a new move...
This one hurts… this one hurts deep in my soul.
Even though Teacher Lu’s system kinda sucked—
At least it could identify and preview a Pokémon’s moves.
Now, on Togepi’s move list, a new, critical support move had appeared:
Look at Me!
The move’s effect: in double battles, it draws both opposing Pokémon’s attention and focuses their attacks onto the user.
Just like Ally Switch and Protect, it was one of the most essential moves in doubles.
That said… Togepi was still too little.
Who cares about battle power? Cutie status is more than enough!
“Not a big problem.”
Lu Ye chuckled wryly to himself and murmured:
“It's just proof of how hard they’ve been working…”
“Chaa Toge~ ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ”
Togepi bounced gleefully on the coffee table, clearly the star of the show.
The whole gang showered it with praise.
So cool, duck!
“Toooge~ (❁´◡`❁)✲ﾟ”
Togepi suddenly grew shy, curled up into its eggshell, and rolled around in circles on the table.
All of a sudden, Farfetch’d seemed to realize something.
As the team’s resident slacker, it was now feeling a creeping sense of crisis.
Even Togepi was leveling up fast…
At this rate, am I really the weakest one on the team!?
Oh holy light…
The duck wept silently.
Even a slacker has their pride, okay!?
No matter what… I cannot lose to Togepi!!
…
That night.
Lu Ye opened his livestream and introduced the new member of the family to his viewers.
“This is our new mascot.”
Lu Ye aimed the camera at Farfetch’d, a meaningful look in his eyes.
“Look at the feather quality… beautiful, right?”
A cold sweat trickled down Farfetch’d’s forehead.
Beautiful?? What kind of ominous flag is that!?
“KWA!!”
Farfetch’d waddled off on its little duck feet, heading straight for the living room to train with its leek.
Just another day of working hard… to avoid being eaten.
Farfetch’d—go duck go!