I Really Didn’t Want to Be a Trainer

Everyone turned their eyes toward the handsome and ethereal-looking Trainer.

After a brief moment of silence, the viewers finally snapped out of it.

"Brothers, we’ve caught that pigeon spirit Lu Teacher!!"

"You're really letting Lu Teacher go up? I thought he was all talk!"

"Fake fans, get lost!"

"Sorry, just checking—this is the Gaming Content Creator I follow, right?"

Passersby looked confused by the excitement around them.

The livestream fans whipped out their phones to snap photos, declaring that this was the closest they’d ever gotten to Ganking Lu Teacher.

Inside the whole Gym, chatter buzzed like wildfire.

"No matter what... there's no way he beats Gym Leader Ji, right?" "This isn't a Gym challenge, not the reserve team either—it’s three full-power core Pokémon!"

"Go Lu Teacher, wreck them for Grandpa!"

Lu Ye hadn't even stepped onto the stage, yet the entire venue was already erupting.

The hype around this gaming content creator had somehow surpassed that of the official Battle Zone UPs present.

The other Trainers looked around, dazed.

But when they turned their heads—they realized it was Lu Teacher, the guy whose "Sunny Sand Team" tutorial they’d just been studying!

"I think... he’s a student at Modu University?"

"Champion of the East China Division… but that’s still a long way from beating Gym Leader Ji, right?"

"Hard to say. Really hard to say..."

Tang Hui, still standing on the stage, was momentarily stunned before giving a helpless smile.

Given Lu Ye’s ability... maybe...

No. Tang Hui’s expression suddenly shifted to something more complicated.

This guy's lineup—it's full of baby Pokémon!

And if he still beats Ji Shiyin with that...

Then what the hell am I even doing here? Might as well step down and pass the crown!

After setting up that towering flag...

For some reason, Tang Hui sighed lightly.

Truth be told... I still kinda want this brat to win!

Even the host had never seen anything like this before—where the audience favored a random guest more than the actual VIP.

Receiving a cue through the earpiece, the host smoothed things over:

"Lu Teacher, to avoid delaying the award ceremony, how about—"

The spotlight followed the handsome young man as he moved.

Lu Ye stepped onto the battlefield, holding Togepi in his arms.

The host froze for a second, then quickly handed over the mic.

Lu Ye gave Ji Shiyin a slight nod, then turned to the crowd and smiled wryly.

"It's just a friendly match. When I get steamrolled later, please—don’t upload the footage!"

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

But everyone understood.

Lu Ye was known for his tactics. His actual Pokémon raising skills... maybe not so much.

Still, the livestream fans held their breath, ready to enjoy watching Lu Teacher get crushed.

If Lu Teacher wins? Awesome.

But watching Lu Teacher eat dirt? Even better!

"Worth it. This ticket just paid for itself!"

"Pigeon spirit shedding tears—getting publicly executed like this?"

"Not necessarily. Let’s see what team Lu Teacher brought."

Ji Shiyin smiled slightly, unfazed by the earlier chatter.

"Good luck."

"You too," Lu Ye smiled back.

The two Trainers walked to opposite sides of the field, preparing to send out their Pokémon.

Lt. Surge crouched outside the arena, hands on knees, sighing:

"Guess we’re waiting a bit longer, huh!"

Brock folded his arms, muttering, "Maybe not for long."

Just then, murmurs rippled through the audience.

"Did Lu Teacher just give up?"

"Togepi is so cute!"

"Well, yeah—it’s just a friendly match. Might as well have fun."

As Togepi entered the battlefield, the audience smiled and applauded warmly.

But in the next instant, everyone’s expressions turned... complicated.

Even Ji Shiyin froze.

Her Kingdra had just battled, and though it was somewhat worn out, it had been fully healed with potions.

But...

"Togepi, Dazzling Gleam!"

“Chaji dooyi~~”

Togepi wiggled its little fingers. A brilliant ring of light erupted, engulfing Kingdra.

Caught off guard and not having made the first move, Kingdra’s face contorted as its midsection was scorched black!

"A critical hit..." Ji Shiyin muttered, puzzled. “How is that possible?”

This didn’t make sense... what kind of training went into this?

Sensing something was off, Ji Shiyin got serious.

"Kingdra, Bounce!"

In a flash, Kingdra used its tail to launch itself skyward, becoming a sword slicing from above.

The moment Kingdra took off, Lu Ye commanded: “Nasty Plot!”

This move... probably something Togepi learned after hanging around Gengar for too long.

But hey—if you're not greedy now, then when?

“Dooyi!” Togepi wiggled its fingers. A big question mark popped up above its head—and then its gaze sharpened dramatically.

Togepi’s eyes turned deadly!

Next moment, Kingdra slashed downward.

Protect—Lu Teacher’s classic tactic—sparkled into form, shielding Togepi.

A perfect lecture for the entire audience!

"So he used Nasty Plot to buff, then Protect to block?"

"D*mn, he totally read Ji’s play!"

"Protect or not, still the same old flavor!"

The classic maneuver got the crowd roaring.

But Tang Hui felt a strange mix of emotions.

He had guessed that Ji Shiyin would use Bounce to scout.

Lu Ye used him as a warm-up dummy, and now he was predicting opponents with terrifying accuracy!

Ji Shiyin frowned slightly, sensing the risk of losing control.

She had to go all out!

“Kingdra, Hydro Cannon!”

A water blast, compressed into a blade-sharp torrent, slashed straight toward Togepi!

The crowd tensed up.

What would Lu Teacher do?

Would he use back-to-back Protects and hope for a win?

Or bet it all, tank the damage, and go for Dazzling Gleam?

The arena held its breath.

Lu Ye smiled faintly.

“Dooyi~~”

As the Hydro Cannon came rushing in—

Togepi gave a polite little bow to Kingdra.

Kingdra: ?

Then Togepi turned into white light and was recalled into its Poké Ball, bouncing into Lu Ye’s palm.

Pa!

Lu Ye caught it, and another beam of light shot out from his waist.

Tang Hui’s eyes widened: “Wait, is this...?”

Baton Pass!

Using Nasty Plot with Togepi, then Baton Pass to hand the buff off to a teammate!

Boom!

The Hydro Cannon missed during the swap.

Two turns in, Lu Teacher's tactics completely outplayed Gym Leader Ji!

The audience sat stunned.

They’d thought Lu Teacher only excelled in simulated battles.

Like one of those theory-heavy coaches who might choke in a real match.

But this...

You’re seriously calling this guy just a Gaming UP?!

Ji Shiyin was fully fired up now.

That rush—only felt when facing a powerful foe—filled her chest!

Who the heck was this boy? How did he have such insane tactical ability?

The moment the new Pokémon materialized—

"Kingdra, Dragon Pulse!"

Without knowing what would appear, Dragon Pulse was the best option due to its piercing power.

The purple, dragon-shaped energy surged forward like lightning.

And then, a snow-white Pokémon emerged.

“Bu-eep! (▼皿▼#)”

The audience gasped in awe.

Sylveon!

“Knew it! I knew Lu Teacher would use her!”

“She’s so cute... why are both of them so cute?!”

The Dragon Pulse struck Sylveon.

It caused... minor "severe" damage.

A sinking feeling washed over Ji Shiyin.

So it’s Sylveon after all...

This guy came prepared!

Lu Ye snapped his fingers. “Hyper Voice!”

Sylveon was holding a Life Orb, and had already inherited Nasty Plot buffs from Togepi.

Unlike Exploud or similar screamers, Sylveon's attack was piercing but not annoying.

Because, well... dolphin song > noise.

There was nowhere to run.

Kingdra was instantly KO’d!

The crowd looked at each other in stunned silence.

They’d thought “Lu Teacher sweeping the match” was just a joke...

But now, it looked like he really was going to sweep the Imperial Gym Leader!

“Wait... is Lu Teacher actually a Master?!”

“Lu-bao, please stop—Mom’s scared!”

Ji Shiyin recalled Kingdra and sent out her next Pokémon.

Her expression hardened.

“Haxorus, Guillotine!”

"ROAAAR!!" Haxorus' twin axes glowed blood-red, slashing down at Sylveon.

Tang Hui looked strange.

This Lu Ye guy...

He actually forced Ji Shiyin to use Guillotine with Haxorus!?

Lu Ye’s face turned serious too.

Guillotine had a chance to one-shot.

And with his cursed RNG... yeah, no way he was tanking that!

“Quick Attack—evade!”

“Bu-eep!”

Sylveon leapt, but Haxorus kept charging relentlessly.

The crowd held their breath.

Suddenly, Sylveon split into two.

A Substitute was sliced to shreds by Haxorus’s scythe.

Sylveon's ribbons shimmered, and a silver glow bloomed at her bow.

“Moonblast!” Lu Ye barked.

BOOM!!

The power of the moon exploded. The audience's hearts trembled.

As the mist cleared—

The seemingly unstoppable Haxorus was on its knees, unconscious!

The entire arena echoed with the sound of gulping: “She one-shot it? She actually one-shot it?!”

“This Sylveon... is this thing that strong?”

“Are we sure that’s Lu Teacher? Not some Elite subbing in?”

“Nasty Plot boost is OP… but it’s also Lu Teacher’s insane skill!”

Sylveon walked lightly to Haxorus, tapping it with a ribbon.

Thud!!

Haxorus collapsed, dust swirling everywhere.

Sylveon turned and smiled sweetly at Lu Ye.

“Bu-eep~! (⁎˃ᴗ˂⁎)”

Ji Shiyin inhaled sharply.

Even if this was just a friendly match, it was no excuse for being outplayed at every turn.

This university league MVP already possessed power even she could barely rival.

Or maybe...

Ji Shiyin frowned. “This guy... he entered the tournament just to stomp noobs, didn’t he?”

Luckily, she calmed herself quickly.

Cheering erupted again.

The result no longer mattered.

What mattered was that at this Bilibili Year-End Gala—

Lu Teacher had shown what a “Gaming UP” (not) was truly capable of!

“Go.”

Ji Shiyin pulled out an Ultra Ball—her ultimate ace.

“Dragonite!”

“Roawoo~!” Dragonite beat its wings, hovering mid-air with a fierce glare.

Its thick scales gave it terrifying defense.

As a pseudo-legendary Dragon, its pressure silenced the room.

“Bu-eep! (▼皿▼#)” Sylveon bared her teeth.

Pseudo-legendary?

Btch please, that’s what I specialize in killing!*

Dragonite spiraled upward with Dragon Dance, creating a vortex around itself.

Winds howled.

“Roawoo!” With sudden Extreme Speed, it shot toward Sylveon like a missile.

Outside the field, Brock and Lt. Surge looked stunned.

“She’s serious now, huh?” Lt. Surge whistled.

“If he doesn’t use Mega Evolution…” Brock wiped sweat. “There’s no way he can stop it!”

Sylveon’s Hyper Voice rang out again.

But Dragonite, snarling, barreled into her like a cannonball.

Sylveon skidded across the ground, ribbons fluttering—eyes sharp with resolve.

“Bu-eep! (▼へ▼メ)”

She still took a hit… Lu Ye frowned slightly.

The crowd looked stunned.

“Wait—she didn’t get one-shot?!”

“I don’t get it… the details are way too intricate!”

Ji Shiyin thought for a moment, then sighed deeply. “Did he use Baby-Doll Eyes first?”

Lu Ye nodded. “Missed it by that much.”

Ji Shiyin smiled wryly.

She recalled her barely-standing Dragonite and smiled calmly.

“I lost.”

If she didn’t admit defeat now…

One more Moonblast, and this "friendly match" would go down in flames!

Lu Ye chuckled.

He was already reaching for Blastoise’s stash of potions to heal Sylveon.

At his side, the Commemorative Ball holding Psyduck jiggled.

“Gah...(´థ౪థ)σ”

Now even Togepi can be a tactical core?

Rage… trembling… when can Psyduck finally rise up?!

With Ji Shiyin conceding defeat—

The entire venue fell silent.

“Lu Teacher... actually won?”

“This guy’s a Gaming UP?!”

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a random unlucky draw?”

No one had recovered from the shock.

It was like—

Faker inviting a random fan to a solo match...

The fan not only won—but triple-killed Faker under his own tower.

And only THEN plugged in their keyboard?

“I’m… just… completely brain-dead now…”

“This is what Bilibili’s year-end gala is like?! I love it!”

“Told you—Lu Teacher’s a Master!”

“Why stop there? Go ahead and call him a Champion!”

Tang Hui was utterly shaken.

Above Gym Leaders were the Masters, revered by all.

And Ji’s Dragonite was, without question, a Master-level Pokémon.

Lu Ye hadn’t just erased the power gap between Togepi and Kingdra through tactics.

Even Sylveon had gone toe-to-toe with Dragonite and won!?

“I’m numb. Just numb,” Tang Hui muttered. “Shouldn’t have gone easy on him last year...”

This guy had been steamrolling noobs since a year ago!

“Let’s go.”

Lu Ye patted the dazed Sonia on the shoulder. “To the food war next door.”

“O-okay…” Sonia scrambled up, nodding furiously.

Compared to Leon, Lu Teacher might be even better at tactical coordination.

And this—this ability to read and predict an opponent’s every move...

Sonia gulped.

It was too damn soul-crushing.

The entire arena was in festive joy.

But when people turned to look for Lu Teacher—

He was already gone. Cloaked in mystery, his merit unsung.

Either way, hyping up Lu Teacher felt totally justified.

Inside the Battle Zone arena, cheers echoed loudly:

"LU TEACHER IS F*ING AWESOME!!"**