I Really Didn’t Want to Be a Trainer

The matte-finished Dark Ball rested quietly in the groove of its stand. Its middle ring glowed orange-red while the main body displayed a camouflage-like pattern of dark green hues.

Lu Ye examined its appearance and nodded slightly.

"My luck's not bad this time... at least it's not a standard Poké Ball."

[Dark Balls] provided catch rate bonuses for Pokémon encountered at night or in caves and tunnels. The identically named 'Dark Ball' from the movies—the one that could send Pokémon into violent frenzies—was likely an illegal modification by Team Rocket.

Not that those were legal anyway.

Using 'specialty balls' in official League tournaments would definitely get you reported!

Lu Ye tossed the [Dark Ball] in his palm a few times before pressing the center button, shrinking it down to store at his waist.

"If it fits, I'll save it for my next Pokémon," he muttered. "Worst case, I can sell it for a few grand..."

While mass-produced standard Poké Balls were affordable, rare specialty balls certainly didn't cost a mere thousand like in the games. Blue Great Balls were something only Gym Leaders could afford, while the black-and-yellow Ultra Balls were standard gear for Elite Four members.

Lu Ye was quite particular about his balls. As a breeder, he'd gone through great pains to ensure offspring inherited their parents' specialty Poké Balls...

"Quack! (*/ω＼*)"

Meanwhile, under Lu Ye's coaxing (and threats), Ducklett had already begun attempting to incubate the egg.

Lu Ye: "Why the hell are you blushing?!"

Ducklett placed its sword and shield in the corner, circling the egg while inspecting it from all angles. Finally, it found a suitable position—tucking its wings in and squatting directly atop the egg.

"Quaaack~! (✪ω✪)" This position... feels kinda nice~!

Lu Ye covered his mouth, coughing dryly. "Take the Rainbow Wing too. It should have the same effect as [Flame Body]."

Pokémon with the [Flame Body] ability could significantly speed up egg incubation. Lu Ye figured the Rainbow Wing, infused with Ho-Oh's [Sacred Fire], should work similarly.

Rainbow Wing: ???

You're forcing me to go dark and sic Marshadow on you, aren't you?!

Seeing the feather dim, Lu Ye casually channeled [Aura] through it, restoring its radiant glow.

Fine, incubating eggs is better than being used as an air purifier...

Night fell as midnight approached. After entrusting the gray egg to Ducklett, Lu Ye prepared for tomorrow's schedule before washing up and turning in.

Tomorrow at Lake Valor, there would be both a fishing tournament and a water race—held at separate times. He just needed to show up at the main venue in the evening as a judge.

Late at night, none of his little troublemakers snuck out to hold concerts or gang fights. Instead, they slept peacefully—some clinging to the ceiling, others in tanks, on the carpet, or sprawled across Lu Ye's bed.

Only Sirfetch'd remained dutifully by the egg, standing guard with sharp eyes and a solemn nod.

On the day you hatch, all of Lake Valor will call your name.

One day, I can finally slack off... while you take the crown!

"Quack! (´థ౪థ)σ"

The mere thought of his plan made Ducklett snicker in delight.

Training up a powerful fighter means I won't have to battle anymore~

What a wonderful feeling~!

As the egg emitted a faint warmth beneath the night sky, Lu Ye drifted into sweet dreams, using Sylveon's ribbon as a pillow...

......

March 27th, Saturday.

Haunter 'whooshed' the curtains open. Standing by the window overlooking the lake, the ghost Pokémon planted its stubby hands on its hips and grinned.

Another sunny day~ Gengarrr!

Lu Ye yawned awake, only to find the little troublemaker had sneaked into bed again.

"Eevee! (◦`~´◦)" Sylveon glared at him with indigo-blue eyes, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry for squishing your... uh, ribbons." Lu Ye offered an apologetic smile.

Morning knocks sounded at the door.

Rotom Dex accepted a steaming breakfast from the Indeedee waiter, using its mechanical arms to set the table.

Munching on toast, Lu Ye watched Indeedee leave.

Damn, [Indeedee] + [Room Service]—what a terrifying VGC core!

The boss sure has strategic vision, hiring waiters who double as security!

In the group chat, Ash had invited Melisa, who was now exchanging pleasantries with Sabrina.

"Ms. Sabrina, I'm so looking forward to your new movie~" Melisa covered her mouth with a giggle.

Sabrina responded flatly, "Not planning to film anything recently."

"Huh? But your Unova movie was super popular!"

Sabrina couldn't be bothered to explain but replied briefly out of courtesy: "Don't want to."

Truthfully, Sabrina decided whether to accept roles based on her Destiny Spoon divinations.

Recent readings suggested staying indoors due to impending chaos...

And she took those warnings seriously.

"What a shame!" Roxie sighed, her sharp canines showing. "I wanted to compose a theme song for your movie!"

Marshal smugly thumbed himself, grinning. "Kid, you're too green. She'd obviously hire professional musicians for that!"

"Ooooh!" Roxie's eyes sparkled with realization. "As expected of Marshal-senpai!"

"Keh keh~~" Marshal crossed his arms, swelling with pride.

Ethan shouted, "How shameless, tricking a newbie like that!"

"Hey, Spiky-head, watch your mouth!" The Unovan lieutenant narrowed his eyes.

The next moment, Ethan posted a comparison of Marshal and Roxie's follower counts.

Marshal was instantly KO'd, going silent in the chat.

Roxie declared earnestly, "That just means Marshal-san's talent hasn't been discovered yet!"

Lu Ye chimed in, "Give it another hundred years, and Marshal will definitely be posthumously recognized as an electro genius!"

Marshal scratched his head sheepishly, suddenly feeling Teacher Lu was pretty alright.

Ash called out, "Teacher Lu, we're already at the lake prepping for fishing! Hurry up!"

"On my way."

......

Lake Valor mirrored the blue sky and white clouds as Starly flocks soared overhead. The shore bustled with tourists while fishermen chatted cheerfully atop Water-type Pokémon, adjusting their rods.

Lu Ye's appearance drew immediate attention, though most kept their distance, only politely requesting autographs or photos. After fulfilling these, he regrouped with Ash and the others.

"Where's The Girl? Vendor area?" Lu Ye glanced around.

Ash whispered, "She's sulking. Some competitor released a cheaper version of her product."

Nice one, Team Rocket! Lu Ye frowned sympathetically. "That's too bad..."

Jasmine had gone to watch Contest performances at the main stage.

Celadon Anemone adjusted her straw hat, gripping her fishing rod with flushed determination:

"I'm definitely winning the fishing tournament today!"

"I won't lose either!" Ash tossed a Poké Ball, and Floatzel struck an identical pose to its trainer.

"My Floatzel's a master at catching fish!"

Lu Ye blinked.

Having your Pokémon catch fish... counts as fishing?

Should I just have Rotom electrocute the pond then?

No... dynamite fishing's illegal!

Brandishing a [Super Rod] he'd somehow obtained from the system, Lu Ye declared boldly:

"Let's go sign up!"

Today, as an angler, I refuse to go home empty-handed!

......

On the crystal-clear lake, fishermen lounged atop Starmie and Lapras while leisurely casting lines.

An Alolan fisherman with blue hair gazed reverently at a distant figure, discussing with a fellow angler:

"Teacher Lu's keepnet is overflowing, right?"

"Yeah... ten consecutive catches without a single miss!" The other murmured, "It's like Lugia itself is blessing his rod!"

"Or maybe Kyogre," the blue-haired man chuckled. "Believe it or not, my daughter dreams of catching a Kyogre!"

"Hah, there you go bragging about her again!"

The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers:

"Another hit for Teacher Lu!! Eleven casts, eleven catches! Let's see what he's reeled in this time—"

"Ah... another Magikarp... *cough* Let's check other competitors!"

Celadon Anemone's rod bent sharply, her face lighting up with joy. At the end of her line, a rare Gorebyss smiled blissfully.

"Incredible! Contestant Celadon Anemone 'The Yellow One' from Kanto is dominating the leaderboard!"

(The announcer internally groaned: Why's her name so damn long?!)

Shoreline, Wallace took a break from judging to observe. Wearing a white cap and artistic cape, he pocketed one hand while watching the big screen.

The screen showed a profile of the girl gently cradling the Gorebyss, seemingly communicating with it.

That child... can understand Pokémon, even soothe their hearts.

Wallace instantly recognized her ability, smiling before shaking his head regretfully.

If she'd been present during Hoenn's crisis... the damage from the clash of legends might have been mitigated.

"Mr. Wallace, the second half is starting soon," an assistant reminded.

"Right, I'm coming."

Turning, his cape fluttered dramatically—almost like a blue-haired man in formalwear passing him the Champion's mantle before walking toward the sunlight.

......

By noon, the fishing tournament concluded.

Teacher Lu took second place with a staggering '18 Magikarp' haul, earning a [Water Stone]. Celadon Anemone won, shyly clutching her trophy and straw hat for photos.

Lu Ye stared at his [Water Stone], emotions tangled.

I'm such a fool... I knew Magikarp were hardy, but eighteen in Lake Valor?!

At this point, I might as well have been poaching bamboo shoots!

"Whatever, I'll use it as decoration in Blastoise's tank."

Glancing at the straw-hatted girl, Lu Ye scratched his head.

How the hell did Red mistake her for a guy back then?

Talk about 'drawn as a girl but called a dude'...

"Damn it!" Ash, disqualified for sending Floatzel to catch fish directly, protested, "The rules didn't say I couldn't!"

"Who taught you that move?" Lu Ye asked curiously.

"Ethan! He said worst case, you could just dive in and put the fish in your net yourself..."

Lu Ye froze.

Whether it's weeds or shrimp, a true angler never returns empty-handed!

......

Lunch was at the lakeside Seven-Star Hotel. Jasmine returned from the Contest and happily enjoyed her meal with a 'one-week free dining' coupon.

Lu Ye ordered extra portions for Ash and Celadon Anemone. The latter fidgeted nervously:

"Is... is this really okay?"

"You're the fishing champion. The publicity outweighs the cost."

Focused on dismantling a seafood dish, Lu Ye added, "I'll explain it to the manager."

Taking a deep breath, Celadon Anemone clasped her hands: "Let's eat!"

Ash and Pikachu were already devouring their food messily, the former asking between mouthfuls:

"Teacher Lu, you joining the water race later?"

"What's the prize?"

"Another Water Stone!"

Lu Ye's brow arched.

Perfect for completing Blastoise's tank decor!

The lake shimmered under the midday sun as Lu Ye swung by the vendor area post-lunch. The Meowth-coin stalls were packed.

"Your Sylveon plush, here you go!"

"We have Milotic plushies too! Oh dear, Sylveon ones are sold out..."

"Thank you, come again, meow!"

Lu Ye didn't bother interrupting.

At The Girl's stall, he bought an iced cola, cracking it open with a hiss.

"Ahhh—nothing beats cold soda in this heat!"

Dressed in a black sundress, The Girl fanned herself with her hat, eyeing the neighboring stall jealously:

"I'm closing early today!"

"Business will pick up," Lu Ye consoled before asking, "Actually, I wanted to ask about Hydro Pump propulsion..."

"What propulsion?" She blinked.

"That technique where you ride Blastoise's water jets to fly." Lu Ye said earnestly, "As thanks, I'll buy out your entire stock—"

He thumped his chest. "On me!"

The Girl paused, then smirked slyly: "Really?"

Why does this feel like dealing with a con artist?

Lu Ye coughed. "Of course!"

"It's simple!" She laughed. "Just train Blastoise to control Hydro Pump's thrust. Master that, and you can hover briefly!"

"Maybe even adjust trajectories for escapes!"

Lu Ye looked skyward.

Given his Blastoise's firepower... 'hovering' might be unrealistic.

Wouldn't this just send me skyrocketing?!

"L-let's try it," Lu Ye said weakly. "Got any manuals? I'll have Haunter study it."

"Huh?" The Girl stared blankly. "I could jot something down, but... why Haunter?"

Lu Ye opened his mouth, then closed it.

......

Afternoon arrived with the water race's opening ceremony.

Organized by the 'Wetland Conservation Society,' the event aimed to raise environmental awareness among trainers.

(No one quite grasped the connection, but whatever.)

Pastoria City's Gym Leader—the muscle-bound 'Tough Mask' Gishin—also made an appearance.

"Ahem, everyone!"

Sporting his philosophically suggestive mask and bare chest, Gishin addressed the crowd:

"In this water race, trainers may direct their Pokémon to interfere with others via aquatic battles!"

"I'll also be competing!" He thumbed himself boisterously. "If I win, the prize money goes to charity!"

The crowd erupted—some questioning fairness.

Celadon Anemone whispered, "Leader Gishin dedicates all his battle and boxing earnings to his hometown's development..."

Lu Ye nodded slowly.

Gishin was a generous, rough-around-the-edges hero.

Sure, his outfit screamed 'questionable life choices,' but his philanthropy was admirable.

Amid the chatter, Gishin threw his arms wide and roared:

"Now, let's enjoy the race!"

Ash's eyes burned with excitement, thoroughly inspired:

"Teacher Lu, I'm joining too!"

Lu Ye pondered briefly before realizing Gishin's scheme—luring participants with high prizes only to win and donate it all.

While slightly shady, it was technically legal.

After all... certain Champions really loved stomping rookie tournaments.

"Interference allowed... aquatic battles, huh?"

A grin spread across Lu Ye's face as he eyed the Dive Ball in his palm.

"Perfect chance to test The Girl's technique..."