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In the days that followed, Aiden enjoyed a relatively relaxed workweek.
Most of the time, he simply observed the students' commands and offered occasional commentary.
As for actual battlefield direction—
After a brief period of training, the professional mercenaries hired by the Sunshine Gym quickly adapted to their roles, requiring almost no further instruction from him.
In fact, the "idle mode" Aiden demonstrated was itself a crucial indicator of a Trainer's skill level.
In real combat, relying solely on a Trainer's verbal commands often meant being a step behind. The ability to anticipate the Trainer's intent and react proactively—without explicit orders—is a vital skill developed through deep bonding with one's Pokémon.
Of course, this ability is intrinsically tied to a Trainer's tactical foresight and pre-battle planning, requiring immense time and effort to cultivate—a luxury few can afford.
For Aiden, it was effortless. But for most new Trainers, it was still far too advanced.
When they faced Aiden earlier, at least his opening strategies were somewhat predictable—enough for them to gain minor advantages by reading his commands.
But once these Pokémon began fighting independently, breaking all conventional patterns, many newcomers were utterly bewildered…
C-Can Pokémon really think up moves like this?
Aiden could only summarize it in five simple words:
Practice more if you're weak!
Days passed swiftly. Under the merciless tutelage of their Pokémon "instructors," the Trainers who came for evaluation this week quickly identified their flaws:
Their strategies were too rigidly formulaic. When faced with Pokémon that refused to follow the playbook, their commands became ineffective, plunging them into disadvantageous situations.
There was no alternative now—only improve their command skills.
The Pokémon rented by the Sunshine Gym were, by and large, average in strength. They merely possessed a slight tactical awareness—"enlightened" by Teacher Azure.
If they couldn't even overcome this hurdle, what hope did they have of challenging all eight Gyms—or even qualifying for the Elite Four trials?!
After all, judging from Grusha's performance, it was only a matter of time before every other Gym Leader became "Aidenized."
Only by improving faster than everyone else could one break through the chaos.
Thus, under Aiden's influence, the students of Naranja Academy had fully entered the era of hyper-competition.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the Kanto region, a few quiet events were unfolding…
…
February 6th.
Outside Celadon City, Kanto.
A spiky-haired teenager, Blue, pedaled his bicycle slowly toward the city center.
"Damn it… I never thought Sabrina would be this tough…"
Just like his previous trip to Saffron City, the struggling Blue once again recalled the "test" he endured last week, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Sabrina's tactics weren't as "dirty" as the previous two Gym Leaders; she mainly relied on constantly activating and deactivating Trick Room, making it impossible for his pokémon to grasp the concept of "speed."
The battle had been grueling, but thanks to sheer endurance, Blue and his Pokémon had barely held on.
Then…
When her tactics failed, Sabrina herself stepped into battle? Seriously?!
Her terrifying psychic power seemed dozens of times stronger than his own Alakazam—she could single-handedly match his entire main team!
What was even the point of fighting?!
Fortunately, Blue wasn't an easy target. After both sides wiped out each other's Pokémon, they reached a final showdown of their strongest.
Exhausted and resigned to defeat, Blue braced himself—only for Sabrina to suddenly say, "I'm done," and toss him the Marsh Badge without another word…
"Why… why did Sabrina hold back?"
That question gnawed at Blue.
Wasn't she rumored to be a terrifying psychic who turned all losing challengers into dolls and collected them?
He'd even prepared to take a month-long nap, waiting for Red to come rescue him…
It was embarrassing, sure—but at least there was a chance.
If worst came to worst, and he became a doll alongside Red, at least he wouldn't be the only one humiliated.
But instead, Sabrina not only gave him the badge—she actively pointed him toward the Celadon Gym to the west, calling it "fate's guidance."
Blue was utterly confused.
But since she didn't make him fight again, he'd give her the benefit of the doubt.
With that thought, Blue pedaled into Celadon City.
Soon, he understood what Sabrina meant by "fate's guidance."
Before a sleek, modern building, a boy wearing a red-and-white baseball cap and ordinary Trainer attire crouched near the entrance, observing the interior.
Red??!
Blue instantly recognized his "rival"—and felt a surge of confusion.
How the hell did Red get here before him?
He'd started challenging Gyms before Red, and hadn't seen him along the way at all!
"Hey, Red…"
Blue instinctively walked forward to greet him—but Red whirled around and clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Don't speak."
Red frowned, gesturing silently toward the building's entrance.
Blue was baffled by this strange behavior. Before he could ask, Red whispered:
"This is the Celadon Game Center—the largest entertainment complex in the city."
"But earlier, I saw several Team Rocket members enter here… and vanish quickly."
"Huh? Team Rocket?"
Blue raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes at Red.
"You're sure… Team Rocket would just stroll into a city like this, without being chased out?"
To most Kanto citizens, Team Rocket were scum who deserved to be purged. How could they openly appear in a city—and even enjoy themselves at a game center?
"I find it strange too," Red replied calmly. "That's why I'm staying here to confirm my suspicion."
"I think this might be Team Rocket's base in Celadon. That's why they can enter freely—no one dares to stop them."
Blue sighed and rubbed his temples.
Of course. He was still that idealistic, middle-school-drama-obsessed kid.
"So even if you found Team Rocket… what are you planning to do?"
"Not planning to storm the whole base by yourself, are you?"
"..."
Red listened, then nodded seriously—and shook his head.
"No. Not just me. Us."
"???"
Blue's brow twitched—but after seeing Red's unwavering gaze, he sighed.
"Fine. You win."
"Fine, I'll help you one last time. I'll wait here with you until Team Rocket shows up…"
But before he finished, Blue remembered something else—and turned back to Red with another question:
"Wait… I didn't see you anywhere on the way. How did you get here before me?"
"Uh…"
Red suddenly looked embarrassed, scratching the back of his head before whispering:
"When I challenged Giovanni, he refused my request… and gave me directions to other Gyms."
"But he must've given me the wrong route. By the time I realized it, I'd already swum across the water to Cinnabar Island."
"So I had no choice but to challenge the Gyms in reverse order…"
"Huh?!"
Blue froze, his expression twisting into pure horror.
"You… you only had Pikachu and Bulbasaur? How did you beat the Cinnabar Gym?!"
According to Kanto's official challenge order, Cinnabar Gym was second only to Viridian in difficulty. Even Blue himself hesitated before facing it.
Wait—wasn't the first three Gyms already this brutal? What awaited him after?
When he first left Pallet Town, confident and brash, Blue had believed Gym Leaders were nothing—easily conquered, eight badges in hand, then lightning-fast Champion title, the first Champion since his grandfather.
Reality slapped him hard. Just the first three Gyms were already this intense…
Blue: I've surrendered. Please stop.
"Huh?"
This time, it was Red's turn to look puzzled.
"I thought… it was fine? Blaine was a really interesting old man. Fighting him was fun."
"..."
At that moment, Blue suddenly smacked his own forehead.
He finally understood.
The three Gym Leaders he'd faced—each one had appeared in Teacher Azure's livestream!
That's why they were so damn hard!
The older, stronger Gym Leaders—out of touch with modern tactics—were getting crushed by Red, who mastered both strategy and raw power?
Without a doubt—
Kanto has already been influenced by Teacher Azure…
Sometimes, the new Trainers' hatred for Teacher Azure on livestreams… wasn't entirely unjustified.
Realizing this, Blue was left speechless.
Was this a good thing… or a bad thing?
At least now, he'd personally overcome the three Gym Leaders whose tactics had been studied by everyone.
The rest should be easier now…
As Blue and Red chatted, lost in thought, a young woman in a traditional red and green kimono, resembling an ancient noble lady, approached them silently, watching the two youths.
"Good day, Trainers."
Her voice jolted them awake. Both turned sharply.
There stood a girl slightly shorter than them, wearing wooden geta sandals, smiling warmly.
"You're… Miss Erika?"
Blue recognized her instantly.
Besides being Kanto's Regional Professor, former Champion, and holder of the "Battle Legend" title, his grandfather, Professor Oak, was also president of Celadon University.
Blue had delivered documents to her many times.
But why was she here?
Before he could wonder further, Erika pressed a hand to her lips and let out a soft giggle.
"If you two just sit outside like this, you'll never catch Team Rocket."
"..."
Red's eyes narrowed, wary of the sudden appearance. Erika noticed his gaze.
She offered a polite, composed smile, bowed slightly, then calmly introduced herself:
"Greetings, esteemed guests. I am Erika, the current Celadon Gym Leader."
"And also, one of Team Rocket's Honorary Members."
???
The two froze.
They exchanged a glance—and instinctively reached for their Poké Balls.
Their other hands tensed, ready to strike.
They'd heard Team Rocket's influence spread across every corner of the League—but they never imagined the Gym Leader herself was one of them. How terrifying.
But then—
Blue suddenly recalled a key detail, his expression shifting again to confusion.
Wasn't Erika from a centuries-old noble family in Celadon?
A true old-money lineage. How could she possibly align with a group like Team Rocket—known for underhanded schemes?
He could believe anyone else joining them—but Erika? It made no sense.
Seeing their sudden, wary expressions, Erika's lips twitched almost imperceptibly—then returned to her flawless, elegant poise as she spoke again:
"Rest assured, dear guests. I am here only to guide you."
"Team Rocket's presence in Celadon is shallow—merely a minor branch. A direct attack would only alert them."
"Therefore, if you wish to eradicate Team Rocket completely…"
"Continue your journey. Start by defeating the Celadon Gym. Collect seven badges as quickly as possible, and head to Viridian City."
"The answers you seek will be revealed there."
With that, she gave a graceful bow—and vanished.
Blue and Red stared at each other, utterly bewildered.
What the hell was that?! Can you not speak in riddles?!
"Red… what do you think?"
"..."
After a moment of silence, Red smiled.
"I believe Miss Erika isn't evil. I'll trust her words."
Blue nodded slowly.
"Then… we part ways again. You're heading to Saffron City next, right?"
"Hmm…"
"Let me give you some advice."
Blue grimaced, tone tinged with weary resignation.
"The next few Gyms—the ones officially considered 'weak'—might be far tougher than you expect…"
"Stay sharp. See you in Viridian!"
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