Chapter 221: Togepi: I'm Falling Apart
The stadium was on fire with excitement. A flawless 3-0 victory in the East China Finals. That composed, elegant young Trainer was now etched into everyone's memory. "3-0! 3-0!" The synchronized chants echoed. At just 19 years old, Lu Ye had defeated a veteran. This also meant that even in the Kanto League, Teacher Lu was easily top-32 material.
"The champion of the East China Finals has been crowned!" the announcer's voice boomed. "Let's congratulate our winner from Modu University—Lu Ye!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as fireworks burst overhead. The award ceremony began, and Lu Ye stepped onto the podium. President Shi Jian of the organizing committee personally presented him with a medal and the championship trophy. At the same time, the system chimed with a "Mission Complete" notification.
"Congratulations, Lu Ye," Shi Jian shook his hand, smiling. "You've just set the record for the biggest score gap in a finals match!" Standing nearby, Yang Zhichang looked downright embarrassed. Meanwhile, Chen Tingyue, who had defeated Han Hui to claim third place, stated matter-of-factly: "Honestly, if Teacher Lu swept the Masters Division, I wouldn't even be surprised."
The atmosphere grew a little awkward. Lu Ye coughed lightly. Speaking of which… that 'I only aim for the championship' guy only made top four… Serves him right. The audience's cheers only grew louder. Lu Ye smiled and waved toward the crowd. And with that, the East China Finals officially came to an end.
Lu Ye planned to check his system rewards after returning home. The prize money would be awarded immediately. "The post-tax amount of 4.8 million has been deposited into your account," a staff member informed him. "In addition, you may choose a prize from our list."
Browsing the catalog, Lu Ye saw a selection of items—Miracle Seed, Focus Sash, and other battle gear. He picked a Charcoal for his stellar-performing Growlithe. For Gengar, he chose a pair of Wise Glasses.
[Wise Glasses: Thick-lensed glasses. Increases the power of special attacks slightly. (You feel like time is moving slower.)]
Lu Ye immediately ignored the strange flavor text. He handed the glasses to Gengar. "Gengarr?" Gengar adjusted the frame on its nose, suddenly looking sophisticated. "Yeah… this should keep you from getting nearsighted," Lu Ye nodded. "This one's perfect!" The staff members stared in confusion. A Ghost Pokémon… can get nearsighted? Does his Pokémon study textbooks every day?
For the final item, Lu Ye pondered for a long time before finally asking, "Do you guys have any extra Fire Stones?" Whether his Pokémon evolved wasn't a huge concern, but to avoid future expenses, he decided to get ahead of the situation. A preemptive countermeasure. Such foresight, he thought.
"We do!" the staff nodded. "I'll pack one up for you!"
As Lu Ye toyed with the Fire Stone, the staff member gave him a sincere smile. "Best of luck on your journey to becoming the League Champion!"
A 19-year-old Trainer winning the championship caused quite the buzz. But when people realized it was Teacher Lu, it all made sense. At Modu University, his victory inspired the entire student body.
Back home, Lu Ye got an unexpected call from Principal Du Yuanshan, leaving him baffled. "An Aura Sphere manual?"
Lu Ye felt awkward. "Principal… honestly, you could just give me money. There's really no need for all this."
Principal Du paused before realizing what Lu Ye meant. "You don't need to worry," he chuckled. "With Wartortle's talent, it'll be able to adapt just fine. If there's anything else you want, just let me know!"
"…I want money," Lu Ye muttered weakly.
"Resources to match your training? Consider it done!"
Lu Ye inhaled sharply. Has this misunderstanding gotten this out of hand?! Before he could correct it, Principal Du had hung up. A cold sweat trickled down Lu Ye's forehead. "Well… at least training Aura Sphere won't cost me anything…"
That evening, the Modu Evening News published a headline: [CHAMPION: A Flawless Victory! My Journey Doesn't End Here…] Subtitle: [A Versatile Trainer – Revisiting Teacher Lu's Championship Run] Flipping through the article, Lu Ye felt a stomachache coming on. The report depicted him as a relentless, ever-ascending prodigy. If you covered the name, I would have thought they were writing about Red.
Setting down the newspaper, he opened his system to check his rewards.
[Ding! Mission 'Regional League Champion' Complete.]
[Rewards: Skill Upgrade Ticket, Random Orange-Rank Item: Liechi Berry]
The system's obsession with Berries had unlocked another variety.
[Liechi Berry: A legendary Berry said to grow on Mirage Island. Increases a Pokémon's Attack. (No one knows if it's actually a lychee.)]
Lu Ye held his forehead. "This is literally just a lychee, isn't it?!"
As for the Skill Upgrade Ticket… Lu Ye didn't hesitate before slamming it onto [Cooking].
[Ding! Skill Upgraded!]
[Cooking Lv5: A man standing at the peak of culinary arts. With skillful techniques, he can create dishes that temporarily glow. (Chinese Master Chef!)]
Lu Ye: "…I don't care about glowing. As long as it makes clothes explode, I'm good."
Of course, the "glowing" effect wasn't a visual buff. It was a trick of steam and ingredient selection, creating an optical illusion. As for clothes exploding… yeah, that was just nonsense.
With [Cooking Lv5], Lu Ye whipped up a feast. His Pokémon drooled as the table filled with mouth-watering dishes. Amidst the excited chaos, Lu Ye set down a "Glowing Egg Fried Rice" in front of the Pokémon Egg.
Crack!
A crisp sound echoed through the room. The Pokémon froze. Everyone stared in shock. A cold sweat rolled down Lu Ye's forehead.
"…Did you just hatch… because you wanted fried rice?!"
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [patreon.com/InorinTL]. Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]