Chapter 237: The Tactician
The sun shone brightly, a rare stretch of good weather. A snow-white Sylveon lay lazily on the sun-drenched bed, yawning comfortably. "Vee~" The warmth of the winter sun was incredibly soothing.
Meanwhile, Gengar, with a Togepi perched on its head, sprawled across the balcony, basking in the sunlight. "Kokekeke~~" Gengar blew at the steam rising from a teacup, looking every bit like a retired grandpa watching over his grandchild.
Although he wanted to sleep in, Growlithe was busy sprinting back and forth between the living room and bedroom. Lu Ye reached out, blocked its path, and ruffled its fur in irritation before heading off to wash up. "Arf? (O_o)??"
There was still some time before his job officially started, and with a light class schedule, he had plenty of free time. Besides chatting in the group and streaming, taking his Pokémon out for a trip seemed like a good idea. "Morning," Lu Ye stepped onto the balcony with a cup of coffee, joining Gengar in enjoying the sunlight. "Kokekeke~ (′▽`〃)"
As he sipped his coffee, he opened the chat.
Lu Ye: Can I visit Professor Oak today? @Crystal
As Professor Oak's assistant, Crystal was partly responsible for his schedule.
Crystal: No problem! You can come over this afternoon, @Teacher Lu.
Yellow: What's the occasion? Green-senpai, can you tell us?
Green folded his arms. The special edition Pokédex was still a secret. Knowing his grandfather, he'd likely test Lu Ye first. Better to keep quiet.
Green: No.
His cryptic response only made everyone more curious. Even Lu Ye felt a bit uneasy. They wouldn't be giving me another starter Pokémon, would they?!
With a mix of anticipation and nerves, Lu Ye boarded a train and finally arrived in Pallet Town. A peaceful little town, shaded by lush greenery. Waiting to greet him was Crystal. "Welcome to Pallet Town, Teacher Lu!" she said with a smile.
"Been a while," Lu Ye nodded. "Anyone else from the group around?" Pallet Town was home to some of the biggest names—aside from newcomers like Ash, it was also the hometown of Red and Green. If he ran into Red, Lu Ye wasn't sure he'd survive.
"Red is training on Mt. Silver. Green-senpai is with him," Crystal explained. "And Yellow is there too. The three of them are training together."
Lu Ye paused, staring up at the sky. For some reason… I can't quite tell who the third wheel is in that situation.
"That red building up ahead is Professor Oak's lab," Crystal continued, pointing toward the rolling plains behind it. "And over there—that's Professor Oak's backyard."
Lu Ye: ??? You're calling that… a backyard?
Even though he'd been mentally prepared, seeing it in person was still shocking.
Crystal chuckled. "Well, it does house over a thousand Pokémon… There are more than thirty Breeders working full-time just inside the lab."
Lu Ye nodded. So that's why Green became known as the "Breeding Legend." Growing up here, it'd be impossible not to become an expert.
Pushing open the lab doors, Lu Ye found researchers hard at work. An elderly man with gray hair but sharp eyes rose to greet him, a warm smile on his face. "You must be the Trainer from Donghuang… I've heard a lot about you!"
Lu Ye shook hands with him, nodding respectfully. "The Pokémon card game… I really appreciate your endorsement."
"Haha, that was nothing…" Professor Oak chuckled, then suddenly froze. Pokémon card game? Wasn't that handled by a game company? What did that have to do with the Trainer Green recommended—?
"Wait a second." Professor Oak hesitated. "What's your name?"
Crystal stepped in with a smile. "Professor, this is Lu Ye—Teacher Lu—the Trainer Green recommended. And the creator of the Pokémon card game you praised so highly."
Professor Oak's expression turned odd. Last night, Green had only mentioned the Trainer was from Donghuang. So in the end… Green had introduced an old acquaintance?!
"Promoting the game was no big deal…" Professor Oak scratched his head and chuckled. "The reason I called you here, Lu Ye, is for something even more important!"
You definitely just forgot, didn't you? Lu Ye cleared his throat but couldn't blame him.
However, Oak's words sent another wave of unease through him. Carefully, he asked, "And what exactly is this important matter?"
Dressed in his lab coat, Professor Oak clenched his fist. "Well, you see… I've developed a brand-new special edition Pokédex, and I want to give it to a Trainer I can trust. Green recommended you, so…" He turned, picked up a red Pokédex, and looked at Lu Ye seriously. "Lu Ye, would you be interested in becoming the next Pokédex Holder?"
For half a second, Lu Ye's brain shut down. Staring at the Pokédex, he was momentarily stunned. A Pokédex Holder? Sure, everyone in the chat group had one, but in the world of Pokémon Adventures, this was main character treatment!
Crystal was surprised at first but quickly smiled. With his abilities, he was already on par with Kanto's three legends… It seemed Professor Oak had chosen Lu Ye as the Pokédex Holder for the Donghuang Region.
Lu Ye's expression turned odd. Main character treatment, huh? Doesn't that usually mean getting burned, petrified, frozen, or chased by legendary Pokémon?
"You can take your time to consider it," Professor Oak said with a smile. The special edition Pokédex had advanced features like evolution suppression and move recognition. For any Trainer, it was an incredibly valuable tool.
Lu Ye stroked his chin. Function-wise, his system might be embarrassing, but it was definitely more useful. And accepting the special Pokédex meant taking on greater responsibilities. It felt like another step away from his original goal… "Professor Oak, I…"
"Kokekeke!" Before Lu Ye could finish, Gengar stretched out its tiny hands and solemnly took the Pokédex from Oak.
Lu Ye: ???
Professor Oak: ???
"Kokekeke!" Gengar's eyes burned with determination. It had seen World Champions pull out a similar device. And now, it was right in front of its Trainer… Wasn't his goal to become a champion? If his Trainer hesitated, then Gengar would act in his place!
Watching Gengar ignite with passion, Lu Ye's face twitched. What kind of weird headcanon are you coming up with this time?!
Gengar's conviction even seemed to rub off on Professor Oak. "A steadfast emissary of the night, unwavering like a Gengar, with eyes that burn like torches…" Oak chuckled, reciting an impromptu haiku. "It seems… you're a Trainer truly trusted by your Pokémon."
When handing out the special Pokédex, strength wasn't the deciding factor. It was about a Trainer's character, conviction, and love for Pokémon. From Gengar, Oak could see the light radiating from Lu Ye.
"Kokekeke!" Still holding the Pokédex, Gengar poked Lu Ye's side and handed it to him.
Lu Ye sighed and smiled. "You hold onto it. Just store it in your dimensional stomach for now." He took a deep breath, making his decision. Even if he didn't need it, Gengar could. And if it was for his Pokémon, he should put in more effort.
"Professor Oak." His gaze steadied. "Please entrust the Pokédex to me. I'll do my best!"
Professor Oak paused. For a moment, he saw glimpses of others in Lu Ye—the boy on Mt. Silver, and another from Pallet Town… "What an excellent look in your eyes," he said with a sigh. "But before you can have it, there's something you need to do for me."
"A task?"
"Consider it a small test," Oak's eyes glimmered. "It's also a way for me… to evaluate your abilities."
Crystal thought for a moment. "When Professor Oak tested me, he had me take care of an entire garden of Pokémon…"
Oak chuckled. "And she ended up capturing all of them. That's why I called her the 'Catcher.'"
A test of my ability? What would my title be? The 'Chef'? Lu Ye coughed lightly. "So what's my test?"
"The same as Gold's." From a container, Professor Oak retrieved two Poké Balls. "A battle with me. The format will be an open match. Each of us can only use two Pokémon."
Professor Oak, dressed in a black tank top, stretched and laughed. "It's been a while since I broke a sweat—this is the perfect chance!"
Lu Ye felt complicated. After all, Professor Oak was a former Champion. Battling him… I won't get completely wiped, right?
"Well then, these are my two Pokémon!" Oak tossed two Poké Balls. With a flash of white light, a proud Stantler stepped forward, while a Ledyba hovered midair. Lu Ye let out a small breath of relief—at least it wasn't Kangaskhan or Dragonite.
As soon as Lu Ye threw his Poké Ball, he commanded, "Sylveon, use Yawn!"
"A status-focused Trainer? Interesting," Oak folded his arms. "Stantler, use Me First!"
Me First would allow Stantler to use an opponent's move before they did. But as Stantler let out a yawn, it suddenly realized—Sylveon wasn't in front of it anymore. It had sidestepped and aimed Yawn at… Professor Oak!
A wave of drowsiness swept over him, but Oak remained composed. "Ledyba, use Supersonic!" The high-frequency sound waves spread outward to disorient the Trainer! Ledyba sped toward Lu Ye, until suddenly, a shadow loomed behind him.
"Gengar!" Lu Ye gave the order. "Shadow Ball!"
"Kokekeke! (ૢ˃ꌂ˂⁎)" The pitch-black Shadow Ball shot forward, blasting Ledyba out of the air. But at that moment, Stantler's Hypnosis struck Sylveon, causing it to collapse.
"Direct Hypnosis? That's brutal!" Lu Ye clicked his tongue. "Gengar, use Substitute!" Gengar split into two, both cackling.
Fighting his sleepiness, Oak shouted, "Ledyba, Encore! Stantler, Hypnosis again!"
If Encore landed, Gengar would be locked into Substitute, completely vulnerable!
"Gengar, Taunt!" Lu Ye commanded. Under Taunt, Ledyba couldn't use Encore!
Professor Oak raised an eyebrow. This level of adaptability… No, he anticipated my command! This kind of mind game—this was what made Pokémon battles so captivating! Meanwhile, Lu Ye wiped sweat from his forehead. Professor Oak was still standing strong, wide awake. A Tauros would've been asleep by now! Is this… the legendary Pallet Town protagonist physique?!
With no other choice, Gengar darted toward Oak, its eyes glowing blue. Hypnosis!
"No chance," Oak countered. "Stantler, use Imprison!" In an instant, Stantler's antlers gleamed, sealing off Gengar's move. Hypnosis failed. Worse still, Gengar's Substitute was shattered. Professor Oak hesitated—until he saw Gengar hovering over Sylveon. Its mouth opened wide, as if devouring something unseen.
"…You used Dream Eater on your own Sylveon?" Oak suddenly realized the danger.
"Sylveon, Quick Attack—finish Ledyba!" Shaking off its drowsiness, Sylveon shot forward, knocking Ledyba out.
"Stantler!" Oak called. "Use Take Down! But control your strength!" However, instead of attacking Sylveon, Stantler charged straight at Lu Ye! Gengar tried to intercept, but Stantler phased right through it.
"Kokekeke?!"
"Vee!" Oak's eyes gleamed. "This is checkmate!"
Lu Ye took a deep breath. "Gengar—Ally Switch!" Dirty tactics can only be countered with even dirtier tactics! In an instant, Gengar swapped places with Lu Ye—meaning Stantler's Hypnosis landed on itself at point-blank range. Thud. Stantler collapsed, snoring.
The match was over. Finally, the drowsiness caught up with Oak. Yawning, he lazily waved his hand. Crystal quickly handed him a Chesto Berry. "Phew… that was some brilliant commanding," Oak said with a hearty laugh. "To beat a former Champion… kid, you've got real talent!"
Not like I had a choice—everyone from Pallet Town is a monster… Lu Ye grumbled internally.
Meanwhile, Crystal, who had watched the entire battle, looked at Lu Ye with newfound admiration. His live battle commands, his reaction time—he was already one of the strongest Pokédex Holders.
"Well then… you've passed your test," Oak smiled as he handed the Pokédex to Lu Ye. But then, his expression turned serious. "One last question, Lu Ye. To you… what do Pokémon mean?" His voice was reflective. "Every Pokédex Holder is a genius. To some, Pokémon are friends. To others, partners. But for you—" Oak's gaze deepened. "What do Pokémon mean to you?"
Lu Ye froze. Truthfully, he had thought about this before. After half a year in this world, the answer had become clear. The memories he had built with his Pokémon—that's what made everything shine. "To me…" he lowered his head, patting the grinning Gengar and the smug Sylveon. The three Poké Balls on his belt trembled slightly. "…They're family," he said with a smile. It was exactly why he loved Pokémon so much.
"Family, huh…" Professor Oak was silent for a long time. Then, he smiled. "That's a wonderful answer. Lu Ye, this is your Pokédex!"
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lu Ye handed the special Pokédex to Gengar. "Kokekeke!" Gengar gave a thumbs-up. Don't worry—I'll take good care of it!
After handling all the formalities, Lu Ye said his goodbyes. Standing in the twilight, Crystal turned to Oak. "Professor… what's Teacher Lu's title?"
Gazing at Lu Ye's departing figure, Oak's eyes held a profound light. "No matter the situation, he remains absolutely calm. He adapts to every opponent. His tactical brilliance would even make Champions envious… And most importantly, he has a heart as brilliant as gold." Oak smiled. "That's why, perhaps… he is 'The Tactician.'"
[Inorin Note:
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