(A Big thanks to Enrik410 and Rogue Cells for being a Quill Club patron.)
Silas wasn't a fool. He was just an optimist. But he wasn't stubborn, either. The first rule of streaming, according to the internet, was to listen to your audience.
"Ah," he sighed, "although I want to say you're being a bit extreme, brother." To be worried about getting attacked after his very first stream... it felt surreal. "But a single grain of sand from the era can become a mountain crushing an ordinary person. I don't want to be the victim of some 'low probability' event. It's always good to be cautious."
On the other side of the connection, Cynthia rubbed her temples. She hadn't wanted to sound so alarmist. She knew the vast majority of people in the world were kind. But as a Champion, she had also confronted the absolute worst of humanity—villainous teams, ruthless poachers, and "Joker"-like personalities who just wanted to watch the world burn. She was never afraid to assume the best of a stranger, but she was also never afraid to prepare for the worst. That was human nature.
"I just mean that in the most extreme case, the possibility can't be ruled out," she explained. "I can't say for sure that someone will target your Gible."
In a way, she herself was one of those people who had "targeted" his Gible, though her intentions were purely academic. If it were someone else... maybe not.
"Man, what can I say?" Silas typed, shrugging as if the person could see him. "Mamba out."
"Don't use the 'Dragon Dance' Gible as a gimmick," Cynthia advised one last time. "Focus on creating good teams and strategies normally. Your skill is obvious. You'll succeed."
With her warning delivered, Cynthia felt she could say no more. She was too embarrassed to suddenly pivot and ask him how his Gible learned the move. After searching for so long with no results, she had finally found a real lead. She couldn't afford to be hasty and scare him away. She knew she could theoretically use her Champion status to uncover his real identity, but that would be a despicable thing to do. Her only worry now was that someone else might not have her scruples.
"Life is always so difficult," Silas muttered to his empty room. He'd thought his transmigration buff would put him in 'Easy Mode.'
Just then, a massive notification exploded on his screen.
[System Prompt: AFutileEffort has sent a 'Super Rocket' x1! Soar to the sky!]
"?" Silas slowly typed a single question mark.
"What... do you mean by this, brother?"
"It's nothing," Cynthia replied quickly. "I took up your time. I could see from your broadcast that you have real skill. You weren't just relying on your Gible's special move; you built a proper tactical system around its strengths. You earned that one-on-three victory."
"So, a small gift as a sign of respect."
A small gift? Silas's eyes went wide. Could it be? Did he actually run into a rich whale on his very first stream?
For Cynthia, it truly was a small gift. She could have sent far more, but she worried it would scare him off. It was like feeding a stray cat; you pour out just a little bit of food. If you dump the whole bag, the cat gets spooked and runs away, convinced something is fishy.
"No reward without merit," Silas mumbled, staring at the Super Rocket notification. While he wanted to make a living from streaming, he hadn't expected this. No one's money grew on trees.
On the other side of the world, Cynthia logged off. She had purposefully restrained herself from using her "money ability." She wouldn't try to buy the secret of the Dragon Dance from him. She would adopt a more subtle strategy, earning his trust over time. After all, her ultimate goal was simply to let her own Garchomp learn the move. Patience was key.
"There are still so many good people in this world..." Silas said, genuinely moved. A Super Rocket cost 2,000 Poké Dollars. Even after the platform's cut, he would get over 1,000. That was nearly half a month's living expenses. Perhaps it was because this world was more prosperous that people were more generous. As the old saying goes, "When one's granaries are full, one knows etiquette."
The next morning, Silas woke up refreshed and in high spirits. He planned to take Gible for another round of intensive training. Late bloomers needed the extra work.
"Going to class together, Silly?" his roommate, Leo, called out as he was getting ready.
"What the hell is 'Silly'?" Silas shot back. "That's what you call a puppy."
"My dear friend, I like your Yamper very much," Silas continued, "but if you're going to treat me like one, don't blame me for not recognizing you as my friend!"
"Screw you!" Leo yelled back. "I try to give you a friendly nickname and you immediately try to become my father?!" This "father-son" dynamic of playful one-upmanship was a common and complex feature of dorm life.
"So, are you coming to the lecture hall?" Leo asked.
"Nah, I'm taking Gible to the gym to continue its training."
"Gib-gib~" Gible waved its fins, looking full of energy.
"Man, you're really serious about becoming a professional trainer," Leo said, adjusting his glasses.
"Of course," Silas declared righteously. "If a person has no dreams, what's the difference between them and a Magikarp?"
"Then why are you in the Business Administration department? Why not the Pokémon Battle department?"
Silas paused. In his old life, Business Admin had been a dead-end major that sounded impressive but led to jobs in real estate or insurance sales. He had been destined to be cheap labor. His transmigration had changed his world, but not his college major.
"I was thinking," Silas began, trying to come up with a plausible excuse, "since it's called 'Business Administration,' maybe I can use that knowledge to... manage my Pokémon?"
"You said that yourself as a question," Leo pointed out, unimpressed.
"Because even I think it sounds ridiculous," Silas admitted, touching the back of his head with an awkward but polite smile.
"Gib-pu..." Gible, standing beside him, activated its 'Mimic' skill and put on the exact same fake smile as its trainer.
-------
Could the principles of "Business Administration" really be used to manage Pokémon? At first glance, it almost made a strange kind of sense. It was just a matter of managing your partners, whether they were humans or... well, Pokémon.
But when it came down to it, Silas knew that if he wanted to get serious about training, he needed to switch his major to the Pokémon Battle Department as soon as possible. He was confident he could balance two things: streaming for pocket money and raising Gible. It just meant his college life would be a little more work and a little less lazing around. But balancing three things—professional credits, making money, and training Pokémon? He could only imagine himself crying out, "Gu... kill me..." like a captured knight in some fantasy novel facing an impossible fate. Who could handle that workload?
"Alright, you and Gible head to the gym for training," Leo said, understanding the situation. "If you get called on in class today, I'll answer 'present' for you."
"Thanks, brother," Silas nodded, genuinely grateful. He was lucky to have a roommate with a good character. The old internet joke, "Thank you, roommate, for not killing me," wasn't just a meme. "I'll treat you and your Yamper to dinner sometime soon."
"Don't worry about it," Leo said, pushing up his glasses. "But this isn't a long-term solution. If you really want to focus on Pokémon, you should just switch majors."
"It's difficult," Silas said, rubbing his temples. "The school won't let a freshman change their major right after the semester starts. You have to complete at least a semester with good grades first." And since he had no intention of delving into Business Administration, getting good grades was a long shot.
"In that case," Leo suggested, "how about you and your Gible enter the 'Sprout Cup' freshman challenge? If you perform well enough in that, the school might consider making an exception and letting you change your major, right?"
Silas's eyes lit up. "That makes sense."
"Of course," Leo continued, "the premise is that you perform well enough. And from what you said, 'late bloomer' Pokémon aren't that strong in the early stages."
"That's enough," Silas grinned, his path suddenly clear. "You've given me a goal and a direction. Leave the rest to me and Gible!"
"Gib-gib!" Gible puffed out its red chest, striking a confident pose that seemed to say, "Leave it to me!"
Silas quickly logged into the university's academic system and signed up for the Sprout Cup. Interestingly, the freshman challenge was open to students from all departments, not just the Battle majors. Pokémon battles were one of the world's great equalizers; unless it was a professional event like the World Championships, almost anyone could participate and experience the fun of fighting alongside their partner.
This new goal gave Silas a clear growth path: daily training, raising Gible, and participating in battles. While the Pokémon anime often showed trainers like Ash wandering the world on an endless adventure, the reality was different. Most new trainers attended specialized schools and universities, focusing on their studies. The wandering adventurers were actually the minority.
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