Chapter 16: Sexy Gastly, Ready for Battle
Wednesday, Modu University.
The lovely English teacher with a sweet voice was lecturing from the podium. Outside, the sun was blazing. Inside, the soft cool air made everyone drowsy.
Liang Dayou nudged Lu Ye and whispered, "Bro, you don't look so good."
"Almost had a fire last night—how could I sleep?"
"What? Did one of your neighbors get a Fire-type Pokémon?"
Lu Ye rested his chin in his hand, looking troubled. He couldn't exactly say that a Ghost-type Gastly nearly burned his place down, right? Although Will-O-Wisp only ignites at around 40℃, Gastly's Will-O-Wisp also has an explosive effect. It's fiercer than some Fire-type Pokémon moves!
"Lu Ye, Liang Dayou, pay attention!" the English teacher said softly. "Learning English is essential for any Trainer!"
Liang Dayou promised confidently, "Don't worry, teacher! I'll make sure Lu Ye pays attention!"
The English teacher tilted her head with a sweet smile.
Lu Ye looked at the JAVA Programming book on Liang Dayou's desk and said nothing. Studying English with a programming textbook—well played, Dayou.
"By the way, where's Youwei today?"
"He went to compete," Liang Dayou whispered back. "In the Piplup Cup Qualifiers."
"He really went?"
Lu Ye raised an eyebrow. "I heard over 3,000 people are participating, and a few students from the Battle Department joined too?"
"Yeah, the competition is intense! But there's a fifty-thousand-yuan prize. Big money brings big risk-takers!"
Lu Ye, who was about to fall into debt, sighed, "Must be nice. I wonder who'll win this year."
Outside the Mercedes Arena in Pudong District, contestants had already packed the entrance for the qualifiers. Most were high school seniors or first-year students from Trainer Academies, hoping to earn a high rank and qualify for the Junior Trainer Certificate exam. As an officially recognized event, top universities like Modu University, Zhejiang University, and Jiao University all had students from the Battle Department competing.
In his designer trainer outfit with a custom Poké Ball belt, Tian Youwei took a deep breath. "Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous!"
He'd dreamed of becoming a Trainer for a long time. Though he'd missed the cut-off score for Modu University's Battle Department, he believed he could still make it as a top Trainer.
Surveying the area, he saw fierce-looking Pidgeottos, brawny Machops, and dazzling Beautiflies… The students from the Battle Department chatted in pairs, making the out-of-place Tian Youwei feel even more isolated.
He took another deep breath.
"Contestants, please report your ID and name at the designated arena!"
"ID: 2527, Yu Hong, please report to Arena 7!"
"ID: 3534, Lu Ye, please report to Arena 7!"
This round didn't include him, and Tian Youwei exhaled in relief. But then he heard a familiar name and widened his eyes in surprise.
Wasn't Lu Ye not competing?!
He hurried to the entrance of Arena 7, intending to cheer Lu Ye on, maybe even tease him a bit. But what he saw was unforgettable. A sinister-looking Gastly, with a contestant badge, grinned menacingly at the staff.
The staff member looked at the Gastly in shock and leaned down. "Hey there, where's your Trainer?"
"Gengarrr!" Gastly replied.
"Oh no, did you get separated? But without a Trainer, a Pokémon can't compete alone…"
The uniformed staff thought, Doesn't this mean automatic forfeit?
"Eeeek!"
Gastly's bloodshot eyes widened as it tried to act cute.
Eep!
The startled staff member flinched, her smile turning pale and awkward.
"Why hasn't the contestant for Arena 7 entered yet?" A man in a suit walked over briskly, and the staff immediately perked up.
"Sir, here's the situation…" She looked regretfully at Gastly. "Without a Trainer, you can't participate!"
"Gengarr…" Gastly's face fell.
The supervisor thought for a moment. He sensed a potential marketing opportunity. If this Gastly could defeat its opponent without a Trainer, it'd be perfect publicity for the event. An opportunity for cost-free promotion!
The supervisor opened the arena gate, smiling. "Little guy, welcome to the competition!"
"Gengarr!"
Gastly's eyes sparkled as it floated excitedly into the arena with Lu Ye's badge hanging from it.
"Sir, are you sure about this?" the staff asked.
"Notify the press," the supervisor instructed. "This'll make a fantastic headline!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Arena 7's showdown!"
"From the Blue Team, we have Yu Hong, a freshman in the Battle Department at Jiangnan University, whose Pokémon is…"
"Wow, it's Quilava, the evolved form of Cyndaquil, with a maximum temperature of 150℃!"
"And on the Red Team, we have Lu Ye from the Finance Department at Modu University, competing with Gastly!"
"…Um, it seems Lu Ye isn't here?"
In the audience, Tian Youwei looked in confusion at the eager Gastly. What was Lu Ye up to, letting Gastly fight on its own? Why send Gastly to the arena just to forfeit?
Yu Hong also looked baffled. Was he going to get a free win in the first round? His luck seemed almost too good.
With no objections from the supervisor, the referee blew the whistle. "Let the match begin!"
Yu Hong shouted, "Quilava, use…"
"Quilava" takes 0.3 seconds to say, and "use" takes 0.2 seconds. Given that Gastly's Speed stat is 80, same as Dragonite's, which can circle the Earth in about 16 hours, how long would it take Gastly to circle a 10x10 standard battle arena?
Before Yu Hong could finish speaking, Gastly was already upon Quilava, an eerie fog enveloping it completely!
"Eeeek!"
Quilava's flames weakened instantly, and it crouched down, whining in pain.
The sudden turn of events sent a wave of gasps through the audience.
"What the heck?!"
"It's over already? That was too fast!"
The announcer was stunned. "Gastly managed to strike first, even without instructions!"
Then Quilava rolled its body, igniting into a fiery wheel, and broke free from the black fog with Flame Wheel! Yu Hong sighed with relief. "Ember!"
But nothing happened. With a thud, Quilava stopped at the edge of the arena, dazed, stars spinning above its head.
Gastly chuckled as it withdrew its Confuse Ray, slowly closing in on the disoriented Quilava.
"Get up, Quilava!" Yu Hong shouted, "Use Ember!"
Gastly: ???
Just because you say "get up" doesn't mean it can! Even the strongest bond needs to respect basic battle rules!
"Eeeek!"
Suddenly, Quilava shrieked as the flames on its back flared up!
Gastly: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
Seeing its opponent about to unleash a powerful ability, Gastly panicked and took a quick lick at Quilava. One lick paralyzed it; two licks knocked it out.
In the now-silent arena, Gastly's satisfied licking sound echoed clearly.
Gastly: (⊙~⊙)
"…The winner is, uh, Lu Ye?" The referee looked uncertainly at the supervisor, who was busy briefing reporters with an excited look on his face.
"Who the heck is Lu Ye, anyway?"
"Isn't he in the Finance Department? How did he beat someone from the Battle Department?"
"He wasn't even here, and he still won?"
"Adding insult to injury, huh?!"
Tian Youwei glanced at the stunned Yu Hong, then at the smirking Gastly. A strange feeling of dissonance rose in his heart.
Was this really the Gastly that Lu Ye had raised? Had it secretly trained this hard? Lu Ye, didn't you say you didn't want to be a Trainer?!