Chapter 38: Invitation from the School Team
The weekend ended, and Lu Ye had to return to Modu University for classes. The quarterfinals of the Piplup Cup were scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Yet, Lu Ye wasn't the least bit anxious. On the other hand, Tian Youwei was circling him nervously.
"Brother Lu, are you really confident about this?"
"This quarterfinal round is full of hidden talents—you absolutely can't afford to be careless!"
Lu Ye chuckled, replying, "Relax. I won't underestimate anyone!"
Beside them, Liang Dayou nudged Tian Youwei with his elbow, teasing, "Why's the eunuch more worried than the emperor?"
"You're not even the one competing. Besides, Brother Lu has surely been training in secret again!"
"Remember the last exam? He claimed he wasn't studying, yet he was the most diligent one sneaking off to the library!"
Dayou adjusted an imaginary pair of glasses, adopting a smug "there's only one truth" expression.
Lu Ye's expression grew complicated.
Damn! I really did go train yesterday! Curse it! I can't even deny it!
Lu Ye had secured a spot in the quarterfinals last Saturday, but many classmates only found out today. Their gazes became peculiar as they looked at him.
Good at academics, handsome, and now skilled in Pokémon battles too… Are you some kind of cheat?
"Class Rep Lu is amazing! This must be a record-breaker, right?"
"Yeah, he's the only non-Battle Department student in the top 8!"
The morning class was taught by Professor Chen, the Economics professor who had once sent Lu Ye a "smiley face" emoji. The usually stoic Professor Chen walked onto the podium, and the large lecture hall fell silent.
Clearing his throat, Professor Chen called out, "Lu Ye, someone is waiting for you outside. This time, I won't count it as an absence."
A low murmur rippled through the classroom.
At the doorway stood a middle-aged man in a white shirt with a refined demeanor. He nodded apologetically.
"No way, that's Coach Zhai Wenyao from the school team!"
"Which team? Basketball? Soccer?"
"You idiot, the Pokémon Battle Team, of course!"
Amid the stares of the crowd, Lu Ye walked out of the classroom, confused.
I didn't cause any trouble recently, right? Why's someone looking for me during class?
Outside, the middle-aged man nodded at Lu Ye.
"You're Lu Ye, right? Let's have a quick chat in the nearby classroom."
Once in an empty room, the man got straight to the point.
"I'm Zhai Wenyao, coach of the Pokémon Battle Team. I'm here to invite you to join."
If Lu Ye's private victory over Shen Tingzhi could be considered a fluke, then making it into the quarterfinals of the Piplup Cup was undeniable proof of his talent. Though the Piplup Cup was a municipal-level event, its geographical significance elevated it to the level of a provincial tournament.
Emerging victorious from such a competition was a testament to Lu Ye's potential.
Zhai Wenyao had prepared a long pitch in advance, complete with recommendations for a Trainer's license and even potential graduate school opportunities. But Lu Ye's opening statement completely disarmed him.
"Sorry, Coach Zhai," Lu Ye scratched his head. "I don't plan to become a Trainer."
"This competition… I signed up by accident. Guess I got lucky—I didn't expect to make it this far."
Zhai Wenyao opened his mouth, hesitated, and finally asked, "You're not planning to be a Trainer?"
Lu Ye nodded earnestly.
"And yet you made it to the quarterfinals?"
"Purely accidental!"
"What about the rumors of you defeating Shen Tingzhi?"
Lu Ye laughed awkwardly. "Her Granbull was off its game, and I just got lucky."
Zhai Wenyao fell silent.
The reason he had approached Lu Ye wasn't just his top-eight status. Someone had sent him a video of Lu Ye's battle. In the footage, Lu Ye's seemingly impossible reads completely overwhelmed Shen Tingzhi.
Someone with such commanding instincts didn't want to become a Trainer? Is it him who's out of touch, or is it me?
"Well, if you don't want to join, I won't force you." Zhai Wenyao shook his head and chuckled helplessly.
"Just… next time, come up with a better excuse. Even Director Zhao from the Battle Department has his eye on you."
"He wants me on the team too?" Lu Ye asked in surprise.
"No, he wants you to switch to the Battle Department."
"In that case," Lu Ye smiled, "it's fine. I'm used to it."
Ranked in the top 3 of his year in the Economics Department, the department was already fighting to keep him. Not to mention the recommendation letter from Professor Yamana sitting untouched in a drawer at home.
While Lu Ye wasn't against changing majors, he hadn't yet found the right opportunity.
After classes ended, Lu Ye walked along the campus streets, spotting a promotional poster for the Piplup Cup.
[Clash for the Semifinals! The Piplup Cup Quarterfinals Begin This Wednesday Night!]
Lu Ye had even asked Tian Youwei about the other top-eight competitors. 3 from Modu University, 3 from Zhejiang University, 1 from Modu Jiaotong University, and 1 from Modu High School. All from prestigious schools.
Given the barriers within the Trainer hierarchy, it was rare for non-elite students to reach the quarterfinals. Many of these competitors were likely to become official Trainers, challenge Gyms, and vie for spots in the League Championship.
"Not worth it," Lu Ye shook his head. "Those monsters' talents are just too insane!"
Red debuted and won the Kanto League Championship within a year. Green debuted and was defeated by Red just half an hour after winning the same championship. Even Gold, who's often mocked in the group, was a natural talent—a solid Master level.
Still, being around such bigshots didn't faze Lu Ye.
As long as I'm a nobody, no one can criticize me!
Returning home, Gastly was watching TV. The show was [National League Master-Class Tourney]. Gastly was utterly engrossed, nodding occasionally and scribbling notes with a pencil.
"Gengaa! Gengaa!" (Got it! I totally got it!)
Lu Ye smiled faintly and filmed a short video of Gastly, sharing it in the group chat.
At Viridian Gym, Green had just defeated a challenger. He wiped his sweat with a towel draped over his shoulder and clicked on the video.
"Not bad, that Gastly's been raised well." Green muttered. "It must've been fed Master-grade Energy Blocks to achieve that effect."
"From the looks of it, has it been practicing Toxic recently?"
[Tokiwa Erika]: Oh no, is something wrong with Gastly?
[Teacher Lu]: No, Gastly's just too adorable. I wanted to share it with you all.
[Tokiwa Erika]: Aw, it really is! (′▽`〃)
[Green]: Judging from its development, Gastly isn't far from evolving.
Green's comment got Lu Ye thinking. Though it had only been 2 months since he caught Gastly, it wasn't a newly-hatched Pokémon. Given the progress on learning Toxic, Gastly had amassed significant energy. It might be time to consider evolution.
But as this was Lu Ye's first Pokémon, evolving it required careful preparation. Embracing a "learn as you go" mentality, Lu Ye earnestly asked in the chat:
[Teacher Lu]: How do I help Gastly evolve?