Chapter 203: Brushing Sylveon's Fur
Wednesday, October 9th.
Since its upload, "Teacher Lu Teaches You to Battle #10: Tailwind Teams" had dominated the top spot in the gaming category. It amassed over 3 million views in just three days. The success of the Tailwind strategy was clear: straightforward, easy to learn, and highly effective. It received universal praise.
"Even my grandma hit Master Rank with this team!"
"Finally, a strategy I can actually use. I'm crying."
"Just rush 'em down. No thoughts, only violence!"
But the biggest talking point wasn't just the strategy—it was the match footage. Raihan, one of the Eight Masters, had been completely dominated. The level of prediction and strategy displayed left viewers stunned.
"Wait, wasn't he a stall specialist before? Now he's destroying with hyper-offense too?!"
"Is this what they call… All-Type Mastery?!"
With so many trainers reposting the video—including Winona, Eusine, and even Lance—Teacher Lu's credibility as a battle expert reached an all-time high.
As someone with mild OCD, Lu Ye opened his channel analytics. Nearly 4 million followers—in just half a year. Yet somehow, he was still broke?! "…Whatever," Lu Ye scratched his chin. "As long as the debt collectors aren't knocking on my door, I'll take it slow…"
That afternoon, Gengar grabbed a shopping basket and went out for groceries. Wartortle was doing bicep curls with tiny dumbbells. And Lu Ye… was lounging on the sofa, idly playing with Sylveon's pink feelers while gently brushing its silky white fur.
The gentle strokes made the process effortless. Sylveon stared at Lu Ye, pouting slightly with its big, ocean-blue eyes. Unlike many Pokémon, Sylveon didn't shed. Brushing its coat helped with massage and bonding. Halfway through, the comfortable sensation made Sylveon yawn adorably, its tiny fangs peeking out. Then, without a care, it curled up in Lu Ye's lap. Its half-lidded eyes flickered shut—and soft, content purring filled the room.
Lu Ye smiled fondly, looking every bit like a proud father. But then… his smile suddenly froze. "…My legs are numb." Having a 23.5 kg Sylveon sprawled across his legs was both a blessing and a curse. But Lu Ye refused to wake up the little one. So, to distract himself, he pulled out his phone and checked the group chat.
Trainer Group Chat
Lu Ye:
Lorelei (Soft-Hearted Auntie Mode): "OHHH!!! SO CUTE!!!"
Gold: "I feel like Auntie Lorelei's comments are kinda… dangerous?"
Silver: "…Agreed."
As expected, Red reacted instantly.
[Group Members 'Gold' and 'Silver' have been muted for 2 hours by 'Red'.]
It wasn't that he wanted to mute them—he was just saving them from being frozen into ice statues by Lorelei. Red sighed. But then, an idea popped into his head. Maybe… having Gold come to Mt. Silver for some "training" wouldn't be a bad idea…
Lu Ye's expression turned… complicated. Gold and Silver got muted together? Are we sure they're not secretly in love?!
After Gold's usual goofing around, the group chat suddenly shifted in tone. Lt. Surge suddenly sent a voice message. Lu Ye tapped to play it—only to hear booming laughter. "HAHAHAHA!! I just got completely wiped by some newbie from Pallet Town!"
Erika: [Nervous Emoji]
Lisia: "Um… Are you sure you're okay?"
Lu Ye's eyebrow twitched. Getting crushed in battle… and you're this happy about it?! …Wait. A newbie from Pallet Town?!
Lu Ye's mind froze for a second—then he saw Green typing.
Green: "Oh, so you ran into Ash, huh?"
Lt. Surge: "Yep, he's sitting right next to me!"
A photo popped into the chat. It showed Lt. Surge casually slinging an arm around Ash's shoulder—with Swellow and Pikachu photobombing in the background.
Lu Ye's eyes widened. Holy crap, it's Ash Ketchum! The kid in the picture looked fresh-faced and full of energy—still looking like a 10-year-old, just as expected.
Blue: "@Green, wait… did you commission Teacher Lu just for Ash?"
Green: [Nods.] "With his level of intelligence, there's no way he'd understand a complex strategy. Tailwind is perfect for him."
Lu Ye blinked. So Green asked me to develop the Tailwind strategy… just for Ash? Does that mean I'm technically Ash's first strategy teacher?! Well… That's another weird title added to the list.
Though deeply curious about how exactly Ash managed a 3-0 victory over an Elite Four veteran, Lu Ye decided to respect the old man's dignity and not ask. Meanwhile, back in Vermilion Gym, Lt. Surge snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! Here's your badge!" He handed Ash the Thunder Badge, still chuckling. "Man, when you sent Swellow out, I was scared for my life. Didn't expect you to actually win!"
Earlier, Pikachu had taken down two of his Pokémon. Then, Swellow, despite a type disadvantage, managed to defeat his Magneton in an insane comeback. Lt. Surge had to admit—there was something special about this kid. "…Though he's kind of a reckless idiot," he muttered under his breath.
"Swellow!!" Swellow perched proudly on Ash's shoulder.
Ash, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, spoke with determined eyes: "I want to train hard with my Pokémon… so that one day, we can become as strong as Teacher Lu and Red!"
Ever since watching Lu Ye's Tailwind tutorial, Ash had been incredibly excited. So when today's Gym Battle arrived, he specifically chose his most fired-up Pokémon—Swellow. And after securing victory, his confidence soared. Learning from veteran Trainers is never a bad idea! (Note: "Learning" here refers to mindless aggression, type disadvantage battles, dodging at the last second, and yelling to boost morale.)
Lt. Surge suddenly looked thoughtful. "…Hey, Lu Ye, when's your next game coming out?" He grinned. "I need to ask a friend to make me another cheat tool."
Ash, overhearing this, perked up instantly. "Wait! You play Angry Tranquill too?!"
"I'm a hardcore veteran," Ash declared, his eyes shining. "I've been grinding it for ages!"
Lt. Surge smirked knowingly. "Tch. No need to grind—just use a cracked version."
"W-WAIT, WHAT?!"
[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.]