Chapter 208: This Is Called Predicting Ahead
The company's current focus was on developing DLC for their three games while preparing for future expansions. Once they entered the online gaming industry, they would need more staff. But for now, Lu Ye had full confidence in Oleana's capabilities. With the company in her hands, he turned his attention back to the upcoming tournament.
"That being said..." Lu Ye glanced around the room—Gengar was rolling its shoulders, Wartortle was doing push-ups, and Growlithe looked utterly confused. "It doesn't seem like I have much to do here," he muttered.
The Eastern China Division Tournament would officially begin on October 15th, featuring an elimination bracket. As an invited seed player, Teacher Lu only needed to win one match to advance to the top 64.
Top 64. It sounded impressive, but in reality, it wasn't all that remarkable. First, the number of Pokémon Trainers was already limited. Second, the skill levels of the competitors were all over the place. Take Ash in the Indigo League, for example. He used a Krabby that had never been trained before and still managed to sweep three opponents. This just proved that in every tournament, rookies were unavoidable. Teacher Lu embraced the mindset of a learner. Even if nobody believed it, he had only been competing for six months.
"Alright... time to compete!" After checking his gear, Lu Ye prepared to head to the arena. Just then, his phone lit up with an incoming video call from Crystal.
"Teacher Lu, I'll be arriving in Modu this afternoon!" Crystal wore a large red-and-white cap, her braided pigtails curling upward.
"No problem, I'll pick you up in the afternoon." Lu Ye yawned, but then suddenly froze. Wait… don't I have something else planned this afternoon?
"I'll send you my location later." Crystal cradled a Poké Ball in her hands, smiling politely. "Thanks for the help!"
"W-wait!" Before Lu Ye could say anything else, she had already hung up.
His expression turned strange as he glanced at Gengar, who was geared up and ready for battle. Great… just perfect. I have a qualifying match this afternoon too!
Winning the championship was unlikely, but if he lost in the first round… well, would it even be a big deal? The schedule conflict was unavoidable. Opening his chat window, Lu Ye typed a message: "I have a match this afternoon. Gengar will pick you up—I even made it a sign for the airport."
Crystal was a bit surprised. Teacher Lu's Gengar… can pick someone up by itself?! This level of intelligence… is almost on par with Gold's Pokémon! "No problem," she replied.
"I'll come find you right after my match," Lu Ye said. "It won't take long. You can wait at my place."
Crystal nodded. "Good luck with your battle!"
Lu Ye turned to Gengar and assigned the airport pickup task. Gengar drooped its head in disappointment. No match? Not happy! ~o(╥﹏╥)o
"The ace always saves their entrance for the grand finale," Lu Ye patted Gengar's head.
"Gengar!" Immediately, Gengar perked up and nodded seriously.
October 15th, Thursday.
The weather was clear. Aerial drones hovered over the stadium, capturing live footage. The roar of the audience echoed nonstop as the big screen displayed the commentators: "After three days of intense competition, the top 128 Trainers of the Eastern China Division Tournament have been determined!"
At that moment, the camera zoomed in on one particular contestant. As the image appeared on the official livestream, the chat was instantly flooded:
"WTF?!"
"???"
"Teacher Lu is back to milk tournament prize money again?!"
On the battlefield, Lu Ye was up against a graduate student from the Trainer Academy. She had once placed in the Top 4 of the University League and recently returned from a study program in Unova. With a flushed face, she shyly asked: "A-after the match… can I add you on WeChat?"
Lu Ye: "Speak up, I can't hear you!"
"Ugh…" Her face turned beet red. After struggling for a while, she finally summoned her courage and hurled a Poké Ball forward. "G-go, Blaziken!"
The commentator's eyes lit up. "A Blaziken with the Speed Boost ability! That gives it a huge advantage!"
But when Lu Ye's Pokémon entered the field, the livestream chat exploded again.
"Wait… Teacher Lu actually owns a Growlithe?!"
"You dare use Intimidate on me?!"
The majestic Growlithe stood proudly, its pale yellow mane swaying in the breeze. Baring its fangs, it locked eyes with its opponent and let out a roar: "Arf! (｀0´)" The crowd went wild.
Lu Ye licked his lips, his expression complicated. You guys see a powerful warrior… but to me, this is just a Husky in disguise!
Intimidate activated, causing Blaziken to momentarily freeze. "Blaziken, Double Team!" the opponent, Xiao Tong, commanded. With Speed Boost, Blaziken dashed across the field, leaving behind multiple afterimages. But the moment the technique was executed, Growlithe suddenly lunged at one of the copies with pinpoint accuracy.
"What?!" Xiao Tong's face froze. It didn't even hesitate… it instantly saw through Double Team?!
Lu Ye had an odd expression. Before the match had even started, he had instructed Growlithe to use its senses to lock onto Blaziken's presence. He had predicted this moment thirty minutes in advance. Honestly… this wasn't even on par with the University League finals.
"Arf!" Growlithe's fangs sank into Blaziken's arm. "Arf! (*⊙~⊙)" Crunch! Chicken-flavored, crispy and juicy!
The spectators instinctively swallowed. "Kinda hungry now."
A few minutes later, Xiao Tong withdrew Blaziken and sent out her second Pokémon—a Shellder. Growlithe hadn't yet mastered Flamethrower, but it was getting close. Right now, the Shellder had already been roasted to a bright red hue. Lu Ye's face twitched. "Smells amazing…" If I sprinkle some garlic and pepper, it'd probably be even better…
Since this was just the first round, Lu Ye advanced to the Top 64 with ease. He even felt a bit dazed. "That's it? And to think I was worried for so long…"
Even so, preparing for the next round already felt exhausting. "Next time… maybe I should let Gengar fight instead," he muttered.
Meanwhile, in the other arenas, several well-known Trainers had also secured their spots. Lu Ye, however, was very clear about his own position. Priority #1: Keep his Pokémon safe. If he could coast through, he would. If he lost, he'd just go home and cook a feast. Winning the championship? Not very realistic. Yeah… making games and milking money is way more satisfying.
On the other side of town, Gengar had successfully brought Crystal back to Lu Ye's apartment complex. The security guard immediately recognized Gengar and didn't stop it. However, the young girl in the white cap made the old man squint through his reading glasses. He pulled out a notebook, cautiously jotting down a note: "10.15, clear skies; Fifth candidate—status uncertain, further observation needed."
Back at home, Gengar was preparing tea for Crystal. The moment Lu Ye walked in, Gengar excitedly used Lick on him. Lu Ye stiffened, dug into his pocket, and tossed Gengar a Cheri Berry before turning to Crystal.
"That was fast?" Crystal had just sat down and was surprised to see him return so soon. Master-tier tournaments usually lasted hours. Did he just… completely sweep his opponent?
"Yeah," Lu Ye nodded.
Crystal blinked. Her understanding of Teacher Lu's strength had once again deepened. "Anyway… I came here to deliver something on behalf of Professor Elm." She stood up, pulling out a Pokémon Egg from her bag and holding it out with a smile. "I believe that, under your care, it will hatch into a brave and kind Pokémon!"
[Inorin Note:
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