Chapter 129

Friday, August 14th.

The "Magic City Evening News" delivered a sensational piece of news.

Headline: "Genius Trainer Shuts Out Magic City Gym Leader in the Open Challenge!"

[Author's Note: In the recently concluded Open Challenge, contestant Luke, who previously won the Piplup Cup, handed Gym Leader Tang Hui a crushing defeat!

This marks the first-ever Badge awarded during an Open Challenge, and our newspaper will continue to provide updates...]

The news quickly became a hot topic, trending online, with netizens reacting strongly in the web version's comments section.

"Does anyone still think Teacher Luke is just a Game Streamer?"

"Considering it was a series of battles, Tang Hui's lax performance is understandable."

"I was there! Teacher Luke simply doesn't view Gym Leaders as anything special!"

Tang Hui's strength, as the only officially recognized Gym Leader in Magic City, was well-known to everyone. Yet, despite this, Luke, a challenger, managed to sweep him aside with a flawless 3:0 victory. It was an astonishing achievement that left people in awe.

Tang Hui saw the report and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. To be defeated by Teacher Luke was one thing, but to have the news reported with such fanfare was another. Did he really need to lose face like this?

Nonetheless, Tang Hui held respect for Luke. The Open Challenge's purpose was to discover promising young Trainers, and in a battle of Pokémon with similar levels, he had no choice but to acknowledge his defeat. Tang Hui shook his head and chuckled, "Talented individuals continue to emerge... There's no need to get upset..."

On the third day of the Open Challenge, Tang Hui competed with newfound determination, seemingly carrying the weight of a "grudge" on his shoulders. His strength reached remarkable heights.

"Wow, Swoobat is on fire!"

"It's not that Tang Hui is weak, but Teacher Luke is just too strong!"

University challengers who had witnessed Luke's previous match defeating Tang Hui couldn't help but sigh in relief. They didn't want to bear the brunt of anger just because Teacher Luke had won the match.

After three days of intense competition, Tang Hui had only lost one match but managed to give out another Badge, remaining true to the principle of teaching young Trainers.

...

The Open Challenge concluded, and on the bus back to school, Sally Han was still enthusiastically sharing her observations and experiences.

"Teacher Luke, those two Move Secrets were really meant for you!"

Luke smiled wryly. With a prize of only 1 million and a 2 million cost for a gift for a certain little someone, plus the potions he had to purchase after those challenging battles, he couldn't help but feel like he'd lost.

"And this." Angela Shen handed her phone to Luke. "Check out this news report. There are thousands of comments on it."

Luke was surprised as he read the article. It turned out to be from the "Magic City Evening News" again!

Although the article was somewhat exaggerated, did they have to paint Tang Hui in such a negative light? He was still waiting for his bonus, after all!

Everyone knew Teacher Luke was a genius (although that was true), but now he felt like he had a reputation to live up to. How would he manage his farming spots in the future?

[Author's Note: Luke's victory against Tang Hui this time was thanks to his training method, which involved establishing emotional connections with Pokémon... This victory serves as the perfect illustration of the power of these emotional bonds...]

Luke glanced at the reporter's name and grew wary. It was the same male reporter who had interviewed him last time!

"Don't make up weird stories in your head," Luke muttered under his breath. "I'm just a regular finance student."

Putting down the phone, he sighed and said, "Why won't they believe me?"

The school team exchanged strange glances. They almost forgot that Coach Lu was still a finance student.

Johnny wiped the sweat from his forehead and mumbled, "Could Coach Lu be an imposter..."

Luke narrowed his eyes and stared silently at Johnny in his seat. Was he some kind of fortune-teller?

Coach Zhai patted Luke on the shoulder and explained, "Dean Du contacted me. The Move Secrets this time were prepared by his senior."

Luke was taken aback. "Who's Dean Du?"

"He's the senior wearing a white robe and a long beard in the guest seat. He's also the former Principal of Magic University."

Coach Zhai elaborated, "He once won the Orient Conference Championship, and your Squirtle is actually the offspring of his Pokémon."

Luke: ??? So that's why Squirtle is so exceptionally talented!

So, the mastermind behind this is none other than you, old Principal!

Luke stammered, "What kind of Move Secrets is he planning for me?"

"Dig," Coach Zhai replied with a smile. "He thinks it suits your Squirtle well."

"What about you? Are you happy?" Luke inquired.

Luke opened his mouth, but Squirtle's enthusiastic digging echoed in his mind, making him break into a cold sweat.

Luke licked his dry lips, forced a smile, and said, "Well, it's... alright."

After this ordeal, I need to talk to Sister Liu about changing my residence! If I continue living on the sixth floor, my neighbors downstairs will probably send me straight to the police station!

In summary, the open challenge was a rewarding experience. The most crucial part was the 1 million bonus, which was credited to Luke's account. Additionally, he acquired three new moves: "Stored Power," "Calm Mind," and "Dig."

Apart from these rewards, Luke received the "Magic City Badge," which was shaped like a pearl. He examined the shiny Badge and muttered, "It looks quite nice... It's a shame this will likely be my last Badge."

Setting the [Magic City Badge] aside, Teacher Luke checked his phone balance. He still owed Cynthia 5 million, even though she hadn't brought it up. It seemed like he needed to fulfill his promise.

Back at home, Luke sat down with his calculator, muttering to himself, "Calm Mind will help Eevee's evolution... I can't skimp on that expense. As for Dig, it should be free... Wait, maybe it's even more costly!"

Luke's expression turned strange. If Squirtle dug through the entire building, wouldn't that be a disaster?

Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and groaned, "Damn it, Eevee can learn Dig too!"

A drop of cold sweat trickled down Luke's forehead. "Do I need to hide this TM first..."

Luke went back to reviewing the Move Secrets for "Calm Mind." He even found the encrypted electronic version, which surprised him. However, he decided to close the file after some contemplation.

"I should be cautious... It's better to consult the Psychic Type boss first!"

Opening the chat group, Luke sent a private message to Sabrina.

['Teacher Luke' messaged 'Sabrina']

Sabrina:?

Teacher Luke: Can you help me check if there are any issues with this Move Secrets?

Sabrina: Sure, send it over.

Luke was surprised at how readily she agreed. He hadn't even mentioned the reward yet!

Luke cleared his throat and typed, "I can't forward it, but I can take a screenshot for you."

Teacher Luke: [Video]

Sabrina took a quick look and calmly responded:

"I've studied this training method paired with Stored Power before."

"But this Mental Force training isn't particularly effective... I can help you refine it."

Luke was taken aback for a moment, feeling a bit uneasy. "It's really not necessary..."

Sabrina replied, "You're welcome. It's no trouble at all."

Luke suddenly felt a bit anxious. What if Sabrina made changes that increased the cost?

An hour later, the chat box received another message.

[The file 'Calm Mind 2.0' has been sent. Please review.]

Sabrina: I made some optimizations to the required items.

Luke's heart skipped a beat as he asked, "Is it more expensive now?"

Sabrina replied, "The total price remains the same, at 2 million, but it requires a higher-quality Dawn Stone."

Sabrina continued, "Although it's rare, it's still available in the market. You should keep an eye out for it."

Luke let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the price hadn't increased.

Teacher Luke: Thank you, Sabrina.

Sabrina was slightly surprised but smiled, saying, "You're welcome."

After turning off the communication with Sabrina, Luke muttered to himself, "I should check with the WILD Group to see if I can obtain a Dawn Stone. I have some working capital and an installment plan, so it should be feasible..."

Luke clenched his fists, determined not to be discouraged. "Seven million... that's not too much, right?"