38 Chapter 38

As the weekend drew to a close, Luke had to return to Magic City University for his classes. The quarterfinals of the Piplup Cup were scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Despite the impending competition, Luke remained calm and composed, whereas Twain anxiously circled around him.

"Luke, are you really sure about this?" Twain asked with concern. "This quarterfinal match is no joke, and you can't afford to be careless."

Luke chuckled and assured him, "Don't worry, I won't be careless."

Meanwhile, Damien playfully elbowed Twain and teased, "Why rush the emperor when the court eunuch is taking his time?"

"This doesn't concern you since you're not participating in the competition," retorted Twain. "And Luke must have been secretly training again!"

"Tsk tsk, he did the same thing during the last exam," Damien chimed in. "Remember when we were supposed to be studying? He went to the library on his own. You're the diligent one!"

Damien gestured as if displaying evidence to a court.

Luke wore a complex expression.

Oh no!

I really did train yesterday!

And now, I can't even deny it!

Luke's advancement to the quarterfinals had been on the previous Saturday, but the news only spread today, catching many students' attention.

People looked at Luke with curious and admiring gazes.

Good grades, handsome looks, and skilled in Pokémon battles...

There's no stopping him, is there?

"The Road School Committee is truly impressive; has he set a new record?"

"Yes, he's the only one from the Battle Department in the quarterfinals!"

Morning class was taught by Economics Professor Chen, the same one who had sent Luke the "smiley face."

Professor Chen, known for his lack of smiles, walked up to the podium, and the lecture hall instantly fell silent.

Clearing his throat, Professor Chen addressed Luke by name. "Luke, someone is waiting for you outside. You won't be marked absent for this session."

Whispers of discussion buzzed around the room.

By the door stood a middle-aged man in a white shirt with an air of elegance. He nodded apologetically.

"Whoa, that's Zhai Wenyao, the school team's coach!"

"Which team? Basketball or soccer?"

"Seriously? It's obviously the Pokémon Battle team!"

In the blink of an eye, Luke left the classroom in a slightly confused state.

Have I done anything recently?

Why would someone be looking for me after class?

Exiting the classroom, Luke encountered the middle-aged man again.

"Luke, you're here. Let's go to the next classroom and talk."

They entered an empty classroom, and the man got straight to the point.

"I'm Zhai Wenyao, coach of the Pokémon Battle school team. I'm here to invite you to join the team."

If Luke's victory against Angela Shen had a touch of luck to it, his entry into the Piplup Cup quarterfinals showcased his true skill.

Although the Piplup Cup was a municipal event, its significance was akin to that of a provincial-level competition due to its unique circumstances. Making it this far demonstrated Luke's potential.

Zhai Wenyao had prepared a series of compelling arguments in advance, including a letter of recommendation for acquiring a Trainer certificate and the possibility of securing future research opportunities.

However, Luke's response left Zhai Wenyao completely taken aback.

"Sorry, Coach Zhai," Luke scratched his head, "I'm not really planning to become a Trainer."

"This competition was sort of an accident... Maybe it was good luck, but I didn't expect to make it to the quarterfinals."

Zhai Wenyao was momentarily speechless, caught off guard. He then hesitated before asking, "You're not planning to become a Trainer?"

Luke nodded sincerely.

"Yet you still managed to make it to the quarterfinals?"

"It was a fluke, honestly!"

"What about defeating Angela Shen?" Zhai Wenyao inquired.

Luke smiled and replied, "Her Granbull wasn't at its best that day. I won mostly due to luck."

Zhai Wenyao fell silent, considering the situation.

His reason for approaching Luke was not only due to his quarterfinal standing but also a video that had been sent to him.

In the video, Luke had demonstrated exceptional battle strategy, completely overpowering Angela Shen.

Someone with such tactical prowess had no intentions of becoming a Trainer?

Was there something wrong with him, or was it something he was missing?!

"If you're not interested in joining the school team, then I won't press you," Zhai Wenyao said, shaking his head with a resigned smile.

"Just make sure to come up with a better reason next time if you decide not to join the team. Director Zhao of the Battle Department is quite keen on having you," Zhai Wenyao advised.

"He wants me to join the school team too?" Luke asked in astonishment.

"No, he actually wants you to switch majors," Zhai Wenyao clarified.

"That's fine," Luke replied with a slight smile. "I've gotten used to it."

Given that the first three majors had already filled their ranks, it was unlikely for Luke to be recruited from the Economics Institute. Professor Rowan's recommendation letter still lay in a drawer at home. While Luke wasn't opposed to changing his major, he hadn't found the right opportunity to do so.

As the day's classes came to an end, Luke strolled along the street outside the campus and noticed a poster for the Piplup Cup.

"Battle for the Top Four! Piplup Cup Quarterfinals Begin on Wednesday Night!"

Luke had taken the time to learn about the top eight players from Twain. Three were from Magic City University, three from Z-University, one from Magic City University of Communications, and one from the High School Attached to Magic University. These were all prestigious schools, though the hierarchical nature of the Trainer world meant that players from less prestigious institutions were less likely to reach the quarterfinals.

Luke knew that many of these players would likely become official Trainers, challenge Gyms, and eventually vie for spots in the Alliance conference. However, Luke didn't feel the pressure of competing against such prodigious talents.

"It's not worth it," he mused to himself. "Those exceptional talents are just too abnormal."

Red had become the Kanto Alliance Champion within a year of debuting. Blue had achieved the same feat, only to be defeated by Red just half an hour later. Even Gold, the subject of ridicule in some circles, was undeniably a talented Trainer, at least at the Master level.

Yet Luke felt no burden in the presence of these heavyweights. He reasoned that as long as he accepted his own mediocrity, he would remain unbeatable.

Back at home, Gastly was engrossed in watching TV. The show was titled "National League Grandmasters Tour Cup." Gastly was fully attentive, nodding and even jotting down notes with a pencil held in its mouth.

"Jie jie~ jie jie~!" (I get it, I understand!)

Luke smiled and decided to record a video of Gastly before sharing it with the group.

Viridian Gym.

After defeating a challenger, Blue wiped his brow with a towel draped over his shoulder and played the video.

"Gastly seems to be doing well," Blue commented. "Master Rank Pokéblocks definitely have an effect on its breeding."

"By the looks of it, is Gastly training Toxic moves lately?" he continued.

[Yellow of Viridian Forest : Is Gastly okay? ]

[Teacher Luke: No worries, my Gastly is doing just fine. Thought I'd share it with you guys. ]

[Yellow of Viridian Forest: Hey, indeed. ('▽`〃)]

[Blue: Based on the breeding patterns, Gastly isn't far from evolving.]

Blue's observation triggered a thought in Luke's mind. While it had only been two months since he acquired Gastly, it wasn't a brand new Pokémon. Considering the training for Toxic moves, Gastly had accumulated a significant amount of energy, indicating that evolution might be on the horizon.

But Luke was still relatively new to being a Pokémon Trainer. He eagerly asked for advice from the more experienced trainers.

[Teacher Luke: How do I trigger Gastly's evolution? ]