Chapter 90
Wednesday, July 22.
In the early morning, Luke switched on the camera with Eevee nestled in his arms, and a horde of enthusiasts who adored "Eevee's Cloud Gazing" suddenly inundated the live stream.
"Eevee-san is finally gracing us with its presence!"
"Can Teacher Luke stop blocking the camera? Please find a spot for the anchor."
"Thanks for the 'Big Eevee Show'... Well, it's partly my fault. I obstructed the lens."
Luke humbly shifted the camera's focus towards Eevee.
Something felt off.
The live stream was initially packed with unconventional content and innuendos, so why had it suddenly turned into a pet blogger's paradise?
However, judging by the lavish gift-giving spree, the effect was no less potent than Luke's physical presence, and perhaps even more so...
Luke felt comfortable and stroked Eevee's furry head.
"Okay, hands off!"
"Teacher Luke, don't steal the limelight!"
Luke grabbed Eevee's fluffy cheeks and coughed lightly.
"Today, we have an exciting lineup of entertainment. Our star of the day is still our old favorite, the Pink Devil family."
The "Pink Devil" refers to Pokémon like Clefairy, Chansey, Blissey, and others known for their cute appearance but sometimes tricky battle strategies.
In reality, due to most Blissey being reserved for the Joy lineage, they are seldom used for tactical purposes.
Of course, Blissey's offensive capabilities are indeed quite limited, which is why Luke dubbed this segment the "entertainment lineup."
"Thank you to 'Teacher Luke, why didn't you start the live stream a few days ago?' for the plane ticket... Teacher Luke was out on a date with Cynthia recently."
There was a string of flashing question marks in the live stream.
"???"
"Is there anyone as shameless as this guy?"
Luke sighed.
These days, nobody seemed to believe the truth.
During the time he spent with Cynthia, not only did he not capitalize on her wealth, but he also wound up owing five million.
In order to repay the loan, Luke had decided to embark on the path of turning his Pokémon into idols (crossed out) ... turning them into live stream stars.
After all, being a live stream anchor was Luke's old profession, and even if "Plants vs. Zombies" had lost its appeal, there was still a way forward.
As for selling Pokéblocks... Luke hadn't thought much about it.
However, this would require a professional license, similar to selling prescription medications. Even if he sold them to the big shots in the group, considering the effectiveness of Teacher Luke's Pokéblocks, it might border on cross-border smuggling...
In any case, a little income was better than none, and the live stream earnings still couldn't be ignored.
During a match, one of Teacher Luke's games caught the attention of his fans.
"What game is the anchor playing?"
"Why isn't the anchor talking?"
"A mute anchor? I'm following!"
Luke, who was on an encrypted call with Dave, explained:
"This is a game developed by Teacher Luke. It'll be available in a few days. If you're interested, you can give it a try."
"Freaking out? Teacher Luke plays games too?"
"It looks like a lot of fun!"
"Someone who doesn't aspire to become a game producer isn't a good Trainer!"
This sudden shift in content took the audience by surprise, but it inadvertently boosted the popularity of "Plants vs. Zombies."
Satisfied with the response, Teacher Luke commenced the day's gaming session.
...
As expected, Luke once again put on his classic "serious face."
He missed moves, fell behind, and even experienced in-game explosions...
Laughter and cheerful voices filled the live stream.
"When you watch Red, you might be entertained, but you need to watch Teacher Luke to truly learn some gaming skills!"
"This play, this play is going straight into the hall of fame!"
Luke banged his fist on the table in frustration. "Why does this dirty move called Ally Switch even exist!"
The opponent was a Psychic-Type Trainer who had built their team around Ally Switch. Clearly, this Trainer had mastered the art of using this move to perfection.
Though Teacher Luke had a perpetually "serious face," he deserved some recognition for facing this formidable challenge.
However, Ally Switch, a Psychic-Type move, was even more versatile than Teleport. Used skillfully, it could even allow you to switch positions with your opponent in a single battle.
This led to techniques like "Tailwind reversal" and setting up "Toxic Spikes" on your own side of the field.
"If you can't beat them, join them. I recommend that all the anchors learn how to use Ally Switch with all six of their Pokémon!"
"Teacher Luke, you're not in the wrong here! The opponent seems to be a real pro!"
Master Rank Matches attracted a diverse crowd, including many skilled Trainers.
This unexpected turn of events took Luke by surprise.
He glanced at the ID of his opponent, and his brows furrowed in sudden recognition.
Sinnoh's Psychic-Type Elite, Lucian.
Why on earth was a scholar like him playing games?!
...
In Canalave City, Sinnoh Region, Lucian's residence, he sat comfortably on his sofa in a red suit with shoulder-length blue hair. He cast a glance at Flint and Aaron, who were nearby.
"Is this the game you were talking about? Is it really that entertaining?"
Flint, with his flaming red hair and a mischievous grin, scratched his head and replied, "I never expected you to pick it up so quickly."
Aaron, sporting a vest and his signature green hair, nodded in agreement. "Lucian, you're quite the strategist! Your tactics are even more skillful than actual gameplay!"
Lucian adjusted his blue-tinted glasses and smirked. "I just defeated an opponent who beat Cynthia. What do you two think of that?"
Despite Cynthia's low-profile gaming habits and her relatively small following, the Master enjoyed playing games regularly, and her skill level was well-known among her peers.
Aaron, the Bug-Type Elite of Sinnoh, who was barely 20 years old, quickly shook his head. He had played against Teacher Luke a few times and knew that he couldn't match Luke's tricky strategies.
Flint, the Fire-Type Elite of Sinnoh, with his fiery red hair and explosive demeanor, also remembered his own experiences of being outsmarted by Teacher Luke. Flint's tactics were straightforward, relying on Fire-type moves to trigger Pokémon's Flash Fire abilities, and they couldn't compete with Luke's unorthodox strategies.
In general, both Aaron and Flint had lost to Teacher Luke quite a few times.
It was said that a Champion had the potential to set the tone for the entire Pokémon League. Hoenn had three Champion Trainers—Steven, Norman, and Wallace—but none of them seemed interested in taking on this role. Steven was engrossed in his rock-hunting ventures, Wallace was busy with his exhibitions, and Norman was focused on raising his son.
Cynthia, Sinnoh's Champion, had not only maintained the tradition of fishing among the Elite Four but had also introduced the practice of gaming for monetary rewards.
Reflecting on his recent game against Teacher Luke, Lucian couldn't help but furrow his brows. He had narrowly escaped defeat by sheer luck. If not for that, he might have been utterly defeated.
Teacher Luke's victory over Lance wasn't impossible, especially considering his performance in games.
At this moment, Flint playfully teased Lucian, "Looks like you've been matched up with Teacher Luke again!"
Lucian adjusted his glasses, reviewed the lineup, and calmly responded, "Blissey's inclusion... well, it can keep up with the pace of the Foul Play setup."
"But as long as Ally Switch is used... Moves still can't connect."
As he spoke, a massive Rock Slide hit Bronzong's head, causing it to flinch.
"Seriously?!" Lucian couldn't help but exclaim, "Blissey even knows Rock Slide?!"
Blissey, with a gentle smile, first used 'Snatch' to claim the leftovers from Bronzong. Then, she waved her finger at the sky, and a cascade of large rocks rained down.
With the 'Serene Grace' ability, which doubled the additional effects of moves like 'Rock Slide,' there was even a possibility that the opponent would become trapped in an endless cycle of flinching.
When it came to unorthodox strategies, Teacher Luke truly had no equals!