Chapter 76

One would expect that Cynthia would be focused on preparing for her battle against Dragon Tamer Lance the following day. This should have been a day of active preparations and strategizing.

However, reality was quite different.

Luke took out the main unit and two controllers, making Cynthia feel a bit uneasy.

"What are you setting up?" she inquired.

"Aren't you heading to the hotel?" he asked.

"I won't have time to do that later."

The diagnosis for Eevee had been completed. With so many unfamiliar Pokémon in the house, Eevee seemed a bit shy and preferred to stay in its cat litter, refusing to come out.

By the window, Glaceon, who exuded an air of strength, elegantly groomed its paws and smiled gracefully.

During this time, Professor Rowan also made a video call to discuss the situation. Learning that Cynthia was staying at Luke's house, she didn't seem overly concerned.

Given Cynthia's strength, anyone who dared to plot against her would likely meet an unfortunate fate.

Though one might think that Luke should be worried, he wasn't completely wrong...

...

In the living room.

"Are you sure it's alright? You have a match tomorrow..."

Cynthia was seated on the sofa, gripping a controller with an unusually serious expression. "Balancing work and relaxation is crucial."

Luke nodded in understanding.

"Instead of being nervous right before the match, it's better to relax and get into the perfect state."

Cynthia rolled a strand of hair behind her ear, raising a finger. "That's my strategy."

Luke found her words a bit peculiar.

It seemed that every Trainer had their own method of achieving peak performance.

Could it be that Cynthia's strategy involved staying up late to play games?!

"What game are you going to play?"

Luke inquired as he presented her with a list of games.

"Um..."

"Do you need that much time to decide?"

"I'm considering..."

Cynthia appeared to be quite conflicted, her fingertips absently twirling her blonde hair.

After a brief moment of puzzlement, Luke suddenly recalled something.

Sinnoh's Champion was known for having difficulty making choices!

"Never mind, I'll make the choice for you."

Cynthia relaxed visibly and offered a relieved smile.

...

While the owner engaged in gaming with the well-off lady to support his household, Haunter furrowed his brow, pondering how to approach the larger Pokémon for some battle tips.

Garchomp, Lucario... they were quite different from it.

Glancing around, Haunter found only Spiritomb situated beneath the air conditioner, posing as a potted plant.

According to legend, Spiritomb was formed by the gathering of 108 souls, and historical records of its existence dated back a long time.

With its combination of Ghost and Dark types, coupled with the chilling drafts that seemed to emanate from Spiritomb, Haunter felt a sense of unease.

Yet, as it pondered Luke's contribution to the household, Haunter clenched its teeth, floated over to Spiritomb, and greeted it.

"Are you okay?" it asked tentatively.

Spiritomb's otherwise still face sprang to life.

On its red, fan-shaped surface, seven or eight pairs of green eyes suddenly appeared, scanning Haunter from top to bottom.

Then, a sinister crack opened up, resembling a gaping mouth. From this crack, gusts of eerie winds blew, sounding like whispers.

"Haunter! Haunter!" it cried out, tears in its eyes.

"Crack..."

Spiritomb, unable to convey its intentions, hide in the stone in frustration.

It seemed it couldn't help but terrify others.

With that, Spiritomb returned to its silent guise, pretending to be nothing more than a potted plant...

...

The sun was setting.

Luke, feeling aches in his back and shoulders, set down his controller and rubbed his temple. "I guess we'll stop here for today..."

Gaming truly required personal effort.

Moreover, Garchomp was always keeping a watchful eye on Luke, making the experience even more tense.

Luke barely had any experience in gaming.

"Aren't you leaving?" he asked Cynthia.

"It's time to cook. You can also play something else in the meantime."

"What else is there to play?"

The fading sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating even the tiniest specks of dust in the air.

Cynthia's cheeks seemed to glow as if bathed in a halo.

Meeting her deep gray eyes, Luke felt his heartbeat skip a beat.

Shaking himself back to reality, he cleared his throat. "There's a game I've developed. Would you like to try it?"

"Oh?" Cynthia sounded intrigued.

Luke set up the computer and placed it in front of Cynthia, clicking on the first version of "Plants vs. Zombies."

"It's not completely finished, but the gameplay is quite similar."

He proceeded to explain the game's mechanics to Cynthia.

Cynthia nodded at intervals, her lips curling into a smile. "It sounds like fun."

"It's quite challenging. I've also added death difficulty and an achievement system."

Luke scratched his head.

"You play for now. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Cynthia didn't respond. Bathed in the pale blue glow of the screen, she was already engrossed in the game.

As the familiar and friendly BGM of "Plants vs. Zombies" filled the room, Luke shook his head with a reluctant smile.

...

While cooking, Luke checked the BP points in the system.

In Teacher Luke's view, BP was equivalent to berries, which represented food expenses.

Therefore, most of the BP points from video rewards were exchanged by Luke for rare berries.

Except for occasional instances of ten consecutive convulsions, Luke, who possessed a non-gambling mentality, generally preferred to pursue guaranteed exchanges most of the time.

"When the game is officially launched, there should be another wave of BP points," Luke mumbled.

As he considered a well-balanced meal, dinner was kept relatively simple with sandwiches and vegetable salads.

Luke stepped out of the kitchen, but Cynthia remained engrossed in clicking the mouse.

Suddenly, Cynthia looked up and spoke with great seriousness, "This is really enjoyable."

"If you find it fun, feel free to keep playing," Luke responded without much thought.

"Remember to quote that later, I might use it for publicity."

Cynthia nodded and said, "Sure."

...

The streetlights had already come to life on the street, casting a dim glow on the night. Luke lay on the sofa, his expression a mix of complexity, staring at Cynthia.

He had told her to play for a bit, not realizing she'd continue until midnight!

"Sis, aren't you heading back?"

"Just a bit longer," Cynthia replied.

Luke gazed up at the sky.

You're so skilled at "Plants vs. Zombies." If I were to create "Civilization 6," you'd probably end up playing all night.

"The Masters League Tournament is tomorrow morning."

"I'll finish this level first."

Cynthia's Pokémon were in great shape. After consuming Luke's Pokéblocks, they were returned to their Poké Balls and were now sleeping soundly.

Although Cynthia hadn't done any battle preparations, this might indeed be her way of getting into the right mindset.

Luke couldn't help but find it strange.

Can you really adjust your mental state for a competition by playing games without any real practice or interactions with actual opponents?

"Where will you sleep tonight?" Luke suddenly inquired.

Cynthia raised her head, glancing at the wall clock's hour hand, then briefly knitting her brows as she looked back at the game interface.

"Do you have an available spot in your place...?"

"Huh?"

"The sofa will do," she responded.

Luke was taken aback, unsure how to refuse.

Cynthia brushed aside her blond hair from her forehead, took out her phone, and spoke solemnly, "Yes, bring my luggage here. Um... just put it here."

Luke was momentarily surprised.

In less than five minutes, a Pelipper appeared at Luke's window with Cynthia's suitcase.

Cynthia patted the Pelipper, retrieved her waterproof suitcase, and nodded toward Luke.

"My apologies for the intrusion."