Chapter 294

As night settled, Teacher Luke led the little ones back home, a calm sense of accomplishment in the air. But before he could unwind, his phone buzzed—a video call from Team Rocket.

"Boss! Anything you need, just say the word!" James chimed eagerly, grinning through the screen.

"Do you need us to transfer today's earnings to your account, meow?" Meowth offered.

Luke chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no, you all can keep it for your little Gundam project. Just promise me one thing: let me take it for a spin next time."

Though they didn't seem to have a clue what "Gundam" even meant, the trio nodded earnestly, saluting in unison. "Roger that!"

The tech in the Pokémon world is something else, Luke thought. Gundams, airships… they're practically ready for space travel.

He couldn't help but recall Giovanni's powerful air battleship—a sleek, imposing craft built with advanced technology and battle-hardened for the toughest challenges. He remembered the epic showdown with Red, where both sides had unleashed powerful legendary Pokémon. At one point, Red had even used his own body as a distraction to draw Deoxys's fire away from Mewtwo, buying just enough time for Mewtwo to turn the tide.

Watching the screen, Luke shook his head, marveling. "The power of technology… it's pretty incredible."

...

Today was a rare day off for Teacher Luke, though his arm was sore from signing a mountain of postcards at the promotional event. These dedicated fans—the grassroots champions of the Pokémon Company—were the ones who would eagerly spread the word on forums and video sites, helping to amplify the launch's reach.

With the production schedule on track, the initial version of Pokémon Auto Chess was ready, and testing would begin this week. Preparations for the game's release were in full swing, and it was shaping up to be a momentous occasion as the Pokémon Company's first online game.

With this new game in the pipeline, along with the ongoing popularity of the classic console titles and the surging Pokémon TCG, Teacher Luke felt he could focus a bit more on training… and maybe even invest a little in some premium perks.

Luke's eyes drifted to the Fuchsia badge that Togepi had so triumphantly returned with, and he sighed, thinking ahead.

"I really can't get careless here…" he muttered. "If I actually want to buy a Mega Stone, I might be eating instant noodles for the next six months."

[Task Progress]

Badge Collection: (5/8)

Only three more gyms remained: Lt. Surge's Electric Gym, Brock's Rock-type Gym, and Blue's powerhouse Ground-type Gym. Of the three, Lt. Surge—who didn't have a Mega Evolution option—might be the most manageable. But Brock? His Mega Steelix would definitely pose a serious challenge, and Blue's lineup was as daunting as it got.

The harder the path ahead, the steadier Luke felt in his resolve.

"No big deal," he grinned. "Even if Gengar's got to lead the charge, we'll bring those badges home!"

"Gah!" Sirfetch'd gave a contented yawn from his spot on the sofa, his wings tucked in, scallion and shield set to the side. He closed his eyes, looking like a giant, fluffy, feathered marshmallow.

Luke glanced around his cozy, somewhat chaotic home. He now had a duck, a turtle, a cat, a dog, and even a hamster—a motley little zoo.

"Alright… this place really is starting to feel like a mini-zoo," he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

As the rich aroma of dinner wafted through the air, Sirfetch'd's eyes shot open, alert and eager.

Dinner time! His eyes seemed to say, and he hopped off the couch, ready for action.

The dining table was already filled with steaming dishes, a delicious spread that made every Pokémon's eyes shine with excitement. Togepi clapped its tiny hands, Arcanine's tail wagged furiously, and even the usually calm Gengar couldn't help but hover closer, drawn in by the scent. Soon, the room was filled with the happy sounds of clinking dishes and cheerful Pokémon chatter as everyone dug in.

Luke watched the joyful chaos with a fond smile. As his little Pokémon family enjoyed the meal, he picked up his phone, scrolling through updates with a satisfied sigh. This cozy scene—the little zoo he'd built and the warmth of a homemade dinner—felt like a perfect moment.

...

In the chat group:

"Is the new game coming out soon?" Watson rubbed his chin. "It's been ages since I was this excited."

"You could always get an extra 'pokemon' to grind for you," Gold chimed in, laughing. "Like me! I've got Pichu running dungeons every day."

Watson snorted. "Might as well just use a plugin, right?"

Steven popped in, tagging Luke: "@Teacher Luke, you should keep an eye out. Devon's game division is eyeing you as competition."

Luke blinked, confused. Isn't Steven the vice president of Devon?

"Wait, since when are you a double agent?" Luke typed, mock-betrayed.

Steven replied with a shrug emoji. "Business is business. Devon's releasing a game at the same time as 'Pokémon Auto Chess'—they've got a whole announcement on the official site."

Curious, Lorelei navigated to Devon's site and quickly found it. Sure enough, Devon was launching a game around the same time: a tactical game reminiscent of Pokémon: Nobunaga's Ambition. Technically, they both had "chess" elements, but they were in entirely different genres.

Gold jumped in, "Hope the release goes well, Teacher Luke! Wouldn't want to miss cheering you on at the P1 competition!"

"Not necessary," Silver chimed in bluntly.

Gold was taken aback. "What?!"

"Doesn't matter if he's there or not," Green added with a grin. "I can offer 'remote cheering' services. Book early and get a discount!"

Gold rolled his eyes. "Who'd pay for that?"

But before he could even close the app, he saw Silver opening a payment interface, just a tap away from confirming. Gold nudged him. "Rational spending, remember?"

Silver just smirked. "Mind your own business."

Then Lance tagged Luke. "@Teacher Luke, you're staying in Kanto, right?"

Luke responded, "That's right. What's up?"

Lance paused, thinking of his meeting with Koga earlier that day. Finally, he typed, "Well, there's something you might want to know…"

...

As a ninja, Koga moved with characteristic efficiency. That very night, aided by Crobat's flying prowess, he zipped back to the Johto Alliance headquarters at the base of Silver Mountain—a complex of grand, imposing buildings.

In the quiet night, Koga, masked and poised, dashed along the beams in the signature stealthy run of a ninja. The full moon illuminated his path.

Suddenly, with a gust of wind, a Dragonite descended from the sky. The red-haired figure riding it leapt down, his cloak billowing behind him.

"I figured I'd run into you here," Lance said, lowering his mask to reveal his familiar, sharp-featured face. "Could've saved us both some trouble by just coming to see me at the Alliance, you know."

Koga nodded but dismissed it with a wave. "The formalities are… complicated. I have something urgent, and I need your help."

Lance raised an eyebrow, cautious but intrigued. "Spit it out, and I'll consider it."

Koga cleared his throat. "It's about that trainer, Luke. My network doesn't connect to him directly, but I understand you have a broad reach across the various alliances. I'd like you to pass on a message to him."

Lance looked at Koga with mild confusion. "My network?"

He suddenly pulled out his phone from under his cloak. "You mean...the chat group?"

Koga blinked, momentarily thrown off his rhythm, then quickly regained composure. "Uh… something like that."

"Fine, fine," Lance said, feeling a little embarrassed himself. "Just tell me what you want to say, and I'll make sure he gets it."

Koga straightened, adopting a serious tone. "If Luke's interested, I invite him to train with me personally. I'd be glad to teach him the intricacies and techniques of Poison-type mastery. I won't claim it as 'guidance,' exactly, but I do have a bit of experience in the field."

...

"Just convey my thanks to Koga."

Lance: "If possible, he is willing to teach in person the skills of using poisonous moves."

Luke was slightly taken aback.

Good guy. Not to mention your daughter sent badges all the way...

You actually plan to kill me face to face?!

"I'm not going to the training."

Luke coughed lightly and said "I'm just preparing for the P1 conference, the company is also waiting for me to help."

Lance nodded slightly. He can understand Teacher Luke's words.

After all...the reason for his refusal... Maybe it's just because he doesn't like Koga's poisonous skills...

"In that case, I will tell Koga." Lance nodded and said, "I won't bother you, Mr. Luke."

'Lance is so easy to talk to.'

On the contrary, Luke was a little surprised.

"I'm..." Luke murmured: "Did I just escape the catastrophe?"

But the next moment.

Lance's words gave Teacher Luke another blow.

"Since you don't want to go to the training, I will ask him to send the manuscript to your house."

Lance smiled: "Even if you don't use it for yourself, He believe you can learn from others' strengths!"

Luke:? ? ?

"What do you mean by 'he'?"

"The king of poison, Koga."

At that moment, he noticed Lance looking at the time on his phone. The Dragon-type master's eyes glinted with something akin to mirth. "Actually…he should be arriving any minute now."

Luke's heart skipped a beat. "Wait, he's here?!"

...

Under the night sky, Koga moved swiftly through Saffron City's quiet streets, his heart oddly light at the thought of meeting Teacher Luke soon. Despite his usual reserved demeanor, Koga felt a flicker of excitement. After all, Teacher Luke was more than just a trainer to him—someone worthy of being compared with Red, even! Perhaps, a future son-in-law?

Finally arriving at Luke's villa neighborhood, Koga didn't barge in. Instead, he had Lance deliver a message, arranging a neutral meeting spot nearby.

In no time, Luke arrived with his loyal Gengar, who hovered beside him with a mischievous grin.

"Koga," Luke greeted with a resigned smile. "Good to see you."

Koga nodded, crossing his arms as his red scarf billowed in the cool night breeze. "Teacher Luke, it's been a while." Without further ado, he pulled a small stack of manuscripts from his tunic. "I brought these as a token of my thanks."

Luke blinked. "Thank me? For what?"

"For your guidance to Janine," Koga said, his tone steady. "It's important for her to know the gap between you two—motivation to push her training."

Luke's mind raced. Guidance? He'd barely intended to battle her at all. But considering she'd left with a badge, he let out a sigh. "Really, it's nothing, Koga. No need to—"

"No," Koga interrupted firmly, holding out the manuscripts. "One act deserves another."

Reluctantly, Luke accepted the first book, "Sludge Bomb Techniques." As he glanced at the second, his nerves kicked in. "That's plenty, really—there's no need for more," he said quickly.

Koga only gave a brief smile. "It's nothing compared to your time with Janine."

Luke chuckled awkwardly, but he couldn't resist a peek at the second book, titled Poison Jab. In that moment, he felt a vibration from the Poké Ball on his waist—Sirfetch'd, clearly intrigued by the promise of training.

Luke sighed. Fine, Sirfetch'd, you can learn from this too, he thought.

"Huh?" Sirfetch'd was a little at a loss.

What duck are you talking about?

Looking at the thick manuscript through the poke ball, the Sirfetch'd suddenly broke out in sweat.

Don't come here!!

Koga, meanwhile, seemed satisfied. "Oh, and one more tip—Gengar's sludge bomb will benefit from a 'black sludge' as an enhancer."

Luke's brow furrowed. "How much does something like that cost?"

"About 2 million per toxic orb—at least two will help with accuracy." Koga thought for a moment. "And two parts black sludge for another 4.4 million."

Luke's jaw dropped. 4.4 million? This "gift" was becoming an expensive venture.

"After all, poison pokemon..." Koga took off his mask, and said with a hearty smile:

"It's already a very cheap attribute in pokemon breeding!"

Luke opened his mouth. Looking down at the two cheat books, his hands trembled slightly.

But with a smile, he managed a heartfelt, "Thank you, Koga."

With a last nod, Koga disappeared into the shadows, leaving Luke clutching the manuscripts.

December 16, Wednesday, night, windy.

Koga and Janine, father and daughter join forces.

They sent cheat books and badges to me all the way.

This kindness, I, Teacher Luke, remembered it!