Chapter 10 Confused Cramorant!

Hu Yang was perplexed.

After releasing Magikarp into the river, he returned to the dormitory with Cramorant. Before preparing for his lessons, he repeatedly cautioned, "Please refrain from bringing anything to our home in the future."

However, when he directed these words at Cramorant, all he got in response was a quizzical "Gah?" It was evident that Cramorant couldn't comprehend his statement.

This left Hu Yang feeling rather helpless. Cramorant was different from most other Pokémon, which, despite their appearances, could still understand and respond to human language. Even though Cramorant had existed as mere game data in the past, it now had a life of its own, coursing with the warm blood of existence. So why couldn't it understand human speech? This had Hu Yang utterly perplexed.

He began to wonder if Cramorant, like himself, had encountered some kind of issue during their transmigration or had perhaps lost something essential during their journey. This line of thinking led him to touch his pocket, where he could feel the slight jingle of 330 Alliance coins. These coins were all that remained of his money, and he wasn't sure if it would be sufficient for a visit to the Pokémon Center.

It wasn't that he doubted the reliability of the information provided by his mysterious guide, but he wanted to explore every possible avenue to solve the problem. As a companion who had journeyed with him through time, Hu Yang didn't want Cramorant to continue in this state of confusion and helplessness.

So, after lunch, he decided to take Cramorant to the Pokémon Center in the city center.

"Excuse me, how much does a full medical checkup for a Pokémon cost?" Hu Yang inquired at the Pokémon Center reception.

Nurse Joy, with her soft-spoken voice, replied, "It's two hundred Alliance coins."

Hu Yang felt a surge of relief. If he didn't have enough, he could always sell the two valuable Poké Balls he had on hand. "Please proceed with a full body checkup," he requested, handing Cramorant over to Nurse Joy.

"Of course, please wait a moment," Nurse Joy responded. She summoned Chansey, who came over with a cart. Nurse Joy carefully placed Cramorant on the cart, wheeled it into the examination room, and closed the door behind her.

Hu Yang took a seat outside, intending to wait patiently. However, before he could even shift in his chair, he heard Nurse Joy exclaiming loudly from inside the room.

The examination room's door burst open, and Cramorant, with a panicked look despite its usually dopey expression, fluttered out in a hurry. Hu Yang, taken aback, instinctively reached out to catch the fleeing Pokémon.

Nurse Joy quickly followed, her face blushing with embarrassment. She explained, "I apologize, but it seems that you might need to accompany your Pokémon during the examination."

Hu Yang readily agreed. Carrying Cramorant back into the examination room, he remained by its side throughout the comprehensive checkup.

The results of the examination were soon ready. Nurse Joy examined the information on the screen and informed Hu Yang, "This Pokémon is perfectly healthy, with no signs of illness."

Hu Yang couldn't help but feel even more puzzled. All the tests indicated that Cramorant was in excellent health. His confusion persisted, but he thanked Nurse Joy and left the Pokémon Center with Cramorant.

With no issues in Cramorant's personal information and a clean bill of health from the physical examination, Hu Yang was at a loss as to what could be causing this communication problem. He had no choice but to return to his regular routine of preparing for his lessons, bringing Cramorant along.

A week later, the school officially reopened, marking the start of Hu Yang's career as a teacher.

Due to his rookie status, the school assigned only two classes to him. Initially, Hu Yang had anticipated that the Pokémon Primary Rank school would be similar to the primary schools in his previous life. However, his first-hand experience revealed that it was more akin to a kindergarten.

Though he had never taught before, he believed in his ability to adapt. The first class went smoothly, and he wrapped it up perfectly before proceeding to the next one.

Upon stepping up to the podium for the second class, his attention was immediately drawn to a girl in the classroom. She was wearing a red scarf, dark blue shorts, and a red T-shirt underneath. She looked unmistakably like May.

May was the protagonist of the Pokémon Super Age anime and games. It wasn't entirely surprising to find her here, considering she was also the daughter of Petalburg Gym Leader Norman.

Hu Yang wasn't overly shocked by her presence. He began by introducing himself and engaging the children in a discussion about their future aspirations, a routine he intended to establish with each new class. This way, he could become more familiar with each student.

If everything went according to plan, he would be teaching here for an extended period.

As the day went on, word quickly spread among the students about the young teacher at their school.

"You're really popular!" Rika and Nishida remarked when they heard about it later.

The two had visited Hu Yang's class and witnessed the enthusiastic response firsthand. His animated discussions about Pokémon ecology had even drawn them in, despite their being teachers themselves.

"Do you have any tips?" Nishida inquired with curiosity.

"Perhaps it's just a natural talent!" Hu Yang responded, a hint of pride in his tone.

Over the past few weeks, he had gotten to know many people, including Nishida and Rika, who were also teachers at the school. Both of them were enthusiastic, cheerful, and informal individuals.

Nishida playfully clenched his fists and quipped, "I think you might be asking for trouble!"

Hu Yang looked at him strangely and remarked, "You're acting like a child."

Spending time with younger individuals seemed to be influencing his mindset, making him feel younger too.

Nishida jumped up, exclaiming, "You little brat!" The two of them ended up playfully wrestling.

Rika watched with a smile. The school had warmly welcomed this new, young teacher. Initially, some teachers who hadn't participated in the hiring process were skeptical about his abilities. However, after reviewing Hu Yang's class records, any doubts were swiftly dispelled.

Additionally, Hu Yang's tragic background, having lost a parent, garnered sympathy and support from the entire school. Teachers in the same office would place milk and snacks on his desk. The custodian would ask eagerly if there was any trash to be disposed of. Even the cafeteria staff couldn't wait to serve him extra helpings of delicious food.

Hu Yang had never received such special treatment in his life. He had initially declined these gestures, insisting that he didn't require any special favors. However, the school's response was filled with heartfelt kindness, which touched him deeply and also left him feeling somewhat embarrassed.

He couldn't reveal his true identity, so he decided to hold onto these feelings and repay them when he had the means. For now, he was strapped for cash and couldn't afford to refuse the assistance.

His financial situation was so dire that even Pokémon couldn't accept anything from him. To make ends meet, he had even approached May and asked if she engaged in Pokémon battles for money outside of school, as he had seen in the games. Her cheerful and enthusiastic response was a definitive "No, Teacher! What are you thinking?"

Hu Yang had been profoundly disappointed. He needed to find some means of income to support himself and Cramorant, even if it meant resorting to the life of a Bug Catcher for a while.

Speaking of Cramorant, it hadn't abandoned its habit of bringing back various items from its wanderings. Sometimes it was fish, sometimes Berries, and on occasion, a few unlucky Magikarps and Feebas.

When he encountered a Feebas, Hu Yang had initially contemplated keeping it in a fish tank. After all, Feebas had the potential to evolve into the exceedingly rare Milotic. Unfortunately, his pockets were empty, and he couldn't afford a fish tank. He had resigned himself to waiting until he received his first month's salary.

Hu Yang did entertain the idea of capturing the new companion. However, at present, he could only choose between Grass-type Pokémon, Magikarp, and Feebas. Grass-type Pokémon had the advantage of being able to use Synthesis without requiring significant resources during their early stages of growth. On the other hand, Magikarp and Feebas exhibited remarkable resilience, were easy to care for, and possessed significant potential for the future.