You're not allowed to play Pokémon!

Chapter 300 Daigo: Is Yu-sensei really that weird? How come I didn't know...?

The Hoenn region, the Pokémon League.

It has been about a week since Daigo, the league champion, finished his "external mission".

However, although the champion returned like lightning, Wallace, who had previously served as the acting champion and fulfilled his duties in place of Steven, did not return to Sootopolis City but remained in the Hoenn League.

After all, it's unlikely that Daigo would do any work during peacetime.

He has a million excuses to delegate his work to other superstars, and they've gotten used to it by now.

"call--"

Sitting in the champion's seat, Mikkel finally finished his work and looked to the other side with a helpless expression.

On the sofa, Daigo was immersed in his game world, with an enchanted diamond pickaxe flying across the center of the screen and his score in the upper right corner constantly increasing.

This is Daigo's favorite game, and he is said to be the current world record holder for the highest score, more than double that of his father, who is in second place.

Michael had no objection to Daigo's little hobby.

but……

"Hey! Can you please stop playing games openly during work hours, Mr. Champion? Or you might as well just let me be the champion..."

Mikoli held his forehead, his face full of helplessness.

"Haha, if you'd like, it's not impossible."

Daigo smiled slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on the screen in front of him as he replied.

"If you win the championship, I can rest assured."

"..."

To be honest, Daigo's shamelessness has exceeded Michael's expectations.

How could you possibly give up your championship title for needing personal time? Daigo, you idiot!
"Forget it, after all, you took this championship from me fair and square, so you'd better fulfill your duties properly!"

As Michael began to complain, he got up and walked towards Daigo, sitting on the other side of the sofa.

"Speaking of which, you seem to have met Qingyu in the Padiya region?"

Upon hearing Aoba's name, Daigo's focused expression suddenly froze for a moment.

It was at this moment that the game displayed the results screen.

"Hmm, Teacher Yu is a very interesting person, quite different from the image I imagined."

Noticing that his score was much lower than he had expected, Daigo smiled helplessly and then turned to look at Mikuri.

"Actually, I didn't feel that Teacher Yu was anything 'underworld' at all. Spending time with him, I felt that he was an outstanding young man with a strong sense of justice."

Even though he hadn't spent much time with Aoba, Daigo's impression of him was undoubtedly good, recalling how Aoba calmly made judgments when facing those two powerful Paradoxes and how he immediately chose to stop after discovering the truth.

He is indeed a very generous person; even on first meeting, he would give newlyweds valuable gifts.

However, Daigo is also a very discerning investor.

The eldest son of Devon Corporation is not some foolish son of a landlord; only trainers who have gained his approval will receive preferential treatment.

Qingyu was the most outstanding peer he had ever met in Padia.

So even if he likes to use some strange and unusual tricks online, it doesn't detract from his overall excellence and doesn't affect Daigo's high regard for him.

They even presented a precious evolution stone as a gift to their colleague.

"Such high praise..."

Mikoli was stunned.

Why do I feel like the Aoba I see is a completely different species from the one Daigo sees?
His impression of Qingyu was that of a "sunny and cheerful big boy"—who in their right mind would torture their opponent with salt?

Fortunately, Daigo didn't suffer from this, otherwise he would have been confused for a while too.

"Fine, you move aside, it's my turn to play games."

After the conversation ended there, Michael immediately took control of the controller from Daigo.

Daigo didn't say anything about it, maintaining his calm smile.

As a person from the isolated Glass People, Mikoli actually has very few hobbies.

Aside from the Grand Contests where one participates to showcase their "unparalleled elegance and charm," there's only Pokémon Battles.

Therefore, the only game he can play is Pokémon Champion.

"Speaking of which, is today Qingyu's live stream day?"

Daigo's sudden words startled Michael, who had just opened the game, before he finally reacted.

"Oh right, Qingyu seemed to have mentioned before that we'd be talking about the Rain Team this time."

"I'm really looking forward to it. After all, it seems like there's no tactic that Qingyu doesn't know. The previous Sunny Day team also received a lot of praise."

As they were talking, Mikoli took out his phone, opened Pokémon TV, and entered Qingyu's live stream.

"As expected, today is a rainy day special."

Michael nodded.

Occasionally, after finishing work, he would watch Qingyu's live stream, and the various imaginative tactics he used were truly eye-opening.

Compared to these, the relatively basic weather system is actually not that difficult.

However, given Qingyu's style, she will surely showcase her unique understanding during today's live stream.

If this can open up new avenues of thought, that would be good.

Of course, Mikuri wouldn't just watch for nothing. Seeing that gym leaders from other regions were sending gifts, he casually added his own as tuition for learning strategies.

"Oh?"

After glancing at his actions, Daigo suddenly responded subtly, then his lips curled up slightly, and his tone was teasing as he spoke.

"Speaking of which, since Teacher Yu is going to use the Rainy Day Team for this week's teaching, haven't you, as a master who is also good at the Rainy Day Team, considered going to snipe Teacher Yu and avenge your defeat in the last match?"

"I heard about it last time. Teacher Yu used the Salt Stone Giant to wipe out half of your team. It was a complete rout where you had no chance to fight back."

"..."

Michael sighed helplessly.

How could he not know that Daigo was stirring things up again, trying to get him to cause trouble?

But he was indeed susceptible to this, so even though Daigo knew he could see through his thoughts, he remained confident.

"Then let's give it a try. I happen to have some new insights that seem to overlap with Teacher Yu's ideas."

Michael quickly revealed a confident smile, and with Steven's subtle "I knew it" expression, he quickly activated Pokémon Champion.

He might not be so confident if he were playing against other teams.

But rainy days are a perfect match for their profession, and Qingyu's lineup doesn't have many fancy things.

Most importantly, the Salt Stone Giant, which came purely out of revenge against society, is not in his lineup, and the Scorpion King, who seems to have some class, also has a solution.

Therefore, it's not impossible for them to defeat Qingyu!

With this in mind, Mikoli quickly found an opponent.

Upon noticing the incredibly familiar figure of the trainer before him, his heart immediately skipped a beat.

They actually managed to snipe it, huh? Well then, let's have a go!

Mikoli's expression was extremely serious, clearly indicating that he was going to go all out.

Daigo could only smile helplessly at this.

I can't believe it actually matched! How could I encounter such a low-probability event?

However, even I haven't seen Mikuri in his serious form for a long time.

The last time should have been on the Road to the Championship, a battle between him and me to determine who would be the champion?

Thinking of this, Daigo's expression suddenly became subtle.

But why do I always feel that Mikoli is going to lose?
……

After the match was successfully completed, Mikoli's lineup was quickly revealed to Qingyu.

Poliwag, Milotic, Ludicolo, Swampert, Supernova, and Rotom Cleanse.

"The lineup has been optimized quite a bit."

Looking at the relatively mature rain-based team in front of him, Qingyu quickly smiled.

Sure enough, the trainers at the level of gym leaders or above progressed much faster than the newcomers.

Less than two months had passed since his last match against Mikoli, and he had already optimized his lineup to a fairly perfect level.

"Although it's still the same pure water attribute team as last time, the details have been improved."

As Qingyu pondered, she whispered her thoughts aloud.

"It can clean up Rotom in the rain and thunder, and also has a good zone defense capability."

"Supervillain's role is similar to that of Scorpion King on our team, but not exactly the same. Its defensive capabilities are excellent."

Come to think of it, Toxapex was the Pokémon he used when he faced Wallace last time; that battle must have inspired him.

"Aside from the different choice of weather handler, the overall approach is actually quite similar to mine?"

From an all-out offensive lineup to a more defensive one, who knows what kind of changes have occurred in Mikoli's heart?

But one thing is certain—"It seems Mikuri has watched quite a bit of my livestream..."

As soon as Qingyu started rambling, it immediately drew fierce criticism from the viewers in the live chat.

[Teacher Yu, please stop using your powers! How did our Pokémon battles turn out like this...?]

[The battle environment has been ruined by Teacher Yu. If you don't find a way to adapt, you'll be eliminated~ (No mercy)]

[Maru, the Sootopolis Gym is already the most difficult in the Hoenn region. To get there, you have to hold your breath and dive deep into the ocean. Now, even the Gym Leader's strength has increased, and he's so uncivilized. How are we supposed to beat this?!]

[Has the Feather Virus already spread to Hoenn? That's a bit scary, guys. Are there any trainers anywhere else who are any better?]

[Hey bro, hey, come to Padia! The gym leaders and challengers are all top-notch, and their amazing tricks will definitely surprise you!]

"..."

After glancing at the comments, Qingyu couldn't hold back any longer.

However, his current focus was on his fight against Mikoli, so he ignored these obvious rumors.

What do you mean by saying I ruined the competitive environment? That's slander!

"If it's a rainy day battle... I don't think Mikoli will play by the rules. Let's stick to the conventional approach and bring out a weather setter."

Qingyu quickly made a decision in his mind and confirmed his starting position.

Big-headed Gull!
Compared to Mikkuri, my team relies more on the rain system. The Scizor and Ferrothorn in the team need rain protection to avoid their fatal fire-type weakness.

Although the opponent also seems to be a purely rainy team, Lucky Kappa has the potential to unleash a Flame Punch.

Thinking even more darkly...

What if Mikeri really has some awakened power hidden? The power of the Awakened Fire, even if it's four times stronger than the opponent's, would be enough to counter it.

When facing a clearly well-prepared opponent, Qingyu, who always prefers stability, did not make any fancy commands, and did not even think about who Mikkel would send out in the starting lineup.

In short, let's establish our advantages first.

Both sides quickly determined their starting lineups, and another white light flashed on the screen.

Subsequently, a battlefield that had undergone some changes compared to the previous one appeared.

The surrounding scene was a rather grand-looking white castle, and even the spectators around the arena had been transformed into trainers dressed in various colored capes, exuding an air of nobility.

If I remember correctly, the battlegrounds for this version were filmed at Carlos's Battle Castle? It definitely looks much more high-end!

[These changes were probably made to fit the Mega Evolution version; they're quite interesting.]

[Battle castles... but the in-game rank didn't change? I remember the ranks there went from Baron to Grand Duke, right?]

Many people in the Carlos region quickly recognized the familiar scene.

However, this is not the point.

After the virtual images of Qingyu and Mikoli appeared, two Poké Balls were quickly thrown from both sides, and a red light immediately appeared in the center of the field.

On Qingyu's side, the somewhat goofy-looking Big-billed Gull was the first to appear.

Its appearance immediately triggered its rainfall properties, and a light drizzle began to fall over the area.

As for Mikoli, things didn't turn out as Qingyu had expected.

As expected, he didn't choose to field Poliwag as his starting lineup, but instead cleverly opted for Rotom.

The reason is also very simple.

Since your opponent will also drive in the rain, why don't you just take advantage of theirs?
With Rotom as the starting lineup, he can also pose a terrifying threat to the Pelippers with his Thunder.

However, the solution is actually quite simple.

"Come back, gull."

Once the rainy weather was activated, its mission was considered successfully completed, so Qingyu decisively withdrew its precious weather control.

"Rotom, use Volt Replacement!"

Mikuri had clearly anticipated this as well, and immediately decided to chip away at the health of the Pokémon that Qingyu had replaced, while also preserving this "Pelipper Killer" which had a certain threatening ability.

Unfortunately, this was also within Qingyu's prediction.

After Pelipper was recalled, Swampert, one of the Hoenn starter Pokémon, immediately appeared.

Since Swampert is a Water/Ground type and is naturally immune to Electric-type moves, Rotom's attack on it did not cause any damage.

The electric current swept through the Swampert's entire body, leaving it scratching its head in confusion, as if to say:
"Such a light touch, did you not eat dinner?"

Qingyu smiled slightly and spoke for it what was in its heart.

"Since Swampert is immune to Electric-type moves, Rotom's Volt Switch is completely useless."

"Therefore, it is impossible to take advantage of the attack gaps to recover them."

As Qingyu explained, after the move was completed, Rotom, who should have been immediately recalled, stood awkwardly in place and did not retreat backward due to the reaction force of the attack, thus failing to enter the range where it could be safely recalled.

[666, I didn't know you could do that! I've learned another little trick!]

[But it doesn't seem to be of much use, does it? Swampert's attacks can't do anything to Rotom's cleanse, so we can only watch helplessly...]

Water type has a very balanced all-around offense and defense with very few weaknesses on the defensive end. When combined with Electric type and Levitate, it is left with only Grass type as its weakness.

Grass-type monsters are also Swampert's nemesis, so it's unlikely that it would suddenly pull out a wooden mallet.

So it seems that neither side can do anything to the other.

but……

"It's okay. Since the situation is awkward, we can just strengthen ourselves on the spot."

As Qingyu smiled slightly, her eyes gradually became serious.

Bringing Swampert into the game for zone defense is precisely to lock down the opponent's Rotom.

Faced with an opponent that poses no threat to it, Swampert can not only choose to strengthen itself in peace, but also take the opportunity to unleash its wildest power.

"Swamp Monster, push your limits!"

Qingyu suddenly shouted.

As his voice appeared, the trainer's phantom on the screen quickly extended his left hand, revealing an incredibly shiny Evolution Key Stone on his glove.

"Mega evolution!"

The beam of light formed by the evolutionary glow instantly engulfed the Swampert.

Swampert, which had already completed three stages of evolution and theoretically had no more evolutionary potential, has now undergone another peculiar evolutionary phenomenon.

Upon seeing this, Mikoli on the opposite side couldn't help but frown slightly.

As expected, Qingyu's understanding was highly consistent with his own, and they both tacitly chose Mega Swampert as the leader of the rain team in the new version.

The reason is also very simple——

It has high power, a light and agile characteristics, and a very wide striking area.

In singles, Mega Swampert's oppressive presence is indeed terrifying.

but……

Under Daigo's gaze, Michael suddenly revealed a somewhat sinister smile.

"It seems I've outsmarted you this time, Teacher Yu!"

While Swampert's fighting power is indeed terrifying, it is not without ways to deal with it.

"Rotom, use Phosphor Fire!"

Mikoto's command immediately made Daigo raise an eyebrow.

Goodness, that's so sneaky?
Rotom is a very special Pokémon; they are electronic ghosts that can enter home appliances and take on different forms.

As ghosts, even if they reside inside a washing machine, they can still use fire-attribute phosphorescent techniques normally.

After all, this move has a close relationship with ghosts.

Once Swampert is burned, the continuous burning of its health is a minor issue; even if it Mega Evolves, its offensive power will be greatly reduced.

This effectively neutralized one of Qingyu's trump cards, essentially wiping out their offensive firepower.

As for how the small flames managed to stay lit during the rain...

If it can be used, then it's reasonable!
But... would Qingyu fall for it so easily?
While Daigo was pondering this, Swampert on the screen had already completed its Mega Evolution.

The muscles in his arms were incredibly bulging, and his powerful fists were raised in advance to block, as if he had prepared a defensive posture in advance.

"As expected... that kid Mikoli is rotten too."

Qingyu sighed.

Surely you couldn't have taught him that trick yourself, could you?

Although it is indeed a standard procedure, it was somewhat unexpected for Qingyu to actually use it in the Pokémon world.

However, the problem is not big.

The Mega Evolution animation isn't very long; strictly speaking, it's not even a complete animation, so it still has the opportunity to make commands.

Facing the will-o'-the-wisp drifting towards the Swamp Monster, Qingyu smiled slightly and calmly spoke:
"Swamp Monster, hold the line!"

A barrier formed by transparent energy instantly appeared in front of it, allowing Swampert to resist the negative effects of the Phosphorus Fire attack and preserve its full strength.

(End of this chapter)