I Really Don't Want To Be A Trainer

[Player '100 kinds Ice Cream' has sent you a friend request. Accept or decline?]

Luke quickly declined without a second thought.

"Hehe, trying to add me as a friend just to trash talk? No way!"

Teacher Luke still carried the air of an inexperienced youth, best known for his clever employment of the infamous "Dirty Animal Husbandry" card deck in Hearthstone.

After trouncing his opponents with this unconventional strategy, Luke received a flood of friend requests. Initially, he thought it was for sharing card tactics and planned to engage in friendly conversations. To his surprise, the other side turned out to be a trash-talking player. The content included jabs such as, "You only win with your cheap animal tactics," and "You're the first to play pirates under heaven!"

From then on, Luke became more cautious about accepting friend requests. It's hard to blame him for being wary—after all, his tactics are quite unconventional.

It's understandable that some players can't take a loss gracefully. Back in the day, Luke's Venusaur gave an opponent's Gold card a run for its money, leaving the opponent so frustrated that they couldn't eat for three days.

Luke had seen his fair share of such behavior.

"Kid, you still have much to learn!" Luke chuckled to himself, admiring the other's wit.

After rejecting the friend request, the other player sent a message just three seconds later.

[100 kinds Ice Cream: ?]

What's with the daring question mark?

Luke's spirits were lifted, and he replied instantly.

[Teacher Luke: Friendship doesn't come cheap.]

[100 kinds Ice Cream: How much are we talking about?]

[Teacher Luke: It's worth a thousand!]

[100 kinds Ice Cream: What's your account number?]

Luke was taken aback. Is this player actually planning to pay me?

Losing a battle or getting defeated by a teammate isn't uncommon. It's even common to get defeated by a friend in a friendly match. But losing to an opponent and then transferring money to them? This was a new one for Luke!

Could it be that they're inviting me to join their team because I can't beat them?

As Luke glanced at the unfamiliar ID, he saw a new pathway to riches unfold before his eyes.

[Teacher Luke: No rush. Once we're friends, I can offer you tactical guidance and even serve as your sparring partner for free. Is a thousand bucks too much for that?]

[100 kinds Ice Cream: Seems like a good deal.]

[Teacher Luke: I've also got a busy schedule as the seventh-ranked player worldwide. Would an extra 500 be alright with you?]

[100 kinds Ice Cream: Sure.]

[Teacher Luke: You're aware of the costs in the Orient, right? It's equivalent to utility bills and labor costs. Let's make it three thousand.]

A brief silence followed on the other end.

[100 kinds Ice Cream: ...Is that a little low?]

Cynthia estimated that one Alliance match would take about two hours and earn her a fee of two million.

This opponent seemed skilled in Perish Song tactics. Being a free sparring partner, as mentioned, would indeed be quite a steal. After all, experienced high-level Trainers charge thousands per hour for sparring.

Given the command skills displayed by "Teacher Luke," the fee of 3,000 yuan wasn't just reasonable—it was quite a bargain for his caliber.

[Teacher Luke: Low… low?]

Luke, who had just taken a sip of water, nearly spat it out in surprise.

After regaining his composure, Luke cautiously typed a reply.

[Teacher Luke: Well, how much do you think is appropriate?]

[100 kinds Ice Cream: Since we're friends, I'll give you 10,000 up front. Whenever you're free, we can play games, and I'll pay extra for each session.]

[100 kinds Ice Cream: I'll download the app, and you can send me your account number. See you later.]

Happiness came unexpectedly fast.

Luke was left in a state of confusion for a moment.

Is this... meeting a wealthy benefactor?

Not only did they not berate me for my loss, but they also transferred 10,000 yuan to my account? Incredible!

Upon accepting the friend request from "100 kinds of Ice Cream," Luke trembled as he clicked on the person's profile page. Yet, he couldn't be entirely certain of their identity.

Judging from the ID and Pokémon displayed, it seemed most likely to be Cynthia.

But was Sinnoh's Champion really so idle? Could she truly find the time to play games and even adopt a cute little girl persona?

And there's another possibility: maybe it's Caitlin, the legal loli, who's also blonde and shares a good rapport with Cynthia.

There's also the remote chance that it's an uncle hiding behind a cute chibi version character.

Shivers ran down Luke's spine as he cast aside these rather terrifying ideas.

"Let's just assume it's Cynthia," Luke mumbled. "That way, I'll at least have some peace of mind while playing."

"Om—"

[A transfer of 10,000 yuan has been made to your account ending in XXX. Current balance: 23,500.00 yuan]

"Woohoo, payday!"

Raising and training Pokémon requires a substantial amount of wealth, and for someone like Luke, who's building up capital for future endeavors, every little bit counts.

In a few days, after his live broadcast and Bilibili earnings are disbursed, he'll have around 30,000 yuan at his disposal. For a freshman with no backing, that's a pretty decent sum.

But when it's all said and done, converting that money into a Trainer's expenses doesn't change the fact that it's a small amount.

"So, maybe becoming a Trainer isn't the best option," Luke sighed, summoning Gastly, who was diligently studying.

"Son, today I'm treating you to a meal!" Luke announced.

"Jie jie~!"

Gastly flew over with excitement, seemingly unaware of the ulterior motive.

But really, who cares, as long as there's food involved!

In an effort to reward themselves, Luke and Gastly headed to a top-tier restaurant on the Bund.

Gastly's main course was a vegetable salad, while Luke ordered a juicy sirloin steak.

"Don't give me that look."

Luke stuffed a small piece of steak into his mouth, talking with his mouth full. "The steak you're eyeing is the restaurant's signature dish, designed specially for Pokémon!"

"Sizzle~~~(T^T)"

Gastly's eyes turned into wavy lines as it chewed on the leafy greens pitifully, drawing the attention of other patrons.

Apologizing to the diners at the next table with a smile, Luke caught a glimpse of a blushing young girl whispering to her girlfriend.

"He's the Trainer from the Piplup Cup..."

"It seems so. I remember seeing him on TV."

Luke had always been low-key, but the light shines brightly on the exceptional.

As Luke contemplated this, Gastly suddenly rushed over, nabbed the steak in a single gulp, and offered a triumphant "jie jie~ (*⊙~⊙)!"

"...Are you sure you won't choke?"

Observing the Pokémon-themed decor in the restaurant—a testament to its status as a concept eatery—Luke couldn't help but scan the surroundings. Amidst the lavish interior, a peculiar sound reached his ears.

Angela Shen, now clad in a sleeveless blue dress and chic high heels, approached with an air of politeness. "Hello, Luke."

Angela was accompanied by her parents, a well-dressed couple who regarded Luke with warm smiles from a distance.

"Hi," Luke responded with a touch of surprise. "What a coincidence."

"I'd like to apologize for what happened earlier," Angela hesitated briefly, "If you don't mind..."

Just then, a resonating microphone pierced through the restaurant's ambiance, commanding everyone's attention.

A waiter took the stage, microphone in hand, and announced with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, next up is the 'Siebold Restaurant' reservation event."

"It's time for the restaurant match!"