"So this is the physique of the Super Rookie?"
"It feels… a little terrifying!"
Guo Yi could feel the surge of strength rushing through his body, a trace of shock flashing in his eyes.
Because of the appearance of Pokémon and the secret realms—humans of this world were already several times stronger in body than those of his previous life.
Some could even train themselves to the point of fighting Pokémon head-on.
And scenes of humans battling Pokémon were not at all rare in the modern sports world.
Only—what took others more than ten years of tireless training to reach, Guo Yi achieved in a matter of seconds.
Yet—when the feedback of physique ended, another force, different from the [Power of Viridian], welled up within him.
The power of Aura.
Standard equipment of a Waveguide Hero.
Guo Yi slowly closed his eyes, activating it.
In an instant—his mind became like a virtual 3D world, encompassing all people, Pokémon, and structures around him.
With Aura—sightlines blocked by obstacles would never again be an issue in battle.
Hm!
As he activated Aura, Bai Cai's brows lifted slightly.
Her gaze toward Guo Yi carried faint suspicion, a glimmer of uncertainty.
"This feeling… it's so similar to when Lucario uses its own power."
She thought silently.
As a teacher of Shanghai Pokémon University, Bai Cai naturally had more than just her Garchomp.
Aside from it, she possessed a rare Lucario.
After all—for one often moving through archaeological sites, Lucario was the best companion for direction-finding and danger-sensing.
So toward Aura, while she couldn't claim mastery, she was certainly no novice.
But—the sensation came quickly, and vanished just as fast.
For the moment—she couldn't form a conclusion.
"Seems I'll have to find a chance to let Lucario test it."
She nodded in thought.
Professional matters—were best left to the professional.
To confirm whether Guo Yi truly possessed Aura—for Lucario, it's not difficult at all.
"Come on."
"Since the exam's over, let's go have a feast tonight."
"My treat!"
Having experienced the Super Rookie Physique and Aura, Guo Yi was in high spirits.
As for the [Light Ball] and the student-linked template—he'd study them carefully when he had the time.
"Great, Teacher!"
Hearing the words "feast," Hu Yan'er and Pikachu cheered in delight.
But unlike them, Su Qingxue's nod was dull, unhappy.
Wuwuwu!
Another person trying to snatch Teacher away, and I even helped it happen…
Silently, Su Qingxue wept in her heart.
"Teacher Bai, won't you join us?"
When Guo Yi came up with the two girls, he asked with a smile.
Bai Cai also smiled in return.
"Then I'll trouble Teacher Guo this time."
"What trouble?"
Guo Yi chuckled, chatting easily with her, then turned his head, waving to Tang Ming.
"Director Tang, we'll be going on ahead!"
With that, he led the three women out of the stadium.
Tang Ming: ???
Watching Guo Yi's gesture, Tang Ming froze.
Good heavens!
He hadn't even invited him?
Even if invited, he likely wouldn't have gone—but this was far too little respect.
"Seems I'll have to speak with Rong."
"The person she recommended is way too rude."
He muttered, curling his lip.
At that moment, Teacher Lin approached curiously.
"Director Tang, that young man just now—what master instructor is he?"
"Why have I never seen him before?"
In fact—Lin had already wanted to ask earlier.
But then came the scene of Hu Yan'er kneeling to apprentice herself, and he swallowed the words.
After all, he'd only just said he wanted her as his disciple—and right after, she bowed to another man.
If he walked up then, wouldn't that be asking for humiliation?
So he held back until Guo Yi and the others had gone.
And when he finally asked, Tang Ming replied with irritation:
"Master instructor?"
"He's just a new teaching assistant."
"Ah!"
Lin was shocked.
"A teaching assistant!"
"Is the TA profession this cutthroat now?"
He muttered to himself, lowering his head.
Though he had been at some distance earlier, he had still caught some of their words.
Someone with such ability—was not a professor, but merely a teaching assistant?
It gave him the vivid feeling of new waves of the Yangtze pushing the old onto the beach.
Sigh.
"Old already. Can't fathom the thinking of the young anymore..."
Tang Ming shook his head helplessly, turning away toward the exit.
...
"Goodbye, Teacher Bai!"
At the villa gates of Tangcheng Yipin, Guo Yi and the others waved her farewell.
Bai Cai smiled in reply.
"Teacher Guo, see you at the start of term."
"See you then!"
With the roar of her car engine, Bai Cai disappeared into the night.
The three of them entered the villa.
"Lili!"
As they stepped inside, Miss Liligant greeted them politely.
"Sorry, Liligant—we're late tonight."
"You must be hungry."
Guo Yi's face showed apology.
He had almost forgotten his household Pokémon nanny couldn't cook.
Liligant shook her head, insisting she wasn't hungry.
But the next second—
grumbleeee!
Her stomach betrayed her.
Seeing the three girls stifle their laughter, Liligant's little face flushed bright red.
She covered it with her hands to hide her embarrassment.
Guo Yi chuckled softly, walking into the kitchen.
Soon he came out with a Pokéblock, placing it in her hands.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Hungry means hungry."
Patting her head gently, he consoled:
"This was my oversight. Next time I'll keep some Pokéblocks at home."
"If you're hungry, help yourself."
Hearing his tender tone, Liligant broke down into tears, sobbing as she clutched the food.
"Lili!"
[I understand, Trainer.]
Thanking him, she went to the table, happily savoring her meal.
After settling Liligant's dinner, Guo Yi turned to his two students.
"I'll rest first."
"You two, arrange yourselves."
The system's rewards—he still hadn't examined them fully.
Now he wanted to return to his room, open them.
The two girls nodded obediently.
But—as soon as Guo Yi's door shut, Su Qingxue's expression shifted.
"Hmph!"
Su Qingxue gave a displeased snort.
"Yan'er, I treated you as my good sister, and yet you dared to set your eyes on my Teacher."
"You've really disappointed me."
Faced with Su Qingxue's fiery momentum, Hu Yan'er didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"I—I… I'm sorry, Xiaoxue."
Her face was apologetic.
"Grandpa always said, when you encounter a good opportunity, you must never let it slip."
"And a teacher as good as this one—I naturally didn't want to miss him either."
Su Qingxue nodded in agreement, but kept her face stern.
"Yan'er, you're right. Teacher is a good teacher."
"So for the sake of the future, I think we should form an alliance, to prevent outsiders from luring Teacher away."
"And the first one we must watch carefully is Teacher Bai. I can sense she has improper intentions toward Teacher!"
"Ah!"
Hearing this, Hu Yan'er froze.
Weren't they just criticizing her for apprenticing herself?
How did the focus suddenly turn to targeting Teacher Bai?
She really couldn't follow her senior sister's train of thought.
Naturally, Su Qingxue noticed her confusion.
A smile flashed across her face as she explained:
"Yan'er, you're already my junior sister now. What else could I say?"
"So what we must do now is guard against those with designs on Teacher, so they can't hurt him."
Because Su Qingxue knew it clearly—her Teacher had retreated to the Village in the first place because of heartbreak.
So when it came to matters of his feelings, as his student, she felt it was her duty as well.
"But I think Teacher Bai is actually pretty nice… I firmly support Senior Sister, protecting Teacher!"
Hu Yan'er had originally wanted to defend Bai Cai a little.
But Su Qingxue's expression changed in an instant—so she quickly changed her tune.
Inside, she wept.
Sorry, Teacher Bai!
I bowed my head before the forces of evil.
Seeing Yan'er's quick "discernment," Su Qingxue patted her shoulder with satisfaction.
"Very good."
"With the protection of the two of us, Teacher's future will surely sail smoothly."
Guo Yi: I need your protection?
---
Guo Yi first took out the system's reward: the Light Ball.
[Pikachu's Light Ball: A mysterious orb infused with Pikachu's power. When Pikachu holds it, Attack and Special Attack are doubled.]
[Special Effect: When a Pikachu holding this item enters a rage state ("explodes"), the increase in Attack and Special Attack scales with Pikachu's emotions. No upper limit.]
"Good heavens!"
"So this [Light Ball] is literally Pikachu's exclusive god-tier item."
Guo Yi couldn't help but sigh.
The reason Pikachu was "Pikachu, The Son of Arceus"—was that when he erupted, even facing legendary Pokémon, he could still fight them head-on.
"This [Light Ball], I'll leave to Hu Yan'er."
"Her Pikachu needs it."
Guo Yi never even considered keeping it for himself.
Because he had the student-linked template.
The stronger Hu Yan'er became, the stronger the Pokémon tied to her template would naturally grow.
I wonder which Pokémon I'll draw next…
He felt a strange anticipation.
After all, Ash, as the protagonist of the anime, had no shortage of iconic Pokémon.
Charizard, Snorlax, Sceptile, Infernape…
Every one of them was a fine choice.
[Begin drawing Pokémon template?]
The familiar voice, the familiar interface.
"Yes."
With his confirmation, Ash's Pokémon flashed one after another before him.
First came the "female lead" Pikachu, then Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle—the Kanto trio.
Then Cyndaquil, Meganium, Infernape, Greninja, Pidgeot, and more.
The number was no less than when he had drawn Green's linked template.
"Start."
Guo Yi took a deep breath, beginning the draw.
Pokémon portraits flickered wildly, dazzling his eyes.
"Stop!"
As soon as he spoke—the countless flashing portraits vanished, leaving only one.
A tall, slender body clad like a ninja.
Yes.
Guo Yi had drawn none other than the wildly popular Greninja.
Greninja.
The evolved form of Froakie, one of Kalos's three starters.
And the reason Greninja's popularity rivaled Charizard and Infernape—was its unique [Bond Phenomenon].
That season—was one of Guo Yi's favorites.
He had thought Ash might finally win his first regional championship.
But in the end came the "plot-kill," forced to face a Charizard with [Solar Power].
What a pity!
"Greninja, huh. If I remember right, that species isn't exactly rare."
"Most breeding houses should sell them."
Guo Yi stroked his chin in thought.
After all, since he had the template, he couldn't just leave it wasted.
Besides...
Su Qingxue's two current Pokémon had already reached their final forms.
It was time to raise a new one.
As for Hu Yan'er, there was even less need to say.
With only a Pikachu, she needed more partners.
"In that case, tomorrow I'll take the two of them to browse a breeding house."
With tomorrow's plan set, Guo Yi went to wash up and sleep.
...
Dawn's light lifted away the night's veil, spilling golden radiance, ushering in a new day.
"Good morning, Teacher!"
When Guo Yi finished washing and stepped out of his room, he saw Su Qingxue already had breakfast prepared, waiting in the living room.
"Morning."
Guo Yi nodded, glancing around, but didn't see Hu Yan'er.
Curious, he asked:
"Qingxue, where's Yan'er?"
"Doesn't she usually wake early?"
Carrying breakfast over, Su Qingxue shook her head.
"I don't know either."
"I haven't seen her since I woke up."
She too found it strange that Hu Yan'er wasn't up yet.
Before, Guo Yi had always been the latest to rise.
"Lili!"
[I know.]
Wearing her apron, Miss Liligant spoke up.
[She left early with Pikachu, out running.]
Click!
As soon as she said it, the villa's door opened.
Hu Yan'er came in, forehead beaded with sweat, Pikachu by her side.
"Morning, Teacher!"
Seeing him, she smiled brightly and greeted him.
Guo Yi nodded.
"Go freshen up. I have something for you later."
"It can strengthen Pikachu."
Hu Yan'er's eyes lit, smile widening.
"Okay, Teacher!"
She rushed back to her room.
Anything that could make Pikachu stronger—she was eager to see.
At that moment, Su Qingxue pursed her lips.
"Teacher's biased."
"Yan'er comes and immediately gets a treasure!"
Guo Yi rolled his eyes at her.
"And what I gave you wasn't good enough?"
"That Perfect-Grade Moon Stone—you stole the whole spotlight at your birthday banquet."
Seeing him displeased, Su Qingxue quickly played dumb.
"Did I? I don't remember."
Truthfully—that [Perfect-Grade Moon Stone] as a birthday gift had made her shine above all her peers.
Such an extravagant present—was likely one of a kind.
"Yan'er, this item is for you."
After breakfast, Guo Yi called Hu Yan'er to the sofa.
He took out the system's reward—the [Light Ball].
"Pika!"
The moment it appeared, Pikachu's eyes locked onto it.
"This little guy… pretty sharp, aren't you?"
Guo Yi rubbed Pikachu's head, explaining:
"This orb is called the [Light Ball]. It's Pikachu's exclusive battle item."
Exclusive battle item.
Hu Yan'er took it, turning it over curiously.
But after staring for a long time, it just looked like a glass bead.
Still—if Teacher said it was useful for Pikachu, then it must be.
At this point—Hu Yan'er's faith in Guo Yi was absolute.
"Here, Pikachu—it's yours."
Hu Yan'er placed the [Light Ball] in Pikachu's little paws.