Because Snarl was tanked by Whimsicott, the Kilowattrel that appeared after the switch wasn't affected and still had normal combat power.
However, from the faint smile on Penny's lips, it was clear she did this intentionally.
She obviously knew the gym rules well, so she deliberately lured Aiden into using a switching move. She must have already prepared a countermeasure.
"Come back, Umbreon!"
Penny quickly recalled her Umbreon, and soon a Pokémon with spiky fur and a prominent white mane around its neck appeared.
Another evolution of Eevee, representing the Electric-type: Jolteon!
Seeing this Pokémon, Aiden's previous guess finally became reality.
Penny was indeed well-prepared; her homework was thorough enough to make Aiden feel a bit challenged for a moment.
Electric-type Pokémon generally have very high speed, and Jolteon is among the best. Its reaction speed is definitely above that of Kilowattrel.
Moreover, it really looks like a cat, seemingly having a bloodline suppression over bird Pokémon like Kilowattrel...
Of course, more importantly, Jolteon's regular Ability is Volt Absorb.
Volt Absorb allows Pokémon with this Ability not only to be unaffected by Electric-type moves but also to use the hit to restore their own HP.
Though not as useful in doubles as Lightning Rod, which can absorb move power to boost Special Attack, it can occasionally play a surprising role in singles.
Such as in the current situation.
Kilowattrel's Electric-type moves were completely ineffective against it, and combined with Electric's resistance to Flying-type moves, it made the Kilowattrel on the field appear extremely awkward.
Jolteon is a very standard speed attacker, not only incredibly fast at executing moves but also possessing means of long-range consumption.
Having confirmed early that Kilowattrel's Ability was Wind Power rather than Volt Absorb, it posed a significant threat to Aiden's side.
Aiden quickly smiled and shook his head helplessly.
"An excellent defensive strategy. I think there's no need to continue the match."
"Everyone should have seen Penny's strength with such thorough preparation."
Upon hearing this, countless students from Naranja Academy immediately began furiously typing question marks.
[What the heck, what's going on? Teacher Azure just surrendered?]
[The opponent sent out a Jolteon, why isn't Teacher Azure playing anymore, is he scared?]
[Scared stiff by Volt Absorb, it seems like a good strategy too, directly making Teacher Azure's Kilowattrel unable to play, why didn't anyone think of this before...]
[Hahaha, Teacher Azure, you've met your match today. Our Naranja Academy finally has a genius who can handle Teacher Azure!]
[Wait? Isn't she a foreigner? Seems like an exchange student from Galar?]
[SYBAU still counts]
Actually, by this point in the match, Aiden could basically determine one thing:
Everything that happened on the battlefield was part of Penny's pre-arranged tactics.
Although partly because he deliberately stepped into it, it didn't affect his judgment.
Penny's command level far surpassed other students.
Therefore, Aiden quickly spoke again.
"With such meticulous pre-match planning, I believe Penny will surely become an excellent Trainer in the future."
"So, this gym test is no challenge for you."
"If I were to give a score..."
"It should be 95 points, right?"
[Whew—, this is probably the highest score Teacher Azure has ever given, has anyone exceeded 90 points before? Probably not?]
[Last week, a student got 85 points, but 95 points is absolutely unprecedented, just a little shy of full marks!]
[To be fair, her tactical style is at least seven or eight points similar to Teacher Azure's. Does seeing her remind Teacher Azure of his own past reflection?]
[If Teacher Azure was this dirty in his teens, then his whole life indeed... ]
[I think this Miss Penny has done perfectly. For the first time, I see someone consistently suppressing Teacher Azure. Is there anything she hasn't done well? Probably not.]
Noticing the confusion in the bullet comments, Penny quickly sighed with relief while asking the same question:
"Teacher Azure, is there something I haven't done well?"
Although she knew it was hard for a newcomer to be perfect, she was genuinely curious about where she might have gone wrong, hence not getting full marks.
To make progress, every small mistake needs special attention.
"Not really."
Aiden shrugged and gave a light-hearted answer.
"Although I can tell that your purpose of using Snarl was to hint me to switch out Whimsicott and bring in Kilowattrel."
"But under the condition that Whimsicott poses no threat, using Calm Mind to strengthen yourself and then Baton Pass the enhancement to the newly switched-in Jolteon would pose a greater threat."
"Of course, this is almost nitpicking."
After Aiden finished speaking, he chuckled softly.
Baton Pass is a practical move that all Eevees can learn. The combination of Baton Pass and Eevium Z Extreme Evoboost was once Aiden's signature move.
Unfortunately, he can no longer use it now.
"I see..."
Penny listened and slowly nodded.
Indeed, if she had followed Teacher Azure's suggestion, the advantage would have been greater.
So, there's still much for her to learn!
And Teacher Azure's understanding of Eevee is indeed profound. Not only did he immediately know her thoughts, but he also gave suggestions she hadn't thought of.
No wonder he's an excellent Trainer who bred Sylph Eevee, thinking more thoroughly than herself.
"By the way, Miss Penny."
Just as Aiden took out the badge symbolizing the breach of Sunshine Gym, he suddenly spoke again.
"Judging by your strength, you're not a novice Trainer, right?"
"Mmm... I became a Trainer in Galar. To make every Eevee in my team evolve into different forms, I came to Paldea for study and exchange."
Penny quickly nodded.
"That explains it."
Aiden smiled again and placed the badge in Penny's palm.
Undoubtedly, Penny is the master of the Eevee family. Although not specialized in any particular attribute, her understanding of various Eevee evolutionary forms has reached a height that ordinary Trainers can hardly achieve.
This is also why most Gym Leaders prefer to specialize in a single attribute. Attribute interconnectivity makes their breeding and learning costs lower, allowing them to accumulate more experience in Pokémon training, akin to Penny's "Eevee box push" strategy.
"I think you have the potential to become an elite Trainer, or even go further. Your understanding of Eevee is deep enough. By utilizing the characteristics of each Eevee, passing through the eight gyms should be no problem."
"Yes!"
Penny seemed a bit flushed from the praise, tightly gripped the badge, and quickly lowered her head.
But she didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.
Aiden quickly noticed this and was about to speak when she suddenly looked up, seemingly gathering her courage, looking at him with an extremely serious gaze, and loudly said:
"Um, Teacher Azure!"
"In fact, there are many students in Naranja Academy who admire you. Everyone looks forward to gaining Teacher Azure's recognition and obtaining this badge!"
While Aiden nodded, his expression was somewhat complex.
He naturally knew this, judging from his popularity among the students.
So…
Could the negative reviews for Sunshine Gym actually be a way for the students to express their affection?
This is indeed… quite novel.
"But there aren't many students who dare to come to Sunshine Gym to challenge Teacher Azure and officially enter the Victory Road. Most people have always been afraid to take the first step!"
After saying this, Penny paused, then continued pouring out her thoughts.
"Therefore... I plan to establish a student organization in the academy. Besides being Teacher Azure's fan club, we can also discuss battles together, help each other, and progress together!"
"Teacher Azure, what do you think of this idea…?"
After hearing her words, Aiden was initially stunned, then quickly smiled.
As expected of Penny, who will establish Team Star in the future. Her vision is indeed much broader than other students.
If such a student organization can be established, it will obviously be more convenient for students who want to improve.
A great proposal.
"Not bad at all, go ahead and do it with confidence!"
"If there are any issues you can't resolve at school, I can help talk to President Geeta."
"Yes, yes!"
Penny excitedly agreed repeatedly, then quickly noticed her slip.
"Thank you very much, Teacher Azure!"
"Then I'll take my leave!"
With that, Penny, already blushing, quickly ran off without a trace.
[Teacher Azure's fan club? Sounds interesting...]
[Our Naranja Academy does seem a bit too loose. If there's a club for arranging battles regularly, it sounds pretty nice.]
[POG if I join the club now, am I considered a ten-year fan of Teacher Azure?]
Aiden glanced at the Rotom Phone. As expected, their discussion focus had shifted to Penny's proposal just now.
"Since there's this need, just wait for Penny to establish the club. It shouldn't take too long."
As Aiden smiled and spoke, he suddenly frowned.
He suddenly realized…
This matter might not be so simple?
Could this actually be the prototype of Team Star, only influenced by me, changing the students' goals?
In my memory, Team Star in the game also liked to battle others. You had to win battles against each captain to resolve events and make them go back to class.
Now, most ambitious students should be focused on improving themselves. School bullying certainly won't happen again, so…
Could the plan to establish Team Star really be related to me?
Thinking of this, Aiden's expression involuntarily became a bit complicated.
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. So, does that mean I've become the backbone and cornerstone of Team Star?
Never mind, it seems pretty good. Letting top students like Penny and Qi Ming teach them a lesson might really elevate the overall level of the students.
Hopefully, this reformed Team Star can slightly improve the atmosphere at Naranja Academy...
Kids, I agree!
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