Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 610: Who Still Isn’t a Top-Level Trainer?

June 2nd, clear weather.

"Hey, Johan."

Glacia's voice came through the phone.

"Hmm?"

Johan, who hadn't been to the office in a long time, had just sat down after brewing a cup of coffee.

In the past, he couldn't quite understand how his neighbor Professor Cozmo could disappear for a month or even longer, only thinking... are "side jobs" really that busy?

Now he understood - sometimes things really weren't up to you to decide.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, he also pulled his attention back to this phone call with Elite Four Glacia.

Speaking of which, the Hoenn League was actually quite humane. He had returned to Hoenn yesterday, and Glacia, representing the Hoenn League, was only calling him now - that definitely counted as "humane."

"When do you have time to come to League headquarters?" Glacia said.

"For what?"

Johan became alert, causing Victini, who was sitting on his shoulder munching on macarons, to stop its actions and prick up its ears.

Nearby, Gengar's eyes also rolled around twice before slowly approaching.

"Nothing much, it's just that the appointment notice from the International Police Department came through..." Glacia coughed and said.

"I don't have time recently," Johan said, pushing away Gengar's approaching head.

"Didn't you already come back? What are you still busy with? School matters?" Glacia fired off a series of questions.

"Not entirely."

After thinking for a moment, Johan said: "Ahem, mainly I'm busy accompanying the little one."

"Accompanying the little one?" Glacia was stunned.

"Mew," Johan exchanged a glance with Gengar and smiled.

Although Mew had already gone back, others didn't know that. Sometimes using it as a "shield" was quite nice.

Next time.

When Mew comes next time, he'll give it extra meals!

Gengar's eyes rolled, then it grabbed its throat with its hand and called out.

"Mew~~"

Honestly, the imitation wasn't convincing at all - it sounded like its throat had been scratched with a small knife.

Johan shot it an annoyed glance. Gengar covered its mouth and snickered, thinking it had cooperated perfectly with Johan!

Fortunately, Glacia couldn't understand. After an obvious pause, she hurriedly said:

"Oh oh oh, okay, okay, then you go ahead and stay busy."

After saying that, she hung up the phone.

At the same time, in an office at Hoenn League headquarters, a group of League executives watched Glacia hang up the phone with a shocked expression.

Among them were Elite Four Phoebe, Elite Four Drake, Hoenn Gym Leader Winona, and Steven, who had become a reserve member.

Although called a reserve member, Steven was already performing part of the Elite Four's duties, sitting in the position that originally belonged to Elite Four Drake.

After all, whether Champion or Elite Four, these were very important positions in a regional league. Some people's strength and ability had already met the standards, but there was always a gradual process.

For example, the current Steven, Unova's Iris and Marshal, Sinnoh's Lucian, and so on.

Of course, some reserves were truly just reserves, while others were only nominally reserves but actually had little difference in authority and duties from the Elite Four, including Lucian.

After Steven returned to Hoenn following the "World Junior Championship," he became a so-called "reserve member," but his work and role were essentially that of an Elite Four member.

It wasn't that Steven couldn't be promoted officially, nor that Drake hadn't retired yet.

No exaggeration - since Steven returned, Drake called Glacia almost daily applying to retire, but was rejected by Glacia and the Hoenn League.

They felt that with Steven's talent, perhaps after staying as a reserve for half a year or even a year, he could directly attempt to challenge the "Champion's Road."

Of course, Johan's existence was also part of the reason.

At this moment, seeing Glacia's expression, Phoebe asked curiously:

"What did Johan say?"

Glacia put down her phone, scanned everyone in the office, and said helplessly: "He said... he's accompanying Mew and doesn't have time."

Everyone: "..."

Accompanying Mew?!

What kind of 21st-century excuse was this?

If it were someone else, Glacia might have started cursing immediately. If you're going to make excuses, couldn't you find a better one?

But since it was Johan saying this... they really couldn't doubt it, because he might actually have such a relationship.

The legendary Mew!

Steven laughed heartily, "Teacher is dedicated to teaching and educating. He's really not very interested in these League duties."

Steven understood Johan quite well.

"Right, duties..." Glacia looked at Phoebe and Drake with considerable "resentment."

If not for these duties, her Elite Four life would definitely be quite comfortable too.

Noticing her gaze, Phoebe looked up and started whistling, while Drake lowered her head to play with the Duskull in her shadow.

"However, Teacher isn't someone who shirks responsibility. He once told me that with great power comes great responsibility - some things can't be avoided."

Steven was the most proper one among everyone in the office. He continued:

"If something really serious happened in our Hoenn, Teacher definitely wouldn't stand by and watch."

On this point, everyone agreed.

After all, such big events had happened in Sinnoh and Unova, and these League executives knew something about them.

Moreover, the recent battle between Rayquaza and Deoxys was also mediated by Teacher Johan.

When there were real big issues, Teacher Johan wouldn't shirk responsibility.

But the problem was...

Glacia rubbed her temples with a headache.

She felt that if they didn't "tie" Johan to the Hoenn League's ship soon, Teacher Johan would be poached by other regions!

The "covetous" Sinnoh League - they heard Teacher Johan had a close relationship with Miss Cynthia.

Previously it was just the Sinnoh League, now there was also the Unova League.

It was said that Unova League Champion Alder greatly appreciated Teacher Johan, and had even proposed more than once that he wanted Teacher Johan to replace him...

This made Glacia, who served as Hoenn League's personnel manager, financial manager, operations manager... feel a huge "threat."

Most importantly...

Teacher Johan was obviously a natural at handling administrative matters!

My vacation... so far away... Glacia sighed deeply.

Glacia looked at Steven, preparing to extend her "claws" toward him.

Steven smiled slightly. Although he didn't understand Glacia's look, he still said with some apology:

"I also need to apologize to everyone, because my studies aren't finished yet, so..."

Glacia: "..."

"Ah..." Glacia sighed softly, leaning back in her chair with a look of "despair."

At the same time, at Sinnoh League headquarters in the Sinnoh region, Lucian sat in Elite Four Bertha's office, looking at the matters she was handing over to him, and similarly leaned back in his chair with a despairing expression.

Though they were far apart, both simultaneously murmured:

"Teacher Johan, when are you coming..."

"Achoo—"

At Kanaz Pokémon Academy, in the brand new training facility, Johan couldn't help but sneeze.

"What's wrong, catching a cold?" Director Martin, who was introducing the new facilities to Johan, couldn't help but ask.

"No." Johan rubbed his nose and said: "Probably someone's thinking about me."

"Oh." Martin nodded. "That's basically it. If you think there's anything lacking, just tell me later."

"So polite?" Johan felt a bit embarrassed.

To put it bluntly, this training building at Kanaz Pokémon Academy was practically built specifically for him alone, or rather for his entire team. It was too extravagant!

"Hahaha, no need to be so formal!" Martin laughed and waved his hand, looking extremely generous.

"Hmm?"

The more he acted this way, the more Johan couldn't help showing a suspicious expression.

Director Martin wasn't such a generous person, especially considering the financial resources and materials consumed in building such a training facility...

Perhaps feeling a bit uncomfortable under his gaze, Martin coughed lightly and lowered his voice:

"It's all sponsored."

"Sponsored?" fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"Sponsored by parents of students enrolling next year."

This explanation made Johan understand.

Because of his current fame, he could be said to be Kanaz Pokémon Academy's flagship (crossed out) trademark. Many people came seeking his teaching, such as Penny, daughter of Galar Champion Peony, who was Johan's student.

Many people came to study at Kanaz Pokémon Academy, including many wealthy families.

"Anyway, if there's anything wrong, just tell me..."

BOOM!!!

Before he could finish speaking, a huge roar came from inside the training facility. Larvitar was stomping hard on the new ground.

But it had to be said, the materials used for this training facility were really good. After Larvitar's stomp... the ground didn't collapse, only cracking with a not-too-large fissure and some scattered debris.

"Yoji!"

Larvitar immediately happily picked up a larger piece of debris and put it in its mouth, "crunch crunch," eating while nodding with satisfaction.

This ground - it tasted right!

Johan gently nudged Martin with his elbow: "Director Martin, if the ground covering gets eaten, can it be repaired promptly?"

Looking at Larvitar's posture, it was planning to devour the entire facility.

Martin: "..."

He was sweating profusely.

After Martin left, Johan also brought his little ones into training.

Regarding training, Johan always maintained an attitude of moderation without excess.

He now had a fairly clear understanding of his own strength. Ordinary Elite Four members or newly promoted Elite Four members would probably not be his opponents.

But facing some veteran Elite Four members, like Drake or Agatha, he wasn't very confident, or rather his chances of winning weren't high.

Facing Champions, using Alder as an example, he probably wasn't an opponent in a full team battle yet.

Of course, veteran Elite Four like Agatha and Drake actually had Champion-level strength.

His current state was... slightly stronger than ordinary Elite Four but slightly weaker than Champions. If he really had to serve as a newly promoted Champion of a region, he could barely try, provided he didn't have to challenge the "Champion's Road."

Taking the "Champion's Road" was definitely out of the question.

Actually, Johan felt his team was already very strong, especially in some aspects where they might even be more impressive than Champions.

For example, Gengar's use of Ghost-type energy and ability to open dimensional spaces, Ninetales' pure ice freezing abilities, Tinkaton's hammer weight, Dragonite maintaining rationality after activating Outrage, and so on.

With explosive power plus careless opponents, he might not be unable to surprisingly defeat a Champion.

After all, Pokémon battles weren't games - it wasn't about who had higher stats automatically winning. There were also tactical factors, explosive moments, and many other aspects.

So his training requirements for his little ones had always been moderate.

But the problem was...

With Victini's addition and its "infinite energy," the little ones became even more extreme and hardworking in training.

However, Victini's "infinite energy" also had limits.

On one hand, there was Victini's own energy recovery limit.

On the other hand, Victini's infinite energy could only provide energy recovery benefits to the little ones, but was inadequate on the mental level.

Coincidentally...

What Johan was best at was helping his little ones ease mental fatigue.

But Johan didn't support their endless training like this.

Constantly pushing themselves would also pose unnecessary risks to their bodies and minds.

But during training with his little ones, Johan discovered their "abnormal" state.

It couldn't really be called abnormal, only... they were working a bit too hard.

Actually, thinking about it carefully, the reason was clear.

After witnessing the power of so many legendary and mythical Pokémon, and solving problems with the help of these legendary and mythical Pokémon, his little ones felt their own inadequacy.

Whether it was Gengar, Ninetales, Tinkaton, Dragonite, Urshifu, Ceruledge, or Larvitar, everyone had a drive in their hearts - a drive to prove they weren't inferior to legendary and mythical Pokémon.

Although setting their goal at the level of legendary and mythical Pokémon was quite extreme.

But Johan understood his little ones' aspirations.

It was good that they had aspirations. Without aspirations... wouldn't that be like himself, wanting to slack off?

Besides, their bear coach was itself a "legendary Pokémon," just without so-called "authority."

Moreover, their Gengar could already engage with true first-class legends like Kyurem, as long as it didn't take direct hits.

This was their progress.

"Honestly, that a 'lazy' person like me could raise such a team, even I find it surprising."

He originally just wanted to slack off.

But somehow, from some point on, he was being "pushed" forward by his own Pokémon.

It seemed to start with Gengar?

"I feel like I need to change my attitude a bit too. Within the bounds of not overtraining, appropriately use some 'reasonable' methods to improve everyone's strength."

Johan felt his "awareness" had been elevated.

Who still isn't a top-level trainer?

"Come on, Larvitar, Ninetales, let's try whether Sandstorm and Snow can be combined."

"Vii~~"

Nearby, Victini happily squinted its eyes, the V on its head glowing faintly, releasing an aura of desire for victory.

Great, Johan had become more hardworking too~~

"Dinner time! Dinner time!"

People are iron, food is steel. Besides training, ensuring adequate nutritional intake was necessary for steady progress.

Looking at the fifty million Pokédollars in his bank account, Johan gritted his teeth.

At worst, he'd spend it all and earn more!

After all, the money he earned was originally meant to be spent on his little ones.

Money - you can't take it with you when you're born or when you die.

Even if poor, you can't skimp on education.

While being a trainer, Johan was unknowingly also becoming an excellent breeder and coordinator...

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Powerstones?

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