Chapter 81
Knock, knock.
The sound of something hard tapping against the desk rang out. Mike opened his eyes and found Natsuko standing in front of him.
"Teacher Mike, it’s time for class."
Mike nodded, rubbed his eyes, and rose from his seat before following Natsuko toward his classroom.
This was all Gengar’s fault!
The moment Gengar and Beedrill heard that lunch in the cafeteria was free, they began stuffing themselves.
Mike couldn’t resist joining them, ate far too much, and ended up crashing from all the carbs.
The moment he returned to the office, he dropped his head onto the desk and fell asleep.
That said, the food at Jubilife Trainers’ School was really good.
More importantly, it was free for teachers!
Gengar, hidden inside Mike’s shadow, let out a satisfied burp and wished they could stay here forever.
When they reached the classroom, the bell had already rung, yet the room was still filled with noisy chatter.
Mike stood outside the door.
Natsuko gave him an encouraging nod, so he cleared his throat twice and strode toward the front of the classroom.
He looked sharply across the students seated before him without saying a word.
Only after the classroom gradually fell silent did he strike the blackboard hard.
"The bell rang ages ago, yet you’re all still making noise!" Mike said sternly.
"Why did you stop? Go on, keep talking!"
He swept a cold gaze across every student in the room before continuing.
"You are without a doubt the worst graduatinh class I have ever taught."
Natsuko, who was standing by the door: "???"
’Huh? Has Teacher Mike taught at another school before?’
’No wonder he knows so much about Pokémon.’
After delivering the line with a perfectly straight face, Mike wrote his name on the blackboard.
"My name is Mike. I’ll be teaching your classes during your final week at this school."
A female student raised her hand and Mike motioned for her to speak.
She stood and asked, "Teacher, haven’t we already completed all our courses? Why do we still have another week of classes?"
"This week will focus on emergency survival skills for the wilderness," Mike answered.
"Teacher."
A boy raised his hand next.
Mike nodded for him to continue.
"Rather than taking another wilderness survival course, I think it would be better to change these lessons into battle classes," the boy said.
"We’ve already finished learning how to survive in the wilderness, so I don’t think there’s any need to study it again."
"We want to become top Trainers. We shouldn’t waste our time on unnecessary lessons."
"Do all of you feel the same way?" Mike asked instead of arguing with him.
Every student nodded.
Mike nodded along with them, clapped his hands, and said, "How about this? We’ll hold this class downstairs."
"The strongest battler in your class can have a match against me. If you win, I’ll ask Ms. Natsuko to change all of this week’s lessons into battle classes."
"But if you lose, you’ll listen carefully and take my course seriously. How does that sound?"
The students quietly discussed it among themselves.
In the end, the girl who had asked the first question nodded in agreement.
Mike snapped his fingers.
"Good. Are you the class representative?"
"Yes, Teacher. My name is Yuka."
"All right, Yuka. Let’s go."
Mike nodded toward Natsuko at the door, and they led the students to the elevator.
...
After arriving at an empty battlefield, Mike stepped onto one side and looked at the students gathered outside.
"Who is the strongest battler in your class?"
Yuka stepped forward with a Poké Ball in her hand.
Mike was somewhat surprised.
The class representative was also their strongest battler?
Yuka looked like the quiet, well-behaved type of girl who never caused trouble.
"Since Teacher Mike has decided to hold a battle, I’ll serve as the referee," Natsuko said as she moved to the edge of the field.
Mike looked toward Yuka on the other side and smiled.
"I look forward to seeing what you can do."
"I’ll use all my strength to defeat you, Teacher!"
Yuka bowed before throwing her Poké Ball.
A Prinplup appeared on the field.
’She’s very polite.’
Mike couldn’t help thinking that as he looked at her.
Seeing that she had chosen Prinplup, Mike lightly stamped one foot.
"Gengar, I’m counting on you."
Everyone looked toward Mike’s feet.
A chubby little hand emerged from his shadow and pressed itself against the ground.
A pair of crimson eyes slowly appeared next, followed by Gengar’s body rising ominously from within the darkness.
"Kyaaaahhh!"
Several female students jumped in fright.
Mike glared at Gengar.
’Where did this guy learn an entrance like that?’
Gengar sprang completely out of the shadow and landed in a dramatic three-point pose before grinning at his opponent.
"Teacher, I’m starting," Yuka said politely before giving her command.
"Prinplup, use Water Gun!"
Prinplup fired a stream of water toward Gengar.
"Dodge it, then use Shadow Ball."
Gengar grinned and skimmed along the side of the water stream, rapidly closing the distance between them.
"Whirlpool!"
Water-type energy began gathering in Prinplup’s flippers, forming into a swirling vortex.
But Gengar had already appeared directly in front of him.
Holding a Shadow Ball in one hand, he slammed it straight into Prinplup’s face.
Boom!
Prinplup was blasted across the battlefield, and the unfinished Whirlpool immediately dispersed.
Yuka stared at Prinplup lying motionless near her feet, completely stunned.
Her Prinplup had been...
Knocked out by Gengar in one move?
"Good match."
Mike pressed his palms together and bowed slightly.
"Gar—"
Gengar floated beside him and copied the same gesture.
"Can you keep your end of our agreement now?" Mike asked the students.
Yuka recalled Prinplup and nodded.
"We’ll take your lessons seriously, Teacher."
The rest of the students nodded with her.
Mike rubbed his chin.
’Something doesn’t feel right...’
’They agreed that easily?’
’Or are students from prestigious schools normally this reasonable?’
Still, since they were willing to listen, Mike didn’t mind putting more effort into teaching them.
"Of course, as long as you pay attention during class, I can also give you some advice about battling during your free time."
"Really, Teacher?"
Yuka’s eyes immediately lit up.
Mike nodded.
"Now, find somewhere to sit. We’re beginning the lesson."
The students didn’t object and sat directly on the ground.
At that moment, a student emerged from behind a tree that had previously appeared empty.
He quickly ran over to the group and sat in the very back row.
Mike nodded in satisfaction, but suddenly, a thin bamboo staff suddenly appeared in his hand.
He looked up curiously and discovered that a blackboard had somehow appeared behind him too.
Mike: "???"
Gengar floated beside the blackboard wearing a pair of black-framed glasses.
Mike quietly asked, "Where did you get that blackboard?"
"Gar—"
[The classroom.]
"Oh, the classroom. You frightened me for a moment..."
Mike suddenly froze.
"Wait. The classroom?"
His eyes widened as he stared at Gengar.
"You took the blackboard off the classroom wall?!"
Gengar blinked, then gave him a wide grin.
Natsuko walked over and quietly whispered in Mike’s ear.
"Teacher Mike, why does this blackboard look so familiar...?"
Mike blinked.
"Would you believe me if I said the classroom blackboard was already broken and Gengar happened to find it, so he brought it down here?"
Natsuko looked at Mike and Gengar, then glanced back at the blackboard and covered her forehead.
"I understand. I’ll take care of it."
Mike breathed a sigh of relief before discreetly glaring at Gengar.
He gripped the bamboo staff and tapped it against the blackboard, drawing the students’ attention back to him.
"Do you know why the school wants you to take an emergency survival course?"
Mike looked across the students.
"Because the school cares about your safety."
"Do you know how many Trainers were involved in accidents in the wilderness last year? One hundred and twelve..."
Mike began by analyzing the statistics before explaining why so many accidents had occurred.
As he spoke, he continuously surveyed the students below.
Perhaps his words had frightened them, or perhaps they wanted to listen carefully so they could receive battle advice from him later.
But whenever a group of students listened seriously, there was always one who didn’t pay attention.
For example, the student sitting in the back row, covering his mouth and quietly laughing.
’Is my lesson really that funny?’
Mike was about to call on him and make him stand to answer a question when a system message suddenly appeared.
{As expected of you, Teacher Mike! Even while temporarily working as an instructor on your journey toward becoming a Legendary Photographer, you have managed to attract a student who isn’t human...}
’Wait... What does that mean?!’
’What do you mean my student isn’t human?!’
{Mew}
{...}
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