As soon as Teacher Lu delivered his signature opening line, the chat erupted with excitement.
"Dinner time, dinner time!"
"Holy sh*t, a new tactic! Just reading the title is filling me up!"
Although Teacher Lu had ghosted them for three days, a new strategy in return was more than worth it.
Viewers also noticed some changes in the livestream setup.
"Thanks to 'Has Teacher Lu Moved Yet?' for the plane gift."
Lu Ye nodded. "Yep, I'm in Kanto for a while to study."
"Didn't Teacher Lu mention before that he came to Celadon University to teach?"
"Mom, I swear I'm in an online class! Let me explain!"
"Tchugki-briee~ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ"
Togepi, sitting in the stream, quickly became the center of attention.
"Wait a minute… Teacher Lu just activated a real-life cheat!"
Seeing the new mascot, viewers lost their minds.
Legend has it that Togepi brings good luck…
If Teacher Lu absorbs all this luck, wouldn't that mean his RNG won't suck anymore?
"Teacher Lu not having bad luck? My childhood is over!"
Lu Ye smirked.
Whether it was Togepi or Sylveon, both theoretically had a Blessing Buff.
There was no way today's stream would still be a disaster!
"Togepi, spread some good luck! Please and thank you!"
"Tchugki-briee~~"
Togepi, perched on Lu Ye's shoulder, clapped its tiny hands in excitement.
"Veeon~!!"
Feeling neglected, Sylveon pouted and flicked its ribbon against Lu Ye's arm.
"Alright, alright."
Lu Ye put on a serious face. "Lend me your strength too, Sylveon!"
"Veeon(´^｀)o"
With a light huff, Sylveon wrapped its ribbons around his arm again.
Viewers' faces lit up with motherly smiles.
Wasn't this exactly why they tuned into the stream—to admire Teacher Lu's adorable Pokémon?
"Awsl~"
"Please don't start rolling around in bed!"
After finishing the "good luck ritual," Lu Ye opened the team editor.
As he dragged Gengar and Porygon2 into his lineup, he began his explanation.
"Today, we're running a Hypnosis Team."
"A scientifically optimized Hypnosis Team relies on Sweet Scent and Gravity to lower evasion, increasing Hypnosis' accuracy."
"Even though I never use Hypnosis," Lu Ye continued, "in theory, this strategy lets you put the left one to sleep… then the right one."
"???"
"I Never Use Hypnosis—The Novel by Teacher Lu."
----
Watching the stream while eating, Gold nearly choked.
Wasn't Hypnosis the move Teacher Lu used the most?!
How could he say with a straight face that he never used it?!
"Kissu~ (′▽`〃)"
Meanwhile, across the screen, Togekiss Taro, who was usually full of rage, smiled warmly at the sight of his little sister on screen.
---
Back in the stream, Lu Ye was still explaining.
"For support, we can use the fast-attacking Salazzle, or have Clefairy and Porygon2 learn Gravity to switch to a Gravity Hypnosis team."
(Note: Gravity TM was removed in Gen 8, but it could be learned via TM in Gen 7.)
"Let's jump into a match, and you'll see." Lu Ye coughed lightly.
"Disclaimer—this is a fun team. Do NOT use it to annoy Gym Leaders!"
As he spoke, the matchmaking system found an opponent.
"Hmm? My opponent looks kinda cute."
Lu Ye blinked. "Wait a minute, doesn't this Trainer Card look familiar?"
A wide-brimmed white hat, golden wavy hair cascading down her shoulders…
With an indifferent expression—Unova's legal loli, Caitlin.
"HOLY SH*T, IT'S UNOVA'S PSYCHIC ELITE FOUR!"
"This is the third time he's matched against her, right?"
Last time… didn't he make her cry?
Lu Ye's expression turned complicated.
Even though this was "scientific Hypnosis," against a strong opponent like her… it was all up to luck.
As the match started, the chat exploded.
"Lu-bao, CRUSH HER!"
"She's running Trick Room plus Wide Guard—can this new team handle that?"
"Honestly, whether it works or not, it has to work."
Lu Ye's eyes sharpened.
"Go, Gengar! Go, Salazzle!"
This setup had a high-speed advantage.
But as Caitlin revealed her Pokémon, Lu Ye frowned slightly.
Metagross and Bronzong…
A classic Trick Room team. He'd need Taunt or Hypnosis to counter it before they set up.
Lu Ye took a deep breath.
"Gengar, use Hypnosis!"
---
Battle Frontier – Battle Castle
A woman in a sleek purple dress, stockings hugging her long legs, adjusted her glasses.
Phoebe, the Ghost-type Elite Four member, leaned forward with excitement.
"When a Trainer and Pokémon share a deep bond, the power of that connection shines through…"
She closed her book, her round glasses reflecting her growing enthusiasm.
"Caitlin, what do you think of this novel's opening line?"
"I don't know."
On a large pink princess bed, Caitlin lay with her head on Cynthia's lap, casually playing with her golden hair.
"I think it's quite nice," Cynthia said with a smile, eyes focused on her handheld game console.
"You two weren't even listening!"
Phoebe sighed, adjusting her glasses in frustration.
"Seriously… We're supposed to be working. How did this turn into afternoon tea again?"
Caitlin sat up slightly, her tone serious.
"Adequate rest is necessary."
Cynthia tilted her head, still smiling.
"Setting up a new gaming console to stabilize Caitlin's mood… This is all for the good of the Champion League."
"That's… not entirely wrong…" Phoebe rubbed her temples.
Keeping Caitlin in a stable mood was indeed a top priority for the Unova Champion League.
But these two looked more like they were just slacking off.
"Well… I'm just here to gather novel material anyway. Not my place to say anything."
Phoebe sighed, slipping a purple pillow behind her neck as she lounged on the couch.
"Speaking of which, neither of you have tried out the new console yet."
Caitlin shrugged. "Cynthia recommended it. It won't be bad."
"Why don't you test it out first?" Cynthia smiled. "See how good the performance is?"
Because of her previous matches against Teacher Lu, Caitlin had already destroyed two gaming consoles.
Inviting Cynthia over this time wasn't just for company—Cynthia's recommendations carried weight.
Otherwise, spending all day in the Battle Castle with nothing to do would be unbearably dull.
"Hmm…"
Caitlin murmured softly as she spread her legs to the side in a duck sit on the princess bed. A faint blue glow shimmered in her eyes.
The matchmaking screen lit up, slowly spinning.
"The gears of fate turn once more…"
Phoebe mused, smirking. "Can't help but think of that famous quote."
Matchmaking continued for nearly half an hour.
Cynthia let out a lazy yawn, her gaze wandering over the various cakes on the coffee table.
Then, Phoebe gasped slightly.
"An opponent from Donghuang… Teacher Lu?"
"Hmm?" Cynthia instinctively looked up, her eyes glinting with interest.
"Seems like a strong opponent," Phoebe murmured.
"Hmph…" The blue glow in Caitlin's eyes intensified.
—
The Battle Begins.
Right out of the gate—
Caitlin, having predicted Salazzle's position, commanded Metagross to take it out instantly with Zen Headbutt.
The sudden one-shot stunned the livestream audience.
"You had this coming, Teacher Lu!"
"Wait, hold up—since when does Lu pull off plays like this?!"
Amidst the confusion, Gengar grinned, eyes glowing blue as it effortlessly put Caitlin's Bronzong to sleep with Hypnosis!
Caitlin's eyes widened slightly.
A raw Hypnosis—no accuracy boosts—landed just like that?
The livestream chat was filled with question marks.
Wasn't this supposed to be a scientific Hypnosis team?
Why was he just raw Hypnotizing things?
This was downright uncivilized!
"Don't ask, it's all about the bond between Gengar and Teacher Lu!"
"Wait, is this Togepi's luck kicking in?"
Cynthia paused for a moment.
In this kind of high-stakes battle, turning the tide with Hypnosis wasn't exactly Teacher Lu's usual style…
"This is perfect novel material!"
Phoebe's eyes sparkled as she scribbled furiously in her notebook.
Overcoming adversity through a deep bond with Pokémon…
This is the mark of a true Trainer with a dream!
But what shocked the audience even more—
Gengar's second raw Hypnosis landed. Again.
"Alright!"
Teacher Lu roared, "Another Hypnosis lands!"
"???"
"Who is this man? Give us back the real Teacher Lu!"
"Putting them to sleep left and right—how is Gengar pulling off such a clean sweep?!"
---
Caitlin's expression remained tight.
The blue glow in her eyes flared even stronger, causing the water cup on the table to tremble.
"Relax," Cynthia murmured, gently stroking her golden hair.
"Luck comes and goes."
Caitlin blinked, then silently nodded.
---
Lu Ye himself was surprised.
"Holy sh*t… Am I actually lucky today?"
Besides Togepi's blessing buff, maybe…
Could it be that his affinity with Hypnosis was just that strong?
"Doesn't matter!"
The Tactics Master went full throttle, eyes sharp as he commanded:
"Porygon-Z, use Hyper Beam!"
The newly deployed Porygon-Z faced two sleeping opponents—a prime opportunity for a devastating sweep!
"Bzzzzzt—!"
Powerful electric pulses gathered, forming a blinding white beam—a literal railgun blast.
The ground split apart in the animation, debris flying everywhere.
Caitlin's pupils shrank slightly.
And then—
Hyper Beam MISSED.
Caitlin & Teacher Lu: ???
Even the livestream chat went silent for a moment.
What just happened?
He had raw Hypnosis land twice, but a high-accuracy Hyper Beam missed?!
Lu Ye cleared his throat.
"Stay calm, this is normal…"
"Porygon-Z, use Hyper Beam again!"
But history tends to repeat itself.
The second Hyper Beam also missed.
The atmosphere turned awkward.
Cynthia and Phoebe exchanged looks.
Phoebe: "Did he go easy on her?"
Cynthia: "No… I think he actually just missed."
And then, on the third turn—another Hyper Beam missed.
The chat collectively let out a sigh of relief.
"Ahhh, that's better."
"Now THIS is the Teacher Lu we know!"
"Change the disc, this luck is corrupted!"
Lu Ye's expression grew complicated.
He could justify the Hypnosis accuracy as a "bond" with Gengar…
But this?!
Three consecutive Hyper Beam misses…
What were the odds of that happening?!
"Tchugki-briee?" Togepi blinked.
How did you even manage that?
The dramatic turn of events made for great entertainment, but any advantage Lu Ye had was now completely gone.
With Porygon-Z—the traitor—knocked out, the match was now a 1v1 showdown.
A Gengar barely hanging on by a thread.
And a nearly full-health Metagross.
Seeing this scene unfold, even the viewers got emotional.
"If his luck wasn't so bad, Teacher Lu would already be world champion!"
"Hang in there, Gengar!"
"Don't give up, Teacher Lu!"
Battered and bruised, Gengar staggered back to its feet, eyes burning with determination.
Despite being on its last sliver of HP, it refused to go down!
"This is hype as hell… but why do I also feel like laughing?"
"Gengar, hold on!!"
With only one turn left to act, there was no way it could take down a full-health Metagross.
The only viable option—Hypnosis.
The problem was…
What were the odds of a raw Hypnosis landing? 60%? 50%?
But for a Trainer who just missed three Hyper Beams and three Hydro Pumps in a row…
The probability was probably in the 0.000X% range.
However, if you believe in your Pokémon—your Pokémon will respond in kind!
"Gengarr."
Lu Ye's eyes sharpened.
"Use Hypnosis!"
"Gengarr!"
A dazzling blue light erupted from Gengar's eyes, filling the entire screen.
Hypnosis—HITS!
"YES!!"
Lu Ye roared, "SPAM SHADOW BALL! LET'S GO!"
"GENGARR!! GENGARR!! GENGARR!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Shadow Ball explosions rained down on Metagross, its HP bar vanishing in an instant.
The screen switched—WIN.
—
"Wait… Caitlin lost to Teacher Lu again?"
The chat, stunned for several moments, finally snapped back to reality.
"Hold up… this 'scientific' Hypnosis strategy doesn't seem very scientific at all?"
"Raw Hypnosis the entire match?! Really?!"
"Yeah, but missing every Hyper Beam? That checks out."
"Absolutely classy… Truly, this is Teacher Lu!"
—
Battle Frontier – Battle Castle
Cynthia sighed, staring at the smoking gaming console.
Well, there goes another one… time to buy a new one.
"The way Gengar and its Trainer sync up perfectly…"
Phoebe scribbled furiously in her notebook, eyes sparkling.
"This is prime novel material!"
"I think…" Cynthia chuckled. "The constant misses were also quite… unique."
"Right, right! I need to write that down too!"
Meanwhile, Caitlin remained in a duck sit on her princess bed, head hanging in defeat.
"Alright, cheer up," Cynthia said as she casually sent a Super Rocket Gift to the livestream.
"Let's go out for ice cream. My treat."
"I wanna go too!" Phoebe cheered from behind.
Caitlin, still sulking, gave a reluctant nod.
But as Cynthia and Phoebe turned away, she quickly wiped the corner of her eyes.
Stupid game. I'm never playing this again!
—
After successfully "bullying" Caitlin, Lu Ye pulled Gold in for a few more practice matches, collecting footage for a new video.
As he edited the highlights and reviewed his battles, Lu Ye massaged his temples.
"Not even Togepi's luck can save me, huh?"
But there was an unexpected silver lining.
Teacher Lu was starting to notice…
He had an uncanny synergy with Hypnosis.
Even in his battle against Lance, it was Hypnosis that turned the match around.
"Maybe I should get Gengar to train it more."
Lu Ye rubbed his chin. "I guess… this counts as a special kind of bond?"
That said…
Other Trainers' "bonds" were usually things like Pikachu's Thunderbolt, or Charizard's Flare Blitz…
Meanwhile, his bond was just… spamming Hypnosis?
Was this really okay?!
—
After finishing the video edit, Lu Ye uploaded it while planning his schedule for the next day.
Tomorrow was Trainer Academy Orientation.
And he also needed to start drafting the new game proposal.
"Better get some rest."
Yawning, Lu Ye collapsed onto his bed.
"Gengar, Hypnosis."
"Keke—Gengarr!"
Gengar chuckled, eyes glowing blue…
—
[Ding! Your video has been successfully uploaded!]
[Click to watch: 'Teacher Lu Teaches You Battle #11: The Hypnosis Team'!]