For the next hour, Aiden continued deploying this "essence-based" Transform tactic—running rampant through doubles casual matches.
"Please, Mega Kangaskhan—Power-Up Punch the opponent!"
"The boring mind games end here—it's time to finish this farce with Double-Edge!"
"What do you mean I'm low HP again? That Drain Punch just healed me right back up!"
"Double-Edge—again!"
Though completely unlike his usual nightmare-tier strategies—this was straightforward, clean sweep-and-steamroll battling—Aiden found himself unexpectedly enjoying every moment.
Meanwhile, the chat—having witnessed the entire "Teacher Azure mercilessly demolishing children" spectacle—had grown thoroughly numb.
[STOP! This isn't Pokémon battling anymore! Since when can your Kangaskhan Swords Dance while punching people?!]
[New player question: Is a 180-power Double-Edge even LEGAL?!]
[How can such a broken Pokémon exist—not just two copies, but potentially THREE?!]
[Who else felt divine salvation when Mega Kangaskhan's Fake Out nearly erased Alakazam's entire HP bar in one hit?]
[Fainted from Mega Kangaskhan's sheer power————Too strong, Lord Mega Kangaskhan!]
[This is supposed to be a sunny strategy—why do I feel a chill running down my spine?!]
By 7:30 PM, Aiden had blitzed through ten consecutive victories—and amid his viewers' "enthusiastic" cheers, smoothly concluded today's stream.
But just before signing off, a sudden spark of inspiration struck him—and he left behind a few pointed remarks:
"By the way—you've probably noticed this Transform tactic is fundamentally different from anything we've seen before. It lets users unleash their full creativity."
"So as a rare pop quiz—I challenge all of you to put those brilliant little brains to work and develop Transform strategies for other Mega Pokémon~"
"I won't be making a video on this one. But if you post your ideas on PokéTV, I'll like the most interesting builds as encouragement!"
With that, Aiden vanished—leaving behind a sea of bewildered students staring blankly at their screens.
[What did Teacher Azure mean at the end? Is he seriously asking us to adapt this tactic for other Pokémon?]
[Actually kinda cool—now that you mention it, the core is just Ditto or Smeargle using Transform to copy a Mega user. Swapping Kangaskhan for something else should work fine!]
[Though being limited to doubles is kinda restrictive… wish we could use it in singles too—]
[That's a good thing! Singles ranks are precious—doubles are just for fun, losing LP doesn't matter. That's why Teacher Azure specifically told us to experiment in doubles!]
[Teacher Azure… you're so gentle————]
[Mega Blaziken volunteers for duty! Just imagining Speed Boost on two of them is already broken!]
And so—thanks to Aiden's machinations—the Pokémon Champions meta grew even livelier after he went offline.
For a time, ranked doubles became a carnival of bizarre Pokémon. Previously niche Mega users saw dramatically increased usage as trainers eagerly injected their own interpretations into Teacher Azure's heavily promoted "Transform tactic."
Dual Blaziken Speed Boost priority sweeps or double Gardevoir enjoying doubled happiness? Those were merely child's play.
After all—among Aiden's regular viewers were quite a few genuine prodigies.
Thus—
Next on stage: Mega Scizor—Bullet Punch delivering double the pain after power boosts!
Mega Glalie—double Ice Body explosions!
Mega Banette—bouncing back nearly all status moves!
And the utterly deranged dual Camerupt—whoever moves slower gets instantly OHKO'd by their teammate's Earthquake!
For a time, ranked Doubles became an endless parade of abstract plays—often leaving both sides laughing mid-match.
Forget whether it's practical—just tell me if it's fresh!
In a sense, Aiden had truly pioneered an era of grand shenanigans that would persist for quite some time. Truly… a heinous crime against competitive integrity——
Of course—beyond the students' experiments, Aiden's stream had also drawn another audience: elite veterans.
Aside from Paldean and international rookies, Aiden's viewer base included no small number of seasoned competitors frequently seen at major tournaments.
Among them was one particularly reliable middle-aged man from Kanto—who, after watching today's broadcast, fell into deep thought.
"Kangaskhan and Ditto combos, huh——"
"Interesting. If Transform could perfectly replicate a Pokémon's power in real life, this tactic's utility would extend far beyond what Aiden demonstrated."
"Still… it needs battlefield validation."
"Conveniently, tomorrow a promising rookie—one Aiden personally endorsed—has a scheduled Gym challenge. Perfect test subject."
"If even Aiden claims he can inherit Viridian Gym and master the 'Way of the Earth'… then holding him to higher standards is only natural."
—
Time rewinds to Monday at Viridian Gym.
"Hah—huh… hah…"
After several rounds of brutal combat (read: one-sided annihilation), Blue no longer possessed the strength to rise from the floor—collapsing onto the Gym's cold tiles, gasping for air.
Scattered around him lay his once-proud partners—clearly drained of every last drop of stamina after the earlier battle.
Blue felt as if he'd just taken a stroll through hell.
I was such a fool—I should've known——
He'd assumed Leader Giovanni would follow Blaine's example—deploying only one overpowered Mega Kangaskhan against him.
Had that been the case… victory might've remained possible.
But the moment battle commenced, Blue's mind went blank.
What he'd expected to be a favorable 7v3 matchup (Kangaskhan mother-child + Giovanni) instantly transformed into a hopeless 7v13 slaughter after five Dittos simultaneously took the field!
Sure enough—all Kanto Gym Leaders have forsaken humanity and followed Teacher Azure down the path of corruption!!!
Though he'd reacted instantly—attempting to prevent the Dittos from using Transform—he'd been forcibly obstructed by Kangaskhan's mother-child duo and Giovanni himself.
Overwhelmed by sheer numbers, he'd been reduced to a helpless punching bag from the opening second.
Had he and his trusted partners not endured Entei's trial, they likely wouldn't have survived even those hellish five minutes——
It's just a standard Gym challenge—no need to go THIS hard, Mr. Giovanni!
Tears of despair welled in Blue's eyes.
Just then—Aiden's face flashed through his mind.
"You can do it—I believe in you~"
DAMN IT, TEACHER AZURE'S STILL CHASING ME EVEN NOW?!
Utterly exhausted, Blue nearly face-planted right there on the floor.
Those encouraging words Aiden had given him on the plane now rang with suspicious undertones——
Had every trial he'd endured along his journey… also been calculated by Teacher Azure?
The price of becoming Champion… is truly terrifying!
Blue instinctively turned his head away.
But then—imagining Red suffering similarly—he strangely found pain mingled with joy.
As his thoughts drifted, consciousness gradually blurred…
"Hmph."
Across the battlefield, the composed, suit-clad Giovanni observed Blue's struggling form—and shook his head with faint exasperation.
"At your limit already?"
Though this kid named Blue had likely never encountered such tactics before… in truth, he'd only deployed one Mega Kangaskhan and five Dittos. He hadn't even managed to mount a coherent counterattack—losing with embarrassing ease.
He truly couldn't fathom how Aiden had taken interest in this brat—let alone claimed he'd soon surpass himself.
Still—at least his objective was accomplished.
Through that "warm-up" match, he'd clearly perceived Transform's practical limitations in real combat.
The Ditto-Transformed Mega Kangaskhan might match the original's physical specs—but the chasm in battle experience between counterfeit and genuine was simply too vast.
Even Kangaskhan's baby—who'd never fought before—could flawlessly execute his tactical directives, continuously harassing opponents.
But the transformed Dittos seemed to inherit their species' sluggish reaction times—struggling to synchronize mother-child coordination during battle.
Against stronger opponents, exploitable openings would surely emerge.
Still—these issues weren't insurmountable.
Once the tactic was standardized, these Dittos would only need to mimic one Pokémon long-term.
With sufficient training to engrain combat into instinct… they could still deliver solid performance—far more convenient than raising other Pokémon from scratch.
An unorthodox—but potentially surprisingly effective—path to strength.
Having reached this conclusion, Giovanni's expression remained placid.
The old him might've ordered his executives to disseminate tactics like this across Team Rocket—just as he'd once done with Aiden's Minimize strategy.
But now——
Team Rocket paled in importance compared to what truly mattered.
"Hey, kid—can you still stand?"
Shedding his Gym Leader facade, Giovanni stepped forward—delivering a cold remark as his leather shoe nudged Blue's arm.
No response came.
Giovanni wasn't surprised.
After all—even endorsed by Aiden, this brat ultimately failed to meet expectations.
Earning eight Badges might not be difficult for him… but aiming for Champion? He fell drastically short.
Though he hated admitting it—after growing close with Aiden, that troublesome dragon-obsessed Lance had genuinely improved. And the other Elite Four members surely hadn't remained idle—none would allow him to casually shatter the balance and claim the throne.
Thus, becoming Champion this generation was exponentially harder than before.
And even inheriting his Viridian Gym? This kid was utterly unqualified.
As the weak—no matter how diligently they strive—there will always be those forever beyond their reach.
Effort alone was never enough. The world overflowed with self-deceiving "hard workers."
Beyond extraordinary effort, one needed the conviction to burn everything for strength—that was the weak's only path to victory.
But unfortunately—he saw none of that in Blue.
Fail.
Yet——
Just as Giovanni turned to leave, a hand suddenly seized his half-raised foot.
"It's… not… over yet——"
Giovanni's motion to pull away froze mid-motion.
He turned back—and realized Blue hadn't regained consciousness.
Meaning… my judgment was flawed?
Had that action been pure instinct—so deeply engraved into muscle memory?
Surprise flickered across Giovanni's face—then melted into a faint smile.
From that single act alone, one truth became clear:
This kid… must've fought many brutal battles before.
He'd grown so accustomed to hardship that his very body now moved on autopilot.
And he'd never once surrendered—persisting through sheer will every single time.
"Interesting."
Giovanni withdrew his foot, gazing down at the unconscious yet fiercely determined youth.
He suddenly realized—Aiden's eye for talent might not be quite as poor as he'd assumed. At the very least… potential for growth existed within this boy.
Then—for now—he'd test just how far that potential extended.
"Rest well, kid."
With a sharp motion, Giovanni disengaged his foot from Blue's grip.
But now—his expression and tone had softened considerably, as if donning once more the benevolent mask of Viridian Gym Leader.
"Starting tomorrow—I'll spare half an hour daily to accept your challenges."
"Until you satisfy me."
Giovanni's voice faded with his receding footsteps—only a final whisper lingering in the air:
"If you succeed… this Gym—into which I've poured so much of myself—can finally be entrusted to you."
—
May 4th, Monday
While Blue suffered at Viridian Gym, Paldea basked in a gentle spring day.
Aiden's previously conceptualized "Sunshine Gym Expansion Project" officially commenced today.
"So the Pokémon world actually has this level of professional renovation teams——"
Watching the efficiently coordinated construction crew just beyond the Gym gates, Aiden couldn't help but marvel.
Conkeldurrs handling plastering and framework; Machamps hauling heavy materials from trucks; specially modified Revavrooms serving as cargo carriers; and human foremen directing operations.
In merely a morning, this fully functional team had already erected the skeletal framework for the expansion zone.
Truly worthy of the title "professional crew."
Aiden nodded in satisfaction.
Looks like Salamence will finally get its own nest tonight——
This expansion primarily aimed to craft dedicated living quarters for the Gym's resident Pokémon.
After all—Sunshine Gym had never anticipated housing so many loaner Pokémon.
Rather than cramming everyone together, providing larger, more comfortable habitats was clearly the better choice.
Especially for Salamence.
Even with Mewtwo temporarily shrinking it, its weight remained unchanged—requiring constant Psychic support just to prevent it from collapsing the floorboards——
Perhaps this is the price of growth.
Sighing, Aiden's peripheral vision caught an approaching figure.
Nemona.
"Teacher Azure—Sunshine Gym's finally expanding?!"
Bouncing over with palpable excitement, Nemona's voice practically sparkled.
"This is amazing! If we keep expanding like this… I'll be able to step outside and arrive at Sunshine Gym instantly!"
"Please keep it up, Teacher Azure!"
Glancing instinctively toward Nemona's distant villa, Aiden couldn't help but retort: "No no no—even if Champion Geeta approves, we're definitely not expanding to swallow the entire Kettling Town——"
"Besides—it's just about creating more comfortable habitats for the Pokémon. Won't take up much space."
"——I see——"
For some reason, Nemona's face instantly fell.
So that future she'd envisioned—stepping outside to instantly encounter Teacher Azure, followed by a passionate Pokémon battle—had been pure fantasy all along?
What a shame!
But true to her free-spirited nature, Nemona's disappointment lasted only a moment before she bounced back with renewed energy.
"Oh right! I came to see you about something else today!"
As Aiden regarded her curiously, Nemona plunged a hand into her pocket—producing a commemorative Luxury Ball received after bulk Poké Ball purchases.
"A while back, I encountered a really interesting Pokémon near the lighthouse! After battling it—I caught it~"
As she spoke, Nemona pressed the Ball's central button—a red flash erupting forth.
Soon, a strangely shaped Pokémon materialized on the ground before Aiden.
At first glance—an ornate, ancient treasure chest, utterly failing to register as a living creature.
Half-opened, its interior gleamed with special coins glittering under sunlight.
But look closer—and a single arm could be seen protruding from among the coins.
"Gimmighoul?"
Aiden's eyebrows lifted in surprise at the Pokémon's appearance.
"Yes! Teacher Azure knows it too!"
The moment Aiden spoke, Nemona's face lit up with "I knew it!" energy. She crouched down, gently grasping the arm emerging from the coins.
Soon—a gray-bodied Pokémon with eyes uncannily resembling golden coins came into view.
"I originally thought I'd found a treasure chest full of valuables! But when I tried taking a coin—this guy suddenly popped out! And even after winning the battle—it still wouldn't let me touch the coins inside!"
"But since we met… that must mean we share a special bond, right? So I tried catching it!"
Nemona puffed her cheeks, summarizing the encounter with characteristic flair.
Undeniably—very her style.
Aiden nodded—but his gaze remained fixed on the somewhat shy Gimmighoul.
In a sense——
This little guy might be even more precious than actual treasure!
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