Chapter 298: If You’re Weak, Train More; If You Can’t Handle Losing, Don’t Be a Trainer

The video continued playing.

Nobody knew how many similar incidents happened that same day.

One rookie Trainer went out with a Chimchar and ended up being chased through three streets by a wild Buneary firing Swift.

Another tried to catch a Cherubi only for the Cherubi to turn around and unleash Solar Beam, instantly knocking out his Piplup.

Within two days, more than three hundred new posts appeared on Twinleaf Town’s local Trainer forum.

Every single one was a complaint.

The thread titles came in all varieties.

"Guys, Seriously—Did All the Wild Pokémon Around Twinleaf Town Start Taking Drugs or Something?"

"I Finally Reached the Age Where I Can Start Traveling. I Just Wanted to Find Some Weak Pokémon to Farm for Experience, and Instead a Buneary Chased Me Down the Street. IS THIS NORMAL?!"

"Have We Considered the Possibility That We’re the Experience Fodder?"

"If You’re Weak, Train More; If You Can’t Handle Losing, Don’t Be a Trainer."

And the real changes were actually far more ridiculous than the forum complaints made them sound.

More and more Pokémon that had originally been gentle by nature began actively challenging people.

They weren’t trying to hurt anyone.

They simply had one thought: "I feel stronger." "I want to test it."

So they tested it once.

And Trainers dropped in droves.

Long lines formed outside the nearby Pokémon Center.

Nurse Joy was so busy she barely had time to breathe, while Chansey pushed stretchers back and forth from morning until night so quickly that the wheels practically started throwing sparks.

[VIP Chat Group]

[Raihan]: If the Power of Viridian can teach a Bidoof to trash-talk its opponent, this isn’t healing anymore. It’s just giving every Pokémon cheats!

[Aaron]: So is that Trainer who got mocked by the Bidoof doing okay? I recommend contacting the League’s psychological counseling department.

[Roark]: ...Getting sent straight to the Pokémon Center by a Bidoof on your very first day outside. That’s going to leave one hell of a psychological scar.

[Siebold]: Those rookie Trainers probably won’t dare wander around Twinleaf Town anymore. Maybe they’ll even give the area a nickname.

[Volkner]: Like what? "Rookie Graveyard"?

[Flint]: Or maybe "Cheat-Code Forest."

[Lt. Surge]: I think those rookies should be thanking Hina! Special training at this level would normally cost money! They’re getting it for free! They should be celebrating!

[Koga]: Lt. Surge, there’s a fairly high chance someone would punch you if they heard you say that.

[Valerie]: Is Hina’s Power of Viridian almost covering all of Twinleaf Town now?

[Viola]: Probably not the entire town. But judging from the video, at minimum, a huge area surrounding the Day Care is already being affected. That’s terrifying enough.

[Volkner]: Good grief. Doesn’t that basically make Hina a mobile Pokémon enhancement tower now?

[Leon]: Exactly! Once Hina learns to stabilize her power, she could hold a "Power of Viridian Open Day" around the Day Care. Every Trainer in the region would probably line up to send their Pokémon there!

[Shauntal]: I hereby announce that my new book is already finished. Its title will be—I, the Walking Training Zone: Every Pokémon Within Five Kilometers Gains 100× Training Speed.

[Iris]: Miss Shauntal’s writing speed is starting to seem a little abnormal...

[Shauntal]: When inspiration strikes, there’s no stopping it.

Just then—

The image on the giant screen suddenly froze.

[Ding! Question Time!]

[Generating random question...]

[Question: On the Twinleaf Town Trainer forum, how many likes has the post titled "If You’re Weak, Train More; If You Can’t Handle Losing, Don’t Be a Trainer" received so far?]

[A. 6666]

[B. 114514]

[C. 520]

[D. 9999]

[Buzz-in begins in thirty seconds!]

[VIP Chat Group]

[Iris]: Huh? Why is everyone so quiet this time? Nobody wants to buzz in?

[Volkner]: With that demon father-daughter pair around, why bother putting in the effort?Might as well wash up and go to bed early.

[Aaron]: ...Tiana? You there?

[Tiana]: Yep~

[Flint]: All right, everyone disperse. This question clearly has nothing to do with us.

[Raihan]: You’re surrendering before it even starts? Can you people show a little competitive spirit?!

[Volkner]: Then tell me how the hell we’re supposed to deal with time stop. We can’t even touch the button before the whole thing is already over!

[Countdown: 3... 2... 1——]

[Ding! Buzz-in begins!]

A gigantic red button appeared in the center of the screen.

[Ding! Congratulations to Steven for buzzing in first!]

[VIP Chat Group]

[Raihan]: ??????

[Leon]: ??????

[Wallace]: ...Am I seeing things?

[Raihan]: Steven got it?! He actually got it?!

[Volkner]: Wait, where’s Tiana?! Why didn’t Tiana buzz in?!

[Flint]: Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could Steven possibly be faster than time stop?!

[Cynthia]:@Tiana, what exactly happened?

[Tiana]: Mom, what are you talking about? Tiana doesn’t understand at all~ (:3」＜)

[Cynthia]: If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll have your dad go catch you and bring you home.

[Tiana]: (°□°;) W-Wait, wait, wait! I’ll talk! I’ll talk! Uncle Steven just offered way too much...

[Cynthia]: ...What did he give you?

[Tiana]: A complete set of Devon Corporation’s newest Fossil Restoration Machines... three primordial fossils... and one complete collection containing every type of Mega Stone...

[Wallace]: Good grief, Steven. You actually bribed a little girl just so you could win a quiz buzz-in?! Where’s your dignity as a Champion?!

[Steven]: Wallace, that’s far too narrow-minded. Buzzing in isn’t merely a contest of reaction speed. It also tests one’s resource-integration capabilities. Niece Tiana and I conducted an equivalent exchange. It’s a win-win arrangement!

[Volkner]: So what if you managed to buzz in? Can you actually answer the question correctly? It’s asking how many likes some forum post has. Do you know the answer?

[Steven]: Of course I do! When it comes to numbers of likes, the answer is obviously going to be something cultured and profound!

[Raihan]: And your answer is...?

[Steven]: Obviously B! 114514! That’s an artist’s lucky number!

[Wallace]: ...Are you sure?

[Steven]: Absolutely, positively, unquestionably certain! Who am I? The Hoenn Champion! A master of the arts! My instincts have never been wrong!