The influence of PTCG among the new generation of trainers is expanding rapidly.

Lu Ye’s Togepi often plays online card games with the young Mew.

As the "Father of PTCG," Lu Ye naturally never refuses Dakduo’s invitation to play cards.

The street lamps flicker intermittently, their lights flashing as the two trainers face off.

Behind Teacher Lu floats the 'Card Spirit' Haunter, glaring with bright crimson eyes: "Gengarrr!"

Dakduo wears a cloak, his long hair flowing. In the shadow beneath his feet, Darkrai trembles.

“Is this really okay?”

Darkrai nearly in tears said, “Last time I ran into this Haunter, I almost didn’t make it back!”

“Don’t worry,” Dakduo replied calmly, “It’s just a card duel, not a Pokémon battle.”

Darkrai: “...”

Yeah, sure I believe you!

When I first bonded with you, you actually use that bond to play cards?

Although communicating telepathically, Teacher Lu’s “Power of Transcendence” still successfully eavesdropped on their team voice chat.

Lu Ye paused, thinking to himself, “So this Darkrai is the one from Suimài City…”

Darkrai has a deep impression of this Haunter who knows "Dark Void" and tries to avoid it.

But he cannot resist his trainer’s card addiction and silently follows the two into the PTCG Club located on Lilycove Island.

Ding-ling-ling—

The wind chimes sway.

Dakduo pushes open the wooden door of the club, attracting seven or eight pairs of eyes. He turns back and says:

“Teacher Lu, this is the place.”

Lu Ye sees the offline PTCG club for the first time, looks around the setup, and greets the dazed members:

“Hello.”

Several members swallow hard, instantly in an uproar.

“Te-Teacher Lu?!”

“The founder of PTCG!!”

“Can you explode an Ultra Rare card if you beat him?!”

Several crimson eyes fix on Lu Ye’s card pack at his waist as if they had just seen a Master Ball.

It’s worth noting that female members in the club are few, most with flowing and colorful hairstyles.

Lu Ye and Haunter both freeze briefly;

Dakduo sighs helplessly: “They’re just like that.”

Lu Ye clears his throat and nods: “I understand!”

The two sit at a table, ready to play. A member speaks up:

“Teacher Lu, I just watched your match this morning!”

“Didn’t expect you to be a coordinator!” The person smiles, “Togepi is just too adorable!”

Lu Ye: “I’m pretty good at cards too.”

That person freezes, looks around, and suddenly realizes: “You’re going to duel Dakduo!”

Card dueling is so fierce!

Lu Ye wipes his face and explains: “Just some leisure before the next match.”

The top eight quarterfinals of the Lily of the Valley Conference are scheduled for the day after tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrow is Ash and the others’ match;

if Ash wins, he will battle Paul for the top four.

There is a day off before that, so playing cards to relax isn’t bad.

Surrounded by the eager gazes of club members, Lu Ye shuffles cards while pondering:

“What was I originally supposed to do tonight…?”

Shaking his head, Lu Ye focuses his eyes.

Now, playing cards is undoubtedly more important!

Dakduo sits on a wooden chair, shuffling cards coldly, looking like a wild gunslinger in the card game.

This PTCG champion collected the latest Sinnoh expansion pack and topped the league with a "Darkrai deck."

This game is his gamble of glory, challenging the "Father of PTCG!"

“Then, I’ll toss the coin.” Lu Ye said.

The club members hold their breath.

They watch as Teacher Lu thumbs up and lightly tosses the coin.

Ding—

The coin spins several times, wobbling on the table, and falls on the “tails” side as expected!

“According to offline club rules,” Dakduo said, “I choose the order.”

“I choose to go first—”

“Draw!”

Dakduo’s hands move like afterimages, instantly drawing seven cards!

Lu Ye was about to ask Togepi to draw for him but shook his head.

“Let’s wait until I lose before letting Togepi draw.”

Teacher Lu also has his dignity as the "Father of PTCG!"

“Draw!”

Lu Ye elegantly draws seven cards, glances over them, and his expression becomes interesting.

“What’s wrong?” Dakduo asks.

All seven cards are energy and trainer cards—no basic Pokémon!

Starting hand full of magic traps? You want me to summon with a “fist” attack marker?!

Lu Ye shows his hand and helplessly says, “According to the rules, I redraw my hand… you can draw one more card from your deck.”

Dakduo raises an eyebrow—Is Teacher Lu helping him?

But he still coldly draws a card and adds it to his hand.

Then Teacher Lu redraws again;

Dakduo draws two cards, earning a two-card advantage.

The club members marvel at Teacher Lu’s luck.

“Can someone’s luck really be this bad?”

“Or rather, how many useless trainer cards did Teacher Lu stuff into his deck?”

On the third try, Lu Ye finally draws his first basic Pokémon, Gastly.

Lu Ye: “I place this card into the battle zone.”

Dakduo slaps down Darkrai right from the start!

Lu Ye: ?

Did you use super glue? No shuffle, just summon Darkrai?

The club members react with an ‘ohhhh.’

“Here comes the boss’s Darkrai!”

“That’s the bond between boss and Pokémon!”

Lu Ye feels awkward.

Using a bond not for Pokémon battle but for card playing?

Dakduo, your Pokémon are crying!

“Darkrai cannot attack on the first turn.”

Dakduo flips his hair: “I attach a Dark energy, my turn ends.”

“I attach a basic Psychic energy to Gastly, turn ends,” Lu Ye says.

Both sides follow the rules and attach energy cards in the first round.

In the second round, after attaching energy cards, Darkrai’s 'Dark Pulse' is ready, and next turn it will surely one-shot Gastly!

Dakduo coldly stares at Lu Ye:

“One turn left, Teacher Lu.”

Lu Ye’s gaze sharpens.

Even playing cards, I have my bond with Haunter!

Haunter floats behind and scratches its head: “Gengarrr? (•́ω•̀)¿¿¿”

Why does it feel like the trainer suddenly fired up with Gengarrr?

Using “Power of Transcendence” to contact Togepi, Lu Ye receives a blessing from the lucky stars.

“Chakiduyi~ (^_−)☆”

“My turn—draw!”

Lu Ye looks at his hand and slowly smiles.

Time to show real skill (and cash)!

“From my hand, I use an item card, Master Ball!”

Lu Ye slaps down a golden shimmering UR card;

the purplish-red “Master Ball” blinds the members’ titanium-level eyes.

“Globally limited Master Ball!”

“PTCG is our own company, so we can do whatever we want!”

“President Lu, I suspect you printed cards yourself!”

Amid the club members’ wails, Lu Ye begins the story:

“According to the Master Ball’s effect, I can search my deck for a Pokémon card, reveal it to the opponent, and add it to my hand.”

“I choose to add—”

Swish!

Lu Ye elegantly reveals a UR from his deck: “Gastly’s final form, Haunter!”

“Even so,”

Dakduo calmly said, “Gastly can’t evolve twice in one turn—”

“Shoryudo na ka!”

Lu Ye quickly slaps a dazzling, gleaming UR “Rare Candy” from his hand!

“Activating item card ‘Rare Candy’ effect!”

Lu Ye said, “I can choose a Stage 2 evolution Pokémon card from my hand, place it on a basic Pokémon on the field that can evolve into that Pokémon, and skip Stage 1 evolution to complete evolution!”

“What?”

Darkrai’s pupils shrink, and the club members are stunned by this extravagant card combo.

“Double stage skip evolution!”

“Wow! Golden legend!”

“These two cards are way too luxurious!”

“I swear, this is the privilege of the Father of PTCG!”

“I choose the Haunter I just added to hand and evolve the Gastly on my field.”

Lu Ye shows Haunter’s UR card, eyes sharp.

“Evolve, Haunter!!”

“Gengarrr~ヽ(￣▽￣)ﾉ” Haunter flies out behind Lu Ye.

Lu Ye: “... We’re playing cards, not calling you.”

“Gengarrr…” Haunter’s expression darkens, and it flies back dejectedly.

Looking at the imposing Teacher Lu and his cross-stage evolved Haunter,

Dakduo takes a deep breath, face troubled: “I activate Darkrai’s move ‘Dark Void.’”

“It can also be used during the opponent’s turn by discarding an energy card and flipping a coin;

if heads—”

“Muda dersi, Dakduo Boy~~”

Because there is no limit on item card uses per turn, Teacher Lu goes all out!

“From my hand, I activate Pokémon Tool, Haunter Mind Link!”

Lu Ye said, “I perform my super evolution for this match;

with Mind Link attached, Haunter can still attack after Mega Evolution!”

“Mega Evolution?!” Dakduo’s pupils quake in shock: “What is this mechanism?!”

“From the Kalos expansion pack,” Lu Ye’s face reddens as he coughs, “It hasn’t been released yet.”

Dakduo: ???

“Please, be a reasonable person, Teacher Lu!”

“Stop it, this isn’t a duel at all!”

“Honestly... as the founder, using a deck ahead of its time is reasonable, right?”

Bathed in 'Mind Link,' Haunter radiates the rainbow colors of Mega Evolution.

A brilliant “Mega Haunter EX” card is slapped onto the table by Teacher Lu.

Lu Ye continues: “Attach a double colorless energy, combined with the previously attached basic psychic energy, I activate M Haunter EX’s move—”

“Phantom Gate!”

The club members wail.

“That move isn’t legal, Teacher Lu!”

“Is it going to one-shot Darkrai?”

“Phantom Gate lets you choose an opponent’s Pokémon move and attack with it.”

Lu Ye suddenly points at Dakduo and his Darkrai behind him.

Dakduo’s face stiffens, fingers clutching the cards turning pale.

“I choose Darkrai’s move, Dark Pulse!”

“This way, M Haunter’s attack won’t be affected by Darkrai’s resistance to psychic types—”

“Here it comes, M Haunter EX!!”

Dakduo shudders violently;

he vaguely sees Mega Haunter’s hand gathering pitch-black Dark Pulse, exploding on Darkrai!!

Dust flies, and “Darkrai EX” collapses unconscious.

Lu Ye draws two reward cards from Dakduo and smiles slightly:

“My turn ends.”

The surroundings fall silent, club members gape in disbelief.

“One turn, one-turn KO’d the president’s Darkrai?”

“Explosive☆Kill!”

“Just as expected of you, President Lu!”

Dakduo has lost the will to fight, pushes back his hair, and sighs softly:

“I admit defeat… Teacher Lu.”

His voluntary surrender surprises Lu Ye.

But since today was just for leisure, Lu Ye extends his hand and smiles: ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novelFɪre.net

“That was a pleasant duel.”

Dakduo forces a smile and says bitterly: “I can only hope to compete with you in Pokémon battles.”

Behind him, Darkrai looks fearful and hides back in the shadows.

Lu Ye nods: “Anytime.”

“By the way.” Dakduo hesitates: “That Kalos expansion pack…”

“Ah, it will be released in a few months!”

Dakduo’s eyes burn as he nods firmly.

Then he will come learn from him with a new deck!

Before that, he must win the Lily of the Valley Conference and get more powerful cards from President Lu!

“Darkrai.” Dakduo silently turns, “Let’s train!”

“No.” Darkrai sulks.

“…When fighting the president, try not to lead.”

“Alright!”

...

Night deepens, Teacher Lu is in high spirits returning home.

Cynthia leans on the sofa reading, her blonde hair falling as she supports her cheek.

“Chakiduyi~~”

Togepi happily bounces out of its Poké Ball and grabs a tablet, eager to connect online with Mew.

Seeing Teacher Lu play cards all night, the little one is excited to try playing with Mew.

Lu Ye’s steps pause: “Still not asleep this late?”

“You know it’s late,” Cynthia slowly lifts her head and glances sideways.

She still feels shy recalling the promise she made this morning.

The key is, she couldn’t reach him for hours, and Mengmengda is slightly annoyed.

“I went to play PTCG.” Lu Ye honestly says.

Cynthia is surprised: “PTCG?”

“The card game I taught you before.”

Lu Ye smiles: “There are only two Bamboo Lan trainer cards in the world, globally limited.”

Cynthia recalls the gift he gave her and the anger mostly fades. She lazily says:

“You’ll sleep on the sofa tonight.”

She stretches lazily, gets up from the sofa, picks up Togepi, and heads to the bedroom.

“Duyi~ (ﾉﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ” Togepi is oblivious, focused on the tablet.

At the door, Cynthia turns, closes it, and playfully winks: “Good night~”

Bang!!

Though cute, the door closing gives Lu Ye a hint of killing intent.

“Kabie…ヾ(⌐■_■)”

Blastoise leisurely pours itself a cup of hot tea and a cup for Lu Ye.

Sitting on the sofa opposite Lu Ye, Blastoise slowly blows away the steam.

This is Turtle’s way of soothing its master’s mood.

Lu Ye drinks the nourishing Revival Herb tea and murmurs:

“Looks like card players usually choose between Mengmengda and playing cards, and they pick the latter...”

Lu Ye has lost too much for the sake of cards!

The long night stretches on;

Lu Ye naturally browses the Lily of the Valley Conference forum.

Teacher Lu’s elegant battle with Nando has attracted much attention on the forum, and Togepi has gained many fans.

“Didn’t expect Teacher Lu to combine tactics and contest battles to this level… It’s dirty and cool!”

“Farfetch’d is so handsome! The Meowth booth’s Farfetch’d merchandise sold out instantly!”

“Buy it home to make scallion pancakes?”

The quarterfinal match groupings are also released with much excitement.

Lu Ye’s opponent is a new trainer from Hoenn named Wen Nai, a lively young girl.

According to info from the Team Rocket Trio, Wen Nai’s ace Pokémon is Spiritomb, and she even has Mega Evolution capability.

“Hoenn, new trainer, Mega Evolution.”

These keywords make Lu Ye think of a passionate rock collector.

Steven-san, you’ve gifted Mega Stones to Hoenn rookies again!

“New trainers from Hoenn get really luxurious treatment,” Lu Ye sighs.

“Wait... I remember Mega Spiritomb has a big red gem!”

Lu Ye strokes his chin, sinking deeper into thought…

…