Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

When it came to other questions, Kiawe might feel a bit uncertain. But when it came to battle strategies, his confidence soared.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Kiawe confidently gave his answer:

"The three Pokémon mentioned in the question... Although Zubat's wings are injured, it doesn't explicitly say it has lost its ability to fly, so I'll rule that out."

"Next, Exploud... While sneaking up on an Exploud playing in the mud might work for a surprise attack, it would undoubtedly provoke its fury. An angry Exploud would make a deafening noise, potentially attracting other Pokémon and putting us in danger."

"So... I'll have Squirtle attack Trapinch! As a Ground-type Pokémon, Trapinch is weak against Water-types like Squirtle. And since Trapinch is dozing off, we can take this opportunity to land a decisive hit, capture it, and safely leave the cave!"

The more Kiawe spoke, the more confident he became.

"Your analysis up to that point was decent, but unfortunately..." Luo Yuan spread his hands with a shrug, "You're still wrong!"

"Why?" Kiawe looked perplexed.

His reasoning seemed flawless!

"You're correct that Zubat's injured wings don't mean it has lost its flying or battling ability, and that an enraged Exploud could indeed attract other Pokémon or even cause a cave collapse," Luo Yuan explained.

"But your judgment about Trapinch was off," he continued.

"I'm guessing you haven't read Secrets of the Earth, have you? In the Chapter on Trapinch, it mentions its peculiar behavior. When it buries itself in the ground, it's not actually napping—it's hunting."

"Trapinch digs funnel-shaped pits in the sand or soil and waits for prey to stumble into the trap. If you command Squirtle to attack Trapinch, it will fall right into its hunting zone and become the prey instead."

"Uh... then what's the correct answer?"

If what Luo Yuan said was true, it seemed none of the options were viable.

"The correct answer to this question is... to turn around and go home!" Luo Yuan stated matter-of-factly.

"Exploring caves is an activity for adults. A rookie Trainer who just received their starter Pokémon shouldn't dream of spelunking all day. The proper approach is to hone your skills through battles with Bug Catchers and Youngsters to level up your Pokémon first."

This wasn't the battle strategy question Kiawe had assumed but rather a safety awareness question.

The main purpose was to warn rookie Trainers not to underestimate the dangers of the wild.

Unless one had extraordinary talent, like Luo Yuan or Sabrina, the best path for others was to follow a steady progression—focus on strengthening their Pokémon first, ensuring safety before venturing into the world.

Even though the League reinforced safety education each year, there were always overconfident rookie Trainers.

The result?

They often ended up spending several days bedridden in Pokémon Centers before they even made it to a Gym.

Not only was it unpleasant for them, but it also burdened the Pokémon Centers unnecessarily.

---

Afterward, Luo Yuan directed questions at Mallow, Sophocles, and Lillie.

Only Sophocles managed to show a decent grasp of knowledge, while the rest failed miserably.

The classroom sank into a somber atmosphere.

None of them had expected such a disastrous outcome.

After all, they attended class every day...

Seeing his students' expressions, Luo Yuan wasn't disappointed.

Their poor performance was simply a result of differing educational approaches.

Accustomed to Alola's laid-back education system, it was natural for them to struggle when faced with Kanto's rigorous exam-style questions.

Still, since he had come to Alola as an exchange teacher and was being paid for his work, it was his responsibility to introduce Alola to Kanto's most advanced teaching methods.

"Next, I'll focus on teaching you the areas where your knowledge is weakest," Luo Yuan announced.

He pulled out a stack of papers.

"This is the set of exam papers I prepared—seven sets in total. You'll complete one set every day at home and turn them in for me to review and correct."

As he handed out the Pokémon Certification Exam Practice Papers with Sabrina's help, the students wore frozen expressions.

Cries of despair filled the room as the children of Alola, raised on a foundation of joyful education, experienced the harsh discipline of Kanto's rigorous "exercise drills" for the first time.

---

Time flew by during Luo Yuan's lessons.

Before long, it was time for the lunch break. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Luo Yuan glanced at the students slumped over their desks, as if their souls had been sucked out of their bodies, and shook his head.

This was just the beginning. Since it was the first class, he had only given them an appetizer. Yet they were already struggling. Clearly, the people of Alola weren't great at handling pressure.

As Luo Yuan pondered, the classroom door suddenly swung open.

Even before entering, Samuel Oak's voice rang out, "So, how was your first class as a teacher, Luo Yuan?"

The moment Samuel Oak stepped into the room, he saw the scene before him.

His voice trailed off.

He turned to Luo Yuan, who shrugged innocently.

"I just introduced Kanto's educational methods here, that's all..." Luo Yuan said.

Hearing this, Samuel Oak felt a twinge of unease.

Having studied in Kanto during his youth, he was all too familiar with its education system.

Unlike resource-rich and sparsely populated Alola, Kanto's dense population and limited resources fueled fierce competition, giving rise to methods like "exercise drills" in education.

While effective at rapidly improving knowledge, such methods were undeniably harsh on students.

Having personally experienced the grueling education system, Samuel Oak had founded Alola's Pokémon School to offer a more progressive alternative.

"Luo Yuan..." Samuel Oak hesitated, worried that criticizing Luo Yuan after his first class might discourage him.

Noticing Oak's expression, Luo Yuan quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, Principal Oak. I've already taken your concerns into account."

"On days when I teach, the mornings will be for theory lessons, and the afternoons for practical activities," Luo Yuan explained.

At the mention of activity classes, the classroom seemed to regain some life.

"That's a relief," Samuel Oak said with a sigh.

He couldn't help but admire Luo Yuan—such foresight at such a young age was indeed remarkable.

Just as Oak was about to leave, Luo Yuan called out to him.

"Principal Oak, there's one more thing related to the Aether Foundation..." Luo Yuan glanced at Lillie as he spoke.

Lillie stood up from her seat, clutching her bag tightly.

---

...

If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.

Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!

If you enjoyed the journey and want to support the person who made it possible, you can find them here:

👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]

Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.

Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.

– Syr ✨