"Is there anything Natsume-sensei can't do?"
"This could practically be a mini Pokédex… so good!"
"I can't pull a UR card, I'm gonna die!"
To Natsume's surprise,
a significant portion of the user base turned out to be adults.
Perhaps the Pokémon Trading Card Game fulfilled their dream of becoming Trainers, something they couldn't achieve in real life.
On Nico Dou, a flood of unboxing and deck-building videos emerged.
"The mystical art of pulling rare cards."
"I slipped a Ghost-type card into my pure Fire-type deck!"
"A hundred ten-pulls! Let's see how many URs I can get!"
The incredible hype even spilled over into the group chat.
Old Man Wattson chuckled. "Natsume… hey, can you hook me up with a couple of UR cards? I can't pull any!"
You're asking me? Where am I supposed to get them?
I can't pull them either!
"Old Man, that's not fair!"
Gold said righteously. "Get me a couple too!"
"Celadon University has quite a few students recommending it."
Erika said. "It's surprisingly popular among Trainers."
"Well, Professor Samuel Oak has been promoting it too," Crystal added with a smile.
Gold: @Crystal, class rep, let's play together!
"I… I'm just starting out, I'm not very good…" Crystal blushed.
"It's fine, I can teach you."
Gold thought to himself: Isn't this the perfect chance to crush a newbie?
"Really?" Crystal's eyes lit up.
Natsume was surprised as he read the chat logs.
Could it be that after spending so much time with Red,
Gold's emotional intelligence has also improved?
His phone vibrated with a message from Cabbage Ice Cream.
Cabbage Ice Cream: I tried the new game, but I'm still a bit confused about some of the rules…
Natsume-sensei: No worries, I can teach you!
Sinnoh, Canalave City.
Inside Lucian's home.
Longtime fans Aaron and Flint were intently focused on the cards in their hands.
Lucian closed his book and sighed. "You've been playing cards for two hours! Is slacking off really okay?"
Aaron's green cowlick twitched. "Lucian, you've been watching for two hours too, haven't you?"
Lucian grumbled. "Anyway, once you finish this game, get out of here!"
Flint ignored him, rubbing his hands together. "Heh, you gotta admit, Natsume-sensei is a genius… Pokémon battles can even be simulated with cards!"
Aaron pushed up his non-existent glasses. "The formula for victory is set. Go, Beedrill, use Pin Missile!"
"Based on the dice roll, Pin Missile will deal damage five times!"
Flint casually revealed his hand. "Destiny Bond."
You put a Gengar in your Fire-type deck?
Who taught you to play so dirty? Could it be Natsume-sensei?
Hoenn, Rustboro City.
Thanks to Devon Corporation's headquarters being located here,
Rustboro City's Trainer Academies were among the first to embrace the card game craze.
Moreover, thanks to the open gaming culture and promotional efforts,
many students and teachers were followers of Pokémon Studio.
Roxanne, for example, had once stayed up all night to beat Plants vs. Zombies.
But now, her most urgent task was confiscating cards from students to prevent them from disrupting class.
After all… the game was just too popular.
With Professor Samuel Oak's endorsement, many parents actively bought dozens of packs for their kids.
A pack wasn't expensive, and it saved them money on tutoring.
That said, many students were sneaking card games during class.
It was a double-edged sword.
On the bright side, scores in 'Type Advantage' and 'Pokémon Ability' courses had noticeably improved.
This gave Roxanne some comfort…
"I heard Natsume-sensei might come to teach at the Battle Department?"
"Don't get your hopes up. Why would he come to a small place like ours?"
"True… but it'd be amazing if Natsume-sensei were our teacher!"
Roxanne leaned against the wall, listening to the kids' innocent chatter, tears streaming down her face.
A man with red hair, resembling a lion,
sat in a monitored house, unable to step beyond the warning Line.
In this world, thanks to Blue Oak's activities in the Kalos Region, Team Flare's conspiracy had been thwarted early.
Though Lysandre hadn't been imprisoned, he was under strict surveillance.
In the dimly lit room, Lysandre, dressed in a suit, looked solemn and self-assured.
"You're here," Lysandre said.
His once close friend, the scruffy Professor Augustine Sycamore, handed Lysandre a beer. "How've you been?"
Lysandre pushed the beer aside, frowning. "Augustine… sometimes I wonder if my ideals were wrong…"
"A beautiful new world?"
Augustine Sycamore smiled. "Of course, because such a world could never exist."
Lysandre's eyes sharpened.
His red hair, like a lion's mane, bristled with majesty.
Lysandre showed Augustine the card in his hand.
"What's this?" Augustine was momentarily stunned.
"I requested it from the outside, had the officers bring it in."
Lysandre said. "Its creator calls it the Pokémon Trading Card Game."
"Pokémon Trading Card Game?"
Augustine Sycamore rubbed his scruffy beard, as if recalling something.
"Ah… Professor Samuel Oak was mocked for quite a while because of this."
"Fools, all of them."
Lysandre's eyes burned with intensity. "Only Samuel Oak is truly wise."
"A world without strife, without conflict, a beautiful world."
"A world entirely governed by cards."
Lysandre gently rubbed the card in his hand, his gaze softening.
"I think… this is what they're trying to express…"
Augustine Sycamore opened his mouth, then chuckled wryly. "You're as imaginative as ever!"
Lysandre didn't argue, folding his hands and murmuring, "Lysandre Labs' holographic technology… is still under development. It won't be long before the world I envision is born through this technology."
"You still… haven't given up on that idea?" Augustine narrowed his eyes.
Lysandre shook his head. "Someone will realize this dream for me."
"An organization that carries many wills, many dreams, many… evils."
"I think the arrival of that organization isn't far off."
"Visiting hours are over."
Augustine Sycamore shrugged.
"If that time ever comes, I'll let you know."
In the dim light, Lysandre caressed the card in his hand, murmuring the name like a divine revelation: "Mentor…"
"Wow, these cards are making a lot of money!"
Natsume grinned as he looked at the weekly report Oleana provided.
Oleana said, "The follow-up versions are in progress… Also, the Pokémon Trading Card Game seems to have gained quite a fan base in the Kalos Region."
Natsume thought about it. The Champion was Diantha, and the villains were Team Flare.
That Lysandre guy with the red lion's mane… his hairstyle just screams 'card game pro!'
Natsume shook his head. "Let's not worry about other regions for now. Focus on capturing the market around Tokyo first."
"Also, I might be heading to other leagues for a while soon."
"To investigate overseas markets?"
Oleana nodded. "Understood. Preparations for overseas branches will be put on the agenda!"
Natsume's expression turned odd.
Well… that's not wrong, is it?
Lately, Cynthia had been so engrossed in the card game that she hadn't had time to play games with Natsume.
This left Natsume-sensei feeling a bit empty.
Back at home, Togepi sat quietly on the sofa, flipping through Koga's Toxic manuscript…
The sheer incongruity of the scene made Natsume sigh.
Could it be… that this is really a strategy-oriented Togepi?
Natsume signed for a delivery.
Seeing the sender's name, his expression suddenly turned complex.
Sender: Cabbage Ice Cream
So that's why my right eyelid's been twitching lately.
It was waiting for me here!
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