Hoenn Region – Verdanturf Town.
A gentle breeze rustled through the thick green canopy, casting dappled shadows across the peaceful town.
With its crisp, refreshing air, Verdanturf was known as one of Hoenn’s top destinations for rest and recovery.

Inside a modest house,
a frail, green-haired boy lay bedridden, suffering under the weight of his illness.

Even in his sleep, bronchitis tormented him—his breathing labored, his coughing fitful.

Outside the room, a woman wore a face full of worry.

“Is it really okay to let Manatsu go to Kanto all by himself?”

“I’ve already contacted Professor Oak,” the man of the house replied softly.
“Yuhong City has the best medical facilities... they might help improve Manatsu’s condition.”

“But!” the woman’s voice grew anxious before she lowered it, not wanting to wake the boy.
“Manatsu’s dream… is to become a Trainer!”

“Yuhong Academy has agreed to accept him as a transfer student,” the man sighed. “He can attend classes while receiving treatment. It’s the best compromise we have.”

The two of them fell silent, simply standing outside the hospital room, hearts aching with every cough from inside.

Inside the room,
the frail green-haired boy once again dreamed of that moment.

He gasped for air as he ran down a rugged, stone-paved path, stumbling and falling hard to the ground.
His limbs ached, but just ahead, he could see the light of the exit.

That figure he was chasing—white cap, green jacket—was now within arm’s reach.

“Ruby!”

Manatsu called out hoarsely:
“Please battle me!!”

Countless times, he had fallen into the abyss of illness, ready to give up.
But it was Pokémon who gave him strength—who helped him push forward.

Please... Ruby.

Manatsu wiped his eyes with frustration from where he had fallen.
I want to prove to you...
that I’ve been working hard too!

In the dream, Ruby turned around.
“No problem.”

With a smile, Ruby gripped his Poké Ball.
It wasn’t sympathy.
It wasn’t pity.

It was the focused gaze one gives a worthy rival.

“Let’s have an all-out battle!”

Manatsu woke from the dream, staring at the ceiling, a small smile forming on his lips.

“So… I’m really going to Kanto.”

A hand reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corner of his eye.

“Gallade, you’ll stay with me the whole time… won’t you?” Manatsu whispered.

Like a silent guardian, Gallade said nothing—only stood quietly at Manatsu’s side.

Before the trip, both Ruby and Sapphire came to see him off.

“I’ve got some connections in Kanto,” Ruby grinned. “Don’t forget to drop my name!”

Sapphire immediately kicked him, ignoring Ruby’s dramatic yelp as she turned to Manatsu with concern:
“Make sure to stay in touch, okay?”

“Yeah.” Manatsu tugged nervously at the straps of his backpack and nodded. “Definitely.”

[A moment of silent eye contact between the two:]
[Ruby: Are you trying to kill your future husband here?!]
[Sapphire: Can you not ruin the mood?]
[Ruby: I was trying to lighten it!]
[Sapphire: …Really? You were?]

“Come to think of it, Yuhong Academy—Ruby and I both wanted to go there…”
Sapphire coughed lightly, tapping her chin, then sighed,
“But we never passed the entrance exams.”

“You never passed. I only failed so I could keep you company…”

“Shut up!”

Watching the two bicker and laugh so naturally,

Manatsu looked down and adjusted the position of his bag once more.

“Mm… I’ll keep in touch.”

“Don’t forget our PokéNav numbers, alright?!”

Waving goodbye,
Manatsu finally let out a long breath, as if a burden had been lifted.

“Aren’t they your friends?” his older sister asked. “You looked super nervous just now.”

Manatsu gazed out the train window at the fading green scenery, remaining silent.

Yeah, we’re still friends.
And I still have the chance… to be one of them.

He lowered his head and silently gripped the strap of his satchel.

But, sis… when your friends are way better than you…
It doesn’t feel like you can talk about everything anymore.

“You know Manatsu?” Professor Oak asked.

“Manatsu?” Lu Ye blinked.

Wasn’t he… that poor guy from the Special manga?

First, he helped Professor Birch evolve Treecko into Grovyle.
Then he helped Norman open the Sky Pillar and summon Rayquaza.

And after the whole Hoenn war ended—
he didn’t even get to keep the special Pokédex, and his Grovyle got handed off…

But from another perspective—
This frail boy had always been fighting illness while chasing his dream of becoming a Trainer.

And eventually… he caught up to Ruby, the son of a Gym Leader, on the path to becoming a Champion.

You could say—he had just as much courage as any Pokédex holder.

It’s just… Emerald was the main character of Special: Emerald.
Manatsu’s Pokédex and Sceptile ultimately ended up in Emerald’s hands.

He worked so hard and got nothing in return…

Lu Ye let out a soft sigh.

“Please, go on, Professor Oak.”

“He’s a very hardworking kid… but also pretty reserved,” Oak said.
“I’ve never really known how to speak to him.”

Professor Oak rubbed his hands, looking a bit guilty.

“He’ll be transferring to Yuhong Academy soon. I wanted to ask a small favor of you.”

“Of course.”

Oak nodded, then began to tell Manatsu’s story.
Aside from skipping over the ‘Hoenn Dumb Duo’ arc, it was pretty close to how Lu Ye remembered it.

“Originally, that Treecko belonged to Emerald, but due to a twist of fate, it ended up with Manatsu.”
“Still… taking it away from him later was pretty cruel.”

Oak sighed. “After Manatsu returned the Pokédex, I kept thinking…”

“Someone who performed so well in Hoenn deserves a Pokédex of his own.”

“That’s great news.”

“But his chronic illness… asking him to collect data could be a heavy burden on his health.”
Oak exhaled. “So I’ve been struggling with the decision—until just recently.”

On-screen, Professor Oak reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and pulled out a light green Pokédex.

“I’d like you to give this Pokédex to Manatsu.”

His smile carried a hint of helplessness.

“It’s not the special edition… but consider it a long-overdue gift.”

As the leading figure in Pokémon research, Professor Oak had a lot on his plate.
For him to remember an unknown, unsung boy like Manatsu, and personally arrange for him to receive a Pokédex—

Even if it came late, it spoke volumes about Oak’s kindness and character.

“Leave it to me,” Lu Ye smiled.
“Once he finishes enrollment, I’ll find the right moment to give it to him.”

Helping make up for the regret in this boy’s story… brought Lu Ye a quiet sense of comfort too.

“There’s one more thing,” Oak added, suddenly serious.

“If his health condition takes a turn for the worse, we may need to reassess everything.”

“I’ll keep an eye on things,” Lu Ye nodded. “Do I need to go to Pallet Town to pick up the Pokédex?”

“No need—you just need to head to the Pokémon Center in Yuhong City. I’ll have someone deliver it there.”
“No problem!”

After ending the call, Lu Ye glanced in the direction of the principal’s office.

Next… time to meet this Manatsu I’ve heard so much about.

Inside the principal’s office, Principal Initial was processing Manatsu’s transfer paperwork.

“There’s still an open spot in Teacher Lu’s class,” Principal Initial said.
“Why not join his class?”

Manatsu didn’t object. He kept his head down and gave a soft nod.

Just then, Lu Ye pushed open the office door.

“Perfect timing, Teacher Lu,” the principal greeted him.
“This is the student transferring into your class.”

Wearing a white button-up shirt, soft green hair draped over his forehead, both hands nervously gripping his backpack straps—

The frail, green-haired boy gathered his courage, his cheeks slightly flushed from his illness.

“G-Good afternoon, Teacher! Cough!”

For someone with bronchitis, even a single sentence was exhausting.

“You can just nod or shake your head.”

Lu Ye smiled warmly. “Did you come here on your own?”

Manatsu nodded quickly.

“I’ll treat you to lunch, then. Let’s head to the cafeteria after this.”

Lu Ye patted Manatsu on the shoulder. “All done with the paperwork?”

Manatsu nodded again.

“Alright, let’s go then!”

“Order anything you want!” Lu Ye declared boldly in the cafeteria.

After all, the staff cafeteria was free!

Manatsu still looked nervous and uneasy.

“You start coughing every time you talk?” Lu Ye asked.

“If I speak softly and slowly, it’s not too bad,” Manatsu said in a gentle voice.

“Then you must’ve put a ton of work into mastering battle commands.”

Manatsu blinked and looked up at Lu Ye instinctively.

“No need for that surprised look.”
Lu Ye smiled. “Ruby mentioned you.”

“A friend and a rival worth recognizing.”

Manatsu immediately started coughing, but his eyes lit up. “R-Really?!”

“Of course,” Lu Ye smiled again.

“You’re just a bit too shy. You don’t usually take the initiative to talk to others, right?”

Manatsu blushed and lowered his gaze to the lunchbox in front of him, falling into silence once more.

“Alright then.” Lu Ye ruffled Manatsu’s hair with a grin.
“Join the others for training this afternoon—no skipping!”

The warmth of that touch… the acknowledgment from a teacher and friend…
For a moment, Manatsu was completely dazed.

His old school, worried about his health, never let him participate in outdoor activities.
So… he and Gallade could only train in secret.

Snapping out of it, Manatsu quickly said:
“N-No problem!”

Lu Ye wasn’t too concerned about the training part.
Moderate exercise would actually be good for someone with bronchitis.

“Where are you staying?” Lu Ye asked.

“My dad rented a place near Yuhong City,” Manatsu said softly, starting to relax a little.
“He works back in Hoenn and can’t come right now.”

Lu Ye nodded.
“If anything comes up, come find me.”

“Don’t be late for practical class this afternoon. We’re counting on you to shine.”

Manatsu nodded firmly, flustered.
“I-I won’t be late!”

That afternoon – Practical Class.

As a transfer student, Manatsu received a warm welcome from his new classmates.

And his Gallade left everyone stunned with its impressive strength.

Getting compliments actually made Manatsu even more embarrassed—he scratched the back of his head shyly.

Lu Ye crossed his arms and nodded in satisfaction.

When you’re alone, it’s easy to overthink things.
Kids like Manatsu at that age need more interaction with their peers.

During break time, Lu Ye let everyone move around freely and called Manatsu over to the side.

“This is from Ruby and Sapphire—they asked me to give it to you.”

“What is it?”

“Mt. Chimney rice crackers,” Lu Ye said. “A specialty from Hoenn. Just a little taste of home.”

In the chat group, Sapphire had asked Ruby a few days ago to send over some snacks.

Lu Ye originally thought they were for him—only later realizing they were a gift for Manatsu.

Manatsu stared at the bag of rice crackers in a daze for a long moment.

Then he finally exhaled and smiled in relief.

Maybe… I really was just overthinking things.

“Teacher Lu,” Manatsu looked up, eyes hopeful. “Want to eat together?”

Manatsu integrated into the class far quicker than Lu Ye expected.
But thinking about it, he was still just a kid that age.

He simply carried too much on his shoulders, which made it hard to connect with others.
Now that he had Lu Ye to confide in, and had reconnected with Ruby and Sapphire… things were finally falling into place.

“Teacher Lu… I think IVs and EVs are really important,”
Manatsu said privately after a theory class on Friday.

“Rather than raising a Pokémon with poor potential… I-I think…”
Manatsu gritted his teeth. “I think it’s better to start over with one that has better base stats!”

Fighting against time and illness, Manatsu was more willing to train high-potential Pokémon to grow stronger.

He could never have said this to anyone else.

But with Teacher Lu, Manatsu finally felt safe enough to speak his mind.

Lu Ye didn’t scold him like Manatsu feared. Instead, he fell into thought.

“Chasing strength in battle… there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Lu Ye gave him a light tap on the head.

“But Pokémon are living beings—not just stats like IVs, EVs, and base values.”

“A frail Beedrill can rival the divine. A Delibird can dance with twin gods.”

Lu Ye smiled.
“Just like your Gallade—loving and trusting it means more than any of its stats.”

Manatsu quietly mulled over Lu Ye’s words and turned to leave, deep in thought.

But Lu Ye called out to him again.

“Manatsu, I’ve got one more gift for you.”

“What is it?” Manatsu turned around—only to see Lu Ye holding out a light green Pokédex.

“It’s from Professor Oak,” Lu Ye said.
“It’s loaded with the full national database—the latest model. It’ll be a huge help for any Trainer.”

Manatsu stood frozen.

Then, as if snapping out of a trance, he reached out with trembling hands and accepted the Pokédex.

“It’s… really for me?” he asked, not quite believing it.

“You earned it a long time ago.”

Lu Ye patted him on the shoulder.

“You’ve worked really hard, Manatsu.”

In an instant, tears welled up in Manatsu’s eyes.

He coughed hard, then suddenly bowed deeply.

“Thank you—cough—thank you so much!”

Tears streamed down as he wiped his cheeks roughly with his sleeve.

“You should be thanking Professor Oak.”

Lu Ye handed him a tissue and smiled.

“You’re going to make a great Trainer.”

With a flash of red light, Gallade appeared beside Manatsu.

It took the tissue for him and stood firm, blocking out the prying eyes from around them.

Manatsu suddenly realized how ridiculous it was to judge himself or his bond with his Pokémon by things like ‘potential’.

With teary eyes and a bright smile, he said,

“Thank you, Teacher Lu!”

Friday evening.

After work, Lu Ye rode Arcanine home.

Manatsu’s condition was stable—he shouldn’t have any problems participating in matches.

With that, the three student representatives for the tournament were now complete.

As for the faculty match…

Just have Gengar start prepping in advance!

Lu Ye gave Professor Oak a call to report that the request had been fulfilled.

“Thank you, Lu Ye!”

“You’re too kind.”

It hadn’t been a big deal for him.
But after hanging up, Professor Oak seriously began thinking about how to properly thank Lu Ye.

Suddenly, he clapped his hands and his eyes lit up.

Lu Ye’s planning a new battle team, right?

Why not invite him to my backyard and let him pick out a Pokémon that suits his style?

He remembered one particular Pokémon—sent by Modu University’s Breeding House during a past collaboration.

Professor Oak stroked his chin, falling deep into thought.

That one… Lu Ye should be very interested in it, right?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read