16: Chapter 15: A Top-Tier Battle of Wits!
16: Chapter 15: A Top-Tier Battle of Wits!
Chapter 15: A Top-Tier Battle of Wits!
Back during his academy days, Sean used to constantly rely on the classic “I forgot my homework at home” excuse to cover up the fact that he hadn’t done it at all.
After he used it twice, Professor Elm began to get suspicious.
Sean also knew that if things continued like this, his cover would blow sooner or later.
Therefore, on the third occasion, after finishing his ecology report assignment, he slipped it right inside another weekly test notebook and turned them in together.
Later that afternoon, when Professor Elm asked Sean why he hadn’t turned in his ecology report, Sean began to frantically rummage through his backpack in mock panic, defending himself: “I did it, but I can’t find it!” Professor Elm naturally didn’t buy it, speaking with pure sarcasm: “You didn’t do it, did you?
Stand up for the rest of class!
Write a make-up report!” Later that afternoon during class.
When Professor Elm was handing back all the graded assignments, Sean’s ecology report, which had been tucked inside the weekly test notebook, was discovered exactly as planned!
In front of the entire class, Professor Elm said: “Your ecology report was stuck inside your test notebook.” At that exact microsecond, Sean was already grinning like a mastermind in his heart!
Everything went exactly according to plan!
He immediately pulled out the make-up ecology report he had already finished writing, speaking half-annoyedly: “Sigh~ I already rewrote the entire thing.” “Professor, where is the trust between human beings?
When I said I did it, I meant it, yet you still suspected me!
What kind of person do you take me for?!
This is an absolute insult to my character!
Doesn’t your conscience hurt?!” Sean spoke with such thunderous force and absolute righteousness that even Professor Elm was drawn right into his rhythm, feeling a wave of genuine guilt.
This move let the entire class know that Sean had been wrongfully accused.
And the only reason he went through so much trouble to stage this entire performance was to set up a future play…
Four days later.
Professor Elm assigned an assignment consisting of two exceptionally long worksheets.
The entire class looked utterly miserable, while Sean was the only one desperately holding back a massive smirk!
*Just as I predicted!
Just as I predicted!* *No, not yet.
I can’t laugh yet!* The next morning, the entire class finished the massively long worksheets and turned them in.
Sean was the only one who didn’t.
Professor Elm interrogated him: “Where is your homework?” “Ah, sorry, Professor.
I wrote it, but I can’t find it~” Sean knew that Professor Elm had already “wrongfully accused” him once before, and had even been publicly called out by him in front of the whole class!
Therefore, whether the professor suspected him this time or not, he wouldn’t force him to do a make-up assignment again!
Lo and behold!
Professor Elm actually told him to sit down this time.
For the first time ever, the strict professor didn’t make someone do a make-up assignment.
As for those two massive worksheets, Sean had already folded them into paper airplanes and flown them off to who knows where!
Sean: “Hehehehe…” Though Silver ended up tipping Professor Elm off later on, and Sean still didn’t escape the punishment of a make-up assignment.
That absolute traitor!
———————————— No wonder it sounded so familiar!
Professor Elm immediately ignored Sean’s straight-faced nonsense.
His brain operated at Mach speed, instantly locking onto the one place most likely to be exploited.
“Oh no!” Professor Elm’s face paled.
He rushed back into the house at extreme speed to inspect his kitchen!
He violently yanked the refrigerator door open, threw the pantries wide, and nervously began counting his supplies.
A few minutes later, finding that absolutely nothing was missing, he froze in place, thoroughly bewildered.
He furrowed his brows, feeling that things were definitely not this simple: “Could it be another setup?
What on earth is Sean’s true objective?!” …
…
The unexpected viral success of the Violet Gym challenge video had allowed Sean to secure a decent chunk of fast cash.
He led his Pokémon toward the shop in high spirits to purchase supplies.
Once a person secured funds, they would easily engage in retaliatory spending.
He was currently buying the three-Pokédollar bottles of Iced Black Tea!
“Ke-giah!
(Are we throwing our future away?)” “Don’t worry, your boy Sean has money to burn!” “Ke-giah.
(A fool and his money…)” Following their messing around, Sean began purchasing the essentials for his journey.
Once everything was locked and loaded, he headed straight for the New Bark Town station.
Sean sat on a bench at the station, waiting for the bus bound for Azalea Town to arrive.
The sky was a clear, pale blue, white clouds drifted lightly, and the warm sun spilled down gently.
The light was soft and bright, and even the wind carried a trace of warmth, leaving one’s heart entirely at peace.
Yet, Sean felt a strange lump in his chest, a sensation he couldn’t quite articulate himself.
The moment the bus pulled into the station…
He didn’t board it.
Instead, he turned around and walked back toward Professor Elm’s laboratory.
Sean wanted to say a proper goodbye before leaving.
Although he constantly picked fights with Professor Elm, the professor was, after all, the person who had looked after him and cared for him.
Furthermore, once he set off on this journey, who knew how long it would be before he could return?
By all accounts of logic and etiquette, he should say goodbye.
As he walked leisurely along the path leading to Professor Elm’s laboratory, an unexpected situation occurred!
*BOOM—!!!* A thunderous roar echoed through the air, the violent explosion making the very ground tremble beneath his feet!
The relaxed expression on Sean’s face vanished instantly, a sudden sense of foreboding enveloping his mind.
“Professor?!” Snapping out of it, he sprinted frantically in the direction of the laboratory.
Thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.
The closer he got to the laboratory, the more his anxiety mounted.
When Sean finally managed to get a clear view of the entire laboratory premises, the scene before him caused him to freeze dead in his tracks.
The laboratory was currently being swallowed by a roaring inferno, columns of grey smoke billowing heavily into the sky.
What shocked him even more was that out of that massive shroud of rolling smoke, a menacing black helicopter rose into the air!
A massive “R” emblem was stamped prominently onto the helicopter’s fuselage.
Sean’s eyes went wide.
Through the helicopter windows, he could clearly see Professor Elm being firmly pinned down by several Team Rocket grunts dressed in black uniforms.
His mouth had been taped shut, and he was struggling violently, his eyes completely filled with fury!
The helicopter blades spun rapidly, charting a high-speed course toward the distant horizon.
“Professor!” Sean bellowed.
Anxious and enraged, he made an immediate decision: “Gengar, quick!
Follow that helicopter!
Track it from a distance and locate their hideout.
Don’t get spotted, and stay safe!” “Ke-giah!
(Understood!)” Gengar also knew the situation was critical.
It instantly unleashed an incredible burst of speed, silently giving chase directly in the direction the helicopter had flown.
Sean, meanwhile, headed straight for the police station to locate Officer Jenny.
…
The news the following day.
The fact that Professor Elm had been kidnapped by Team Rocket in broad daylight and his laboratory blown to pieces instantly drew the highest level of attention from the Pokémon League.
During his youth, Professor Elm had made monumental scientific contributions to multiple fields of research, including Pokémon breeding, nurturing, and evolution!
His research findings remained a foundational cornerstone of the academic community to this day, making him an irreplaceable and invaluable asset.
For Team Rocket to go so far as to expose their tracks and utilize such an extreme method to kidnap him meant they were highly likely targeting his unparalleled scientific talent.
They intended to force him to serve them, conducting terrifying experiments in the shadows that threatened the region—and potentially the entire world!
The severity of this incident had far exceeded standard criminal activity.
The League reacted swiftly, immediately dispatching the current Kanto Champion, Lance—renowned for his overwhelming strength and fierce sense of justice—to assist the local police and the International Police in conducting a comprehensive investigation.
They were resolved to rescue Professor Elm at the absolute fastest speed possible and completely shatter Team Rocket’s conspiracy!