Pokémon Champions
A next-generation game developed by Game Freak over the course of five years and released less than a month ago.
Not only does it incorporate Lysandre's holographic imaging technology and Unova's global networking communication systems to create the most realistic online Pokémon battles, but it also features digitized data for most known Pokémon, authorized by professors from various regions through League channels.
"Holy crap, this is like a sci-fi movie!"
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
Seriously? Did Game Freak really have this kind of tech?
Though it seemed far-fetched, it was indeed the world's first Pokémon battle game.
As such, Pokémon Champions had exploded in popularity online in recent weeks, gaining recognition even among Elite Four members and Champions.
Aiden double-checked on PokéTV—eight out of the top ten trending videos were related to this game.
The other two unrelated videos came from the Kanto region: one was a short vlog about Professor Oak's daily life, and the other was the Cerulean Sisters' Underwater Ballet…?
"Can you even upload this?"
After glancing through the top ten trending videos, Aiden had already gained a basic understanding of the current battle meta.
Due to geographical limitations, regions had remained largely isolated from one another for a long time.
It wasn't until the rapid development of the internet over the past decade that people began to learn about areas outside their own.
This led to one major issue:
Most people couldn't even recognize all the entries in the Pokédex. Knowing every Pokémon in your own region was already impressive.
Let alone using them in battles.
Even some Gym Leaders' strategies seemed a bit…
Simple?
"Folks, watching Infernape pull off a Flare Blitz at low health for a reverse kill feels so good!"
"Three Swords Dances in, and Garchomp's attack hits 13,000 points!"
"Don't underestimate my bond with Kricketune! With a focus sash, let's turn the tide!"
No toxic gimmicks or cheap tactics—trainers were enjoying pure, passionate battles. For now, the game environment radiated wholesome vibes.
Upon realizing this, Aiden couldn't help but chuckle.
Though he wasn't a professional player in his past life, he had years of battle experience under his belt and was no stranger to high-level play.
With his understanding of battles, standing out among these naive locals shouldn't be too difficult.
And more importantly—
In his past life, as a quirky content creator, he was familiar with odd and obscure Pokémon strategies.
He'd had his share of highlight-reel moments and cringeworthy fails, a combination guaranteed to keep viewers entertained.
"So the key is figuring out how to build my reputation."
Aiden fell into deep thought again.
He had always assumed that a Gym Leader's strength was the primary measure of a gym's quality.
But that wasn't necessarily true.
That level of expectation was reserved for official League-designated gyms—and even then, some regions allowed watered-down standards.
Take Cerulean Gym in Kanto, for example, which had been memed to death countless times.
They gave away badges with tickets, yet before Misty took over, it was still thriving.
As long as a gym could sustain itself, the League generally turned a blind eye.
For an ordinary gym like Sunshine Gym, this leniency was even more pronounced.
What mattered most was character.
An excellent gym needed a unique trait to attract challengers and sustain its operations.
This could be expertise in raising a specific type of Pokémon or incorporating fun mini-games before battles, as seen in other gyms in the Paldea region.
During his parents' tenure, Sunshine Gym's selling point had been two elite Trainers with distinct styles, drawing many moderately skilled trainers to challenge them.
Like the Petalburg Gym Leader Norman in Hoenn, they built their fanbase through sheer skill.
But Aiden clearly wasn't at that level yet.
"The only advantage I have right now is the information gap from being a reincarnator."
Aiden quickly acknowledged this fact.
At this stage, when many advanced tactics from his past life hadn't yet been developed, this was the only way he could think of to break the deadlock.
Battling was undoubtedly the number one sport in this world, but the high barrier to entry for real-world battles deterred many.
Now, with Pokémon Champions making its explosive debut, it was only a matter of time before it became a phenomenon-level game.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
So—
To save Sunshine Gym?
He would debut as a big-time streamer!
First, build his popularity. The gym's operations could wait until he and Eevee had grown stronger.
This was exactly the path taken by Levincia Gym.
Get on board first, deal with the details later.
By gaining fame before the year-end review, he could work to get the gym back on track.
Problem solved.
As long as he could endure these two months of growing pains, everything would fall into place!
No time to waste—Aiden decided to act immediately.
"Bui~"
Just as he made up his mind, Eevee, having finished lunch, trotted back into the room with tiny, happy steps.
Aiden quickly noticed that it was carrying a paintbrush in its mouth. After reaching his side, it hopped onto the bed, revealing starry, pleading eyes.
"…"
Aiden wanted to say he had important things to do.
But under such an adorable gaze, those words simply wouldn't come out.
Fine, he'd deal with it later tonight.
Shaking his head in resignation, Aiden pulled out a sheet of paper from the bedside drawer and smiled at Eevee.
"What should we paint today?"
Unlike other Pokémon, his Eevee had a unique hobby: painting.
Of course, from Aiden's perspective, it might not entirely be about enjoying painting.
Over the past six months, whenever the original owner fell into despair, Eevee always sensed it and insisted on playing together.
On countless sleepless nights after his parents went missing, Eevee had been there to keep him company.
Without it, the original owner might've given up on life long ago.
"Bui~"
After Aiden gave its head a gentle rub, Eevee nuzzled his palm affectionately, then looked toward the window.
Following its gaze, Aiden spotted a grand, modern building that had stood unused for some time.
"Alright, let's paint that."
Nodding, Aiden walked over and opened the window.
Warm sunlight streamed into the room, causing him to instinctively squint.
"Bui…"
Seeing his actions, Eevee's eyes lit up with clear excitement.
"Sorry for worrying you for so long."
Aiden turned back, scooping Eevee into his arms with a smile.
Pokémon were truly amazing creatures, highly sensitive to emotions. It must've been suffering alongside him during this time.
"Starting today, let's rebuild the gym together!"
"Bui!"
Eevee nodded enthusiastically, extending its soft little paw to rest on Aiden's palm.
As long as its Trainer stayed happy, it would do its best too!
…
Honestly, Aiden didn't think he had much talent for painting.
After spending the entire afternoon on it, the result was barely recognizable as a sketch.
As for whether it looked accurate?
That question felt a bit rude to even ask.
But Eevee seemed to adore the painting, so Aiden ended up sticking it on the bedroom wall anyway.
After finishing his interaction with Eevee and grabbing a quick dinner, he finally remembered what he needed to do.
If he wanted to become a streamer, the first step was to change his username.
A catchy username and stream title were crucial to attracting viewers.
Initially, he considered naming himself "PokéFan Aiden."
But then he realized how unlucky that sounded—it practically screamed "four consecutive Hydro Pump misses."
In the end, he settled on the more neutral "Azure Wings."
Stream Title:
[Certified League Gym Leader: Unranked To Master Ball!]
Perhaps because it was a new stream, within minutes of going live, around a dozen viewers had already popped in.
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