Chapter 0592: Natsume-sensei's Way of the Househusband

The Grain Full season brought heavier rains, and a light drizzle had been falling over Lily of the Valley Island all night.

By morning, the skies had cleared, the sun baking the damp ground dry.

Natsume, led by Sylveon, headed to the buffet to meet up with Ash and the others to discuss the afternoon’s match.

The moment he stepped through the automatic doors, a cool breeze greeted him. Ash waved enthusiastically.

"Natsume-sensei, over here!"

Jasmine, dressed in a white dress with an orange ponytail, smiled politely. "Good morning, Natsume-sensei."

"Morning—" Natsume’s gaze landed on the towering stack of plates in front of Jasmine. He paused. "—Good."

Jasmine, usually unassuming, shy, and compassionate, had an unexpectedly huge appetite.

Rumor had it she frequented Asatsuki Cafeteria so often that several branches had gone out of business...

"Ara ara, Natsume-sensei~"

Green cradled a Ditto in her arms, which slowly morphed into a Abra. She grinned.

"Thinking of dropping out? For just 100 Pokédollars, I can have Abra teleport you away!"

"That joke is ancient!" Natsume groaned.

"But business is surprisingly good," Green mused, resting her chin on her hand. "Eliminated contestants, missed ferries... Little Ditto can teleport them straight to the port!"

"Ditto~~" The Abra melted into a pink, liquid Ditto again.

"Gengar?" Gengar stared curiously at Ditto, then squished its own face to mimic Abra.

"Pikachu!" Ash’s Pikachu joined in, and soon Gengar, Ditto, and Pikachu were all playing dress-up.

"Togepi doo-ee~(′▽｀)"

Togepi giggled as it watched Gengar and Pikachu transform back and forth.

Watching the little ones play, Natsume crossed his arms and smirked.

This buffet had two "Dittos"—one was Gengar, the other was Pikachu!

Breakfast consisted of toast, fruit salad, and iced coffee.

Bruno wasn’t at the restaurant—he had no interest in such food. His heart belonged solely to Rage Candy Bars.

As Natsume sipped his iced coffee, the crisp sound of Jasmine’s cutlery clinking filled his ears.

Ash, mouth full of sandwich, mumbled, "Where’s Champion Cynthia?"

"Still in bed."

Natsume paused, then clarified, "She usually wakes up around noon."

The elegant and beautiful Cynthia was notoriously bad at housework, leaving research materials and books strewn everywhere.

She used to hire professional butlers. Now, Natsume-sensei, Little Rotom, and Gengar (who aggressively volunteered for chores) handled it.

"Ooh~ Sleeping till noon~" Green teased, dragging out the words.

"A-ah..." Jasmine’s fair cheeks turned pink for some reason.

"Was she up all night researching strategies?" Ash asked innocently.

Natsume took a calm sip of coffee. "You could say that."

"No wonder Natsume-sensei has such dark circles," Green giggled behind her hand.

"Not last night. Last night, I was playing cards," Natsume said.

"Huh?" Green blinked.

"Cough!" Jasmine choked on her ice water.

Ash, oblivious, scratched his head. "After today’s Top 16 matches, the next bracket will be decided."

"Who do you want to face?" Natsume asked knowingly.

Ash fell silent for a moment, his gaze clear. "I want to defeat Paul."

A rival’s influence was crucial to a Trainer’s growth.

Like how Ruby inspired Wally, or how Blue Oak and Red pushed each other forward...

And Natsume-sensei had only one true destined rival.

That was Gold!! (Just kidding.)

"Natsume-sensei’s match is the last of the Top 16," Jasmine said softly. "We’ll know the results this afternoon."

Ash nodded, lost in thought.

Natsume, who still needed to wake up a certain sleepyhead, stood to leave. "See you all this afternoon, then!"

"Got it!"

At exactly 10 a.m., the day’s matches at the Lily of the Valley Conference had already begun in the main stadium.

Cynthia, clad in her regal black attire, showed no signs of fatigue as she intently observed the battles.

Thinking of Natsume back at their lodings, organizing her research materials, a ripple of warmth passed through her.

This domestic familiarity left her feeling soft and at peace.

But he was also a Champion who had defeated Arceus.

Was it really okay to make him do housework?

Shaking her head, Cynthia’s gaze sharpened, a smirk tugging at her lips.

No matter what, he’s my man!

Meanwhile...

Natsume stood proudly in the spotless room, hands on his hips.

Let’s be real—this was his Way of the Househusband!

"Let’s go, Larvitar."

With a dramatic flourish, Natsume untied his apron, slipped on sunglasses, and his aura instantly shifted.

"Time to crush the Top 16!"

"Larvitar~!" Larvitar roared, claws raised—a tiny dragon’s battle cry!

……

Winona, with her sun-kissed skin, braided hair, freckles, and denim shorts, was a rookie Trainer from the Hoenn region.

Her journey to the Top 16 of the Lily of the Valley Conference was thanks to the unbreakable Bond between her and her Sableye.

More importantly, she had once stumbled upon the Hoenn Champion, Steven, and gifted him a fossil she'd found by chance.

Steven, ever the gentleman, had graciously given her a Key Stone and a Sableyeite in return.

Winona had been stunned speechless.

How could a Champion be this perfect?!

But don’t think you can win me over with money—I’m here to prove my Bond with Sableye!

With Mega Sableye, Winona had fought her way through the Lily of the Valley Conference.

And now, facing Natsume-sensei, she was once again completely floored.

"Mr. Steven!" Winona frantically messaged Steven, eyes teary. "Any tips for battling Natsume-sensei?!"

Steven was busy mining.

Half an hour later, he replied with a gentle smile: "Prepare to forfeit, Winona."

Winona: "???"

"Or you could try to win just one round," Steven mused. "Natsume-sensei might go easy on you."

Winona’s eyes lit up. She clenched her fists and declared: "Got it!"

Not getting swept would count as a victory!

This was practically the unofficial rule for all Trainers facing Natsume-sensei.

2:00 PM, clear skies.

Winona clutched the Key Stone pendant around her neck, striding confidently toward the sub-arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Lily of the Valley Conference Top 8 qualifiers!"

The announcer’s booming voice echoed through the stadium as the crowd roared.

Amid the excitement, Winona squinted at the contestant tunnel opposite her, eyes gleaming.

Finally… the legendary Natsume-sensei in the flesh!

"H-Hello!"

During the pre-match handshake, Winona introduced herself nervously: "I’m Winona from the Hoenn region!"

"Mr. Steven mentioned you," the handsome black-haired young man smiled. "Give it your all!"

Winona let out a quiet sigh of relief.

She hadn’t expected the infamous Natsume-sensei to be this friendly.

After all, like Unova’s Alder, he was known for mentoring and battling newcomers.

And according to Mr. Steven, Natsume-sensei was undoubtedly stronger than Champion Alder!

This battle… is a priceless learning opportunity for me!

"I will!" Winona nodded firmly.

Taking their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield, Natsume studied the slightly nervous girl.

She reminded him of Sawyer, another Hoenn prodigy who had reached the Kalos semifinals in his first year.

These exceptional rookies were all unearthed by the retired Champion, Steven.

Even after stepping down, Steven continued supporting the Hoenn League in his own way—

By handing out Mega Stones!

Sorry, but money really does let you do whatever you want!

Natsume shook his head, the Dusk Ball in his hand glinting faintly.

The randomly selected terrain for this match was Rock Field—perfect for a pseudo-legendary’s early-stage training.

The crowd’s cheers surged like waves as the referee raised his flag:

"Trainers—send out your Pokémon!"

In unison, Natsume and Winona threw their Poké Balls, two streaks of red light flashing across the field.

Amid jagged rock pillars and loose gravel, Larvitar planted its feet firmly, the scar-like markings under its eyes accentuating its fierce glare:

"Larvitar! (▼へ▼メ)"

A shimmering energy film clung to its scaled back—the Weakness Policy, an item that boosted its power when hit by a super-effective move!

Since Tyranitar had so many weaknesses, the Weakness Policy turned them into strengths—a strategy that worked just as well for its pre-evolved form.

Thanks to Giovanni’s breeding techniques, Larvitar had exceptional endurance, allowing it to withstand even water- and grass-type attacks!

The Weakness Policy was Natsume’s secret insurance for Larvitar.

Winona didn’t seem to notice.

In front of her, a hunched, purple Sableye trembled slightly, its gem-like eyes flickering with unease.

"Larvitar… (ˉ﹃ˉ)" Larvitar practically salivated.

Sableye shuddered.

This was the fear of prey facing a predator!

"Battle—begin!"

At the referee’s call, Winona struck first: "Sableye, Taunt!"

This Sableye had the ability Prankster, allowing it to use status moves faster.

"As long as Natsume-sensei doesn’t get off a Dragon Dance…"

Winona steeled herself. "We still have a chance!"

"Sableye leads with Taunt!" the commentator shouted. "Is this a prediction of Natsume Contestant’s strategy?!"

In the stands, Flint grinned. "This kid’s got guts."

"She’s one of Steven’s picks," Granny Bertha said calmly, sipping from her thermos. "Of course she’s special."

Sableye melted into the shadows, reappearing behind Larvitar to mockingly poke its shoulder with a sharp claw.

But Larvitar had no intention of dancing.

It whirled around and slammed a fist straight into Sableye’s face!

BAM!!

Even with its arms crossed defensively, Sableye cried out as it skidded back several meters. Larvitar pressed the attack, its fangs gleaming with a vicious white light!

"Larvitar!!"

"Against Sableye, most assume Prankster is the threat," Natsume said. "But with Guts, burns don’t matter—so skipping Dragon Dance and going straight for the knockout is better."

Larvitar chomped down on Sableye’s arm, the crowd gasping in shock!

"He predicted her prediction!"

"Tastes like chicken—CRUNCHY!"

"Sableye!" Sableye recoiled in pain before being recalled in a red beam.

"But now, I don’t have to worry about Dragon Dance either!"

Winona firmly threw her next Poké Ball:

"Go, Pelipper!"

With its Drizzle Ability, Pelipper took to the skies, summoning a swirling curtain of rain!