Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [343]

Hearing Cynthia’s suggestion, August spread his hands. “I’m not like you, already part of the Masters Eight. I’m still in the Ultra Ball tier—I’ve got to keep competing!”

For August—who had long since stopped caring about his standing in the academic world—research papers meant little.

Just thinking about writing one gave him a headache.

Cynthia seemed to consider this. “Then I’ll write it,” she offered. “You can be listed as the second author.”

August had no objections to that. Getting co-author credit for snapping a few photos? If word got out, every poor academic grinding away at their thesis would probably go mad with envy.

That said, since the topic had come up...

“There’s something I want you to include if you’re publishing a paper.”

He handed her a photo.

Cynthia accepted it, puzzled—then her eyes widened. “This is…”

...

After seeing Cynthia off—her expression complicated and filled with thought—August collapsed onto the sofa with a contented sigh.

“So tired... Battles are such a drag. I don’t want to fight anymore. I just wanna lie here forever.”

“Bui~!”

Eevee flopped down beside him in the exact same pose—four stubby legs sprawled, fluffy belly exposed to the ceiling.

Not far away, having just sent her Pokémon off for healing, Sabrina rolled her eyes.

Not a single word of that lazy act could she believe.

He’d looked way too pleased when he beat her on the battlefield earlier.

Sipping her coffee, she asked casually, “Have they matched you for your next round yet? The League’s usually slow with logistics—sometimes takes days. Might even assign you to another region...”

At that, August sat bolt upright and immediately tapped the matchmaking button on his phone.

And then...

Instant queue.

“Is this the ‘few days’ you were talking about?” he asked, holding up his phone.

Seeing the Match Found notification on his screen, even Sabrina looked stunned.

This... was the same League that could take weeks to process a funding request?

Suspicious, she pulled out her own phone and tapped into the ranked queue.

Estimated wait time: 72 hours.

Sabrina sighed in relief. So it’s not the League’s fault—it’s him.

“You didn’t pull some kind of insider strings, did you?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Compared to her, August really did feel like he was walking around with some kind of VIP status.

August looked exasperated. “You know everyone I know. Who exactly would I pull strings with?”

She considered that—and had to admit it made sense. Then she asked, “So who’d you get matched with?”

“Let me check...” August opened the match info.

[Trainer August – Ultra Ball Tier]
Based on your current ranking, your opponent has been assigned as Koga of Fuchsia Gym.
Please report to the Battle Dome in Hoenn’s Battle Frontier before 13:00 tomorrow. Failure to arrive on time will be considered a forfeit.

The moment the name appeared, the mood in the room shifted.

Sabrina gave him a “and you’re telling me this isn’t insider access?” kind of look.

August: “...”

He really didn’t arrange this.

This was slander! A coordinated, malicious smear campaign!

Wait... Koga’s in the Battle Frontier too?

He reread the message and realized the battle wasn’t being held in Kanto—it was in Hoenn.

[GardevoirSupremacy]: You’re in the Battle Frontier now?

[Koga]: ? I just landed—how did you know? I’ve had some downtime lately, figured I’d jump into the World Championships to boost my ranking. Helps with my case for becoming a Johto Elite Four member.

August’s expression twisted as he typed:

[GardevoirSupremacy]: You didn’t know?

[Koga]: 🤔 Know what?

[GardevoirSupremacy]: [Screenshot]

“...”

Koga, just having stepped off the plane with his little sister, stared at the screenshot August sent and went dead silent.

He’d come to the Battle Frontier to raise his rank and visibility, to lay groundwork for becoming an Elite Four member...

And now he was about to become a stepping stone for August?

A long pause.

[Koga]: August—you totally pulled strings, didn’t you?!

August protested his innocence.

Why does no one believe me!?

...

While August was preparing to climb further up the Ultra Ball tier, the rest of the Kanto team wasn’t slacking either.

Though battles in the Hyper Ball tier had grown far more competitive, the group as a whole still maintained an edge.

In just one day, Silver and Gold had already pushed their way up to 473rd and 511th place respectively.

Gary, having skipped a few matches to spectate in the afternoon, lagged slightly behind at 732nd—just a notch above Blue, who had only recently entered the tier.

But the biggest surprise wasn’t Silver or Gold.

It was Zinnia.

With her Elite Four–level Salamence, she’d rocketed to rank 300 in just one day.

It was impressive enough that when she returned to the villa, her voice had noticeably risen in volume—and everything she said somehow circled back to her battle record.

Gary, a veteran of this particular kind of arrogance, summed it up best:

“She’s got new-achiever syndrome. Got one good result and it’s gone straight to her head.”

Even ignoring the jealousy in that comment, August had to admit—it wasn’t wrong.

So the next time Zinnia brought up her win streak for the umpteenth time...

August had had enough. “If you say one more word about your ranking, you can forget about touching Rayquaza for the rest of the month.”

Mid-sentence, Zinnia froze like a bird strangled mid-squawk.

She didn’t dare argue. She could only glare at August and mutter bitterly about tyranny, abuse of power, and the need to overthrow: Lord Rayquaza rule.

August simply smiled and accepted the tea Gardevoir handed him, sipping calmly as he pondered what team to bring against Koga.

Start with the unused Snorlax?

Maybe Gyarados, who’d gotten fat and lazy lately?

Or perhaps Slowbro—always a solid pick.

...

The next morning.

When August woke up and peeled a sleeping Mew off his chest, tossing it aside like a plush toy, he stepped out of his room—

Only to find Iono waiting in the living room bright and early.

“Good morning... afternoon... evening—uh, morning!” she stammered, catching herself mid-catchphrase. “Oops, not a livestream. Got a bit carried away.”

August looked at her strangely. “Morning. What’s up?”

“I’m here for your post-match interview!” Iono said. “Technically we were supposed to do it yesterday, but since you have another match today, I figured we’d combine the two so we wouldn’t disturb your prep!”

“You’re not bothering me. Let’s get started.”

August settled on the sofa, accepting a scallion pancake wrapped around a fried egg from the Sirfetch’d chef.

The aroma of scallion and egg drifted into Iono’s nose, making it twitch.

“You haven’t eaten, right? Sirfetch’d—can you make one for Iono too? Let’s eat while we chat,” August said.

Sirfetch’d nodded.

“I hope I’m not being a bother...” Iono said sheepishly.

“Not at all—Sirfetch’d always makes extras anyway,” August replied.

Iono nodded in a daze and took the pancake from the returning Sirfetch’d.

She took a bite—

—chewy, crisp dough, savory egg, the burst of fresh scallion—it was delicious.

“So good!”

“Of course. Cooking’s second nature for our Sirfetch’d and Farfetch’d crew,” August said proudly.

Even while eating, Iono didn’t forget her job.

“So, August—any thoughts on yesterday’s battle?”

Without blinking, August answered, “Sabrina’s an exceptionally strong Trainer. The format we used limited her true potential. Out in the wild, her psychic powers would give her a clear advantage.”

“And about today’s opponent—Koga? There’s talk that he’s going to become a new Elite Four member. Thoughts?”

“Koga’s incredibly skilled. I think he’s more than qualified for the position,” August replied with a straight face.

Zero room for controversy.

“According to League records, Koga was once arrested for his ties to Team Rocket. What’s your stance on that?” Iono pressed, eyes twinkling.

Of course she knew August was the one who’d arrested him.

That’s where her “Trainer of Doom” nickname had come from.

But she had to ask—the League’s decision to not only release a former Rocket member, but promote him, had raised a lot of eyebrows.

August’s expression turned serious. “Yes, Koga was affiliated with Team Rocket—but he didn’t commit any major crimes.”

“As long as someone hasn’t crossed a line that can’t be uncrossed, the League is willing to accept those who truly turn over a new leaf. Even Giovanni—if he ever chose redemption—the League would consider leniency.”

---

In Alola.

“Tch...”

Watching the interview broadcast, Giovanni sneered.

Leniency? Redemption? Who does he think he’s talking about?

Though he was in Alola, Giovanni had kept a close eye on the World Championships—because of August.

He had to admit, August’s Rayquaza was strong.

Formidable, even.

Throw in Mewtwo, Mew...

Even with two Deoxys at his disposal, he’d barely break even.

But—

That era was about to end.

Knock knock.

Athena entered his office.

“Boss—Faba’s arrangements are complete. Tonight, we’ll be moving our first wave into Aether Paradise to begin the infiltration.”

“And—” she handed over a flash drive. “Faba also provided all the data the Aether Foundation has on Ultra Beasts. Says it’s a show of good faith.”

Giovanni inserted the drive and scanned the files.

Then he pulled it out and tossed it back.

“Have Dr. Zinn get started. I want us ready to launch the Ultra Beast project the moment we take control of the foundation.”

While August was busy playing Champion—

He’d be claiming a new power for himself.

“Understood!”

---

Battle Dome.

In the waiting area, Koga stared at August with a haunted look that gave him goosebumps.

“Can you not look at me like that...?” August muttered. “I even said nice things about you this morning. Is this how you repay me?”

Koga finally looked away. “I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself… for being unlucky.”

If he hadn’t impulsively flown here...

Even if he’d just arrived a day later...

“Match format?” August asked.

“1v1,” Koga replied instantly. “Losing one round is humiliating enough. If I lose three, I’ll never live it down—especially if I want to be an Elite Four.”

“Oh? Sounds like losing to me is shameful or something,” August said. “But what’s so embarrassing about losing to the future World Champion?”

Koga: “...You’re awfully confident.”

“Not saying it’ll be easy,” August said, nodding. “Leon is insanely strong.”

“Then how—”

“But if I go all in—Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Mew, Celebi—what’s he gonna do?”

August smiled.

Koga was dumbfounded.

If August actually used that lineup, even Leon wouldn’t stand a chance.

After all—there’s only so much one man can do.

Even the Unbeatable Champion was still human.

But before he could say anything—

August added, “Of course, I’m not that shameless.”

Koga looked even more shocked.

He has a line he won’t cross?!

Just then, the stadium announcer’s voice rang out, calling August and Koga to the field.

They exchanged glances—and nodded.

Together, they stepped into the Battle Dome arena.

The stands were packed, far more than usual—partly thanks to August’s previous performance, partly due to Koga’s unique status as a former Team Rocket operative, current Gym Leader, and future Elite Four candidate.

This time, the League had arranged a full commentary team.

Iono took the lead, joined by the Battle Dome’s owner, Charles, forming a three-person panel.

“Ladies and gentlemen—please welcome today’s challengers: Koga and August!”

---

T/N: celebi thinks shes part of the team LMAO

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!