WiseTL

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [69]

Plain dial, Arabic numerals, leaf-shaped hands, black crocodile leather strap, butterfly clasp—
Inside the box lay a watch that was unmistakably an IWC Portugieser Chronograph.

When people talk about luxury watches, most first think of Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, or Rolex.

But truth be told, IWC is just as much a luxury brand.

“Onee-san… this is…?”

Only Kitahara Takeru himself knew just how hard it was to tear his gaze away from that watch.

...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [68]

When Kitahara Takeru’s final score—97.1—flashed across the screen, his victory was all but guaranteed.

Second place went to Hoshino Ai with 94.5.

Third was Watanabe Akari, scoring 87.

After the event, the organizers pulled them together for a group photo. Then came the prize selection.

Takeru chose the couple mugs.

Originally, Hoshino Ai had been eyeing the bath bomb set, but the moment she saw the shopping voucher, she changed her mind without hesitation.<...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [67]

Kitahara Takeru had no idea that in this very moment, multiple girls were watching him with rapt attention.

Right now, he had completely shed his usual slacker attitude. His expression was focused, rare in its sincerity, as he softly sang “Lemon.”

Technically speaking, he’d been dragged onstage by Kamikawa Rie—this wasn’t his idea.

But once Takeru decided to compete, he gave it his all.

Not just out of respect for his opponents, but because that’s ...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [66]

As Kitahara Takeru stepped up, the host teased, “Sir, after hearing that last performance, are you feeling any pressure?”

It had to be said—Takeru’s luck really was terrible.

According to the original schedule, Hoshino Ai was supposed to be the final contestant.

But no one expected someone would sign up in the last twenty minutes.

Takeru thought for a moment. “I’m fine.”

Not much pressure, honestly.

Hoshino Ai was an idol—not a diva...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [65]

Watanabe Akari poked Kitahara Takeru with her index finger when he ignored her.

“You can’t even sing—why are you up here?”

She remembered clearly: Takeru had once said himself that he couldn’t sing.

She actually remembers that?

Takeru was a little surprised. He hadn’t expected her to remember an offhand comment he made.

If the system hadn’t shown her heart belonged to someone else, he might’ve suspected she liked him.

“Can’t I c...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [64]

“Nee-nee, onii-san, buy a ticket~!”

On the bustling street, nearly every few meters someone was handing out flyers or event tickets for underground idols.

To get those tickets sold, these idols would go to just about any length.

Just earlier, Kitahara Takeru had seen a girl crouched inside a cardboard box, pitifully handing out tickets—that’s how far some of them were willing to go.

He didn’t spare her a glance. Without reacting to the idol, he conti...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [63]

From the rebellious biker gangs of the Shōwa era to today’s city streets, motorcyclists could be seen everywhere—young or old, they were a common sight.

In Japan, motorcycles had long since evolved beyond mere transport. They were a full-blown culture.

“Sir, we’ll notify you once your bike’s ready.”

At the dealership, Kamikawa Rie stood with her arms crossed and a thunderous expression, like someone owed her money and refused to pay it back.

But j...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [62]

[Target: Shinomiya Kaguya]
[Age: 16]
[Intelligence: 7]
[Charm: 9]
[Stamina: 6]
[From: Kaguya-sama: Love is War]
[Crush: Shirogane Miyuki]
[Single. Available for dating.]

System bro, could you maybe give me a heads-up next time? Much appreciated.
Kitahara Takeru was absolutely speechless at how behind the curve this system always was.

He was seriously beginning to suspect it had developed system-age...

Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [61]

It was a gloomy Saturday afternoon, the sky so overcast it looked like it might rain any second.

Thanks to Kamikawa Rie, Kitahara Takeru didn’t have to squeeze onto the crowded train today. Instead, he rode in her usual ride—a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

A luxury car he hadn’t even been born into, and probably couldn’t afford in this lifetime.

Slouched against the seat in the Cullinan, Takeru rested his cheek against his hand by the window. While Kamikawa Rie talked beside...

Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [437]

Giovanni didn’t need August’s congratulations.

In fact, he felt August’s congratulations were more like mockery in disguise.

But he still accepted them with a smile, quietly adding this slight to the long mental list he planned to repay tenfold someday.

On the return journey to Jubilife Village, Gary and Ash continued bickering endlessly. Their childish arguments reminded August of two elementary-schoolers squabbling over trivialities.

Instead of immediately inte...

Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [436]

“What’s wrong, Giovanni? You don’t look very happy,” August said as he approached Giovanni, feigning concern.

“I am happy,” Giovanni sighed. “It's just…my Pokémon are still injured. It bothers me a bit.”

“Oh, that's it?” August pretended realization.

He then patted Giovanni’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry! Before the next event, I'll make sure to heal your Pokémon—it won't affect your participation.”

Giovanni’s expression tense...

Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [240]

[You may select one Pokémon from the following]:

[Zoroark (Unavailable), Lucario (Unavailable)]

Seeing the message displayed on the panel, several question marks appeared above Elias’s head.

Has this broken system finally crashed?

He understood why Zoroark couldn’t be chosen—but why Lucario, too?

Lucario wasn’t a legendary Pokémon, nor did he have any unusual traits.
So why wa...

Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [239]

Crack—

The delicate teacup in Cogita’s grip fractured audibly, spiderweb cracks appearing along its surface.

Seeing this, Cogita finally released her trembling hand, carelessly setting the damaged cup down on the table.

“It’s about time to replace the tea set,” she murmured softly, as if explaining away her reaction.

Yet no matter how she justified it, the strained smile she'd maintained finally faltered.

In truth, she had long anticipated the ...

Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [238]

After signaling Garchomp to let her down, Cynthia frowned in Zoroark’s direction.

It was definitely the fox.

According to Lucario, everything should have been fine.

Yet…

Why was her heart still so uneasy?

Cynthia glanced around, rubbing her temples lightly.

Perhaps the scene of destruction was giving her this sense of dread.

Everything would surely be better once she saw Elias.

Holding onto that hope, Cynthia quickly approached Zoroark along...

Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [237]

After an exhausting day, Zoroark desperately wanted to leap into Elias’s arms and proudly show off what she'd achieved.

I’ve grown up, too!

She had finally lived up to Elias’s expectations and driven Giratina away.

Even from this distance, she could faintly hear the cheers from the Pearl Clan.

Maybe now... I can finally be the hero of Sinnoh!

Smiling happily at the thought, Zoroark turned around eagerly to where Elias had been waiting.

Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [236]

BOOM—!

A barrage of beams rained down upon Giratina, detonating in a series of explosive bursts.

“Roar!”

With a low growl, Giratina lost control and plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Its face twisted in pain as it realized:

Arceus intervened after all.

Yet…

Instead of panicking, Giratina felt a rush of excitement. Arceus had finally attacked—but the [Judgment] just now didn’t hurt ...

Urban Pokémon: All My Students Are Exceptionally Gifted [40]

“Captain Wang, did you find any clues?” Uncle Ye asked, brows knitted tightly as he watched Wang examine the scene in Miss Su’s room.

Earlier, with Nidoking and Nidoqueen’s arrival, the battle had swiftly turned in their favor. Even setting aside Nidoking, the mere appearance of a Gym Leader-tier Nidoqueen had left the Flying Eagle Gang scrambling.

Seeing the situation deteriorate rapidly, Lin Ke had been forced into a bitter retreat. The cost had been severe: more than ha...

Urban Pokémon: All My Students Are Exceptionally Gifted [39]

Under Wu Yao’s silent command, the mysterious figures stepped slowly from the shadows, eerie eyes glittering.

As the moonlight illuminated their forms, Guo Yi finally saw clearly what they were—Butterfree, Beedrill, Paras, Fearow... all common forest Pokémon.

And right now, every one of them was filled with hostility toward him.

While individually weak, with the strongest being only at Veteran-tier, they easily numbered over twenty, not even counting those still lurking...

Urban Pokémon: All My Students Are Exceptionally Gifted [38]

“Gengar, you got yourself tailed. Looks like we'll have to split the take differently—sixty-forty, your favor.”

Facing the sudden appearance of Guo Yi and his Beedrill, Wu Yao didn’t show any worry at all. Instead, she calmly discussed the share of their spoils with Gengar as if nothing had changed.

Her confidence wasn’t unfounded.

They'd encountered similar situations before, even against opponents who’d had Elite Four–level Feraligatr. They’d handled them e...

Urban Pokémon: All My Students Are Exceptionally Gifted [37]

Hearing those familiar roars, Uncle Ye and Captain Wang finally smiled in relief.

“Mr. Guo finally noticed the commotion!”

“If he'd arrived any later, even a Pseudo-Elite Four Nidoking wouldn't be enough to turn the tide,” Uncle Ye muttered, watching Nidoking and Nidoqueen charge onto the battlefield.

Though powerful, Nidoking’s strength was only at the Pseudo-Elite Four—he couldn't completely overturn the battle alone if they'd been defeated first.

This wa...

Urban Pokémon: All My Students Are Exceptionally Gifted [36]

“Well, well, old man! Long time no see.”

Lin Ke greeted him with a mocking smile. As one of the Azure Dragon Society’s veterans, Uncle Ye was someone Lin Ke knew all too well.

“Heh!”

“Lin Ke, your dog nose is as sharp as ever. You really managed to sniff us out here, huh?” Uncle Ye shot back with a sneer.

Lin Ke once had a nickname—“Lin Dog.”

It wasn’t without reason.

Every shady deed the Flying Eagle Gang ever pulled off always had hi...

Pokémon: Starting with a Dragon Dance Gible [20]

Having confirmed his registration for the freshman "Sprout Cup," set to begin in three days, Kaiba's next step was naturally to continue his daily intensive training with Gible to accelerate her growth.

"Given Gible’s overall strength, it shouldn’t be difficult for her to dominate in beginner-level matches," Kaiba mused aloud.

"But right now, I only have Gible as my starter Pokémon. If we run into Trainers specializing in Fairy- or Ice-types—or even Pokémon that simply car...

Pokémon: Starting with a Dragon Dance Gible [19]

The idea that knowledge from the Business Administration major could help with managing, training, and planning schedules for Pokémon…

At first glance, it might actually seem plausible.

In essence, it was just applying management skills for people to his own little “Paru”—er, rather, to his Pokémon.

But despite all that talk, at the end of the day—

If Kaiba really intended to focus wholeheartedly on raising Pokémon without distraction, then he needed to sw...

Pokémon: Starting with a Dragon Dance Gible [18]

Kaiba was genuinely startled.

A complete stranger, separated by the anonymity of the internet, had suddenly given him such a generous gift.

“!!!”

As they say, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

To be an influencer or streamer, one certainly needed support from fans.
Simply put, that was how you made a living.

But even free gifts, follows, and likes would’ve been enough to boost Kaiba’s morale.
He wasn’t exactly wealthy—no one’s ...

Pokémon: Starting with a Dragon Dance Gible [17]

Kaiba wasn’t stupid.

It was just that everyone had their own way of looking at the world.

Some people were optimists, believing the world was genuinely beautiful.

Others were pessimists, holding no high expectations for human nature.

But he wasn’t stubborn—no, his selling point as a streamer was precisely that he was someone who listened to advice.

People online always said: as long as you listen to your viewers, you could become a god-tie...

Pokémon: Starting with a Dragon Dance Gible [16]

“............”

What should I even say to start this conversation?

Cynthia stared at her screen, chewing her lip anxiously.

She wasn’t exactly terrible at interacting with people.

Since the start of her career, she’d faced plenty of challenges, growing steadily until she finally became the Sinnoh League Champion.

Surely that meant she couldn’t be called socially awkward.

A graceful and elegant beauty, Cynthia was easily the most popular fe...

Wanna Duel? I've Got the Pharaoh's Deck! [20]

“Duel’s over. We have a winner!”

As smoke and shockwaves from the final blast faded, the midday sun gleamed off golden bob-cut hair.

Standing at the edge of the Duel Field, Hoshino Mai raised her fair hand, fulfilling her duty as acting judge.

“I hereby declare the winner of this match—Izumi Yuuhi!”

Her clear voice echoed across the open grounds as Yuuhi finally let out a long breath.

Only now did he allow himself to relax.

Though in terms of in...

Wanna Duel? I've Got the Pharaoh's Deck! [19]

[Graceful Charity (Normal Spell): Draw 3 cards, then discard 2 cards.]

“What!? [Graceful Charity]!?”

“Whoa—Yuuhi-kun, you actually have that card?”

The moment he played [Graceful Charity], both girls reacted—each with their own form of shock.

And honestly, who could blame them?

[Graceful Charity] was one of the most famously banned cards in the OCG. Even in this world, it was...

Wanna Duel? I've Got the Pharaoh's Deck! [18]

The deadlock was broken.

The reason Yuuhi had been able to hold his own against Izayoi Yuki for so long—waiting for an opening—was the presence of [Valkyrion the Magna Warrior].

It was that powerhouse that kept Yuki’s aggression at bay. But now that his iron wall had crumbled, the girl had no reason to hold back.

“This turn will end it—[Red Dragon Archfiend], there’s no need to wait any longer. Attack. Overwhelm him with Absolute...

Wanna Duel? I've Got the Pharaoh's Deck! [17]

At Yuuhi’s command, wings of stone flared wide as [Valkyrion the Magna Warrior] soared toward the demonic dragon standing behind Izayoi Yuki.

Most monsters top out at 3000 ATK—but Valkyrion surpassed even that ceiling. [Red Dragon Archfiend] was no match in raw power.

Just as Yuuhi and Mai were already envisioning the magnet blade cleaving off the dragon’s head, only Yuki remained composed.

“Izumi-san, this is your counterplay? I’m...