Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect-Chapter 206: Celebrity

The next day, John and the new team leader waited for their flight back to Riverstone University. Only four people remained—John, Ricardo, Logan, and the new leader—since Scarlett's experimental team had been recalled by Principal Saul Badman three days after she entered the space rift, returning to Riverstone ahead of schedule.

The massive private jet, designed to seat over twenty people with ease, now felt both spacious and wasteful with only four passengers. Still, the university considered it a necessary expense. After all, the plane carried two senior breeders and one intermediate breeder.

Thanks to John, Ricardo and Logan survived the brutal trials and secured top-eight placements. Logan earned a promotion to advanced breeder, while Ricardo advanced from junior to intermediate breeder.

"John, you're blowing up right now!" Logan suddenly shouted, breaking the quiet hum of the plane. He flopped down next to John, waving his phone.

"Check this out—the top trending post."

John lazily cracked open one eye, taking the phone without much interest. The headline read: A Breeder Genius Surpassing Scarlett Appears at Riverstone University.

John frowned. The title was a mouthful but packed with buzzwords—Riverstone University, Scarlett, and the phrase 'breeder genius,' capped off by implying someone had surpassed Scarlett. It was the perfect recipe for viral news.

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Curiosity piqued, John opened the article. It detailed the breeder camp, highlighting why John had been granted senior breeder status. His rapid rise was almost unbelievable. Just a freshman in his first semester, and already a senior breeder—a feat unmatched in Riverstone's history, and even globally.

Scrolling through the piece, John found a video embedded within—footage of his one-against-thirty battle. From the camera angle, John guessed Azure had filmed it.

"Seriously? This is trending number one?" John muttered. But then he noticed the poster was officially certified by the National Breeders Association.

"No wonder," he thought. With the association's endorsement, it was no surprise this post rocketed to the top.

Diving into the comments, John noticed something odd. Almost every comment was an apology.

Xx-MonsterxX42: I'm sorry, John! I was blind to the truth!

Watermelon Lover: John, I doubted you. I'm on my knees now.

John's fan69: Senior breeder status? You should've been given a master's certificate on the spot!

Ronald Thump: Over 30 trainers and you wiped them out singlehandedly? Insane.

Kanye Pest: Bro went Ultra Instinct on them trainers!

Pitbull: I take back everything I said. Please don't Overheat my team.

Puff Diddy: I was wrong, John. Can I get a job at your future breeding hut?

John raised an eyebrow. What had caused this sudden wave of apologies?

A bit of digging revealed the answer. Before the National Breeders Association's post, another had circulated online, now mysteriously deleted. It had questioned John's credentials.

—How does a freshman get senior breeder status? the post had asked. The exam happens annually. Did he cheat? It even speculated that John's rapid rise was pure luck, crediting his discovery of an Enigma Berry Tree as the only reason Principal Saul took him in.

The internet, in its usual fashion, had jumped on the bandwagon, accusing John of favoritism and incompetence. The controversy had trended to the top five before the National Breeders Association stepped in with their official post.

Their response was brutal and clear:

John participated in the breeder camp alongside dozens of talented breeders. Starting from the same level, he stood out, defeating over 30 junior and intermediate breeders in a single battle. Here's the footage. Now, tell us again—does he not deserve senior breeder status?

With that, the narrative flipped. Critics turned into fans overnight.

"Pathetic," John scoffed, handing the phone back to Logan. The internet was always so quick to jump to conclusions.

His phone buzzed. Azure calling.

"Hey, saw the hot search?" Azure asked.

"Yeah."

"Any fans asking for autographs yet?" Azure chuckled.

"Not yet. I'm still in the VIP lounge, waiting for the flight. But I might need to practice my signature soon."

John wasn't bothered by fame. In fact, he expected it. He aimed to become a Gym Leader—at 18 or 19, that would be monumental. Being labeled a breeder genius was just the beginning.

Azure's voice grew serious. "There was a lot of debate in the association about awarding you senior breeder status. I had to make sure they shut up."

"Thanks," John replied, genuinely appreciative. He understood Azure had gone out on a limb for him.

Before they hung up, John asked a few questions about opening his own breeding hut. Azure provided some insights before they ended the call, just as the plane prepared to land.

They arrived back in Riverstone just before noon, the sprawling cityscape a familiar comfort. John headed straight home, too exhausted to even check if the main character in his favorite show had reached Kalos. He showered and collapsed into bed, grateful to be back on solid ground.

The next morning, John was up early, heading out to the suburbs. He had made plans the night before and was eager to see them through.