"Whatever you say… but you seem more human than last time," Ash said.
[… No comment.]
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," I said.
It's true that I forgot about the system, but in my defense, it gives me very few missions and I no longer have gacha coins. That, combined with spending so much time with the girls… I admit I forgot. It was very ungrateful of me, especially since it has given me many advantages that are extremely useful nowadays.
[… I forgive you, but don't ignore me from now on. I also want to talk to you from time to time…]
Her tone sounded somewhat sad, with a touch of melancholy, as if she truly felt lonely.
"Fine, you're right. I think I haven't valued you enough. After all, you've not only helped me a lot, but you're also the only one I share this secret with. I promise I'll talk to you more from now on. That's a promise," I said sincerely.
Whether it was a gift from some god or not, the truth is the system has given me many advantages, so it's unfair of me to ignore it like this — especially knowing it's a system that seems quite human and appears to feel lonely. I think I've been too ungrateful and unfair to my system. But from now on, I'll talk to her more.
[Alright. I believe you.]
I nodded. I always keep my promises.
{Note: This is my fault. I did this system wrong from the beginning and forgot to keep track of the gacha coins, making everything a total mess. But from now on the system will be much more active and participatory. Missions will also increase and it will become even more human… I won't say more because that would be a massive spoiler, but just know that from now on the system's role will be more important. In reality, I always wanted it to be like this. I don't know why I forgot about it that way.}
[Good. Then I'll give you the rewards you deserve.]
"Perfect," I nodded.
[Congratulations to the Host for completing Missions 1, 2, and 3 and obtaining the following rewards!
Mission No. 1: Win the Top 16 match against Richie (Completed ✓) Rewards: 100 Gacha Coins, Muscle Band (System Version), Minor System Upgrade: Basic Tactical Analysis
MUSCLE BAND (SYSTEM VERSION): • Increases the power of physical attacks by 20%
100 GACHA COINS: • 100 coins that can be used in the system gacha to obtain various items related to the Pokémon world.
BASIC TACTICAL ANALYSIS: • The system displays more clearly whether the opponent excels more in physical or special defense. • Gives a small general tactical recommendation. • Does not reveal the enemy's full strategy or exact moves. • Can also analyze wild Pokémon.
Example: • "Target has superior physical defense to special defense" • "Target has high speed. Caution"
Warning: This function is passive, so the Host can choose whether to use it or not.
Mission No. 2: Win the Top 8 match against Verity (Completed ✓) Rewards: 200 Gacha Coins, Equipable Item: Life Orb (System Version), Equipable Item: Focus Sash (System Version), Advanced Combat Analysis (improved basic system version)
200 GACHA COINS: • 200 coins that can be used in the system gacha.
LIFE ORB (SYSTEM VERSION): • Increases offensive attack power by 25% • Each offensive attack consumes a small part of the Pokémon's energy • Due to the non-existence of HP in this world, the Pokémon does not lose HP, but suffers progressive fatigue. • If the battle drags on too long, the Pokémon will suffer physically.
FOCUS SASH (SYSTEM VERSION): • If the Pokémon is in perfect condition and receives a hit that would normally knock it out in one blow, it resists through sheer willpower and remains at the limit. • Works only once per battle. • After activation, the item becomes unusable until reset or replaced by the system. • Not a consumable item. The item will repair itself after the battle. • Two Focus Sashes cannot be equipped on two different Pokémon participating in the same battle. If the Host ignores this warning, the system will randomly unequip the Focus Sash from one of them at the start of the battle and objects cannot be equipped mid-battle.
BASIC TACTICAL ANALYSIS HAS EVOLVED INTO ADVANCED COMBAT ANALYSIS: • Has the same functions as Basic Tactical Analysis. • The system better identifies opponent tendencies. • Can indicate whether the opponent prioritizes speed, physical strength, defense, or special attack. • Better detects priority threats from the enemy team.
Example: • "Greatest threat detected: Empoleon" • "Enemy pattern: reactive and defensive play"
Warning: This function is passive, so the Host decides whether to use it or not.
Mission No. 3: Win the semifinal against Gary. Rewards: 300 Gacha Coins, Item: Master Ball, Equipable Item: Pikashunium Z, Major System Upgrade: Deep Synchronization
300 GACHA COINS • 300 coins for the system gacha.
MASTER BALL: • The ultimate Poké Ball capable of capturing any Pokémon with 100% probability. This probability is fixed even against Legendary Pokémon. Use it wisely!
PIKASHUNIUM Z: • Z-Crystal exclusive to the Host's Pikachu. Allows the use of the exclusive move: 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt. • Only the Host's Pikachu can use it. Even if the Host captures another Pikachu and equips it, it will not be able to perform the attack.
Warning: Can only be used if the Host possesses a Z-Ring.
ADVANCED COMBAT ANALYSIS HAS EVOLVED INTO DEEP SYNCHRONIZATION: • Same functions as Advanced Combat Analysis. • The system improves reading of Ash's Pokémon emotional and physical state. • Allows knowing more precisely when a Pokémon is tired, overexerting its body, or at its optimal point. • Improves tactical understanding between Ash and his Pokémon.
Example: • Detects whether it's advisable to withdraw the Host's Pokémon. • Detects if it can still endure. • Helps make orders more precise, improving understanding between Pokémon and Trainer.
Warning: This function is passive, so the Host is not required to use it.]
[That's all for now. Complete the final mission to receive more rewards.]
The first thing I thought when receiving these rewards was: Way too OP! If the system upgrade alone wasn't already OP enough, there was also the Master Ball — an item I could have gotten in the gacha but never did despite using it a lot.
[The Master Ball has only a 0.001% chance of appearing.]
Oh my God, no wonder I never got it!
[If it were easy, you could just get any Pokémon regardless of what it was. Whether a Groudon, Rayquaza, or even Dialga himself. I personally recommend you don't use it for now and save it for a truly necessary occasion.]
You're right. Besides, capturing a major Legendary like Rayquaza would let me win every battle and even a Champion would have trouble against such a Pokémon. No, I won't capture any Pokémon of that caliber until I'm more experienced and have lived through many adventures. Also, even if I wanted to, finding a Legendary of that level is extremely difficult in itself. In the games you could just look up their location and capture conditions online, but in the real world, Legendaries are not only rare but very elusive and well hidden. Encountering even one of those Pokémon is already an extremely difficult task, let alone capturing them. Even with the Master Ball I'd have to catch the Legendary off guard to prevent it from dodging the Poké Ball. No, I'd better save it for now and use it in the future.
[Wise decision. You still have many adventures ahead, and using a Legendary Pokémon would make life easier, yes, but it would be extremely boring.]
"That's right, you're completely correct. I'll save it and use it in the future," I nodded.
[I'm glad.]
"Still, the rest of the items are far from bad. Life Orb, Muscle Band, Pikashunium Z, and even a large amount of gacha coins. Very good rewards, thank you very much," I said.
I'm very satisfied with these rewards and honestly asking for more would be greedy.
After talking with the system for a good while about everyday things, Ash closed his eyes and fell asleep. Tomorrow wouldn't be a hard day for him, but the same couldn't be said for Giselle, who would fight a match against Gary to decide whether she finished in third or fourth place. Although either position was good, it was obvious both wanted third since they couldn't aim for first.
…
The next morning.
After getting up relatively early and taking a bath with Pikachu and Molly, Ash also freshened up. After dressing Molly in simple but elegant clothes, he left the room refreshed with Molly on his right and Pikachu on his left shoulder.
After that, he simply waited for everyone to come out of their respective rooms. After all, they had already agreed on a specific time yesterday, so it was just a matter of waiting.
Not long after, Naria and her grandfather were the first to come out, followed by Giselle, Celeste, and her grandmother Aurora. Then Delia with Celia and Spencer — God only knows why the three of them came out of the same room. Next was Koharu with her mother Talia, then Professor Oak, then Misty with Leaf and her mother, then Brock, and finally Neesha. But it didn't end there, because in the lobby Verity was already waiting for them. She was the only one who hadn't stayed at the same hotel as our hero and the others, but at another quite luxurious hotel not far from this one.
Once the group was gathered, they had a calm, unhurried breakfast. There were still almost 2 to 3 hours until Giselle's match, so they could eat relatively peacefully. However, Giselle could be seen looking somewhat nervous and restless. Gary was not going to be an easy opponent, especially after all the battles she had seen from him. Gary had much more experience in battles than her, mainly because she hadn't obtained her participation through conventional methods but by passing an exam. But although she didn't think she was as good as Gary or had as much experience as him — since she had only done practice battles with instructors — she did have something Gary didn't: an unmatched analytical ability.
Giselle wasn't an extremely gifted trainer like Leaf, Ash, or Gary… but she did have unparalleled analytical ability. Since her battle against Ash, she had focused on building a balanced team of 6 Pokémon and helping them learn the moves that best suited the strategy she would use in the Pokémon League. In the end, she built a very balanced team. If you're wondering how, the answer is simple: Giselle's family was rich — disgustingly rich and influential — and with money and influence you could get almost any Pokémon, except Legendary and Mythical ones. Those were impossible to buy, mainly because no one had them and if someone truly did, no one would want to sell them. That's obvious. But the same couldn't be said for the rest of the Pokémon. So thanks to her family's wealth, Giselle's Pokémon team was perfect (according to her criteria).
Thanks to the team she built, she reached today almost undefeated, only losing to Leaf due to her great training skills that overcame almost all her strategies, with some exceptions.
But Gary was something different. Although he was clearly an extremely skilled and gifted trainer, he wasn't as good as Ash and Leaf. That's why, after analyzing each and every one of his battles while watching him fight and then in her own mind, she managed to devise several strategies she was sure would work. But she couldn't get overconfident, because Gary wasn't a simple trainer. After all, even though his talent didn't match Leaf and Ash's, Gary was able to weaken three of Ash's Pokémon — an impressive feat.