Chapter 9: The Truth of How I Came to the Pokémon World
"Ash, Misty, let's go get dinner," Brock suggested.
"I forgot if you hadn't mentioned it, Brock! Misty, let's go eat!" Ash said, then immediately ran off to get his dinner tray.
"Ash, don't be in such a hurry, nobody's going to steal it from you," Brock commented. Then he and Misty went to get their dinner as well.
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Meanwhile, back in the Pewter City Gym. A middle-aged man in casual clothes was on the phone. It was precisely our protagonist's father, Flint.
"Hello? Who is it?" On the phone screen, a middle-aged man in pajamas, perhaps in his late thirties, walked into view.
"Flint, so it's you!"
"Dylan! Why are you dressed like that?!" Flint teased.
"Whose fault is it but yours?! Calling me at night when I was already asleep! Made me get up just to answer your call. That's why I'm dressed like this!" the pajama-clad middle-aged man (Dylan) complained.
"In~capable, what did you call me for today?" Dylan asked, deliberately dragging out the first syllable of Flint's name to make a pun meaning 'incapable'. (Translator's Note: Flint's Chinese name 'Wu Neng' sounds like 'Martial Ability', while the pun 'Wuneng' means 'Incapable').
"Dylan! My name is Wu Neng (Flint), not Wuneng (Incapable)!" Flint corrected him sharply. "Dylan! Here's why I called today..." Flint explained the situation regarding Brock and the Cerulean sisters.
After hearing Flint, Dylan pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Let the kids resolve the kids' issues themselves!"
"Dylan, hearing you say that is enough! Good night, you excessively doting father!" Flint said. He quickly hung up the phone after speaking.
After hanging up, Flint thought, _I exposed Dylan's secret (his doting nature), and he can't even curse me back over the phone! Just thinking about Dylan's expression makes me want to laugh._
In a room somewhere in a forest, a middle-aged man wearing pajamas said angrily, "Flint, you bastard! *You're* the one who's excessively doting on your daughter!"
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Back in the Cerulean City Pokémon Center. Ash, Misty, and Brock were getting dinner in the Pokémon Center cafeteria. Ash saw Nurse Joy and asked, "Are you the Nurse Joy from Pewter City? How..."
Joy replied, "I am the Nurse Joy of Cerulean City, Joy Lanni. The Nurse Joy in Pewter City is my older sister, Joy rose."
Ash asked again, "How come you all look exactly alike?!"
Hearing Ash's question, Nurse Joy took out a group photo of Nurse Joys, pointed at the picture, and said, "These are the Nurse Joys of the Kanto region."
Brock, Ash, and Misty looked at it and exclaimed in unison, "So many Nurse Joys! And they all look the same!"
Seeing so many identical Nurse Joys, Brock thought, _Wow, I didn't expect there to be so many identical Nurse Joys. If I could somehow manage to marry all of them... Just thinking about it is exciting!_.
Nurse Joy handed them three dinner trays and said, "Mr. Brock, Mr. Ash, Miss Misty. Here is your dinner."
Brock and the others took their dinners, said "Thank you," and went to a nearby table to eat. After finishing their meal, Brock, Misty, and Ash each went back to their rooms to sleep.
---
Night fell over Cerulean City. It was completely silent. Brock lay on his bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. He stared quietly at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts.
_Why did I come here? What's the purpose of me being here? And why did I get the System? It's impossible that I just randomly transmigrated into Brock's body and arrived in this Pokémon world for no reason. Over these past ten-plus years, I've really thought about it a lot. Why exactly did I come here? Was it just because I used cheat codes while playing a game? Many people do that, so why was I the only one who transmigrated?! No... this must be some kind of conspiracy!_
_I must find out why I came here! I don't want to be someone else's pawn! I've developed feelings in this world. No matter who you are, no matter how powerful you are... I will definitely find you! And then I'll defeat you! I won't let you take everything away from me!_
Brock snapped out of his intense thoughts and entered the System in his mind again. He saw the Android-like robot there and asked seriously, "Bell, who exactly are you? Why did you enter my mind? Is my coming to this world related to you?" After speaking, Brock excitedly grabbed Bell's body with his hands. "Tell me quickly!" (Bell's height was about 0.5 meters).
Bell said uncomfortably, "Host, let me go quickly! You're hurting me! If you let go, I'll tell you everything!"
Hearing Bell, Brock quickly removed his hands from Bell's body. "Bell, you can talk now, right?"
"Yes, Host. To be precise, the reason you transmigrated to this world is that I brought you here," Bell stated.
Brock exclaimed excitedly, "Why did you bring me to this world?!"
"Host, please let me finish! I was created by your enemy. He gave me to my first Host. My first Host trusted me too much, wholeheartedly completing missions to become stronger. Eventually, during one mission, the first Host discovered his creator's conspiracy and wanted to stop it. Because all the Pokémon the first Host used were exchanged from within the System, they couldn't harm the creator at all. Because the first Host betrayed him, the creator killed the first Host. Then he wiped my memory and threw me into your original world to select someone to carry out his conspiracy in this world. By chance, you were selected, which is why you came here and became my second Host."
After hearing Bell's explanation, Brock asked doubtfully, "Then why are you telling me you were created by him? Also, what exactly is his conspiracy? And who is he?"
"Why am I telling you the truth, Host? Because you and I, Host, are on the same side! I will help you deal with him! Because he killed my first Host! During one of the first Host's missions, I underwent a mutation. I was with the first Host for a long time, and I came to see him as my father. After he killed my 'father,' he became my sworn enemy! Who is he, and what is his conspiracy? I don't know right now either. Once the Host upgrades me further, I should be able to find out," Bell replied, sounding angry as he spoke.
"So, you're saying you're on my side. But didn't he wipe your memory? How can you remember these things?! Could everything you said be fake? Are you trying to trick me into trusting you, only to eliminate me later?! Speak up!" Brock demanded.
"Host, you have to believe me! I wouldn't lie to you! When he wiped my memory, he didn't realize I had already mutated. He didn't completely erase my memories. So, once my level is high enough, I'll be able to remember everything," Bell explained.
"Oh, so that's how it is! Then do you know his weaknesses? If you know his weaknesses, it would be much easier to deal with him," Brock asked.
"My current level is still too low. I only know a tiny bit of information about him. Namely, that catching ordinary Pokémon in this world is completely useless against him," Bell said.
"So Pokémon exchanged from the System are useless... Does that mean I have to catch Legendary Pokémon to fight him?" Brock mused.
"Legendary Pokémon are also useless against him. Only mutated Pokémon, like me, can be effective against him. However, both you, Host, and your Pokémon need to reach the strength of the Grand Master rank to even have a chance of defeating him. So, do your best, Host!" Bell stated.
"Bell, then what kind of Pokémon counts as mutated?" Brock asked.
"Host, mutated Pokémon are one in ten thousand, generally very difficult to encounter. Only if the Host has exceptional luck might you see one or two. Distinguishing them is easy: they must have King Potential, and also possess extraordinary abilities. You should know, Host, that you have already captured such a mutated Pokémon," Bell revealed.
"Bell, who is it?! Tell me quickly!" Brock said happily.
"Idiot Host! It's Meowth! Why else do you think I would have given you that mission?!" Bell retorted.
Bell told Brock all the information he currently knew. Only then did Brock exit the mindscape. After coming out, Brock finally fell asleep.
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