"The system has listed the draw items. Time to spin the wheel. Two whole years, and I haven't even gotten a single attribute point... You really are a scam system!"
Ash lay sprawled on his bed, his consciousness immersed in the system space. Beside him, Pichu was curled up, fast asleep.
Ding~!
[The lottery is ready. Host, please begin!]
The system completely ignored Ash's complaint and instead projected a virtual slot machine. Its wheel was divided into gold, black, red, blue, and white segments. Gold indicated ultra-rare items, black stood for high-level, red for intermediate, blue for standard, and white—nothing at all.
"Alright. Let's do this!" Ash muttered, already resigned to the system's robotic rigidity. In two years, he had learned not to expect kindness from it. It was merely a cold, mechanical aid.
Ding~!
[Congratulations, Host. You've received a blue item: 10 Physical Recovery Potions! Restores half the stamina of novice to advanced-level Pokémon!]
Ding~!
[Congratulations, Host. You've received a black item: 10 Rare Candies! Each offers a 50% chance to help a Pokémon below Champion level break through to the next tier!]
Ding~!
[Congratulations, Host. You've received a white item. Better luck next time!]
"Not bad!" Ash grinned. "Even though I only got three reward slots and one turned out to be trash, I pulled a black-grade item. That's a win in my book!"
After all, whenever he drew items or technology, he not only received the item itself but also the complete knowledge of how to recreate it—perfectly. As long as the right materials were available, Ash could reproduce the items without fail.
Suddenly, a flood of data filled his mind. It felt like knowledge gained from years of intense research, though Ash knew full well he'd never studied it. The system simply embedded the information in his brain.
Among the blue-tier items, the Physical Recovery Potion stood out. Ash believed it could be mass-produced without issue. However, the black-tier Rare Candy was a different story. Its materials were extremely rare, and crafting it successfully required a fair bit of luck.
"I can't let news of the Rare Candy get out," Ash thought, eyes narrowing. "Even if I trust Professor Oak and the others, if this leaks, other families or even criminal syndicates will try to crush us to seize the formula."
"But the Recovery Potion… that's another matter entirely. It's easy to make, and it's even better than the ones sold by the Pokémon Centers or the Joy family. This could become a reliable source of income—and a major economic advantage for the Oak household."
Ash carefully analyzed both items and came to a decision. He stored the Rare Candies back in the system space and kept the Physical Recovery Potions out, planning to study them soon.
Due to its rare ingredients, the Rare Candy couldn't be mass-produced. Ash didn't even know if he'd be lucky enough to draw another black-tier item like it again. So for now, it was best kept under wraps.
According to the system's data, a Pokémon's potential was quantified at 100%, but not every Pokémon started the same. Some hatched from their eggs with 10% of their potential already unlocked, while others started far lower. That difference determined whether a Pokémon had "good" or "bad" talent.
For Pokémon with low natural development, evolution would increase their potential—but the amount varied. A solid foundation and well-developed potential before evolution could dramatically boost their growth.
Take Pichu, for instance. Though its potential value was a full 100%, only 21% had been developed so far. If Ash evolved it into Pikachu now, that development would jump to around 22–25%. But if evolution occurred too early—before more potential had been unlocked—then that post-evolution growth would be minimal, bottlenecking the Pokémon's long-term advancement.
Unlocking potential wasn't easy. It required deep mastery of one's abilities and training tailored to a Pokémon's strengths. Without that, a Pokémon's potential could remain untapped forever.
The simplest way to observe potential was by checking cellular activity. The more active a Pokémon's cells, the higher its potential. But this ability—to observe cells, blood vessels, bones, and even meridians—was unique to Ash alone, thanks to the system.
Combined with the data overlays provided by the system, Ash had basically become a potential analysis expert.
"Pichu's potential is at 21%... Just a little more, and it'll be ready to evolve. I'll wait. Otherwise, Pikachu won't be able to learn the next skill I've planned."
Ash glanced at the sleeping Pichu beside him and couldn't help but smile. Over the past two years, they'd grown inseparable. Pichu wasn't just a partner—it was a true friend. Their bond had reached an almost instinctive level of trust and understanding.
And soon… they'd be ready to take the next step.
...
At five o'clock in the morning, Ash got out of bed. He was dressed in a white T-shirt, layered with a red and white jacket, black slacks, and white sneakers.
After spending ten minutes washing up and brushing his teeth, Ash headed out alone to Professor Oak's Laboratory, carrying the physical recovery potion he had obtained. Pichu was still fast asleep, and Ash didn't wake him. After all, Pichu's potential had already been developed to a significant degree, and it wouldn't take much more training to trigger evolution. There was no need to rush.
As Professor Oak's grandson, Ash had his own key to the lab and easily let himself in. Once inside, he picked up the lab's landline and dialed a familiar number.
"Hello? Who is this, calling at the crack of dawn?" came a groggy male voice on the other end. Judging by the tone, the caller had clearly just been woken from a deep sleep and wasn't too happy about it.
"Uncle Masaki, it's me—Ash."
Upon hearing Ash's voice, the man's tone softened instantly. This was Masaki Oak, the eldest son of Professor Samuel Oak and the current head of the Oak family. His full name: Masaki Oak. A recognized Pokémon Champion in his own right.
"Oh, Ash. What's going on this early?" Masaki asked, now fully alert. He had always thought highly of his nephew. Ash's talent was undeniable—brilliant even among geniuses. Coupled with his serious and mature personality, Masaki trusted his judgment without hesitation.
"It's like this," Ash said earnestly. "Over the past two years, I've been studying Pokémon knowledge in-depth. You know this already, Uncle Masaki. Well, yesterday I discovered a formula and successfully created a potion that can restore half the stamina of any Pokémon from novice up to advanced level!"
...
TN:
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