"Brock, wait for Nurse Joy to come over and help take care of the Pokémon first. I need to go back to my room and rest—wait for Lt. Surge to call me," Ash said, his expression pale and worn. Even if it was just a regular battle, he wasn't in the condition to rush into anything.
"Got it. I'll take care of everything," Brock nodded without hesitation. He could see clearly that Ash wasn't in shape to fight. Though he wanted to contact Professor Oak, Ash had strictly forbidden anyone from notifying his family.
After Ash left, Cynthia finally relaxed, her body no longer frozen in place. She took a few sharp breaths, feeling the rush of fresh air fill her lungs. Just now, when Ash had activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, an overwhelming and violent pressure had radiated from him.
"I suggest you not try to get close to Ash on your own," Brock said quietly, glancing at the recovering Cynthia. "I don't know the full reason, but the burden he carries is massive. Right now, he's definitely not in the mindset for any sort of relationship."
"I never expected he'd have that kind of presence… he's truly a dominant man," Cynthia murmured, finally calming the waves in her heart.
Back in his room, Ash lay on the bed, a towel soaked in hot water draped over his eyes. To be honest, the moment he locked eyes with Cynthia, he almost lost control of himself.
My vision's declining too fast. And when I use Susanoo, my cells start dividing like crazy... Do I really need to use a Full Restore Capsule? Ash gritted his teeth. Just thinking about the side effects of using the Mangekyō Sharingan made the hair on his arms stand on end.
The spiritual strain wasn't something that could be measured by normal means. The energy in this world wasn't chakra like in Naruto's realm, but the burden of power felt even greater.
The first time he used Susanoo, his eyes had almost gone blind. Recently, he'd become far too reliant on the illusion-based training—pulling his Pokémon into Tsukuyomi to train them rapidly. It did improve their strength incredibly fast, but it was just like Aura: an immense power that drained just as heavily from its user.
No… I can't use it unless I go completely blind. There are only three Full Restore Capsules left. Even though I learned how to refine them, the ingredients are rarer than Master Candy! There's almost no hope of getting more…
Just as he was about to entertain the idea of using the capsule, Ash shook his head. He couldn't afford to. Not until he found a way to eliminate the side effects of the Mangekyō Sharingan. The Full Restore Capsule was his last lifeline.
This black-grade item could heal even the deepest physical and spiritual wounds. It was without a doubt a miraculous medicine—his one safety net.
"This damn system… all it can do is draw lotteries and show data. Useless!" Ash grumbled. Thinking of his so-called cheat ability, he couldn't help but grind his teeth. Other transmigrators got overpowered systems or special abilities—meanwhile, he got stuck with this.
"System, start the draw!" he commanded, deciding to use his ten hard-earned attribute points. Maybe he'd get something worthwhile.
Ding~!
With the system's mechanical chime, Ash found himself in the familiar white spiritual space. The same slot machine appeared before him. He knew that unless he spent points on attributes, the machine wouldn't upgrade—but he was too stingy to give those up.
Attribute points were absurdly difficult to obtain. Each one was precious, something he wished he could split in half and use twice.
He yanked the slot machine's lever five times in a row. As the machine spun, tension built in his chest.
Ding~!
[Congratulations, host! You've received a white item. Better luck next time!]
[Congratulations, host! You've received a white item. Better luck next time!]
[Congratulations, host! You've received a blue item: Food Maker – converts ambient microorganisms into any food item desired by the host.]
[Congratulations, host! You've received a white item. Better luck next time!]
[Congratulations, host! You've received a white item. Better luck next time!]
Looking at the results, Ash wanted to smash the system on the spot. Only one blue-grade item—and it was just a glorified food dispenser!
He stared at the device in his hand, which resembled a futuristic pistol. The information about how to use it flooded into his mind.
Completely useless... just convenient to carry. That's it. Total chicken ribs.
"Ugh, terrible luck. Five attribute points, completely wasted!" Ash sighed as he left the spiritual space, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He needed to rest before the Gym challenge.
His battle style relied on overwhelming force—crazy aggression and relentless pressure.
Every Champion and Elite Four member had their own unique battle rhythm. Some favored brute strength, some specialized in elemental skills, while others leaned heavily on defense.
Ash, however, had chosen the most dangerous path: an all-out offensive, leaving no room for retreat.
Unconsciously, Ash had fallen asleep like that. It wasn't until around 2:30 in the afternoon that Brock woke him up. After washing up, Ash walked energetically toward the Vermilion Gym. His Pokémon had fully recovered and were back in peak condition.
As he looked at Ash's determined side profile, Cynthia—who had been quietly following—felt her heartbeat speed up for reasons she couldn't quite explain. She had to admit: Ash was indeed… a good man.
"So this is Vermilion Gym? The renovations are... impressive." Ash commented with genuine curiosity as he stared at the colorful, militarized gym façade in front of him. With the electric-themed style and heavy decor, it almost looked like a lightning-fortress—something only a trained eye would see past.
"Anyone here? We're here to challenge the Gym Leader!" Ash called out after stepping inside.
Instead of a traditional reception, they were greeted by a group of thuggish-looking guys in leather jackets loitering around, giving the place the vibe of a biker gang hideout.
"Hey boss, we've got another poor fool here!" one of the punks laughed, eyeing Ash's age and the Pikachu perched on his shoulder with mockery.
"Tch… You rookies really don't know your place. You walk in here, knowing full well you're gonna lose—and still come to throw your lives away?" came a voice from the back. A large, muscular man got up from the sofa and approached Ash. He towered over the much shorter boy, clearly trying to intimidate him.
"Shut your damn mouth," Ash snapped coldly. "I'm here to challenge the Gym Leader. Get your dad, Lt. Surge, out here—or I'll tear this gym apart!"
As soon as Ash spoke, his eyes flared crimson—his Sharingan activating with a whirr, revealing the distinctive triple tomoe pattern.
The moment their eyes met, Blitz—Lt. Surge's son—felt a chill crawl down his spine. It was as if some invisible predator was watching him from the shadows, ready to strike and take his life at any moment.
...
TN:
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