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A few minutes later, the screen in front of Cynthia went dark once again.
The word "Defeat" materialized before her eyes.
Her fingers rested on the mouse, her breathing slightly labored, but deep within those pale golden eyes, excitement burned.
Even though she'd lost again...
This time, the failure didn't bring confusion!
She could clearly feel it—that mirror image, that perfect reflection of herself, wasn't invincible.
Its precise predictions and cold calculations seemed to be built entirely on a flawless simulation of her "known" habits.
So the key to breaking through was—she had to surpass herself!
As she operated the controls, a new battle began.
Cynthia sent out Swampert!
The figure of Ludicolo appeared once more on the mirror's side of the field, its leisurely posture now radiating overwhelming pressure when faced head-on.
According to the script that had repeated countless times, according to the most reliable choice for her as a Champion-level Trainer, she should switch to Pelipper right now, using type advantage to avoid the attack while setting up for rain tactics.
And this mirror image had surely anticipated this move, waiting with a precise counter. Over the past few hours, she'd fallen into this logical trap countless times.
This time, Cynthia's gaze locked onto the icon in Swampert's move list that represented Rock-type power—Rock Slide.
A wild idea surfaced in her mind: Don't switch!
Have Swampert use Rock Slide right here!
Her fingertip hovered above the button, and time seemed to stretch.
Cynthia took a deep breath and threw away all her calculations, all her caution, all the tactical inertia that belonged to her past.
She stopped thinking about anything else and, following pure instinct surging through her mind, forcefully pressed the Rock Slide command!
The instant the command was issued, a light effect representing a Pokémon switch indeed lit up around the mirror character!
It had predicted this!
It thought she would switch to Pelipper!
The light faded, and what appeared before Swampert was none other than the mirror team's Pelipper!
However, this Pelipper that had just entered the field, prepared to counter Water-type attacks, was met not with the expected torrent but with massive boulders carrying destructive force from Swampert!
BOOM!
Rock Slide!
Enormous rocks crashed down like meteors! The "super effective" notification flashed brilliantly!
The mirror's Pelipper didn't even have time to cry out.
Its HP bar was completely depleted in an instant, its eyes immediately showing the spiral pattern that signified being knocked out, and it collapsed heavily to the ground!
It worked!
Cynthia's spirits soared.
That single strike had completely torn through the mirror's iron defense!
Without hesitation, she seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and continued her assault.
Next came Sceptile's "Leaf Blade" slicing through the air.
Rotom's Flamethrower pierced through the battle space, brilliant flames landing a precise critical hit on the opponent's Rotom, while Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat returned Sceptile's attack with double the force...
The mirror's defensive coordination was thoroughly disrupted, and its once-precise predictions suddenly became sluggish!
Finally, as Cynthia's Ludicolo unleashed an Energy Ball condensed with surging Grass-type energy, instantly knocking out the mirror's last Swampert, the triumphant victory music finally echoed throughout the Champion's Hall!
The darkness of defeat didn't descend. Instead, brilliant golden radiance and the massive word "Victory!" appeared!
On the screen, that shadow identical to her began to fade.
Before completely disappearing, it looked at Cynthia... and smiled.
It was like an acknowledgment, and also like encouragement.
Then, its figure dispersed like sand blown by the wind, vanishing into the Hall's light.
The next moment, soothing and solemn music began to flow, as if golden sunlight was streaming through the Hall's dome.
In the center of the Hall, Cynthia's Champion photo was solemnly engraved on the Wall of Honor.
In the photo, her in-game form stood confidently and resolutely, surrounded by the partners who had fought alongside her all the way to the top:
The steadfast and composed Swampert, the nimble and swift Sceptile, the mysterious and versatile Rotom, the reliable counter Wobbuffet, the weather-controlling Pelipper, and the energetic Ludicolo.
Every Pokémon's eyes radiated warmth, frozen together in this moment that belonged to their peak.
Cynthia gazed at this photo, an indescribable satisfaction and weighty sense of accomplishment flooding her heart.
Is it... over?
The next moment, melodious and gentle music suddenly replaced the triumphant victory BGM.
The scene shifted, and a CG animation began to play: the view was open, the sky crystal clear, with endless grasslands below.
This was the very grassland from the start of the game!
Cynthia's in-game character was riding that familiar red bicycle, traveling across the grassland.
Wind blew through her character's hair and clothes, wheels rolling as the scenery along the way began to flash continuously.
The Poochyena she first encountered on Route 101 poked its head curiously from the grass; in the dim light of Petalburg Woods, Wurmple slowly crawled between leaves, Silcoon hung quietly from branches...
The scene shifted to the rugged rocks outside Rustboro City Gym.
By the seaside of Dewford Town, white waves gently lapped at the beach.
Familiar figures began appearing on either side of her vision—Pokémon she'd merely encountered during her journey all appeared.
Taillow crossed the sky leaving a shadow, Zigzagoon watched alertly by tree roots at the roadside, stealing an Oran Berry.
Lotad floated leisurely in a sunlit puddle, blowing bubbles.
Then the scene kept flashing, one difficult battle after another appearing.
The first challenge against her rival, the first Gym battle...
The first glimpse of a Legendary Pokémon, the first encounter with Team Rocket.
From a rookie Trainer just leaving town to becoming Champion now—she'd experienced countless things along this journey.
The scenes continued flashing: the battle of the three Legendary birds, the chaos at the Power Plant—every event rapidly replayed.
And beside Cynthia, the figures of Ludicolo, Sceptile, and other original partners began to appear, from their initial forms, gradually evolving. As time passed, Rotom and Pelipper joined in as well.
They seemed to transcend the boundaries of data, truly accompanying her, racing forward together against the wind.
This wasn't just a replay of a journey, but a condensed representation of the bonds she'd formed, the growth she'd shared with this virtual world and these Pokémon.
Cynthia watched the screen quietly, the flowing light reflected in her pale golden eyes, and a gentle, contented smile quietly graced her lips.
The hardships of battles along the way, the surprises of unexpected discoveries, the confusion and enlightenment she'd experienced—all of it now transformed into warmth in her heart.
She remembered that she'd initially come only for clues about Rayquaza, but looking back now, this journey filled with challenges and discoveries had already gained a preciousness that surpassed the final goal itself.
Everything along the way to becoming Champion in the game—the companionship of partners, the trust of Pokémon, the joy of defeating powerful opponents...
Her fingers unconsciously traced the cool surface of the Poké Ball belonging to Garchomp on the table.
I'm so glad I met all of you.
At that moment, the game scene ended.
A prominent system notification popped up: [Congratulations player 'Strawberry Ice Cream' on completing the first playthrough! You have earned the 'League Champion' title!]
Immediately after, a familiar gift box appeared directly before Cynthia.
This was the game's reward!
A series of messages began to appear.
[Intermediate Rare Candy Gift Box x3: Miraculous candies containing pure life energy that can instantly stimulate a Pokémon's potential, greatly enhancing their strength]
[TM: Dragon Dance (Garchomp-Exclusive Optimized Version): A bone scroll emanating ancient dragon majesty, inscribed with arcane patterns, custom-designed for Garchomp's powerful body and Dragon-type energy core, enabling it to unleash even more terrifying combat power when dancing.]
Cynthia froze completely.
This reward was just as outrageous as before.
Garchomp normally couldn't learn Dragon Dance, she'd tried before but ultimately given up.
But this thing could make Garchomp do exactly that????
She reached out to retrieve the TM, but then another notification appeared on a small, delicate device.
It was a compact, intricately designed device resembling a miniature radar, its surface flowing with a faint cyan glow.
[Special Custom Item: "Sky Vault" Detector]
[Upon activation, will attempt to detect and lock onto the coordinates where Rayquaza may currently exist in the real world. Energy is limited; please use with caution.]
At that moment, her body jolted violently!
As if an invisible thunderbolt had struck through her!
The goal she'd pursued her entire life—that Legendary figure soaring above the ozone layer, hailed as the Sky God—its whereabouts in the real world...
Cynthia felt her heartbeat stop for an instant, then begin pounding wildly.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened, nearly crushing the box.
The rewards from the game were absolutely genuine.
Which meant this thing could actually discover Rayquaza's whereabouts!!
The next moment, she suddenly reached out and pressed the button on top of the compact detector, activating it!
---
At the same moment Cynthia conquered the Champion's Hall, a notification popped up on the system panel before Kairos:
[Detected that player 'Cynthia' has successfully defeated 'Self Mirror Image,' completing the special Champion challenge module for the first time! And becoming the first player to clear it!]
[You have received special achievement reward: Emotion Points +5000!]
[You have received Emotion Points from Cynthia +3800!]
Watching the number in his account instantly jump from over ten thousand to nearly sixty thousand points, Kairos was momentarily stunned.
Cynthia's that intense??
She cleared it already?
But...
Awesome!
The mirror self design as the final boss was clearly excellent, bringing in so many points all at once. This module was practically a goldmine!
Truly worthy of being a special module.
Kairos muttered to himself internally.
It seemed he really could use this module to set up challenges in different games, even in Emerald's second playthrough.
However, the reason for so many points this time was largely because Cynthia's emotional threshold was already quite high, so the points gained from her would be doubled.
Well then, since he now had 60,000 emotion points...
Holding this fortune, Kairos didn't hesitate. He decisively opened the system shop and clicked on the Advanced Module section that had previously been locked with a gray chain icon.
"System, unlock!"
With a thought, he confirmed payment of fifty thousand points, which instantly vanished.
Immediately after, accompanied by a crisp, pleasant system sound effect, all the icons in the Advanced Module section lit up.
Another notification popped up: [Congratulations Host, you have successfully unlocked the Advanced Module section!]
The next moment, the chain icon disappeared, replaced by a dazzling ocean of icons overflowing with brilliant light.
[Advanced Module: "Pokémon Nature Impact Deep Simulation Module" - Price: 50,000 points]
[Advanced Module: "Ecological Environment Dynamic Evolution Engine" - Price: 75,000 points]
[Advanced Module: "Legendary Pokémon Event Chain Generator Module" - Price: 100,000 points]
[Advanced Module: "Reality Link: Individual Values and Effort Values Visualization and Guidance System Module" - Price: 60,000 points]
[Advanced Module: "Pokémon Behavior Interaction Expansion Pack" - Price: 55,000 points]
Each module's name and brief description below were incredibly tempting, making Kairos feel satisfied just looking at them.
He knew these modules' capabilities—any one of them could greatly enrich the game's depth, realism, and playability, bringing massive returns in emotion points.
But these prices... weren't they a bit too expensive?
Each one started at fifty thousand points!!
No wonder the system required fifty thousand points just to unlock this advanced section—otherwise, you couldn't afford anything once inside!
Just as he was pondering, a notification appeared.
[Congratulations Host, you have received the unlocking bonus "Special Advanced Module" x1!]
Kairos raised an eyebrow.
That generous? There's even a freebie?
The next moment, a module icon glowing with deep purple light spun down into his inventory:
[Special Advanced Module: "Regional Forms: Concept Expansion Pack"]
[Description:
Basic Effect: After using this module, the games you create will automatically generate numerous random terrains and ecological environment zones.
Additionally, the game's worldview and ecological environment will undergo unlimited extension and automatic expansion, with a probability of introducing entirely new appearances and regional form Pokémon content]
Seeing this notification, Kairos paused slightly.
Just the basic effect alone had such complex content? Truly worthy of being advanced.
He contentedly prepared to exit the shop interface and examine this module's specific effects in detail.
His finger habitually swiped down on the virtual screen, and the page began scrolling.
There were many types of advanced modules—several pages worth that couldn't be viewed completely, conservatively estimated at over a thousand.
Just as the page was about to reach the very bottom, its speed slowing to a near stop, an extremely faint rainbow glow suddenly pierced into his vision.
Kairos's finger froze in midair.
Wait, what's that?
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~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones