Chapter 565: Clumsy Tricks

How could one person's strength possibly contend against a behemoth like Team Rocket?

Besides, the Gambler was nothing more than an old man who knew his fate.

【You tally up the "chips" in your hand and find them not only pitifully few, but none of them enough to turn the tables】

【You let out a sigh】

The Gambler fell silent.

But Baimu felt this guy would never accept his fate so easily.

Someone who could rely on one-hit-KO moves as his mainstay for challenging Gyms, and ultimately succeed in collecting eight Badges, had more than enough crazy hot-bloodedness in his heart to prove it.

If so, how was the Gambler to escape?

Baimu watched the light screen with anticipation.

Both were forced to work for an evil organization; the other's living conditions might not be as high-pressure as those in Iron Town, but Team Rocket's lunacy was in no way inferior to Team Magma's.

He was eager to know what the Gambler's future life would be like.

On the screen.

The Gambler faced his two Pokémon and opened his arms wide.

【You welcome back the Krabby and Diglett you had entrusted to Team Rocket's breeders to be leveled up】

【Your Krabby evolved into Kingler】

【Your Diglett evolved into Dugtrio】

Thanks to the diligent efforts of Team Rocket's breeders, the energy levels of Kingler and Dugtrio had both been raised to a certain degree, enough to handle most battles.

And as the only two young Pokémon in the Gambler's old-timers squad, having gone so long without contact with their Trainer, they couldn't immediately re-bond with him.

So.

The Gambler used the excuse of training his coordination with his Pokémon, so as to have a good showing at the Indigo Conference, to turn down the subsequent string of shows and appearances.

Team Rocket also seemed to feel his popularity was about to peak, and didn't keep squeezing out his remaining value.

They knew perfectly well that the final harvest would come at the Indigo Conference.

The Gambler gained a certain degree of freedom.

【You are able to set out on a journey again, though you must be accompanied by Team Rocket members】

Free from the busy schedule, the first thing the Gambler did was go pick up his grandson, apply to Team Rocket for travel funds, and take his grandson and his whole team of Pokémon to every city he had ever visited.

Team Rocket initially wouldn't allow it—after all, the agreement was to train his Pokémon, so how did it turn into sightseeing?

And at this point.

The Gambler showed an appropriate firmness.

【You know that Team Rocket's current investment in you is enough to make them agree to some not-too-excessive requests】

Sure enough.

Just as the Gambler had thought, Team Rocket's higher-ups agreed, and even allocated travel funds.

Only he wasn't all that happy about it; instead, he became all the more keenly aware that Team Rocket would inevitably slaughter the donkey once it was done grinding—only then would they hand over money so readily.

One had to remember that of all the money the Gambler had previously earned, they hadn't given him a single cent.

【Your grandson is unaware of your perilous situation; he is only happy at your fame, and excited about the journey ahead】

The Gambler took his grandson and his squad of elderly Pokémon through every city in Kanto, paying respects to those Gym Leaders who had given him Badges.

During that time, Kingler and Dugtrio gradually returned to how they had felt with the Gambler at the very beginning, and the bond between them grew deeper and deeper.

Before he knew it.

By the time the journey reached Vermilion City, the Indigo Conference had quietly begun.

【You are taken away by force by Team Rocket members, and your grandson is locked up under the pretext of being "looked after"】

The preliminaries.

Undoubtedly, for the Gambler who relied on one-hit-KO moves, even the small preliminaries were a massive test requiring his all-out effort.

But fortunately, after such a long period of Pokémon training, although the Gambler was indeed rather clumsy in other moves and tactics, he wasn't completely incapable.

Relying on this, he successfully used Rhyhorn as his core to defeat his opponents in succession with Fissure and Horn Drill, even after losing one of his heavy hitters—Dewgong.

That little Miss who looked only a little older than his grandson burst into tears and fled on the spot.

【You have successfully defeated your opponent】

【You watch that little Miss's retreating back and can't help but sigh; although it wasn't your intention, you did destroy a young person's dream】

Three rounds of preliminaries.

As if nearly a year without gambling had caused his luck to explode, the Gambler advanced through them with remarkable ease.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for the main tournament starting at the Top 64.

Baimu knew full well that the road ahead would only grow tougher, and couldn't help but hold his breath as he watched.

Advancing to the Top 32.

Those who broke through the preliminaries were the elite monsters among Trainers—not only were their Pokémon's average levels very high, their battle experience was also extremely rich.

The Gambler's first-round opponent seemed to have seen through his tactics, having his Pokémon use high-evasion, high-mobility moves throughout to dodge the one-hit-KO moves while creating effective damage.

However.

As if proving the saying that no matter how brilliant a tactic is, it can't beat sheer luck.

The Gambler, down to his last Machoke, successfully took down his opponent with three Fissures, driving the entire audience wild.

【You bask in the cheers of the whole arena, an unprecedented joy echoing in your heart】

The Gambler was by no means a twisted soul who took pleasure in destroying young people's dreams, but that didn't stop him from being happy about his own victory.

Machoke felt the same way.

Having spent most of its life slaving away for Team Rocket, it was even more miserable than an overworked office drone—when had it ever had such a glorious experience?

【Watching the Machoke before him roar in excitement, you couldn't help but shout as well, for this hard-won victory】

Advancing to the Top Sixteen.

The strength of his opponents rose once more, and the Gambler had no choice but to send out two of the "young men" from his elderly squad to fight desperately against them.

Unexpectedly, both Machoke and Vileplume were defeated with ease.

Fortunately, Team Rocket's breeders were quite skilled.

Kingler and Dugtrio, even setting aside their one-hit KO moves, were by no means without a fighting chance.

The Gambler relied on Kingler's Hyper Beam to take down his opponent's second-to-last Pokémon, then used 【Crabhammer】 to overturn this match he had fought so gruelingly, gasping for breath the whole way through.

The Top Eight was within reach.

However.

Just as the Gambler was wondering whether he could surge forward once more, Team Rocket issued an order for him to find a way to lose.

【You hear Team Rocket deciding you have no chance of winning any further, quietly setting up a scheme in the underground gambling den, and you know the moment you've been harvested has arrived】

At this stage, everyone believed the Gambler could go one step further, so many people bet he would advance.

And to maximize their profits, Team Rocket couldn't help but abandon their role of raking in huge brokerage fees at the start, secretly stepping in to manipulate the gambling and attempting to pull off a massive harvest.

But if things went this way, the Gambler's reputation in Kanto would be thoroughly ruined.

【You don't particularly care about your future situation. What you think about is the grandson who adores you, who might be watching you in front of the television right now】

【You know you can make many compromises, but there are times when you truly cannot yield a single step】

【You took a step forward】

As if the hot-blooded youth's Ability had triggered.

The Gambler did not obey Team Rocket's order to play casually and lose the quarterfinals; instead, he fought desperately alongside his elderly partners against his opponent.

This time, he didn't sacrifice any Pokémon, but fought steadily with each one, never giving up even after being knocked down time and again.

【You shouted for them to stand up, and Vileplume and the others stood up again and again】

Starting from the Top Eight, the six-on-six full-party battles undoubtedly raised his win rate.

Precisely because of this.

When the 【Super Luck】 Ability truly triggered, the Gambler himself couldn't believe he could really defeat such powerful opponents together with Vileplume and the others.

【You defeated your opponent and advanced to the quarterfinals】

The moment the whole arena erupted in cheers, the Gambler was moved to tears, shouting toward the sky with all his might.

【You shouted: "We won!"】

At this moment, all his misgivings were cast aside; how furious Team Rocket would become was no longer his concern.

He was moved solely by his own victory.

To reach this point relying solely on one-hit KO moves was truly no easy feat.

Undeniably.

The Gambler disobeyed orders, which infuriated Team Rocket. They immediately seized his grandson in Viridian City, threatening him to lose the next match to recoup their losses.

Clearly, Team Rocket had not been blinded by the Gambler's good fortune; there was absolutely no way he could win again from the Top Eight onward.

Facts proved them right.

The Top Eight opponent was simply too strong—so strong that their level surpassed most of the Pokémon in the Gambler's elderly squad, and the one-hit KO strategy had no effect at all.

【You lost to your opponent and were stopped at the Top Eight】

【Your glorious record earned recognition from many people, especially that battle where you advanced to the Top Eight】

【You hear Team Rocket surprised by your rising fame, then realizing you might not be discarded so soon after all】

It seemed the gamblers had not seized control of the narrative in Kanto.

Therefore, even though they lost everything they had, it did not prevent the Gambler from achieving the glorious record of Top Eight at the Indigo Conference with his aging body and one-hit KO strategy.

Also because of his Top Eight record.

Someone within Team Rocket seemed to quite admire the Gambler and wanted him to officially join Team Rocket as one of them.

This way, not only could he continue receiving appearance fees, but he would also have a better future.

But……

【You don't plan to keep working for Team Rocket anymore】

【You made your decision】

When the Gambler was being driven by the Rocket member to Viridian City, he suddenly erupted in violence, dragging that very Rocket member who had given him and his son high-interest loans straight into the sea with him.

【With a resolve to die, you plunged into the seawater with him, and in a daze, you saw your son's smiling face】

【You lost consciousness】

All Baimu was slightly stunned.

The narration suddenly jumped out with a few lines from a third-person perspective.

It turned out the original gambler was actually the Gambler's son, who had been enticed by Team Rocket to spend lavishly at the Celadon Game Corner, and after falling into their high-interest loans and being unable to repay, chose to end his own life.

Team Rocket was clearly not an organization that abided by the law—when the son died, they went after the father for the money.

The Gambler had no choice but to use his savings to pay off part of the debt.

But with interest compounding, the loan had long since become something he could no longer bear. Forced into a corner, the Gambler had no choice but to abandon his grandson and become the Gambler.

In the Celadon Game Corner, Team Rocket's territory, he barely scraped by through various petty tricks.

As long as he was still alive, his grandson would be safe.

The Gambler had always held this belief as his creed, clinging to his life, until that Rocket member's sudden, outlandish idea.

"……"

All Baimu fell silent.

He truly didn't know how to judge this.

Criticize the gambler's dead gambling-addict son? Or lament the gambler's pitiful fate after an ordinary person became a gambling addict?

In any case, he couldn't escape spitting on Team Rocket for a while.

The people who make gambling addicts are as detestable as gambling addicts who abandon their kin — even more so than gambling addicts!

But no matter what, he was only a spectator; the simulation was just slowly unfolding a story that had already happened.

The scene shifted.

Just as All Baimu was wondering what would become of the gambler's grandson after the gambler and that Team Rocket member perished together, a steamship suddenly appeared before him.

On the steamship, the gambler held his grandson and Poliwrath, gazing into the distance.

【You hear your grandson ask you where you're going next】

【You laugh and tell him that the Pewter Gym Leader has introduced you to an acquaintance in Unova, and you can go seek development with him from now on】

The Pewter Gym Leader?!

All Baimu widened his eyes, then looked again at Poliwrath.

The narration appeared in time to explain that during his earlier travels with his grandson, the gambler had met all the Gym Leaders and tried to seek their help.

The Pewter Gym Leader, who had once helped him evolve his Machop into Machoke, chose to extend a helping hand.

Therefore.

In the car crash with that Team Rocket member, the gambler, relying on his Poliwrath that had mysteriously evolved, used Fissure to shatter the glass and escape the danger.

And successfully rendezvoused at the dock with the Pewter Gym Leader, who had rescued his grandson.

In the end, the two embarked on a journey to the Unova region; with mountains high and roads far, Team Rocket absolutely could not catch up again, and the gambler still had the Indigo League prize money and the funds previously diverted from Team Rocket on him.

Team Rocket had kept this prize money intending to bribe the gambler, never expecting the latter to be so crazy.

【You squint at the rising sun in the distance and can't help but burst into laughter.】

【Simulation ended】

"Holy shit… how did Poliwhirl evolve?"

All Baimu was extremely curious about how the gambler's Poliwhirl had mysteriously become a Poliwrath — could there be a Water Stone at the bottom of that water?

Or was the gambler's Poliwhirl like the Vileplume that Jessie traded for?

Able to evolve into Vileplume without an evolution stone?

He knew that, unlike the iron rule in the anime world and games that evolution must rely on evolution stones, Pokémon might complete evolution without evolution stones due to certain mutations.

Originally it might have been a drawing or setting error, but after becoming an actually existing world, this situation became a latent possibility.

The gambler's Poliwhirl might have evolved precisely because of this.

All Baimu shifted his gaze, looking at the rewards brought by this simulation.

【Fixed Reward: TM ×2 (attribute can be specified)】

【Fixed Reward: Gambler's Cheating Technique Memory — Playing Cards (can be re-read)】

……

【Choice Reward One: Any Pokémon raised by two levels (below Lv. 70)】

【Choice Reward Two: A clue to an obtainable Pokémon (attribute can be specified)】

【Choice Reward Three: Move — Fissure (can choose a Pokémon to learn it)】

【Choice Reward Four: Retain the 【Hot-Blooded Youth】 talent until the next simulation】

Huh?

Cheating technique?

The cheating technique that makes the debt grow larger and larger?