"Meowha..."
The unconscious Floragato thought she had returned to that pitch-black darkness where she couldn't even see her own paws.
No images, no sounds.
Like absolute nothingness.
Ever since she was born, this sight had always accompanied her.
"Floragato...?" "Nai~"
Feeling two voices constantly calling out beside her ear, Floragato's eyelids twitched, and she slowly opened her eyes.
For some unknown reason, unlike the original game, when they blacked out after losing a battle, they didn't respawn at the last Pokémon Center they visited. Instead, they were teleported straight back to their "home."
And every time, there was a lavish spread of food waiting for them to replenish their stamina.
"You're awake. Here, eat something~"
"Meowha~"
Floragato, feeling quite hungry after exhausting her stamina, took the small cake her Trainer offered. She took a bite, instinctively covering her face and letting out a happy whimper.
After confirming that the cat was fine (aside from her blushing face), Hakuya turned his attention elsewhere.
He noticed a change in Floragato's status screen.
[Because Sprigatito has evolved into Floragato, all base stats in Omni-Transformation form are increased by 5.]
HP: 61 → 105
Attack: 80 → 165
Defense: 63 → 102
Sp. Atk: 60 → 111
Sp. Def: 63 → 92
Speed: 83 → 105
"This Omni-Transformation ability isn't a total copy of Palafin's Zero to Hero? It actually gets stronger with each evolution?"
Hakuya looked at the stat panel in astonishment.
If that were the case, Floragato's base stat total in Omni-Form was 680, and Meowscarada's would be 710. The power level had jumped significantly from the start, making them much more capable of elbowing those overpowered monsters.
It was just a slight pity that Meowscarada didn't have a Mega Evolution.
Otherwise, with one more boost, its base stat total might have even surpassed Arceus.
Shaking his head, Hakuya checked his System Backpack.
After being sent home, the badge and TM he won from defeating the Rustboro Gym had mysteriously appeared in his inventory.
[Overheat TM * 1]
"It wasn't modified by Arceus; it's just the vanilla TM~"
Hakuya read the description below and nodded thoughtfully.
He stored the TM away for a future Fire-type Pokémon, then shifted his gaze to the badge he had also received from cyber-Roxanne.
Its design was a rustic stone, crafted much finer than he had imagined.
[Equipped the first Gym Badge: Stone Badge. Wild Pokémon capture rate slightly increased.]
Besides the increased catch rate, Hakuya was surprised to discover that the Gym Badge seemed to have another effect.
Crack, crunch—!!!
Walking into the living room, Hakuya placed his hand on top of the TV. With just a slight exertion of force, the entire television warped and buckled instantly, before being completely crushed under the immense pressure of his grip.
"Nai~"
Witnessing the entire process, Milcery's eyes went wide, and she let out a soft gasp.
Is Trainer's true form actually a Fighting-type Pokémon?
"I didn't expect this to work like the Pokémon Adventures manga. Holding a badge actually drastically increases my physical strength..."
Having finished his test, Hakuya withdrew his hand, feeling quite satisfied.
While he would revive back home no matter how many times he died in the game world, he wasn't immortal in reality.
If he took too many attacks from Pokémon, even the "Super Pallet Towner" Ash—who could casually hold a 55kg Pignite and carry a 999kg Cosmoem in his hands—could die in the movies. Not to mention Hakuya, a regular transmigrator. He might barely survive a Thunderbolt, but if he got hit by cutting moves like Cross Poison or Psycho Cut, he'd be taking a permanent dirt nap.
But now, with the badges enhancing his physical durability, his future travels would undoubtedly be much safer.
"Alright, finish the food on the table, and we're heading out to catch some new partners!"
After resting for a bit and neatly stacking all the empty plates, Hakuya led Floragato and Milcery out the door.
He had hoarded all those Great Balls for so long; it was finally time to put them to use and bolster his team's combat power.
A few minutes after Hakuya left, a beautiful figure wearing a long, black taffeta dress suddenly appeared inside the wooden cabin.
"Hmm... You finished all the food without wasting a single bite~ What a good boy~"
The silver-haired noblewoman brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. First, she gave an approving look at the completely clean plates on the table. Then, looking through the cabin window, she watched Hakuya's silhouette disappear down the road.
She hadn't expected him to clear the first Gym in just a few weeks, especially with the difficulty she had intentionally cranked up.
His tactical commanding was becoming more refined, and his bond with his Pokémon was growing tighter... If he kept this momentum up, it probably wouldn't be long before the Child of God could completely liberate that place—
Highly satisfied with how the plot was unfolding, Arceus nodded and prepared to watch her usual entertainment programs in the living room.
Then, shortly after, she saw the television that had been crushed single-handedly by someone.
"..."
...
2:00 PM.
Although wild Pokémon also popped out of the tall grass near his house, remembering that Misty's special lure specifically increased capture rates, Hakuya decided not to be lazy. He took out the Good Rod he had "borrowed" earlier and headed to the coast to fish.
As he walked past the beach, a Fisherman NPC spotted them.
"Ah, you're here too! This stretch of ocean is incredibly vast. If you have a fishing rod, you'll definitely be able to catch a powerful Water-type Pokémon around here, just like me!"
"If I end up like you, I'm screwed..."
Hearing this automated greeting, Hakuya's eyelid twitched involuntarily.
In Randomized Emerald, Trainers you've already defeated don't disappear; they stay exactly where they were.
Occasionally, when you walk past them, they'll initiate conversation based on the code written by the developer.
Even now, Hakuya clearly remembered his battle with this Fisherman NPC.
He started by bragging about catching a powerful Water-type Pokémon, then immediately sent out a Wishiwashi.
—And it didn't randomly roll its original [Schooling] ability. Instead, it rolled [Shadow Tag], preventing opponents from escaping.
Naturally, the battle ended with Sprigatito sending it straight to the PC box with a single Scratch.
Recalling that memory, Hakuya silently moved his fishing spot further away.
It was best to leave this "premium" fishing spot to these NPCs.