Hearing Cynthia's resolute tone, Ash's pupils contracted sharply. Her words didn't just echo in his ears—they radiated an unshakable conviction.
Under the gaze of his Sharingan, that conviction felt like a blade aimed directly at him, ready to strike at any moment.
Ash let out a loud laugh, filled with both amusement and challenge.
"Hahaha! Now that's interesting! Let's place a bet, then!"
"A bet?" Cynthia blinked, confused. "What kind of bet? And how do we settle it?"
Ash grinned. "After the Indigo Plateau Conference ends, we'll have a one-on-one match. If you win, I'll marry you immediately. No more concubines, no other women—just you."
He paused, then added coldly, "But if I win, You'll marry me instead. Either way, there's no running anymore. Since I can't suppress this other self of mine forever—this aggressive, dangerous side—I'd rather face it head-on. If I lose, I won't hold back anymore... especially not with you."
Ash had spoken his heart. He couldn't hide anymore, not from himself or from Cynthia. Her unwavering resolve had stirred something inside him—maybe he was just overthinking everything.
Worrying about being alone if things didn't work out? What a joke.
He had been a killer in his previous life. Now, he wielded power beyond ordinary comprehension. Why should he fear solitude? Women came to him of their own accord. He didn't need to chase.
He had made his stance clear: if he won, he would restrain himself and not rely on his Sharingan in the battle. That would weaken his combat ability slightly, but it wouldn't affect a pure Pokémon match.
And he didn't believe he would lose.
If he did lose, it would mean Cynthia had managed to withstand his long-repressed rage and darker impulses. That wasn't just a condition—it was a test. Most men, deep down, desire a woman who can accept all parts of them, even the broken ones.
Cynthia took a breath, her expression serious. "Since you've put it that way... I accept."
She had already declared herself his fiancée. There was no turning back. She wouldn't run from this challenge—and she would not lose.
"Oh? You sound pretty confident," Ash said, a smirk curling on his lips. "You do know I've got two Legendary Pokémon under my belt, right?"
"I'll give everything I have in this battle. But even if I lose, I've already made peace with what comes next. I chose to be with you. And no matter what side of you I face, I'm prepared."
Her eyes were clear, steady. Cynthia wasn't naïve. She might come off as a bit aloof at times, but that didn't mean she was foolish. One doesn't become Champion of Sinnoh with just good looks.
"Hmph! I'll be waiting." Ash gave a faint chuckle, then turned and walked away.
Watching him leave, Cynthia murmured softly, her cheeks faintly flushed, "You're finally willing to face me. I was wondering how much longer I'd have to wait. I guess I was right—men need time to let things out too."
If Ash ever found out Cynthia thought the "gamble" was his way of giving in to temptation... he might actually fall over in frustration.
"I feel better now," Ash muttered as he stepped into his room. "Keeping things simple really is the way to go. Alright, System—let's draw."
He stripped down to his boxers, got into bed, pulled the quilt over himself, and spoke aloud.
The moment his voice fell, his consciousness entered the familiar white spiritual space. The slot machine stood there again, unchanged. Seeing it, Ash nearly groaned aloud.
"Ugh, this thing again..."
He had decided to use only his leftover attribute points this time. He didn't want to draw too many or waste any—because until those were gone, the slot machine wouldn't change. Only once he used them all and received more points would a new model of the machine appear.
What really annoyed him, though, was the green square with the near-zero probability of success. Without hitting that, Ash felt little motivation to keep drawing.
Still, he pulled the lever five times and waited quietly for the results to appear.
Ding~!
[Congratulations, Host! You've received a white-tier item. Better luck next time!]
[Congratulations, Host! You've received a red-tier item—Comprehensive Car Modification Encyclopedia! Instantly become a master of automotive engineering!]
[Congratulations, Host! You've received a gold-tier item—One-Time Copy Card! This allows the Host to randomly travel to another world. During the expedition, time in the main world will be frozen!]
[Congratulations, Host! You've received a white-tier item. Better luck next time!]
[Congratulations, Host! You've received a white-tier item. Better luck next time!]
As Ash sorted through the rewards, his eyes were drawn to the golden item—the Copy Card. His breath caught.
All this time... I thought my life would be confined to the world of Pokémon...
But this card shattered that belief.
It wasn't just a tool—it was an opportunity. A key to another world. And if that world had something like an immortality elixir... then the dream of eternal life could be more than fantasy.
His heart pounded at the thought. Who wouldn't be tempted by the promise of eternal life? Even Ash couldn't suppress the excitement rising in his chest.
"System," Ash asked, clutching the golden card, "what kinds of worlds can I travel to with this Copy Card?"
Ding~!
[The Copy Card allows access to: two-dimensional worlds, movies, TV series, and games!]
Ash's eyes lit up.
"I can go to any of those? What if I end up in something like X-Men, and get Wolverine's powers?!"
The possibilities were endless. But Ash forced himself to calm down. He wasn't ready—not yet.
His current strength, though impressive in the Pokémon world, was nowhere near enough to handle an unknown dimension. Add to that the side effects of his Sharingan, and he knew diving headfirst into another universe would be suicide.
Besides, his journey in this world wasn't over. Not even close.
The System had explained it clearly: Ash now truly belonged to the Pokémon world. This was his main world. Even if he used the Copy Card to travel elsewhere, he would eventually return here.
If he ended up in a universe like Dragon Ball, where planets could be wiped out in minutes… he'd be toast.
"This thing's one-time use, huh?" Ash muttered, gazing at the golden card. "I'll need more attribute points if I want to get another one. The odds of pulling even a single copy are already low. Who knows where the next one might take me?"
He sighed, letting the excitement settle. The dream of finding a world with a path to immortality was far-fetched—unless he got extremely lucky.
And Ash wasn't counting on luck.
Not yet.
...
TN:
Seems like a new world is coming~😊
...
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