Discount Trash, Expensive Mistakes, and a Very Bad Upload
Alex was halfway through feeding Kirlia when the air in front of him chimed.
DING
A familiar blue screen unfolded.
System Notice:
Host successfully caused Protagonist Leon Ashford to empty his funds
Purchased items were disguised low-quality resources
Protagonist failed to identify deception
Leon Ashford – Luck: −500
Host Points: +5000
Alex stared at the screen.
Then blinked.
"…Huh."
Kirlia tilted its head, floating upside down to read it too.
Alex exhaled slowly.
"So he really bought everything."
Kirlia nodded seriously.
Metagross, nearby, radiated quiet approval.
The Number That Actually Mattered
Alex opened the system panel.
System Points: 51,000
Alex nodded once.
"Good."
Not excited.
Not shocked.
Just satisfied.
Qualification Check
He swiped to the Pokémon panel.
One by one, the data appeared:
Metagross — Qualification: Champion Kirlia — Qualification: Champion Aggron — Qualification: Elite Shelgon — Qualification: Champion Milotic — Qualification: Elite Dialga — Qualification: God
Alex paused.
"…Dialga, that one's cheating."
Dialga, inside the pocket dimension, did not respond.
Alex focused on the problem.
Aggron and Milotic.
Strong. Loyal. Deserving.
But capped.
Alex opened the System Shop.
And there it was.
Champion Qualification Capsule
Cost: 10,000 points
Alex bought two.
No hesitation.
Points Remaining: 31,000
A Small Gift, A Big Reaction
Alex handed the capsules out personally.
"Milotic. Aggron."
They hesitated—then accepted.
Light enveloped them.
Pressure surged.
The room vibrated gently, like reality itself was acknowledging the upgrade.
When the light faded—
Both Pokémon radiated Champion-tier potential.
Milotic moved first.
It lowered its elegant head… then wrapped Alex in a careful hug.
Aggron followed, much less careful.
Alex was briefly crushed between affection and armor.
"…Alright," Alex said calmly. "I get it."
Kirlia clapped.
Metagross approved.
Shelgon stared intensely, as if wondering when it was its turn for a gift it didn't need.
Back to the Dimension
Alex recalled his team.
One by one, they vanished into his private dimension.
Dialga stood at the center, watching silently as the others appeared.
Time itself felt… relaxed.
Alex glanced around once.
"Behave."
Dialga's eyes gleamed faintly.
Time did not promise anything.
How to Shear a Protagonist
Alex leaned back in his chair.
Leon had lost money.
Lost luck.
But Alex wanted more.
He wanted wool.
The clean kind.
"…Red Queen," Alex said aloud.
A holographic figure shimmered into existence.
"Yes, Master."
"Do you have footage of Lunaria Valencrest giving Leon Ashford the Goomy egg?"
Red Queen smiled.
"Yes."
Alex's eyes sharpened.
"Release it. Public platforms. No trace back to us."
"Understood."
Somewhere on the Internet
A video appeared.
Clear.
Unedited.
Lunaria Valencrest, gently handing over a Goomy egg.
Leon Ashford accepting it, smiling.
Timestamped.
Verified.
Shared.
Then shared again.
Then exploded.
Alex Watches the Fire Spread
Alex sipped his drink calmly as notifications began lighting up his phone.
Kirlia floated closer, sensing the mood.
"…This will hurt him," Alex said quietly.
Not cruel.
Just factual.
Kirlia nodded.
Far away—
Leon Ashford's phone vibrated.
And for the first time—
His luck didn't move fast enough to protect him.