Pokémon: Check-In System

Golden currents of electricity tore through the night, striking the Murkrow advancing toward Nero with pinpoint accuracy!

"Screeech!!"

The sharp crackling of electricity echoed through the air as golden sparks enveloped Murkrow, illuminating the dark night with a dazzling glow.

Murkrow let out a series of agonized cries—electric-type moves were particularly effective against its flying-type nature.

"Pichu!!"

Not far away, perched on the branch of a banyan tree, a small yellow rodent Pokémon had just unleashed its Thunder Shock.

Standing firm, Pichu's pink cheeks crackled with golden arcs of electricity. After charging up once more, it fired another Thunder Shock at Murkrow.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Murkrow was struck again before it could react.

The once jet-black wings of the Murkrow now carried a faintly burnt scent of singed feathers.

But that wasn't all—the Thunder Shock seemed to have triggered an additional effect.

Golden static flickered intermittently around Murkrow's body. Nero recognized it immediately—the Murkrow had been paralyzed!

Paralysis would slow its movements considerably!

Murkrow's eyes flashed with ferocity as it tried to take flight once more, aiming directly at Nero. However, before it could make a move, Combusken had already leaped into the air using Bounce, positioning itself right above the Murkrow!

"Cha-Mo!"

Combusken's legs gleamed with radiant white energy before delivering a powerful Double Kick straight down!

With an explosive burst of strength, Murkrow plummeted toward the ground like a meteor, crashing with a loud thud and kicking up a cloud of dust.

As the dust settled, Murkrow lay motionless on the ground, golden static still flickering across its body, its expression contorted in pain.

"Whew..."

Nero exhaled deeply, his heart still pounding. That was way too close—had it not been for the timely intervention of that Pichu, he might have been in serious danger.

He cast a grateful glance toward the Pichu perched on the banyan tree, but the little Pokémon seemed shy. The moment their eyes met, Pichu turned away, hesitated for a moment, and then scampered down the tree and dashed off.

"I didn't even get a chance to say thank you..."

Nero sighed. That Pichu had practically been his lifesaver.

Exhaustion crept over him. He looked down at the Dusk Stone clutched in his hand, his mind filled with thoughts.

As the saying goes, "A treasured gem invites trouble." Who would have thought that possessing such a high-purity Dusk Stone would attract relentless pursuit from wild Pokémon?

Nero opened his bag's storage function and placed the Dusk Stone inside. Instantly, the oppressive aura surrounding him dissipated.

"The bag's storage function must be an interdimensional space, isolating the Dusk Stone's presence from the outside world. That's why the wild Pokémon stopped targeting me. I really need to be more careful next time. This time, I was lucky—nothing too serious happened."

This was Nero's first experience with special location check-in, and his preparations had been far from sufficient.

Whenever a rare item was obtained in a mysterious realm or special location, there was always the risk of attracting wild Pokémon.

This time, he had been fortunate—he hadn't been surrounded by an entire swarm. If he had been trapped by a dozen aggressive and powerful Pokémon, things could have taken a far worse turn.

Taking this lesson to heart, Nero resolved that next time he engaged in special location check-in, he would immediately store any rewards in his bag's storage function.

Otherwise, he might not be so lucky next time.

After a night spent in constant battles, both Nero and Combusken were thoroughly exhausted. Staying in this area any longer would be unwise. Having defeated Murkrow and Sneasel, the duo quickly departed from what felt like a haunted kindergarten for ghost-type Pokémon.

Yet, as they left, a pair of unseen eyes watched their departure from the shadows…

By the time Nero arrived home, it was already 10 PM.

Normally, this would be far too early for him to sleep, but today was an exception. Both he and Combusken were utterly drained, and the moment they hit the bed, they fell asleep instantly.

Then, at midnight—

Nero woke up with regret.

"Damn it! It's New Year's Eve! I totally forgot about the red packet frenzy!"

Groggy and half-awake, Nero scrolled through his class group chat, watching as an endless stream of red packet notifications filled the screen. By the time he had fully processed what was happening, he realized he had missed out on a fortune.

Then he noticed something else.

"Huh? Someone sent me a personalized red packet."

He clicked on the notification, curious.

To his surprise, it was from a girl!

Nero grinned. "I knew it! I'm way too handsome, too charismatic. There's no way girls wouldn't like me."

Brimming with excitement, he tapped open the "exclusive red packet."

"Congratulations! You have received 0.01 yuan!"

"..."

His spirit shattered on the spot.

"New Year's celebrations are really lively, huh?"

Staying cooped up at home was boring, and after just one night and a morning of rest, Combusken was already bursting with energy again. Fire-type Pokémon were just naturally full of vigor.

Although Nero had suffered a few injuries the night before, they weren't too serious. A little bandaging was all he needed.

If there was fun to be had, nothing could hold them back.

Nero still hadn't given up on the idea of roasted chicken from last night, but Combusken was genuinely terrified. It absolutely did not want to eat chicken!

Under Combusken's pitiful, teary-eyed gaze, Nero finally relented and decided to go for skewers instead.

"Huh? What's going on over there?"

With his mouth full of lamb skewers and Combusken happily munching on a lollipop, the duo walked out of the food street, only to notice a large crowd gathered nearby.

In front of the crowd was a big stage, where a few older men and a rather elegant-looking lady stood.

"Is it some kind of performance? Let's go check it out."

The crowd was packed tightly, making it difficult to squeeze through.

Nero exchanged a glance with Combusken. They understood each other instantly.

With the lollipop still in its mouth, Combusken scooped Nero up, bent its legs, and leaped into the air.

They landed safely on a sturdy branch of an old pine tree nearby. It was solid enough to support them, and since Nero wasn't particularly heavy, there was no concern about the branch breaking.

As the saying goes, "The higher you stand, the farther you see." From this vantage point, Nero had a clear view of the stage.

"Attention, everyone! This year, our Thunder Dojo is recruiting new disciples! Any trainer under the age of twenty can sign up! Our dojo ranks among the top five in Galas City! If your child trains here, even if they start with average skills, they'll become the center of attention at school in just a few months!"

A man with a broom-like hairstyle passionately announced to the crowd.

After his speech, he held up an array of medals and certificates from behind him.

"These are the honors we've earned from the annual Citywide Dojo Tournament! Semi-finalists in the 29th tournament, Champions of the 30th, Runners-up in the 31st…"

A long list of achievements was presented, proving the dojo's credibility.

Listening to the murmurs of the crowd, Nero furrowed his brows.

Thunder Dojo… what was this all about?

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