Pokémon: Check-In System

Lyle had also secured a victory in his battle, though it had been much more challenging than Nero's.

His Poliwhirl wouldn't be able to continue into the next match.

Fortunately, his Combusken was still in great shape and managed to push through three consecutive battles. However, the final match proved to be the most difficult, as his opponent's Pokémon was a Staryu.

Staryu, being a Water-type Pokémon, had a clear advantage over the Fire-type Combusken.

Using Water-type moves, Staryu forced Combusken into a tough spot. However, after several rounds of calculated evasion, Combusken's Speed Boost ability finally began to show its effect.

Once its speed reached a sufficient level, Combusken seized the opportunity and, with ghostly swiftness, closed the gap between them—delivering a decisive Thunder Punch that secured victory despite the type disadvantage.

After finishing their battles at the Pokémon Battle Club, the two had earned a fair amount of prize money. They decided to treat their Pokémon to a well-deserved meal before heading home.

With the school closing ceremony concluded, winter break had officially begun.

Finally free from academic stress, Nero wasted no time diving into his favorite video games upon returning home.

Meanwhile, Combusken powered up the computer and began watching anime.

The series it was watching was Pokémon Mystery Adventure: Explorers of Time.

Most anime focus on human protagonists as the central characters of their stories.

However, Pokémon Mystery Adventure stood out as a unique exception—it was told entirely from the perspective of Pokémon.

The story followed a human who had mysteriously traveled through time and awoke on a distant beach at dusk.

To his astonishment, he had transformed into a Pokémon—a round-headed, chubby, blue penguin.

Not only that, but this world was entirely inhabited by Pokémon, with no humans in sight.

Now a Piplup, the protagonist found that he could understand and communicate with other Pokémon. As he ventured into society, he discovered that this Pokémon world functioned similarly to the human world.

Merchants were Kecleon, doctors were Chansey, the famous actress was Gardevoir, the wise sage was Alakazam, and the ancient elder was Torkoal...

Faced with an entirely new world, the protagonist struggled to comprehend his circumstances. It was then that he encountered the first Pokémon he had met—a Charmander.

Together, the two formed an exploration team and joined Wigglytuff's Guild, undertaking missions alongside skilled guild members to help fellow Pokémon and earn rewards—growing stronger with every challenge.

Throughout their adventures, they solved many mysteries and eventually unraveled the secrets behind time and darkness.

With Pokémon now existing in the real world, it wasn't just humans who enjoyed anime—many intelligent Pokémon were just as captivated.

Pokémon Mystery Adventure quickly gained immense popularity among Pokémon, becoming one of the most-watched shows on Bilibili Anime, even earning the title of the season's top anime.

But it wasn't just Pokémon who loved the show—its rich storyline, immersive world-building, and innovative setting drew in human viewers as well.

Nero found himself unconsciously pressing the "Follow" button.

After all, a fresh world concept and an exciting narrative were exactly what drew in passionate fans.

After finishing his game, Nero noticed that Combusken was starting to look drowsy. With a satisfied sigh, trainer and Pokémon lay down to sleep together.

The next day.

The silver dawn gradually turned crimson. Nero, rubbing his sleepy eyes, pulled back the curtains. A golden beam of sunlight poured into the room through the window.

Glancing at the clock, he realized he had stayed up late gaming again. Now, it was already past 10 a.m.

Combusken was still sitting at the computer, continuing its binge of Explorers of Time. Noticing Nero had woken up, it slightly increased the volume.

"Oh, right, time to check-in."

Forming a 21-day habit, Nero's daily check-in routine usually happened before school or right after waking up.

He adjusted his round glasses and clicked the button on the left frame.

A semi-transparent, cyan-colored screen appeared before him.

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host! Daily check-in successful! You have received a Lum Berry as today's reward. Please check your inventory.]

Nero tapped on the "Check-in Progress" button in the top-left corner of the screen, and within seconds, the data loaded:

[Check-in Progress]

Daily Check-in: 1/1 (Reward Claimed)

Weekly Check-in: 7/7

Monthly Check-in: 28/31

Seasonal Check-in: 28/120

Yearly Check-in: 28/366

Decade Check-in: 28/3652

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host! You have completed your weekly check-in. Please select your weekly reward.]

Ding!

[Reminder: This week's reward category is 'Items,' and it will be determined through a random draw.]

"Huh?"

Nero was taken aback. For the past three weekly check-ins, he had always received regular TM rewards, with the moves chosen by himself.

But this time, the reward was an item—and it was randomized?

"Would you like to proceed with the lottery draw now?"

"Uh… Hold on a moment."

Nero had a general understanding of how the check-in rewards worked.

For example, daily rewards could be berries or Pokéblocks, with multiple preset options. It made sense that higher-tier rewards wouldn't always be fixed.

Previously, weekly check-ins had provided TMs, but this time, it was an item—perhaps not so unusual after all.

However, he hesitated before drawing.

He had notoriously bad luck.

As a kid, no matter how many bottles of iced tea he bought, he never once won a "Try Again" cap. His misfortune had made him question reality.

He had considered washing his face before drawing, but as the saying goes:

Superstition won't change luck, spending won't alter fate, bad luck will eventually turn good, and desperation can lead to miracles...

Even a lifelong unlucky streak must break at some point, right?

Taking a deep breath, Nero tapped the "Draw" button.

Immediately, a massive grid appeared on the screen, resembling a game board. Within each tile, he could faintly make out some familiar items.

He pressed the "Start" button.

The cursor began moving erratically—darting up and down with no discernible pattern.

"Stop."

The moment Nero spoke, the cursor froze.

He checked his watch—it had stopped at precisely 6.66 seconds.

A strange coincidence.

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host! You have received a standard item—Enforced Training Device. Please check your inventory.]

Nero opened his inventory, where a newly acquired green, dumbbell-shaped item had appeared.

He recognized it—it was similar to the Macho Brace, an item obtained in Verdanturf Town after defeating the Winstrate family in Pokémon Emerald.

He tapped "Details," and the item's description appeared.

The Enforced Training Device doubled a Pokémon's perceived weight, increasing training difficulty while enhancing coordination and muscle growth—boosting overall physical stats.

Reading the description, Nero found it quite intriguing. It was reminiscent of a gravity training chamber, increasing a Pokémon's weight, slowing it down, and raising its workout intensity.

Given that Combusken relied on speed-based strategies, this item seemed like an excellent training tool.

Excited, Nero called out to Combusken.

But seeing how engrossed it was in Pokémon Mystery Adventure, he hesitated and decided to let it enjoy its break.

After all, they had spent months pushing themselves to the limit to prepare for their exams.

Nero had spent countless hours researching training regimens, while Combusken trained relentlessly to improve its strength. Their combined efforts had propelled them to the top three in their class in just a short time.

But in the end, Combusken was still young—it hadn't been long since it hatched. Playing was in its nature. Now that the winter holidays had finally arrived, letting it rest for a few days wouldn't hurt.

With that thought, Nero grabbed a chair and sat next to Combusken, watching Pokémon Mystery Adventure together on the computer.

Even though they couldn't communicate through words, a single glance was enough to understand each other's emotions.

...

February 2nd.

As usual, Nero woke up early and checked in for his daily rewards.

Today, however, marked a special milestone—the 30th day.

One full month.

He had been eagerly anticipating the monthly sign-in reward, curious about what awaited him.

And now, finally, the day had come.

With excitement brimming in his chest, Nero swiftly completed the sign-in.

As expected, the monthly reward arrived right on time!

----- 

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