Check-In System

Back home, Bai Shi gulped down several mouthfuls of cold water and finally calmed down.

He began examining the cheat that had suddenly appeared.

"The Trainer Sign-In System?"

With a thought, Bai Shi learned the cheat's name.

"This cheat doesn't seem all that great!"

After looking into it, Bai Shi's excitement cooled as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over him. "What a letdown."

The so-called Trainer Sign-In System was just an extremely bare-bones Check-In Button.

Beside the button sat a tiny question mark.

Clicking it brought up the system's instructions.

At a glance, the whole thing looked painfully cheap.

The system's main function was just as simple.

Every day, Bai Shi automatically received one chance to check in.

Checking in gave him a random reward from the system.

Rather than a Check-In System, it was a lottery system with a new coat of paint.

Notably, Bai Shi could only obtain items by checking in.

He couldn't get living things like Pokémon Eggs.

And the system's reward pool contained all sorts of random junk.

The valuable prizes included Master Balls, Key Stones, and Mega Stones.

The cheaper ones included Berries found everywhere and ordinary Poké Balls.

What Bai Shi got from a check-in came down entirely to luck.

"Couldn't I get a proficiency system instead?"

Bai Shi had played plenty of gacha games and almost always had to hit pity.

Even a dime-a-dozen proficiency system might have served him better.

Unfortunately, no matter how much Bai Shi disliked it, he couldn't change it. He could only accept it.

"A system's better than no system."

Bai Shi comforted himself with that thought.

"Let's give it a shot and test my luck."

For peace of mind, Bai Shi even went and washed his hands.

"Arceus, Jirachi, Dialga, Palkia... bless me!"

"Give me a legendary-tier prize!"

Before checking in, Bai Shi muttered under his breath.

He kept reciting the names of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.

Hopefully, they would bring him luck on his upcoming check-in.

He wasn't even asking the system for a Master Ball.

Any Evolution stone would do. He could sell it for a tidy sum.

"Check-In System, show me what you've got!"

With a thought, Bai Shi pressed the system's Check-In Button.

The button immediately dimmed, showing that he had checked in successfully.

"Congratulations, Pokémon Trainer! You have received one Poké Ball!"

A line of tiny text flashed above the button.

Then a red-and-white Poké Ball dropped out of thin air in front of Bai Shi.

"..."

"Fine, the system page is bare-bones, but you could at least give me some flashy effects!"

"How was it over with just a plop?"

Bai Shi stared at the Poké Ball in his hand for a long while before coming to his senses and grumbling.

He had imagined that, even if the system was lousy, a successful check-in would come with some dazzling prize effects.

He hadn't expected something quite so plain.

"I never should've gotten my hopes up!"

Bai Shi gathered himself and focused on the Poké Ball.

But no matter how he looked at it, the Poké Ball seemed no different from the ordinary ones he had bought at the store.

To be sure, Bai Shi took out an ordinary Poké Ball and compared them.

The two were identical.

"What kind of trash system is this? That's it?"

Bai Shi was so angry he wanted to throw the system's Poké Ball away.

But even an ordinary Poké Ball was worth money.

He couldn't quite bring himself to toss it.

"Ugh!"

Bai Shi sighed helplessly and decided to keep the Poké Ball.

Still, he didn't want it getting mixed up with his other Poké Balls.

So Bai Shi took out a pen and marked it.

Maybe this Poké Ball has some hidden function I haven't found yet.

"I can't count on the system anytime soon."

"I'd better keep my feet on the ground and focus on raising the Pokémon Paul gave me!"

As time passed, Bai Shi got over the crushing disappointment of finding out his system wasn't much good.

He turned his attention to the Poké Ball containing Starly.

His attempt to catch a Pokémon had ended with him battered and thoroughly embarrassed.

But the final result had been unexpectedly perfect.

Thanks to Paul's "generosity," he had obtained a Starter Pokémon of his own.

And it was one he liked: Starly.

"Come on out, Starly!"

Excited and nervous, Bai Shi let Starly out of its Poké Ball.

"Star!"

After resting inside the ball, Starly had recovered from being knocked unconscious earlier.

Once out, Starly stared at Bai Shi with wide, puzzled eyes.

Starly vaguely remembered that the Pokémon Trainer who had caught it was a sour-faced guy with purple hair.

Not this black-haired guy standing in front of it.

How had its Pokémon Trainer suddenly changed?

"Hello, Starly!"

"I'm Bai Shi, and this is my home. Paul gave you to me, so let's get along from now on!"

Bai Shi greeted Starly and introduced himself.

At the same time, he took a packet of Pokémon Food he had bought in advance from his bag.

He poured some into his hand and held it out to Starly.

Starly pecked at it. Once satisfied that it was safe, the Pokémon wolfed it down.

After quickly filling its stomach, Starly gave Bai Shi an approving look.

This black-haired guy seemed all right. He knew how to treat a Pokémon.

As for the sour-faced purple-haired guy who had caught it?

Hardly know him!

He hadn't even said a word before giving Starly away.

He really had no respect for Pokémon.

He couldn't compare to the human standing here.

If that purple-haired guy didn't think much of Starly, then Starly would take its talents to the black-haired guy... No, to Bai Shi!

Starly swore it would grow stronger.

One day, it would make that purple-haired guy weep with regret.

"Starly, let's get stronger together!"

Perhaps sensing Starly's determination, Bai Shi held out a hand and spoke hopefully.

Starly hesitated for a moment, then laid one wing on Bai Shi's hand.

I'll trust this human for now!

"This is great!"

Seeing that Starly seemed to have accepted him, Bai Shi broke into a delighted grin.

He kept reminding himself that he couldn't let Starly's trust go to waste.

"I caught a Starly!"

Suddenly remembering something, Bai Shi shouted.

He struck a pose, imitating Ash.

It was his way of celebrating his first catch in the Pokémon world.

"Star!"

Starly thought the pose looked impressive and chirped along.

"Hahaha!"

For a moment, the cramped, damp rental room rang with the laughter of a human and a Pokémon.