Has the Damn System Finally Turned Over a New Leaf?

In the end, Cynthia and Arceus finally ate their fill. Each held a round little belly as they went off to the side to rest.

Only then did the Pokémon who had been ignored get a chance to crowd around Xu Mu and try to snatch some food from him.

But Xu Mu hadn't eaten yet either!

After feeding those two cuties for so long, he was hungry too!

"Wait a bit. Let me eat first..."

Then, under the longing gazes of Greninja and the other two Pokémon, Xu Mu finished the last skewer of grilled meat.

"Ah, there's none left. We'll do it again tomorrow. I didn't prepare enough today..."

A palpable wave of resentment gathered in the courtyard. Without another word, Xu Mu fled.

After a perfect barbecue, Xu Mu lay in bed and opened the system, which had just finished upgrading.

"Listen, Damn System. You can't screw me over again. I'm a super-rich second-generation kid now. I don't need to get stronger. I can live off my family and never worry about food or drink."

"So if you think I'm becoming a Trainer, dream on!"

After giving the Damn System a warning, Xu Mu opened the panel and began checking his three Pokémon.

[Pokémon: Greninja]

[Type: Water, Dark]

[Strength: Mid-stage Elite Four]

[Ability: Protean (Whenever it uses a move, its type changes to match the move's type)]

[Moves: Rasengan, Shadow Clone Technique, Substitute, Water Shuriken, Night Slash, Water Pulse, Hydro Pump, Double Team...]

[Check-in mission: Bring or use Greninja to win once in the World Elite Four Tournament — Sharingan]

Xu Mu nodded, his expression barely changing.

The World Elite Four Tournament? That's fine. I just won't go. Problem solved.

Next up was Charizard.

[Pokémon: Charizard]

[Type: Fire (Dragon)]

[Strength: Early-stage Elite Four]

[Ability: Solar Power (Attack rises in strong sunlight)]

[Moves: Outrage, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Tail, Overheat, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Solar Beam, Brick Break, Iron Tail, Ancient Power...]

[Check-in mission: Bring or use Charizard to battle Lugia in the Meteor Falls Secret Realm — Kunpeng Bloodline!]

This one was fine too. Xu Mu nodded. He could accept it.

He just had to avoid the Meteor Falls Secret Realm. Even if he went, he might not run into Lugia.

And even if he did!

There was no need to panic. He just wouldn't fight. He'd run for his life.

If I see Lugia, I won't try to catch it. I'll run. Ha! That's how I roll!

As Xu Mu thought about it, he even gave the Damn System a solemn little compliment. It had been fairly reliable this time.

It hadn't pulled any bullshit. None of the missions would be too easy to complete, and he could live with that.

What had happened in the Viridian Wilds had left Xu Mu with a slight desire for strength.

But compared to the dangers of becoming a Trainer, Xu Mu would still rather keep his head down.

What was wrong with quietly traveling the world with Cynthia?

Become a Trainer? Why bother?

Finally, Xu Mu opened Arceus's panel and took a look.

[Pokémon: Arceus]

[Type: Normal]

[Strength: Early-stage Elite Four (Newborn)]

[Ability: Multitype (Arceus can use Plates to change to any type)]

[Moves: Punishment, Natural Light Gravel]

[Check-in missions: (1) Bring or use Arceus in a battle in Green City — One random Plate

(2) Bring or use Arceus in a battle at Meteor Falls — One random Plate

(3) Bring or use Arceus in an Elite Four-level battle — One random Plate]

"Not bad. I can accept all of these. Arceus should have eighteen of those Plates."

"At this rate, it won't collect them all anytime soon. I can still keep my head down."

After working it out aloud, Xu Mu felt something was off.

"Wait. Has the Damn System turned over a new leaf? Why isn't it trying to trick me into becoming a Trainer?"

No way. As the saying went, a dog couldn't stop eating shit. Could the Damn System really change its ways?

Absolutely not!

Still suspicious, Xu Mu spotted a notice at the very bottom of the system display.

[To ensure the host can complete check-in missions, the system will issue special check-in missions from time to time. Once triggered, a special check-in mission must be completed.]

There it was!

Xu Mu laughed!

You bastard. I knew you were up to no good. "Special check-in missions"?

Just call them mandatory missions!

Damn System, you've grown up and learned some new tricks. If I hadn't been careful enough to check, you nearly would've slipped that past me!

"Who says you get to give me mandatory missions? Can't I refuse?"

Xu Mu asked the question aloud.

As usual, the system gave no response.

Only when Xu Mu began to lose patience and started looking for a way to uninstall it did the system issue a new notice.

[Ding! Special check-in missions are emergency missions issued at critical moments. They will not appear under normal circumstances. If one appears, the host has necessarily encountered an unexpected situation he cannot resolve.]

Xu Mu understood.

So under normal circumstances, these missions wouldn't appear, and he could ignore them.

But his reckless stunt this time had frightened the system, so it had put a safeguard in place.

If something like this happened again, it would give Xu Mu a special check-in mission to help him escape the danger or deal with whatever else came up.

"All right. I can accept that explanation."

The Damn System did seem to be looking out for him. Xu Mu still had his doubts, but he didn't resist too strongly.

He would leave it at that for now and take things as they came.

Xu Mu's principles were simple: he'd at least consider whatever the system asked him to do.

But become a Trainer? Not a chance!

After washing up, Xu Mu collapsed onto the bed and called his mother to let her know he was safe.

Then he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

He really was exhausted today.

Transforming through Battle Bond twice in a row had put an enormous strain on his body.

So Xu Mu naturally mastered the extraordinary ability to fall asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.

Meanwhile, Cynthia lay in bed, chatting with Gible beside her pillow.

"What kind of person is Xu Mu's father, anyway?"

"We came all the way back without a single problem, as if nothing had happened. It's unbelievable!"

"This is the Eastern Lands! For Xu Mu's father to have that much influence here, who on earth is he?"

"Gib!"

[I don't know either. Anyway, were the skewers Xu Mu grilled good?]

[I didn't get any today. Watching all of you enjoy them so much made me feel so left out.]

Perhaps Gible wasn't cut out for acting cute.

When Gible finally voiced her displeasure and began pouring out her grievances to Cynthia,

Cynthia had also mastered the legendary skill of falling asleep instantly. She was already out.