Advanced to the round of sixteen.
The strength of the opponent increased once again, and the Gambler had to send in two "youngsters" from his old-timer team to desperately tangle with the adversary.
Unexpectedly, both Machamp and Poliwhirl were easily defeated.
Fortunately, the Rocket Team's breeder was very skilled.
Even without relying on one-hit knockout techniques, Kingler and Dugtrio were formidable opponents.
The Gambler relied on Kingler's Destructive Beam to successfully eliminate the second-to-last Pokémon of the opponent, and then with [Beheading Clamp], he turned the tide in this very difficult battle where he was gasping for breath.
The quarterfinals were now within reach.
However.
When the Gambler wondered if he could continue his victorious march, the Rocket Team issued an order for him to find a way to lose.
[You hear that the Rocket Team believes you have no chance of winning any further, and they've quietly placed bets against you in the underground gambling den, signifying that it's time for you to be cut loose.]
Currently, everyone thought the Gambler could advance further, and many bet on him to move up.
To maximize profits, the Rocket Team, not content with just the huge intermediary fees at the start, secretly manipulated the betting game for a big harvest.
But doing so would completely ruin the Gambler's reputation in Kanto.
[You aren't particularly concerned about your future situation. What you care about is the grandson who idolizes you and might be watching you on TV right now.]
[You know that you can compromise many times, but sometimes you can't back down even an inch.]
[You step forward.]
It's as if the Hot-blooded Youth talent was triggered.
The Gambler did not obey the Rocket Team's order to easily lose the quarterfinals, but instead fought tooth and nail with his old companions against the opponent.
This time, he did not sacrifice any Pokémon; instead, he played safe with every single one, even if they were knocked down repeatedly, they did not give up.
[You shouted to get up, and Poliwhirl and the others stood up again and again.]
The 6-on-6 full team battle that started with the quarterfinals undoubtedly increased his chance of winning.
As a result.
When the [Time for a Change] talent truly activated, even the Gambler couldn't believe that he could defeat such a powerful opponent alongside Poliwhirl and the others.
[You defeated the opponent and advanced to the quarterfinal playoffs.]
At the moment when the whole venue cheered, the Gambler was overwhelmed with tears, shouting towards the sky with all his strength.
[You shouted, "We won!"]
At this moment, all concerns were cast aside, and how furious the Rocket Team would be was no longer something he was worried about.
He was simply moved by his victory.
It was not easy to reach this point relying solely on one-hit knockout techniques.
Undoubtedly.
The Gambler's refusal to obey the order angered the Rocket Team, who immediately captured the Gambler's grandson in Kuye City as leverage to force him to lose the next match to recoup the losses.
Evidently, the Rocket Team was not fooled by the Gambler's luck; there was no chance of victory in the quarterfinals.
As it turned out, they were correct.
The opponents in the quarterfinals were so strong that their level surpassed most of the Pokémon in the Gambler's old-timer team, rendering the one-hit knockouts ineffective.
[You lost to the opponent, stopped at the quarterfinals]
[Your impressive record was recognized by many, especially that victory which got you into the quarterfinals]
[You heard that the Rocket Team was surprised by your skyrocketing reputation and realized you might not be discarded so easily]
It seemed the gamblers did not hold the discourse rights in Kanto.
Thus, even if they lost everything, it did not prevent the Gambler from achieving a glorious record as the quarterfinalist of the Quartz Conference, known for his old age and one-hit knockout strategy.
Due to his quarterfinal performance.
Someone within the Rocket Team seemed to have taken a liking to the Gambler and wanted him to officially join the Rocket Team as one of them.
In doing so, he would not only receive the upcoming notification fees but also have a better future.
But…
[You don't plan to work for the Rocket Team anymore]
[You've made a decision]
While being driven to Kuye City by Rocket Team members, the Gambler suddenly lashed out, dragging along the Rocket Team member who lent him and his son usurious loans into the sea.
[With a resolve to die, you brought him into the sea with you, and in a daze, you saw the smiling face of your son]
[You lost consciousness]
Baimu was slightly stunned.
The narrator suddenly projected several lines of text from the third-person perspective.
It turned out the original gambling addict was actually the Gambler's son. He was induced by the Rocket Team to spend lavishly in the Yuhong Game City, accrued a huge usurious debt with them, and, unable to repay, chose to end his own life.
Clearly, the Rocket Team was not the kind of organization to adhere to laws; when the son died, they went after the father for money.
The Gambler had to use his savings to repay part of the usurious loan.
However, the compound interest had made the usurious loan something unbearable for him, forcing him to abandon his grandson and become a gambler.
In the Yuhong Game Hall, the Rocket Team's territory, he barely survived with various petty tactics.
As long as he was alive, his grandson would be safe.
The Gambler held onto this belief as his creed, defending his life, until that Rocket Team member's sudden outlandish thought.
"…"
Baimu remained silent.
He truly didn't know how to judge.
Condemn the Gambler's deceased gambling addict son? Or express anger over the pitiful fate of a normal person turned gambling addict?
In any case, the Rocket Team could not escape contempt.
The one who creates gambling addicts is just as detestable as the gambling addict themselves, even worse than the gambling addict!
But no matter what, he was merely a spectator, and the simulation was merely gradually narrating what had already happened.
The scene changed.
Just as Baimu was wondering what would happen to the Gambler's grandson after he perished alongside the Rocket Team member, a ship suddenly appeared.
On the ship, the Gambler was holding his grandson and Poliwrath, gazing into the distance.
[You hear your grandson ask where you're going next]
[You smilingly tell him that the Gym Leader from Kuye introduced you to an acquaintance in Unova, from whom you can seek development in the future]
The Gym Leader from Kuye!?
Baimu's eyes widened, and he looked back at Poliwrath.
The narrator appeared in time to explain, indicating that the Gambler had met with all the Gym Leaders during his travels with his grandson, seeking their aid.
The Gym Leader from Kuye, who once helped evolve Machoke into Machamp, chose to extend a helping hand.
Therefore.
During the car accident with the Rocket Team member, the Gambler mysteriously evolved into Poliwrath, using Earth Split to shatter the glass and escape from danger.
He successfully rendezvoused with the Gym Leader from Kuye who rescued his grandson at the dock.
Ultimately, the two embarked on a journey to the Unova Region, far enough that the Rocket Team could never pursue them again, plus the Gambler had the Quartz Conference prize money and previously withdrawn funds from the Rocket Team at his disposal.
The Rocket Team kept the prize money to buy off the Gambler, never expecting him to act so rashly.
[You squint at the distant sunrise, bursting into laughter.]
[Simulation ends]
"Whoa… how did Poliwhirl evolve?"
Baimu was very curious about how Poliwhirl inexplicably turned into Poliwrath. Could there possibly be a Water Stone at the bottom of that water body?
Or perhaps the Gambler's Poliwhirl was like the Weepinbell Musashi traded, able to evolve into Victreebel without an Evolution Stone?
He knew that, unlike in the animated world and the game where evolution must occur via Evolution Stone, Pokémon might evolve from certain mutations without the need for an Evolution Stone.
While originally a possible oversight in drawing or setting, once it became a reality, this sort of evolution presented a potential possibility.
The Gambler's Poliwhirl might have evolved precisely because of this.
Baimu shifted his gaze, looking at the rewards brought by this simulation.
[Fixed reward: Move Tutor ×2 (attribute can be specified)]
[Fixed reward: Gambler's Thousand Techniques Memory—Playing Cards (can be reviewed repeatedly)]
...
[Choice Reward 1: Raise any Pokémon by two levels (below lv.70)]
[Choice Reward 2: Available Pokémon clue (attribute can be specified)]
[Choice Reward 3: Technique—Earth Split (can be taught to Pokémon)]
[Choice Reward 4: Retain [Hot-blooded Youth] talent until the next simulation]
What?
Thousand Techniques?
The technique that increases the debt more and more?