Pokemon: Reborn With A Villain System!!

Zephyr held the four Gym Badges in his hand, his mind wandering to Ash and how far along his journey he might be by now. In his previous life, Zephyr had watched countless episodes of Ash's adventures. He knew that Ash rarely earned a Gym Badge without hardship. There was always rigorous training, a flash of inspiration, or the guidance of an expert that pushed him over the edge. Failure on the first attempt was almost a guarantee, but Ash's determination always brought success in the end.

Reclining in the Pokémon Center after his recent victory, Zephyr couldn't resist bragging to the nurse about how he'd bested Lt. Surge in battle. Seeing her impressed expression filled Zephyr with a smug satisfaction, despite knowing it wasn't exactly heroic behavior. Still, if being a villain made him stronger and helped his Pokémon grow quickly, why not embrace it?

But beneath the bravado, Zephyr's mind was clouded with uncertainty. This wasn't his original world. Yes, the Pokémon universe was thrilling, but it was also fraught with danger. He wasn't just any trainer—he was supposed to be a ruthless figure, a key player in the schemes of Team Rocket. Yet here he was, living anonymously in Pallet Town for over a decade. Why? The mysteries surrounding his past and his purpose felt overwhelming.

"One step at a time," Zephyr muttered to himself. There was no use dwelling on unanswerable questions. Instead, he focused on the present. While his journey had gone smoothly up to this point, the Vermilion Gym battle had been tougher than expected. His Pokémon needed to become stronger, and quickly. A new plan was forming in his mind as he made his way toward the forest's edge.

Finding a secluded spot, Zephyr retrieved a sleek, futuristic spaceship from his bag, its compact design a marvel of advanced technology. He boarded the ship, taking a quick inventory of supplies. "Looks like I'm running low on food and water," he muttered. Addressing the onboard system, he said, "Is there anything in the store that can automate restocking my supplies?"

The cold, mechanical voice of the system responded, "Yes. The host can enable an auto-replenishment feature for a monthly deduction of one point."

"Sounds like a VIP subscription," Zephyr grumbled, but he activated it anyway. Practicality outweighed his distaste for the system's business-like tone.

Guiding the spaceship toward the bay near Vermilion City, Zephyr landed on a quiet stretch of beach. He retrieved a Nether Water Bead from the ship's storage and tossed it into the surf. The glowing blue orb disappeared beneath the waves, its eerie light visible even underwater. Soon, ripples spread across the ocean's surface, and Water-type Pokémon began to appear—Magikarp, Krabby, Tentacool, Horsea, and Goldeen among them.

Zephyr set up a sun umbrella and a reclining chair, releasing his three Pokémon to train: Haunter, his mischievous ghost; his shiny Muk, oozing with toxic energy; and his shiny Beedrill, swift and deadly.

"Go ahead," he commanded. "Absorb as much energy as you can."

Haunter immediately sprang into action, using Hypnosis and Confuse Ray to incapacitate the wild Pokémon. Muk followed with relentless smothering attacks, absorbing the weaker Pokémon before they could flee. Beedrill darted around, unleashing Pin Missile and finishing off any stragglers.

At first, Zephyr found the sight of his Pokémon overpowering and consuming their prey unsettling. But he reminded himself that this was the law of the jungle. Strength was the only thing that mattered, and in this world, villains not only had to contend with the forces of good but also rival factions like Team Magma and Team Aqua. Weakness wasn't an option.

As the day wore on, Zephyr's Pokémon grew visibly stronger. Haunter's combat power surged to 970 points, Muk reached 900, and Beedrill wasn't far behind at 850. Though none of them learned new moves, their raw power had increased significantly. Still, Zephyr was mildly disappointed. "I need more than brute strength," he muttered.

Using the system, he exchanged points for TMs to teach his Pokémon new moves: Poison Jab for Muk, Energy Ball for Haunter, and Leech Life for Beedrill. The upgrades cost six points in total, but Zephyr felt it was a worthwhile investment.

As he prepared to leave, a Tentacool caught his eye. The system chimed in.

[Tentacool detected within 15 meters. Water/Poison type. Combat power: 450. Known moves: Poison Sting, Acid, Bubble Beam, Barrier, Water Pulse. Evolution value: 0.]

Zephyr's interest piqued. He remembered an episode where a colossal Tentacruel led an army of Tentacool to attack a city. Capturing this Tentacool might give him a strategic advantage in the future.

"Haunter, use Hypnosis!" Zephyr ordered. The Tentacool fell unconscious in moments, and Zephyr captured it with a Poké Ball.

[Ding! Tentacool successfully captured. Poison-type Pokédex entries increased by one. Bonus: 1,000 points.]

Zephyr smiled. "Not bad," he said, pocketing the ball. But as he turned to recall his Pokémon and head back to the ship, the surface of the ocean began to churn violently. Something was coming.

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If ya'll can reach 500 Power stones this week, I'll increase the chapters updated a day to 3 - 4/day!

(T/N: I know it won't reach that many anyway so this is just a challenge type but if we somehow reach it then I won't back off from my promise).