Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect

John was speeding across the bridge on his Mach Bicycle, the salty sea breeze whipping through his hair, with Delibird and Togepi perched on the handlebars. The ride was a bit heavy, but exhilarating nonetheless.

He thought to himself, maybe next time he'd opt for a bike with a basket on the front. It wouldn't be as fast as the Mach model, but it'd have room for a Rotom, which would be a fun addition. Imagine a bike with a Rotom—how cool would that be?

Or maybe he'd get a mount Pokemon. Though, he realized he didn't have a solid goal in mind yet, which made it hard to decide.

With Delibird and Togepi keeping him company, John quickly made his way into the city and headed for the Trainer Association.

The Trainer Association was the go-to place for any trainer looking to make some extra cash. You could take on commissions, earn rewards for completing them, or even engage in major Pokemon trades. It was where John's transaction with Scarlett had been carried out, witnessed by the staff of the Association.

When John arrived at the doors of the Trainer Association, Scarlett was already waiting for him.

"I wasn't sure you'd show up," Scarlett said, glancing at Delibird and Togepi before turning her attention back to John.

"Why wouldn't I?" John replied, a little confused.

Scarlett didn't answer. Instead, she turned and walked inside, calling over her shoulder, "Everything's ready. We're just waiting for you."

John followed, catching up as they entered the bustling lobby and made their way to the second floor. There, in a small conference room, a middle-aged man in a black suit was already waiting. He looked up as they entered.

"John, this is Ken Blast, the president of the Draconia Trainer Association. He'll be a witness for our transaction," Scarlett introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Ken Blast said with a polite smile.

"Likewise," John replied, taking a seat opposite Scarlett. Delibird and Togepi settled beside him, and to keep them quiet, he handed them some Pokeblocks.

"Feel free to review the contract," Scarlett said, gesturing to the document on the table. "Once you're satisfied, we can finalize the deal."

John picked up the contract and quickly scanned it. It was the same as the preliminary version from last time, with one key difference: Scarlett had agreed to pay John a 10 million reward. This was the official transaction contract, and it made everything feel real.

"10 million…" John murmured.

"It's only fair," Scarlett responded, her tone casual. "I believe in your potential, John. I wouldn't have agreed to this deal if I didn't."

John didn't argue. The money was a welcome addition, and he saw no reason to turn it down.

The signatures were exchanged, and the contract was finalized.

John opened his backpack and set it on the table. It contained 100 Pokeballs, each one holding a Nosepass. He had gathered these early that morning.

Scarlett examined the Pokeballs, occasionally releasing one to inspect the Pokemon inside.

"Where did you catch all these Nosepass?" Ken Blast asked, clearly curious.

"The Burning Mountains," John replied nonchalantly. He wasn't worried about the origin being questioned, especially considering he had taken leave from his school for three days to visit that area. The Burning Mountains were a known D-level danger zone, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for a trainer. Besides, he'd spent most of his time there playing games and casually capturing Nosepass, so there was no issue with his story.

"Are there really that many Nosepass in the Burning Mountains?" Ken Blast asked, though he didn't press the matter further.

Scarlett finished her review.

"Everything looks good," she said. "The balance will be transferred to your account within the next 24 hours."

"And as for the way to purchase treasure-level Pokemon items," she turned to Ken Blast, "President Blast, is everything set?"

"Of course," he replied, nodding. He reached behind him and handed John a mobile phone. "Professor Scarlett has arranged for you to be able to buy treasure-level Pokemon items. The app you need is already installed. Just check it out, and you'll be able to see the prices and order items directly. They'll be delivered to you by the Trainer Association."

John took the phone. There was nothing on it except for an app called "Treasure," one that couldn't be found on regular phones.

He opened the app, and it looked like a regular shopping platform—except all the items listed were priced in the millions.

For example, a 24% bonus Spell Tag was priced at 8 million, while a Mystic Water with a 22% bonus went for 4 million.

John scrolled through the list, quickly grasping how the pricing worked. For every 1% increase in the bonus, the price jumped by 2 million.

"1% for 2 million? That's pretty cheap," John muttered, scrolling further.

For a single Pokemon, the maximum bonus it could absorb from these items was 50%, meaning a full investment in a treasure-level item would cost 100 million. A staggering number, but it seemed achievable in the long run.

With earnings of 60 million a month, John could afford to invest more. In fact, by the end of the year, he might have enough to fully enhance a team of Pokemon using these rare-level items.

When Ken Blast overheard John, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. To him, the idea of spending millions on such small increases seemed extravagant. Most trainers couldn't even afford to buy a 1% bonus item in a year. For someone to casually dismiss it as "cheap"—that was a level of wealth few could even imagine.

Treasure-level Pokemon items, after all, were reserved for the truly wealthy.