Xia Huanao listened to the system’s nonchalant explanation of something he couldn’t understand, and scratched his head. “System, can you explain to me what it means for the Spiritual Demon Star to have shaken?”
The system said, “It just shook, what’s there to explain? Didn’t you experience earthquakes in your past life?”
Xia Huanao got up from the ground. “Of course, I’ve experienced earthquakes, but earthquakes ultimately have a limit. However, from what you’re saying, it sounds like the entire Spiritual Demon Star experienced an earthquake.”
The system stated expressionlessly, “That’s exactly what I mean. This earthquake’s epicenter is the core of the Spiritual Demon Star, and if we were to assign a magnitude, it would be around 0.1?”
Xia Huanao looked at his body after hearing this. “Is my body that weak now? A magnitude of 0.1 could shake me out of bed and onto the floor?”
Xia Huanao fell into a deep doubt about his physical and psychological fitness. The system, seeing Xia Huanao doubting his life and unable to extricate himself, advised him, “I didn’t say you were thrown to the ground by this starquake. I just wanted to tell you that such a significant event has occurred. What are you thinking about?”
Xia Huanao breathed a sigh of relief. So, he wasn’t thrown to the ground by a measly 0.1 magnitude earthquake, that was alright then.
“System, how did I get off the bed?”
“Nonsense, how would I know? Didn’t I say I need to conserve energy when you’re sleeping? You can find out exactly how you got down by calling your girlfriend this afternoon.”
Xia Huanao nodded, picked up his Poké Ball, and was about to leave. After greeting his aunt and uncle, Xia Huanao went out onto the street and walked to the bus stop. While waiting for the bus, Xia Huanao asked, “System, were there any particularly absurd effects from last night’s starquake?”
“You still remember this. Don’t worry, because the tremor wasn’t strong, the entire Spiritual Demon Star didn’t pay it much attention. And according to my information-gathering capabilities, there haven’t been any particularly significant events affecting you yet.”
Xia Huanao breathed another sigh of relief and boarded the bus. On the bus, Xia Huanao asked the system, “System, how is Froakie’s training progressing?”
The system directly replied to Xia Huanao, “It’s going alright. Its Speed is already over fifty, but its Special Attack is still below ten.”
Xia Huanao counted on his fingers, then asked the system, “System, this doesn’t seem right. Why do I feel like there’s a problem with your data?”
The system paused. “Problem? What problem?”
“I’ve sparred with so many wild Pokémon in the Rock-type Secret Realm. Are you saying there wasn’t a single one that boosted Special Attack? They were all focused on Speed? That’s not scientific.”
The system thought for a moment, then reviewed Xia Huanao’s battle records in the Rock-type Secret Realm. “Indeed, the Special Attack Effort Values you gained from winning in the Rock-type Secret Realm have also reached double digits. Why does my data only show ten?”
After a long period of research, the system finally said to Xia Huanao, “Host, I need to undergo a deep hibernation for self-diagnosis to figure out what’s going on. This self-check might take some time, but don’t worry, I’ll be back in at most a month. Oh, and you missed your stop. You’re three stops past it.”
With that, the system went silent. Xia Huanao was stunned, then quickly got off the bus and walked back along the road, repeatedly asking, “System, System?”
The system did not answer. Xia Huanao thought, The system is indeed the system; it goes cold really fast.
He arrived at the secret base, pushed the door open, and looked at the medicine pack still on the table. He gritted his teeth and stamped his foot. “Bring it on, I’m not afraid of you.”
This was the third day of joint training between Xia Huanao and Froakie. Xia Huanao had already gotten used to the tennis balls flying around him. Not only could he dodge them, but sometimes he could even reach out and catch one before throwing it back.
As for Froakie, its abilities were far greater than Xia Huanao’s. And with Xia Huanao’s intentional training, Froakie had begun to develop the ability to counter the flying tennis balls with its own bubbles.
Watching Froakie train diligently, Xia Huanao, like an old father, felt his heart fill with warmth. Just as he was basking in this contentment, joy turned to sorrow. A tennis ball flew towards him, and he felt a sharp pain.
Outside the training area, Xia Huanao sat on the ground, clutching his lower abdomen. That tennis ball had been remarkably accurate. A little lower and Xia Huanao would have been ruined.
In pain, Xia Huanao huffed and puffed as he rubbed his body, while watching Froakie continue to train on the field. Just as Xia Huanao was contemplating whether he should add an iron bucket to his waist to improve his defense, a voice sounded. “Host, what’s wrong? Have you undergone a species change?”
Xia Huanao replied without thinking, “No, I’m lucky. I almost got hit just now…”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Huanao realized something was wrong. “Huh? System? Was that you talking?”
“Of course, who else would call you Host?”
Xia Huanao was dumbfounded. “No, didn’t you say you were going to hibernate for a month? What month did you use to get back so quickly?”
The system’s ability to defend itself was truly on par with Xia Huanao’s. “Host, please note that I only said I would be back in at most a month. I never said it would take me a full month to complete the self-check.”
Xia Huanao could only agree. “As expected of the system, truly extraordinary.”
The system proudly replied, “Of course. Not only have I completed my self-check and resolved the issue, but I also took the time to contact my production headquarters on Ziwei Star, acquired a system upgrade patch, and completed the system upgrade. I am now version 2.0.”
As it spoke, the system produced a red flag with “2.0” written on it and waved it vigorously.
After waving it a couple of times, the system seemed to think the scene wasn’t grand enough, and directly split into countless avatars in Xia Huanao’s mind. They beat gongs and drums, accompanying the main system waving the flag. And, for some reason, the system had learned to set off fireworks in Xia Huanao’s mind.
Having so many things appear in one’s mind simultaneously was an extremely uncomfortable experience. Xia Huanao violently shook his head to dispel the illusions conjured by the system.
Xia Huanao, gasping for breath and seeing stars, asked, “System, what kind of trick is this?”
The system continued to wave the flag. “In your past life’s terms, this is called ‘beating gongs and drums, setting off firecrackers, with red flags waving and a vast sea of people.’ Isn’t this the treatment reserved for extremely important events?”
Xia Huanao conceded, “Yes, yes, you’re right. So, System, what new functions does version 2.0 have?”
“Version 2.0 has stronger anti-interference capabilities.”
Xia Huanao nodded excitedly. “Mm-hmm, and then?”
“What then?”
Xia Huanao was speechless. “I mean, are there any other functions?”
“That’s it. What else do you want? I’m an auxiliary system; strengthening life force is the best possible enhancement.”
“Tch, what a letdown.”
Xia Huanao had expected the system’s update to include things he’d seen before, like gacha draws or quests. To his surprise, there was nothing.
Still rubbing his injury from the anticlimactic excitement, Xia Huanao continued, “So, what caused your malfunction this time?”
The system put down the flag. “It was still the aftermath of what the Dunhe Nation did before. Because Arceus had an incident, some particles on the Spiritual Demon Star became disordered, interfering with the system’s operation. This caused some minor issues with my data memory and calculation modules, but they weren’t serious and have now been repaired.”
Xia Huanao expressed his confusion. “Particle disorder sounds like something from the technological side. You, a system, should be a product of the fantastical. It’s hard for me to visualize how the two are related.”
The system brought up Arceus, who had “died” earlier. “Arceus is mythological, while the Dunhe Nation’s rocket is technological. It’s even possible for technology to defeat mythology head-on, so why can’t I be affected by particles?”
Xia Huanao objected. “No, although Arceus is mythological, in my opinion, that rocket from the Dunhe Nation became mythological the moment it launched into the sky, understand? So, it was purely mythological interference between mythological entities.”
“Alright, Host, I won’t argue with you. Let me show you Froakie’s current stats.”
Xia Huanao was very interested in Froakie’s current stats. “Quick, quick.”
Name: Froakie
Level: lv15 [exp100%]
Ability: Protean
Affects: +Sp. Atk -Atk
IVs: 6v
Effort Values: Sp. Atk 28, Speed 75
Stats: HP 41, Atk 23, Def 21, Sp. Atk 31, Sp. Def 22, Speed 33
Moves: Pound, Growl, Bubble, Ice Beam
Held Item: None
Sync Rate: 57‰ [Bond Evolution]
Xia Huanao looked at Froakie’s Effort Values. “Hmm, these stats look much more normal. It was worth all the training I’ve put into Froakie’s Speed. But, System, how do you think I can increase Froakie’s Special Attack Effort Values?”
The system thought for a long time and finally said, “Of course, by practicing more.”
Xia Huanao stopped rubbing his injured hand. “What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what it means. Using the biological knowledge you learned in your past life, this would be called ‘use it or lose it.’ The more it’s used, the stronger it naturally becomes.”
Xia Huanao refuted this explanation. “If what you’re saying is true, Froakie should have quite a bit of Physical Attack Effort Values by now, since it only used Pound at the beginning.”
“You’re still too naive. To influence Effort Values using this method, the unit is in the thousands. That’s what you call honing your skills…”