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It was just after midnight, meaning the evening entertainment in Vermilion City—a bustling port town—was only getting started.
The streets were packed with people, and the port's more "colorful" areas, known for a certain gray-area atmosphere, were even busier than usual.
The street Sato had entered was also part of one of these lively port areas.
Couples wandered by, talking and laughing, while shouts from drunken arguments erupted periodically from the various bars. Occasionally, the sound of shattering glass would punctuate the noisy atmosphere.
Sato looked at the chaotic yet oddly harmonious scene around him.
Though he disliked places like this, such semi-gray areas were the best chance he had for acquiring Pokémon through unconventional means.
Now dressed in black, Sato had also used Ditto's mask disguise to appear as a rather unattractive man, with a well-developed Golbat perched on his shoulder.
Thanks to Golbat's intimidating presence, he avoided most trouble, as few dared to approach him.
Eventually, Sato stopped in front of a large game hall called "Joyous Game Hall."
Positioned on a busy corner and offering a wide range of games, it drew a large crowd. Most patrons were not ordinary citizens but Trainers with PokéBalls at their sides, some dressed quite impressively.
What drew Trainers to this game hall was simple: the brightly lit sign at the entrance. A large, elegant board displayed a poster advertising various rare Pokémon and items, enticing the Trainers inside. Sato, noticing the poster, decided to stop.
"Starter Pokémon available for a limited exchange. Interesting," Sato thought, eyes narrowing as he read the ad.
Among Water-types, what intrigued him the most were the regional starters. Their potential and adaptability surpassed that of typical Water Pokémon.
The list included Kanto's Squirtle, Johto's Totodile, Hoenn's Mudkip, Sinnoh's Piplup, Unova's Oshawott, Kalos' Froakie, and Alola's Popplio.
Each of these Water starters was exceptional, but Sato's favorites were Squirtle, Mudkip, and especially Froakie. The final evolution of Froakie, Greninja, had a unique appeal.
Like many Pokémon fans, he had once dreamed of bonding with a Greninja capable of synchronizing its form with him—a truly captivating image.
After a moment of imagining, Sato returned to reality, anticipation building as he headed toward the game hall's entrance with Golbat by his side.
If he was right, this game hall might operate like the Rocket-controlled arcade in Celadon, Kanto's largest gaming hub, where the items displayed required exchanging game coins.
If this game hall was indeed like the Rainbow Game Corner, then it was bound to have those gambling machines—the infamous slot machines that devoured players' game coins.
If these slot machines were indeed present, Sato was confident he could get whatever he wanted from them, thanks to his exceptional dynamic vision.
The odds of winning at these machines were low because most players couldn't keep up with the spinning images on the screen and had to rely on luck to press the button at the right time.
But for someone with Sato's vision, who could even keep up with the insane speed of the Berry Mixer, following the slot machine's spin was nothing.
The game hall's well-secured status was evident from the outset. Several men in sharp suits guarded the entrance, each accompanied by a high-level Houndour standing alert at their feet, watching over the entrance like gatekeepers.
Naturally, Sato and his Golbat drew their attention, and they immediately required him to return his Pokémon and warned him against causing any trouble inside.
Sato complied without argument, returning Golbat to its PokéBall, and the guards, satisfied, stepped aside, allowing him entry.
Just as he'd imagined, slot machines were everywhere inside. He immediately spotted the same type he'd played in past games, dominating nearly two-thirds of the hall.
These machines were hugely popular with the patrons; nearly every guest was here to experience the thrill of the slots, and the atmosphere was electric with excitement.
Sato approached the counter to buy game coins, learning from the staff about the coin exchange rates.
The coins came in bronze, silver, and gold. One gold coin was equivalent to 100 silver coins, a silver coin was worth 100 bronze coins, and one bronze coin cost 100 PokeDollars.
The counter also displayed a detailed exchange list, showing the number of coins needed for various items. At the very top of the list were the mysterious starter Pokémon, requiring 10 gold coins to redeem.
Given the exchange rate, a single starter Pokémon would cost at least 10 million PokeDollars. To Sato, this high price wasn't surprising. His Ditto alone had cost him 7 million PokeDollars on the black market, so spending 10 million for a starter Pokémon seemed reasonable.
More importantly, game coins could be earned through gambling. If he could obtain the starter worth 10 million with a minimal investment, it would be an unbeatable bargain.
Most Trainers came here hoping to get something valuable for a fraction of the cost. Beyond the starter Pokémon, the exchange list also featured rare items and Pokémon gear nearly impossible to obtain by regular means.
In fact, the starter Pokémon was only the tenth item on the list; nine other items above it were even more valuable.
The top three items were extremely rare and priceless outside this venue.
The third-place item was the Toxic Orb, the second was the Life Orb, and the first, to Sato's surprise, was the incredibly rare Key Stone.
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