The rematch ended exactly as one would expect under the crushing weight of "Insane Mode" scaling.
Treecko was obliterated by two Embers. Because both Pokémon had leveled up, the power gap had widened; Torchic's flames now carved out two-thirds of Treecko's HP in a single burst. As the screen faded to black and the character respawned at the Pokémon Center, the wallet icon in the corner blinked a dismal -$1,000.
Cynthia's chat was a blur of frantic text. "I finally get what he meant by 'never being left behind'... he meant he'll always be one step ahead!" "This developer is a sadist. Why does the NPC scale with the player?!" "LMAO, minus a thousand? The Champion is officially bankrupt!"
Cynthia didn't see the comments. She was lost in a tactical trance. The developer had anticipated the most common player strategy, grinding, and slammed the door shut. To win, she couldn't rely on brute force. She needed to solve the fundamental problem: Type Disadvantage.
The double weakness is too much for Treecko's bulk, she mused. But wait... Professor Birch gave me five Pokéballs.
Her eyes brightened. If she couldn't win with one Pokémon, she'd build a team. However, the game's "Insane" rules were restrictive. Her current party limit was only 2, and the total Pokémon she could catch over the entire game was capped at 15. Most brutally, once a Pokémon was caught, it could never be released.
"Every partner is for life," Cynthia whispered.
To most players, this was a harsh limitation. To Cynthia, it felt right. It mirrored the weight of a real trainer's bond. She wouldn't just catch "data"; she would choose her comrades with the same gravity she used in the real world.
Her mind began cataloging the wild Pokémon she'd seen on the route, but a sudden, sharp trill broke her concentration. Her phone, resting on the desk, was vibrating.
She checked the ID and answered immediately. "Miss Cynthia," a voice crackled, urgent and low. "I'm sorry to interrupt your leave, but the spirits in the Distortion World are agitated again. We suspect a new wave is forming. The Canalave City gate needs your presence immediately."
Cynthia's expression hardened. The relaxed gamer was gone; the Champion had returned. "Understood. I'm on my way."
She turned back to her camera, her voice tinged with genuine regret. "I'm sorry, everyone. Duty calls. I have to end the stream early, but I'll be back as soon as the situation is stable. Thank you for your patience."
The screen cut to black, leaving a tidal wave of "Nooo!" and "The Distortion World?!" in its wake. But as the viewers dispersed, a spark had been lit.
"I'm buying it," one viewer typed. "I have to see if I can beat that Torchic." "Me too. If the Champion can't do it, maybe I can!"
Despite the $288 price tag, the seeds of a viral hit had been sown. With over 200,000 viewers witnessing the mystery, even a one-percent conversion rate meant 2,000 copies sold instantly.
High above the clouds, a deep blue blur tore through the night sky.
Cynthia sat atop her Garchomp, the wind whipping her blonde hair into a golden veil. Usually, Pokémon transport was restricted over urban areas, but a Champion on an emergency mission held absolute priority.
Even as she sped toward a potential crisis, her mind wandered back to the emerald-green pixels. Does every NPC scale? If the first rival is this hard, what does a Gym Leader look like?
She felt a rare thrill of anticipation. It had been years since she felt this kind of tactical pressure. But there was a more pressing matter: she needed to find "Cliff" before someone else cleared the beta and took his contact info.
Her phone buzzed again. This time, the caller ID was a string of garbled code. Cynthia's face broke into a look of genuine surprise and relief. She swiped to answer.
"Cynthia! Long time no see. Did you miss me?" a lazy, playful voice drifted through the line.
"You're out already?" Cynthia asked, impressed.
"What, you wanted me to stay in the 'Black Hole' longer? It was surprisingly quiet this time, so we wrapped up early." The voice chuckled. "So, what's up?"
"You're just in time," Cynthia said. "I need you to track someone down for me. A game developer."
The line went silent for a beat. "...Excuse me?" the voice finally asked. "Cynthia, you know my hacking skills and database access aren't for sending death threats to devs who make games too hard, right?"
"It's not that," Cynthia corrected quickly. "He has information on Rayquaza. Accurate, ancient-tier information. I don't know if it's a studio or an individual named 'Cliff,' but I need to know who he is."
The voice shifted instantly from lazy to intrigued. "Rayquaza? Real data? Say no more. I'm on it."
"Thank you. I'll buy you dinner," Cynthia promised.
"I'm holding you to that. The steakhouse at the Canalave docks. I have to go, I'll call you when I have a lead."
The call ended. Cynthia pocketed her phone and patted Garchomp's neck. "Garchomp, let's pick up the pace. We need to finish this mission and get back to the game."
"Gah-rawr!"
With a sonic boom, the dragon-shark vanished into the horizon.
Six hours later. Viridian City, Kanto.
"Ugh... that was a solid sleep."
Cliff sat up in his cramped rental, stretching until his joints popped. He reached for his phone, expecting maybe a handful of pity-buys from curious browsers.
He stared at the screen.
[PsyduckTV Notification: 'Pokémon: Emerald' has sold 1,823 copies today!]
The number ticked up to 1,824 as he watched.
"What?" Cliff's jaw dropped.
He had wanted to set a low entry price for his first project, but the System had enforced a strict $288 floor, claiming "quality demands its price." He'd gone to bed certain he'd wake up to zero sales.
But then, the System's golden text appeared:
[Ding! Emotional Points earned during sleep: 720!]
[Livestream Audience: 320 pts][Game Buyers: 100 pts][Special Contribution: Shock and Anticipation from Sinnoh Champion Cynthia: 300 pts!]
"Cynthia streamed it?" Cliff whispered, the realization hitting him like a Thunderbolt. "No wonder..."
The most powerful woman in Sinnoh had just given him the world's best marketing for free. He grinned, ready to open the System panel and spend his new points on advanced modules.
Then, he felt it. A sudden, icy draft. The hair on his arms stood up. Something was behind him.
He spun around, expecting a drafty window.
Instead, he found himself inches away from a pair of hollow, glowing green eyes. Above them, a sickly pale-blue flame flickered atop a white, waxy head.
A scream ripped from Cliff's throat, echoing through the thin walls of the apartment.
"OH MY GOD! A GHOST! AAAAAAAHHH!!"