When the [Ascension Trainer System] had brought Ash into this Pokémon world, it hadn't come without a price.
During the dimensional transfer, the system's energy had been nearly drained dry. The world's own consciousness had detected the foreign intrusion and lashed out—tearing through the system's defenses before it could stabilize.
The damage was catastrophic.
So severe, in fact, that over eighty percent of its structure had been destroyed.
When Ash first woke up and tried to activate the [Ascension Trainer System], almost everything failed to load—the Mission Module, System Shop, Lottery Wheel… all corrupted.
The System Backpack? Empty.
The Starter Gift Pack? Gone.
And the cute system guide fairy that should've appeared with a cheerful voice? Missing in action.
All that remained were three core, bare-bones functions: Level Advancement, Skill Copy, and Proficiency.
The first two were self-explanatory. But it was the third—Skill Copy—that truly caught his attention.
According to the system's note, it allowed him to copy a Pokémon's moves through direct physical contact.
That single line had been circling in his head ever since Gary suggested visiting Professor Oak's research lab. So when they arrived, Ash had already decided to test it out on one of the Pokémon in the lab's backyard.
"Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Earth Power, and Megahorn…" Ash murmured, eyes gleaming. "This Nidoking might not have the highest potential, but these moves? They're incredible. No wonder it's a Trainer-raised Pokémon!"
A grin stretched across his face. "If I can copy all of them… I'll be rich."
His eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked up at the towering beast. Nidoking, however, completely misread his expression. Thinking the boy was admiring its physique, the hulking Pokémon flexed proudly, striking a bodybuilder's pose.
Ash chuckled but didn't break focus. "System, copy all of Nidoking's available skills."
In response, a translucent progress bar flashed before his eyes.
10%... 50%... 90%... 100%.
Done.
The [Skill Copy] module, one of the three surviving core functions of the Ascension Trainer System, operated at lightning speed. Within seconds, every one of Nidoking's skills had been perfectly duplicated.
And yet, Nidoking hadn't lost anything—it still retained all its original moves. The system had simply copied the data, not stolen it.
However, Ash noticed something peculiar. The once-glowing list of Nidoking's moves had turned dim and grayed out.
"So, once I've copied a Pokémon's skill, I can't do it again?" he thought.
Almost immediately, the system responded with a flicker—a small asterisk appeared beside the skill list. Ash focused on it, and a note popped up:
[Skill Copy] allows the user to duplicate a Pokémon's moves through physical contact.
However, each skill can only be copied once from the same Pokémon.
If the Pokémon learns new moves later, those may be copied as well.
Additionally, all copied skills begin at Basic Proficiency, regardless of the source Pokémon's mastery level.
Ash's mouth twitched.
"So it's not really copying the full skill—more like stealing a seed of it," he muttered. "I still have to train to master it myself…"
Still, his irritation quickly faded into a grin.
"Even with those limits, it's still ridiculously powerful. I can always find more Pokémon to 'shake hands' with."
He could already imagine the possibilities.
In battle, a Pokémon's strength came from two things: its level—the hardware—and its moves—the software. Training and evolution raised a Pokémon's stats, but moves defined strategy, variety, and power.
And the latter usually cost a fortune.
Every Trainer knew that teaching new moves was one of the most expensive parts of raising Pokémon. TM alone were worth more than gold.
Regular move TMs cost thousands.
High-tier moves started at 100,000 Poké Dollars.
And the strongest ones? Multi-type or elemental power techniques—those sold for millions, if you could even find them.
Which meant… what Ash had just done was essentially the same as downloading millions worth of skills—instantly and for free.
He looked again at the five strongest moves he'd copied from Nidoking:
Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Earth Power, and Megahorn.
Each one was a treasure.
"Fire Punch," "Ice Punch," and "Thunder Punch" weren't just high-tier moves—they were premium, hybrid-tech moves that combined physical and elemental power. Each TM could easily sell for one million Poké Dollars—or more if bundled.
And then there was Megahorn—a Bug-type powerhouse with a base power of 120. A move that could shatter shields and even pierce defensive types.
Those discs were practically priceless.
Even "Earth Power," with a lower base power of 90, was a move used by Legendary Pokémon like Groudon, whose signature attack—Precipice Blades—was only marginally stronger.
Ash let out a slow breath, his heart pounding.
"Just one touch… and I've copied millions' worth of moves."
He glanced at his hand, still warm from contact with Nidoking's armored hide, and a mischievous grin crept onto his face.
"With this system… even before I start my journey, I've already found my first way to get rich."
The gears in his head began to turn. If the system could copy any Pokémon's skill… what would happen if he shook hands with a Gym Leader's ace Pokémon?
His grin widened.
The possibilities were endless.
…
…
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