The Strongest Trainer - (Translator/editor)

"Let's go. If Gyarados wakes up, it'll be trouble," Ash said casually, turning toward his tent after Misty confirmed the Gyarados wasn't hers.

"Aren't you going to catch it?" Misty asked, her tone laced with confusion.

It wasn't every day that such a powerful Gyarados appeared, and she couldn't understand Ash's indifference.

"Forget it," Ash replied, shaking his head. "While this Gyarados is strong, it doesn't meet my standards."

Though the Gyarados's level was high, Ash had noticed that its potential had reached a bottleneck. While his knowledge and training skills could push it further, he didn't think the effort was worth it.

From the battle, Ash had also observed that the Gyarados was overly aggressive, quick to anger, and heavily reliant on its evolution to reach the Elite stage. These traits might make it formidable in the wild, but as a trainer's Pokémon, it lacked the temperament and potential to excel further.

"Don't you have any camping gear?" Ash asked Misty once they reached his tent. He noticed she had nothing but a few Poké Balls on her belt.

"I did, but Gyarados destroyed it all... and my bike is gone too!" Misty replied, her voice a mix of frustration and despair.

While many would feel uneasy around a Gyarados, Misty's reaction was more extreme. Her fear stemmed from a childhood incident when she had accidentally fallen near a Gyarados and was nearly swallowed. The traumatic memory had left her with a deep-seated fear of the species.

"Alright, you and Pikachu can sleep in the tent. I'll use my sleeping bag," Ash offered, realizing Misty had no supplies.

What Ash didn't realize, however, was that this girl was Misty—the very same Misty who had accompanied him during his original journey.

Given the decades that had passed in his previous life, and the fact that he hadn't been chased by a flock of Spearow this time, it was no surprise he had long forgotten many details about Misty and their shared adventures.

Due to his past experiences, Ash had developed a deeply guarded subconscious. Once an orphan who had endured emotional betrayals, he was now wary of forming relationships, especially with those who had ulterior motives.

"What-… no!" Misty stammered, startled by Ash's offer.

While she thought it was gentlemanly of him to give up his tent, the idea of staying in a boy's tent made her flustered.

"It's fine. I've only used the tent for a few hours since I just started my journey today," Ash reassured her, noticing her hesitation.

Her expression revealed her unease, and Ash tried to put her at ease.

Eventually, Misty accepted the offer and settled inside the tent. Pikachu joined her and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Though the earlier battle hadn't been particularly draining, it was late, and the little Pokémon was exhausted.

The next morning, Ash woke up early from his sleeping bag.

Years of rigorous training had instilled a strict habit of rising at 5:00 a.m. sharp.

Aside from his usual preparations, he needed to plan his training schedule for the day.

"System, display the lottery options. This time, I'm using all five attribute points!" Ash thought as he prepared food, glancing at Misty and Pikachu, who were still sound asleep. (Attribute points or is better say only "points" or "gacha/lottery point"?)

"Ding~!"

"The lottery is ready. Please select to start!"

As before, a slot machine appeared in his mind, displaying gold, black, red, blue, and white squares.

However, this time, a green square had been added, catching Ash's attention.

"System, what does the green square represent?" Ash asked, pausing in his preparations.

"Ding~!"

"The lottery mimics slot machines from the host's previous world. This time, the system includes an 'explosion probability' feature. If the green square is selected, the slot machine will randomly grant three prizes instead of one."

"I see! So it's basically like hitting the jackpot," Ash said with a smirk. "Looks like my luck is pretty good this time."

Feeling confident, Ash closed his eyes and entered the system space. He pulled the slot machine lever five times in quick succession, eager to see what rewards awaited him.

These five attribute points represented Ash's most significant achievement in eight years. Considering it had taken nearly a decade to earn them, the slow progression often felt exasperating.

"Ding~!"

"Congratulations to the host! You've obtained a blue item: ten Mana Potions (small), capable of restoring half the mental power of any Pokémon from till the advanced stages."

"Congratulations to the host! You've obtained a red item: five Hyper Potion, capable of fully restoring the condition of any Pokémon till champion level to them.ir peak state."

"Congratulations to the host! You've drawn a white item. Better luck next time!"

"Congratulations to the host! You've drawn a white item. Better luck next time!"

"Congratulations to the host! You've drawn a green item, triggering a random double reward! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Congratulations to the host! You've obtained a black item: three Full Heal (human), capable of fully restoring the human body's condition."

"Congratulations to the host! You've obtained five red items: five Full Repair (gene), capable of completely repairing hidden injuries in any Pokémon caused by forced evolution."

"Congratulations to the host! You've drawn a white item. Better luck next time!"

Ash felt satisfied with the outcome. Using five attribute points to gain four valuable items was an excellent result, especially since the green square had triggered the double reward. Without it, he might have only received two items.

Suddenly, a torrent of information surged into Ash's mind, causing him to wince as pain flared across his forehead.

The sheer volume of data was overwhelming, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.

"At least Mana Potion (small) can be mass-produced," Ash mused, steadying his thoughts.

"But the materials for Hyper potion, Full Repair (gene), and Full Heal (human) are far too rare, and the success rates for crafting them are extremely low. These will have to be reserved for emergencies."

After reviewing the details of his items, Ash smiled knowingly.

He clearly understood the difference between medicines and potion.

Medicines, such as sprays, were for external use, while potion were ingested directly.

Through eight years of rigorous training, Ash had honed an extensive understanding of medicinal materials and ingredients.

By now, he could identify most of the world's medicinal resources with ease.

"When I reach Celadon City, I'll contact my grandfather and share the formula for the Mana Potion (small) with Uncle Samuel, once it's on the market, I'll transfer all my shares to Gary. With his qualifications and the support of both Grandpa and Uncle, Gary will undoubtedly have no trouble securing his place as the family patriarch."

The Oak family was a tightly bonded group, but leadership strength could determine its future. The patriarch wasn't just the head of the family; they also represented its prestige and authority.

For Gary to successfully inherit the role of patriarch, he needed to establish his merit and prove himself capable. The affiliated families under the Oak banner were always vigilant, waiting to exploit any signs of weakness in the family's leadership.

N/T: if you are with me till here, see the "new info" in the auxiliary chapter