At 8:00 PM, Sato arrived alo Goldenrod City's rgest and most famous Silph Game er. Even before stepping ihe deafening noise from within was already overwhelming.

  The Silph Game er was situated in the heart of the city, where real estate was worth its weight in gold. Yet, the facility itself was massive—c an area as rge as two full-sized soccer fields.

  But what truly drew people in weren't the fshing lights or lively atmosphere—it was the generous prizes.

  At the very top of the exge list sat two highly coveted rewards:

  A Larvitar and a Dratini.

  Alongside these, there were other rare Pokémon, valuable items, specialized Poké Balls, high-tech equipment, and more.

  However, after gng at the staggering number of zeroes required to exge for a Dratini, Sato didn't even bother ting. Sihe game er had beeablished, there hadn't been a single lucky soul who had mao seudo-legendary baby Pokémon.

  Retrag his gaze, Sato walked over to the ter and exged 10,000 Pokédolrs for 100 game s.

  The exge rate alone was enough to drive away most ordinary people. It was a stark reminder of Goldenrod City's incredible affluence.

  Casually tossing the pouch of game s, Sato wandered around the venue like a wide-eyed child experieng a o for the first time—his head stantly turning, eyes filled with curiosity.

  But in this pce, his behavior hardly attracted any attention.

  The truly wealthy patrons used V.I.P. cards to py directly. A kid walking around with a small pouch of game s was just another casual visitor, likely someoh limited funds.

  So, after roaming for a while, Sato realized—not a siaff member had approached him.

  "Perfect."

  Murmuring to himself, Sato leisurely made his way toward an inspicuous er where a row of virtual rag maes stood.

  The "horses" in this rag simutor were all Pokémon capable of being used as mounts.

  Choosing a Rapidash at random, Sato straddled the mae and ied two game s.

  As the course yout appeared on the rge s in front of him, Sato "galloped" forward on his Rapidash.

  Ten mier, he dismounted with a lingering sense of exhiration.

  The game was expe undeniably immersive.

  Despite being a simple obstacle-dodging race, the experience was remarkably lifelike.

  The heat radiating from Rapidash, the way its muscles tensed and moved, even the subtle shifts in bance when stepping on a rock—everything was meticulously simuted.

  Rather than pying another round, Sato resumed his leisurely stroll. His eyes casually drifted across the tless game maes, as if he were just a child carefully pig out whie to py .

  But iy, his remaining peripheral vision was hard at work.

  Every unnoticed gnce was dedicated to sing the yout, noting the staff pts, and memorizing the security arras.

  Having spent so much time in this new life, Sato was gradually perfeg his ability to use his age as a disguise.

  And the results?

  Impressive.

  Whether it was his oppos uimating him in battle or the security personnel here dismissing him as just another kid, it all worked to his advantage.

  "Found it."

  Feigning curiosity, Sato meandered over to one of the most pames in the arcade.

  The slot maes.

  Each mae had three spinning reels and one lever.

  As long as all three reels dispyed the same symbol, the pyer would rize based on the symbol's payout ratio.

  Simple. Direct. Fast-paced.

  It was the perfect money sink for those who craved instas.

  Casually, Sato stole a g a particur mural he row of maes.

  Then, he calmly retracted his gaze and sat down at a random mae.

  "Click!"

  "Ding!"

  "Ding!"

  "Ding!"

  "Ctter! Ctter! Ctter!"

  "Huh?"

  Sato watched in mild disbelief as the mae spat out over a hundred game s all at once.

  For the first time, he felt a little stunned.

  On the s, all three reels had nded on the same symbol—a trio of adorable Jigglypuff.

  The three Jigglypuff even winked in sync, as if mog him.

  Even in this loud, chaotic game er, the sound of over a hundred s casg out instantly drew the attention of the surrounding pyers.

  Sato hesitated for one sed.

  Then, as if pletely unaware of what had just happened, he excitedly ied twame s and pulled the lever again.

  "Ding!"

  "Ding!"

  "Ding!"

  "Ctter! Ctter! Ctter! Ctter! Ctter!"

  Sato's hand hadn't even released the lever yet, and already—

  Three Pikachu symbols lined up perfectly on the s.

  And, as even more s poured out, the animated Pikachu trio let out a cheerful cry—

  "Pika! Pika!"

  Winning twi a row with the jackpot—this time, the surrounding pyers couldn't sit still.

  Oer ahey crowded around Sato, staring at his colle tray, which was now filled with a signifit yer of game s, preventing them from boung away.

  Once could be a ce.

  But twice?

  Sato sighed helplessly at the growing crowd, then grabbed twame s, ied them, and pulled the lever.

  "Ding!" "Ding!" "Click…"

  This time, the reels didn't align, and Sato quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Around him, the onlookers let out disappointed sighs. They had hoped the boy had some kind of winning trick.

  Sato ied two more s and pulled the lever again.

  The reels stopped—pletely different symbols.

  The crowd finally rexed, vihat Sato had just been lucky. Slowly, they began to disperse.

  Feeling more at ease, Sato casually ied awo s.

  "Click!"

  "Ding!" "Ding!" "Ding!"

  "Ctter! Ctter! Ctter!"

  The entire crowd froze mid-step. One particurly excited onlooker twisted their oo fast while turning back.

  Sato looked down at the flood of game s spilling out of the mae. Then, he slowly raised his head.

  On the slot mae s, the three reels were all showing a bright red '7'.

  Finally, he turned—ahe stunned gazes of half-twisted spectators, all frozen in disbelief.

  "…Isn't that the highest jackpot?"

  "Yeah."

  A hesitant voice broke the silence, and everyoill half-turned managed a stiff nod.

  "Ctter! Ctter! Ctter!"

  The sound of game s p out tinued, but Sato snapped back to reality.

  With a shy smile, he said:

  "Wow, I guess I'm really lucky!"

  In an instant, the entire crowd surged fain.

  Young kids smaller than Sato, elderly pyers whose speech was slightly slurred, and everyone iween—all of them edly surrounded him.

  "I… really was just lucky."

  "Yeah, sure!"

  They all nodded in unison, but their hungry gazes clearly said: Who are y to fool?!

  "Click!"

  "Click!"

  "Click!"

  Three more spins—no winnings.

  But by now, Sato's colle tray was nearly overflowing, and the crowd only grew rger.

  I swear, even I didn't know I was this lucky!

  Sato smiled bitterly to himself.

  Ten spins.

  Twenty spins.

  After pying fifty rounds, he had burhrough all 100 s from his first win—and gotten nothing. Finally, the spectators, feeling a mix of relief and disappoi, began dispersing.

  "Ding!" "Ding!" "Ding!"

  Then—

  "Ding!"

  That fourth sound was Sato's heart skipping a beat.Behind him—the crowd stirred again.

  Ahree red '7s' lined up perfectly on the s.

  Sato didn't eveo turn around—he could feel the fiery gazes of the people behind him. Even with all his battlefield experience, he found it hard to ehis level of attention.

  "Fet it."

  Shaking his head internally, Sato realized that tonight's reission was over.

  He silently waved over a staff member and requested a rge bag.

  Then, hoisting it onto his shoulder, he carried all his game s to the exge ter—with every eye in the arcade watg him.

  "Sir, you've won a total of 2,438 game s. What would you like to exge them for?"

  The exge ter employee remained surprisingly calm.

  It wasn't the first time they had seen someoh ridiculous luck, so their rea was rather posed.

  Sato g the prize list.

  With over 2,000 game s, there were actually quite a few good things he could redeem.