One man's trash is another man's treasure

John turned on the Gameboy, fueled by caffeine, and prepared for a long night ahead. He settled into his gaming chair, the glow of the screen reflecting his determination.

Entering the game, the protagonist found himself still on Route 101. He maneuvered through the tall grass, eyes sharp for any potential spoils. Anticipation buzzed in his veins as he recalled tales of trainers striking it rich.

After downing a Red Bull and a coffee, John pondered how he could quickly gather items from the game to amass wealth and achieve financial freedom. It wasn't just about the thrill of the game; he dreamed of escaping his current financial woes.

Advancing the plot and collecting items along the way seemed like a solid plan. Every map contained various items waiting to be picked up, some worth tens of thousands in evolution stones. Selling even one could provide enough supplies for a month or two. Just the thought made his heart race with excitement.

However, this was a one-time gain; items wouldn't regenerate after being collected. This mirrored the scenario of defeating NPCs for cash and then using that cash in the real world—both were non-renewable resources. What John really sought was a "sustainable development path."

The first idea that came to mind was a skill called "Thief." The possibilities danced in his mind as he imagined himself sneaking through battles, gathering treasures without a second thought. In the game, he could battle trainers and use Thief to swipe items from opponents, returning them after the match. But if the rival was a wild Pokémon...

What reason would he have to give the items back?

A perfect zero-Pokedollar acquisition! Unfortunately, the Thief skill was only available later in the game, and in reality, acquiring skills required a teacher skilled in teaching Thief techniques. That cost… was far beyond what John could afford right now. His plan for zero-cost acquisitions was on hold, much like his dwindling bank account.

Suddenly, John recalled the Zigzagoon he had just captured. His excitement bubbled up again. Zigzagoon's ability, "Pickup," gave it a chance to find items after battles. The exciting part was that Zigzagoon could find items even when not in battle! He could almost visualize it scouring the landscape, picking up treasures for him.

John knew the odds of Zigzagoon finding items weren't great, but what if he had five of them? With renewed determination, he guided the protagonist to wander through the grass, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Let's form a scavenger crew, just like those treasure hunters I always admired!" He envisioned a team of Torchic and five Zigzagoon, ready to scavenge together!

As they journeyed, he thought he could progress the plot normally while using Torchic as the primary fighter and letting the Zigzagoon gather whatever they could find. His mind raced with the thought of financial freedom dancing tantalizingly close. He believed it wouldn't be long before he achieved his dream!

[A wild Poochyena jumped out of the grass.]

"Perfect! Just what I need to train!" he exclaimed. He decided to take it down! Torchic unleashed Ember, knocking the Poochyena out in no time. The wild Pokemon managed to land a Tackle in return, but it hardly posed a problem.

"Onward!" he cheered.

[A wild Zigzagoon appeared.]

Finally! He had found another Zigzagoon. John had Torchic weaken it with Ember before tossing a Pokeball. The thrill of the hunt surged through him.

[Zigzagoon escaped from the Pokeball.]

[Protagonist: What a shame! So close!]

No luck catching it? No worries; he still had more Pokeballs to use.

[Zigzagoon escaped again.]

[Protagonist: What a shame! So close!]

Two failed attempts so far; he still had two left.

[Zigzagoon escaped once more.]

[Protagonist: What a shame! So close!]

Frustration began to mount! "Listen, Zigzagoon, don't make this harder than it needs to be! I have one Pokeball left, and if it doesn't catch you, don't blame me for being ruthless!" He felt a mix of irritation and determination.

Perhaps John's threat worked; the last Pokeball finally captured Zigzagoon.

"Finally!" John sighed in relief, the tension in his shoulders easing. He opened the stats menu, eager to see what he had caught.

[Zigzagoon (Normal)]

[Level: 3]

[Ability: Gluttony (If the Pokemon's HP is less than half its maximum, it consumes the fruit it holds instead of the usual quarter.)]

[IV: Stamina (30), Attack (7), Special Attack (22), Defense (25), Special Defense (11), Speed (11)]

[Moves: Growl, Tackle]

[Held Item: none]

John's blood pressure skyrocketed! "How could this be? I spent four Pokeballs on a Zigzagoon with abilities I didn't want!" His voice rose, echoing in the quiet room. Not even a single IV in its stats! How could Zigzagoon have the audacity to make him waste four Pokeballs?

"Forget it! Get out of my sight!" he yelled at the screen, frustrated but determined. Feeling the weight of disappointment, John forced himself to focus. The plan had to continue. He had to think bigger!

He guided the protagonist off Route 101, heading to the Pokemon Center in Oldale Town for healing and to get rid of the useless Zigzagoon. Torchic took a few Tackle hits but would recover. While there, he decided to buy more Pokeballs. A new sense of hope filled him as he approached the counter.

At the entrance, he spoke with a salesperson, who led him to the Pokemon store and handed him a Potion. John entered the store, planning to spend all his remaining cash on Pokeballs. He knew he needed at least four or five more to continue his quest.

"I remember that the protagonist starts with 3,000 Pokedollars," he thought. "The price of a Pokeball is the same as in real life—200 Pokedollars each. That should let me buy 15." With enough Pokeballs, capturing Zigzagoon shouldn't be that difficult.

He opened the store interface, noticing the total amount displayed.

[Available Funds: 2125.3]

Wait, why was there still a decimal? And… why did it feel so familiar? John pulled out his phone and checked his bank card balance.

[Bank Balance: 2125.3 Pokedollars]

So the money in the game and his real-life funds were interchangeable?! John's expression froze. He didn't know whether to be elated or dismayed.

The good news was that cash earned from defeating trainers could be used directly, eliminating the need to buy and sell items in real life. The bad news? He had just wasted four Pokeballs on a worthless Zigzagoon, which cost him 800 Pokedollars!

His blood pressure was reaching a boiling point! Pokeballs were handed out for free by Professor Birch. Even when buying Pokeballs, the game currency felt less tangible, but now it was real cash leaving his account. John felt a twinge of pain in his chest.

In the end, he purchased 10 Pokeballs for 2,000 Pokedollars, and the Pokemon store gifted him a "Premier Ball." The Premier Ball had the same catch rate as a standard Pokeball, essentially just a regular Pokeball with a fancy appearance. But this was a special offer in the game's store, not something available in reality.

With Pokeballs in hand, John returned to Route 101, determination coursing through him. "Let's get back to work! Time to grind!"

It turned out that capturing Zigzagoon wasn't as difficult as he'd first thought. In half an hour, John engaged in about 20 battles and visited the Pokémon Center three times. Torchic reached LV 6 in the process and captured seven Zigzagoons with just eight Pokeballs. Four of those Zigzagoons possessed the Pickup ability.

Now, with five Zigzagoons ready, his Scrap-Picking Team was officially established! John continued to walk along Route 101 for another ten minutes. After more battles, the five Zigzagoons found a total of five items: two Oran Berries, one Potion, one Antidote, and one Pokeball.

Oran Berries were useful for healing Pokemon and could also be turned into Potions. The store price was 100 Pokedollars each. Potions cost 300 Pokedollars, but the store offered them at half price: just 150 Pokedollars. Antidotes normally retailed for 100 Pokedollars, but he got it for 50. Poké Balls were priced at 200 Pokedollars but were half off, only 100 Pokedollars each.

In total, he made 500 Pokedollars in just ten minutes—3,000 Pokedollars in an hour! If he worked for ten hours a day, that would be 30,000 Pokedollars. In a month, he could make 900,000 Pokedollars! Earning a million a month might not be a dream after all!

John's excitement surged! Forget the scavenger team; this was a gold rush team!