The first problem Jacob faced was figuring out how to obtain an invitation.
To enter the Underground Black Market and the Underground Casino, visitors had to pass through strict background checks and security screenings. If Jacob removed his mask during these procedures, his current fame throughout China would make him instantly recognizable. What would be the point of a background check then?
Sometimes, being too famous and too handsome could be a real hassle.
The only solution to this problem would be if Jacob knew the art of disguise and could alter his appearance entirely.
But how could Jacob possibly know such techniques? This was the Pokémon world, not some story about cultivating immortality alongside Pokémon.
However... while Jacob didn't know the art of disguise, there existed an item in the Pokémon world that could change one's face.
The Ditto Mask—a bloody, cruel, and crime-ridden object.
Ditto Masks were created by dissecting live Ditto and processing them through highly complex procedures. This manufacturing method allowed the masks to retain Ditto's special Transform ability, enabling them to change appearance freely.
Anyone wearing a Ditto Mask could alter their appearance at will.
The manufacturing process for Ditto Masks was extremely complicated and prone to failure. A single Ditto could only produce a maximum of four to five usable masks.
Additionally, Ditto Masks created from Ditto with different abilities and varying power levels produced different effects.
For instance, a Ditto Mask made from a Ditto with the Limber ability could still change the wearer's appearance freely, but it couldn't actively copy other people's faces. The wearer could only manually sculpt their own features.
In contrast, a Ditto Mask made from a Ditto with the Imposter ability could actively copy someone else's appearance after seeing them just once. These masks could also store multiple different faces, allowing for instant transformation between them.
Because of these advantages, Ditto Masks made from Imposter Ditto were far superior in both value and rarity compared to those made from Limber Ditto.
Finally, Ditto Masks had one more important characteristic: their Transform ability wasn't absolute. There was always a chance that powerful Pokémon could see through the disguise.
For example, a Ditto Mask made from a Lord-level Ditto generally wouldn't be detected by Overlord-level Pokémon. Gym Leader-level Pokémon had a moderate chance of seeing through the disguise, while Quasi-Heavenly King-level Pokémon would see through it one hundred percent of the time.
This meant that the more powerful the Ditto used in production, the higher the value of the resulting mask. A Ditto Mask made from an Elite-level Imposter Ditto had almost unimaginable value—comparable to the combined worth of a Key Stone and a Mega Stone.
There was once a notorious case abroad involving a man named Stanley who, by pure chance, obtained four Gym Leader-level Ditto Masks.
After acquiring the masks, he chose not to sell them. Instead, he made a terrifying decision.
After careful observation, he selected a wealthy man whose build and appearance closely resembled his own. Stanley then disguised himself as a relative of this wealthy man using a Ditto Mask and, catching him off guard, murdered him.
Immediately after killing the wealthy man, Stanley used a Ditto Mask to transform into his victim's appearance. At the same time, he used a second mask to replicate his original face and placed it on the wealthy man's corpse.
In this way, the wealthy man lying dead became "Stanley," while the real Stanley assumed the victim's identity, living his life completely until he died of natural causes—only then was the truth finally discovered!
This was the most terrifying aspect of the Ditto Mask: the ability to steal someone's entire life and take their place, with almost no way to detect the switch.
A true life thief.
This real-world case made everyone realize just how horrifying Ditto Masks could be.
Since then, countries around the world had successively issued laws explicitly prohibiting the creation of Ditto Masks. This international ban became known as the "Stanley Ban."
While the ban had some initial effect, the subsequent consequence was catastrophic: mass hunting drove wild Ditto to near extinction, and simultaneously, the price of existing Ditto Masks skyrocketed several times over.
Particularly for Ditto Masks of Overlord-level and above, prices increased exponentially.
As for Ditto Masks of Quasi-Heavenly King-level strength and higher, almost nobody would sell them at any price.
Jacob had always known about the existence of Ditto Masks, but he'd never seriously considered using one.
For one thing, possessing, buying, or selling Ditto Masks was an illegal act. For another, he simply hadn't needed such an item before.
But now things were different. His immense fame had brought him far too many complications. If he could acquire a Ditto Mask, it would solve numerous problems.
Of course, there was a more important reason: Raya had sent him another message via email.
A message about the "Golden Gamble" taking place this upcoming weekend.
A few months ago, the relationship between Jacob and Raya hadn't been as close as it was now. Back then, Raya had tried to win Jacob over by dangling a Gimmighoul coin as bait, attempting to entice him into participating in that year's Golden Gamble.
However, Jacob had been too cautious at the time and didn't take the bait. He hadn't gone to the Ghost-type Secret Realm to choose a Gimmighoul. Instead, he'd visited the Mindara City Psychic Secret Realm and selected an Indeedee.
Since then, Jacob had completely forgotten about the Golden Gamble, putting it entirely out of his mind.
Now, with Raya bringing it up again, the memory came flooding back.
According to Raya's message, the rules of this year's Golden Gamble had changed slightly: this time, Gimmighoul coins couldn't be directly exchanged for money. They could only be exchanged for chips.
One chip equaled one Gimmighoul coin.
These chips, in turn, could only be exchanged for various expensive items—TMs, evolution stones, and other rare treasures.
The direct result of this rule change was that many extremely precious items had appeared as prizes in this Golden Gamble, including a Mega Stone and a Quasi-Heavenly King-level Ditto Mask!
The reason so many people had brought such rare items to participate in the Golden Gamble was because of a very special Gimmighoul coin appearing in this event, called the Gimmighoul Golden Ghost Coin.
The Gimmighoul Golden Ghost Coin could only appear after a Heavenly King-level Gholdengo died, and its use could improve the potential of Gimmighoul or Gholdengo!
It was precisely because of this unique Gimmighoul Golden Ghost Coin's appearance that so many wealthy individuals were attracted to bring their precious treasures and participate in this high-stakes gamble.
If someone won this Golden Gamble, they wouldn't just be able to evolve their Gimmighoul—more importantly, they could obtain massive wealth and improve their Gimmighoul's potential. It was truly killing three birds with one stone.
This world never lacked desperate gamblers willing to risk everything!
Similarly, after reading this news, Jacob decided he absolutely had to participate in the Golden Gamble.
Both the special Gimmighoul Golden Ghost Coin and the Quasi-Heavenly King-level Ditto Mask were worth making the trip for!
Better to act than merely think about it. After making his decision, Jacob immediately boarded a plane and headed straight for Magic City!
His mission in Black Dragon City still had a month remaining. He could easily participate in the Golden Gamble this weekend and then return to Black Dragon City afterward. There was plenty of time.