While the chat was busy dissecting the "flaws" of a turn-based system, Cynthia remained silent, her mind racing with analytical depth. To her, turn-based didn't mean shallow; it meant calculated.
Even Battle Path was, at its core, a series of commands executed by a program. Its "realism" came from voice commands and high-budget individual AI for the Pokémon, which masked the underlying turn-structure. But Battle Path had a team of hundreds and a massive database. Even then, it was riddled with "Type-Bugs", Grass-type Piplups or Flying-type Torkoals.
She expected this solo-developed Emerald to be a mess of data errors. Yet, as she watched her Treecko's stats, her brow climbed higher.
Speed and Special Attack. Cliff hadn't just guessed; he had perfectly mirrored the innate biological strengths of the Treecko line. If the "base stats" were this accurate, did that mean the entire Pokédex was correctly mapped? She shook the thought away. Impossible. No lone developer has that kind of data access.
She finished the tutorial fight against the wild Poochyena and received her Treecko from Professor Birch. Shortly after, her rival, the "Black-Haired Boy", challenged her. The first fight was a breeze; his Torchic was a level lower, and she swept him aside.
Birch then sent her north to Route 103 for a "real" scouting mission, handing over five Pokéballs. Cynthia took the opportunity to test the waters. She battled wild Rattata, Pidgey, and Wurmple, watching her Treecko grow from Level 5 to Level 8, picking up Quick Attack along the way.
When she finally cornered her rival at the end of the route, the chat was relaxed. "Here comes the experience delivery boy!" "May he live long and have many children for this free EXP."
Cynthia smiled, initiating the dialogue. But two seconds into the battle, the atmosphere in the room curdled.
The rival's Torchic came out. Level 9.
One level higher than me, Cynthia noted. Unusual for a starter rival.
She commanded a Quick Attack. Treecko blurred across the screen, slamming its tail into the chick. Torchic's health bar dropped by barely a third. Then, the counter-attack came.
[Torchic used Ember!][It's super effective!]
The health bar screamed from green to a panicked, flashing yellow in a single hit.
Cynthia's eyes narrowed. Half my HP in one turn?
She reached into her bag, using a Potion she'd bought earlier. A purple mist sprayed over Treecko, restoring its vitals. But before she could even breathe, another Ember charred the screen, dropping Treecko right back into the danger zone.
She realized the trap instantly. In this game, items consumed your turn. If she kept healing, she wasn't fighting, she was just waiting to run out of Potions.
How do I break this loop? she wondered. If I attack, I might hit two more times, but he only needs one more Ember to end it.
She hesitated, her finger hovering over the mouse as she ran the damage calcs in her head.
[Warning: Command delay detected! Rival takes the initiative!][Torchic used Ember!][It's super effective!!]
The screen shook violently. Treecko collapsed.
[Treecko fainted!][You have no more usable Pokémon!][Strawberry Ice Cream whited out...]
The screen faded to a dismal black. Cynthia sat frozen in front of her monitor. When the visuals returned, her character was standing in the Pokémon Center, and her "Wallet" display in the corner was empty.
The chat went nuclear. "What?! Since when does a rival NPC play for keeps?!" "Two hits? Just two? This isn't a game, it's a mugging!" "Did... did he just take all her money? Is this Team Rocket in disguise?"
Cynthia exhaled a long, slow breath. The "Hardcore" warning wasn't flavor text. Most games were designed for "Fun", letting the player stomp NPCs to build a power fantasy. This game? This game treated the NPC like a professional trainer from the jump. And the "Turn Timer"? That was pure psychological warfare.
"I see," Cynthia whispered, a sharp, dangerous glint appearing in her grey eyes. "It's not enough to just play. I have to win."
Her competitive spirit, dormant during months of tedious League paperwork, roared to life. She didn't feel cheated; she felt challenged.
She didn't run back to the rival. Instead, she turned toward the tall grass. For ten minutes, she systematically hunted every wild Pokémon on the route.
Poochyena down. Wurmple defeated.
At Level 12, a new prompt appeared: [Level Cap Reached: Level 12. Proceed to the next city to unlock further growth.]
"A level cap?" Cynthia murmured. "Clever. It prevents me from just grinding to Level 20 and one-shotting him. He's forcing me to fight him at a specific power bracket."
She checked her moves. Treecko had learned Mega Drain and Detect.
"Okay," she told her viewers, her voice taking on the steel of a Champion. "Level 12 vs Level 9. With Detect to scout his moves and Mega Drain for sustain, I have the tactical advantage. Let's finish this."
She marched back to the clearing. The Black-Haired Boy turned, a smirk appearing on his pixelated face. "Oh? You've made progress. But I won't be left behind! Let's go!"
[Rival Black-Haired Boy challenged you!]
A white flash. The Torchic appeared. Cynthia looked at the level indicator, expecting a '9'.
The number displayed was 13.
Cynthia: "..." Livestream Chat: "..."
"Wait," someone screamed in the comments. "The NPC leveled up with her?!" "HE'S CHEATING! HE'S LITERALLY CHEATING!" "Is this legal?! Developer, come out here and explain yourself!"
Cynthia stared at the screen, her grip tightening on her mouse. The "Insane Mode" wasn't just about high stats. It was about an AI that refused to let you have the upper hand.