Whoosh—!
On the calm, azure sea, a medium-sized ship slowly approached the harbor with a long, drawn-out blast of its horn.
Though the city on the coast was bustling and the pier exceptionally lively, a closer look revealed that the passengers on deck were not admiring the scenery. Instead, their attention was entirely focused on a Pokémon battle nearing its end!
The two Pokémon facing off were a Ralts and a purple Rattata, and their Trainers were a handsome man in his twenties and a middle-aged man in a suit.
In the arena, the fierce battle rapidly depleted Rattata's stamina. Seeing it at a disadvantage and unable even to touch Ralts, the middle-aged man grew anxious and shouted, "Rattata, get close quickly, then use Tackle!"
Hearing this, Rattata seized the opportunity, accelerated its four limbs, and charged forward, reaching Ralts in a sprint before harshly slamming its head into it.
However, just as it was about to strike Ralts, Ralts suddenly used Double Team, creating several illusions! Rattata had no time to stop and darted straight through one of the illusions.
Among the onlookers, many were tourists well-versed in Pokémon, so most knew this was a Normal-type move that many Pokémon could use—Double Team!
On the sidelines, seeing Rattata stunned and bewildered, Ethan realized that after such a long entanglement, it was time to end the battle.
"Ralts, use Confusion!"
No sooner had he spoken than Ralts's illusions simultaneously raised their arms and pointed at Rattata. The next second, Rattata was suddenly enveloped in a strange light and floated into mid-air! Even as it struggled desperately, it was futile, unable to break free from Confusion's grip. As Ralts waved its arm forward, Rattata's body flew backward uncontrollably. With a thud, it crashed into a nearby railing.
The force was so great that everyone around clearly saw the railing was visibly deformed!
At this, Rattata could no longer hold on. Its eyes rolled back, and it collapsed powerlessly to the ground.
The crew member acting as referee bent down for a look, then shook his head, raised his right hand, and loudly announced, "Rattata is unable to battle! Ralts wins!"
Hearing his words, the watching tourists applauded the exciting battle. At the same time, they secretly marveled at the power Ralts had displayed.
A fiery young woman even gave Ethan a few teasing whistles.
"That was amazing!"
"Wow, this guy must be on a seven-win streak now, right?"
"Exactly! And this Ralts hasn't taken any damage from start to finish. It's so strong!"
With praises filling his ears, Ethan walked calmly over to Ralts, affectionately stroked its head, then approached the middle-aged man.
The two briefly shook hands. After observing Ralts for a few moments, the middle-aged man couldn't help but praise, "Your Ralts is exceptionally well-trained! I admit defeat wholeheartedly in this battle!"
"Your Rattata was excellent too." Ethan maintained considerable friendliness toward his defeated opponent and returned the compliment, "I hope we'll have a chance to meet again next time!"
The middle-aged man shook his head with a light laugh and then stepped aside.
Seeing him withdraw, the surrounding tourists looked at each other, wondering who would challenge this handsome young man next!
However, just as a few Trainers were eager and scrambling to step forward, Ethan suddenly took a step back.
"Apologies, everyone. Though I'd love to continue battling, it's clear our travel destination has arrived. It's time to disembark!"
Hearing him say this, the tourists quickly turned their heads, only to realize that, without them noticing, the ship had already docked!
Warm, bright sunlight shone over the city. Waves, relentlessly pushed by the sea, tirelessly washed against the narrow breakwater. Looking out at the horizon, all that met the eye was a boundless blue, with sea and sky blending into one color, as if the entire world were a grand mirror.
The moist, salty, gentle sea breeze felt incredibly comfortable on the skin.
This was a vital port city in the Kanto region, a southern city bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun—Vermilion City!
As Ethan stepped out of the cabin and set foot on this familiar yet strange land, he couldn't suppress the joy in his heart.
Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, Professor Oak, the Kanto region, the Indigo League… Since his childhood in his previous life, he had accumulated so many memories here. He never imagined he would genuinely arrive one day! Although several months had passed since he came to this Pokémon world, it still felt somewhat unreal whenever he thought about it.
At his feet, feeling its Trainer's mood, Ralts let out a soft cry.
Looking at it, Ethan chuckled, "Alright, even though we've arrived in Kanto, before we challenge the Indigo League, we should first go to a Pokémon Center and register our challenge qualifications."
Leaving the port, Ethan took out his phone, opened the map, and walked along the road toward the Pokémon Center in the city center.
Along the way, Trainers and their Pokémon constantly traversed the city. Indeed, across the entire world, Pokémon had long been integrated into people's lives for entertainment, dining, delivery, and even security. They were indispensable companions in daily life; if they were gone one day, that would be truly abnormal.
However, many people still cast curious glances at the Ralts by Ethan's side.
There was no helping it—Ralts was simply too rare for the people of this region! Its green hair, like half a cabbage, covered most of its face, and its white body seemed to be wearing overly long pants.
As a Pokémon not native to the Kanto region, Ralts naturally attracted much attention. Even in other regions, it was considered relatively rare, and not many Trainers possessed one.
Ignoring the gazes of others, Ethan entered the city center and, after walking a few blocks, saw the doors of the Pokémon Center in the distance.
When he stepped into the lobby, he saw Nurse Joy, with her pink curly hair and nurse's uniform, organizing documents at the front desk. Seeing Ethan, a friendly, professional smile appeared on her face.
"Hello, this is the Pokémon Center. How may I help you?"
"Hello, Nurse Joy." Ethan's memory flickered for a moment as he looked at her, then he immediately snapped back to reality and smiled, "I'm here to challenge the Indigo League. Please help me register my challenge qualifications."
"Certainly, I understand." Nurse Joy gestured toward a nearby computer screen. "Please scan your Pokédex here first."
Ethan nodded, pulled out his Pokédex from inside his jacket, and placed it on the computer. The next second, his data appeared on the screen, and a synthesized male voice emanated from the computer.
"Ethan, from Asanté Town in the Kalos region, has completed Indigo League registration. Current badge count: 0. We wish you good luck in your battles."
"The Kalos region?" Hearing the announcement, Nurse Joy looked at Ethan with some surprise, remarking, "That's quite a distant place!"
"It is." Ethan nodded gently, speaking with double meaning, "It truly wasn't easy to arrive in this land."
As the two spoke, a round Chansey suddenly waddled over from the side. It carried a box emblazoned with the Indigo League emblem and walked step by step to Ethan.
Nurse Joy made a welcoming gesture and smiled at him, "For Trainers who complete registration, we provide a Badge Case. This is yours; please take it."
Ethan looked down.
It appeared to be just an ordinary box, nothing remarkable or seemingly very valuable.
He thanked her, took the box, and then asked, "By the way, Nurse Joy, I wanted to ask if my Pokédex still has Kalos region data. Can it be expanded to include Kanto region data?"
"I'm so sorry..." Nurse Joy hesitated, then shook her head. "We can't operate on Pokédexes here. If you wish to expand it, you might want to visit Professor Cerise's lab here in the city, or Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town to the west, and ask for their help. I'm sure they'd be delighted!"
NOTE:
This book primarily features multiple female leads, Pokémon capture, Gym challenges, League battles, world exploration, and confronting villains. If you like it, please add it to your collection.
If you're looking for a breeding focus, you don't need to read further.