The glass doors of the lab slid shut behind him with a gentle hiss. The sunlight outside Aetherlight Metropolis was sharp, clean, and almost too real for something that was supposedly a game.
Aleis narrowed his eyes and breathed in deeply. His new reality smelled faintly metallic, like ozone after rain—but with an undertone of synthetic polish. The city gleamed under the artificial blue sky, tall spires in the distance dancing with digital billboards, Pokémon soaring in the skies above like seagulls in an oceanic town.
Froakie, his new companion, was now contained inside a sleek black-and-silver Pokéball clipped to his belt. His fingertips brushed it. It pulsed gently, almost alive.
"Now what?" he murmured to himself, stepping out onto the paved sidewalk.
This world was massive.
The system's map had shown sprawling regions, from bustling high-tech zones to distant, mist-covered wilderness marked with danger signs and challenge levels. He could go anywhere. Do anything.
Hunt rare Pokémon in the wild?
Explore alleys and streets for hidden NPCs?
Check the backdoors of buildings or rooftops for secret quests?
Or just... walk.
The possibilities were paralyzing in a way. The scope felt too real.
He sighed, long and drawn-out, almost theatrical. "A part of me wishes I had a bicycle right now..."
His thoughts drifted.
Back to memories of childhood in his previous life. That vivid red bike from FireRed, the one he used to spam the B button on to make it feel faster. The wind in his face was imaginary then, but here... he could probably feel it.
He shook his head. Now wasn't the time for nostalgia.
"Let's get our gear," he muttered, pulling up his system panel with a swipe.
[PokeCredits: 5000]
"Hm. Decent." Not rich, but not poor either.
He turned toward the glowing marker that denoted the PokéMart.
The building wasn't too far, but walking there was more effort than expected. The in-game fatigue system wasn't too aggressive, but it simulated enough tension in the legs and chest to make him feel like he'd sprinted a couple blocks in real life.
By the time he arrived, his breathing was shallow. "Okay... this is a little too realistic."
The building was sleek—like a high-end mall store with automatic doors that opened with a whoosh. Inside, pristine white walls shimmered with faint neon lights tracing the shelves. Virtual touch-screens floated near the aisles. A few other players browsed in silence, their avatars dressed in a mix of starter gear and customized outfits.
Aisles were lined with all the classics:
Potions. Pokéballs. Status healers. TM Vouchers. Snacks for Pokémon. Starter gear like tents and Pokénav modules. And deeper down the hall… expensive and exotic gear gated behind level and guild ranks.
Aleis moved instinctively, grabbing a shopping cart out of pure immersion. He walked down the aisles with a purposeful look. His fingers flicked through holographic price tags.
10 Pokéballs – 2000 PokeCredits Basic Bicycle – 3000 PokeCredits
He hovered over the bike for a second. A digital description floated beside it:
Model: Breeze Stride MK-I
Speed: +40% travel time
Weightless in inventory
Auto-folds when dismounted
"Expensive," he muttered, but added it to the cart anyway.
He hit Confirm Purchase, and a light ding echoed.
[-5000 PokeCredits]
Balance: 0
"Damn. I'm broke already."
As his purchases flickered into his inventory, the realization hit him. He now had nothing. Not even enough for a Potion.
He leaned on the cart handle and sighed.
"Why is money always a problem? Even in the afterlife."
His thoughts flicked to the conversion rate he'd skimmed earlier in the guidebook:
1000 PokeCredits = 1 Dollar
Which meant... he'd spent five bucks total. And yet here, that five bucks felt like a lifetime's savings.
He turned and walked out, the cart disappearing behind him as he exited the shop. The sun was still shining, but now his backpack felt a little heavier, and the world a little more real.
But then he tapped the new Bicycle in his inventory.
With a swish, a sleek, glossy black bike materialized beside him like something straight out of a Tron movie. It hovered just slightly above the ground, wheels embedded with thin blue energy rings.
Aleis grinned.
"Oh yeah."
He mounted the bike. With a soft hum, it launched forward with speed—his coat trailing behind him as he darted through the open streets of Aetherlight Metropolis.
The wind was real.
The thrill was real.
And so was the game.
He didn't know where he was headed yet.
But he'd figure it out soon enough.