Pokémon Calendar, Year XX.
This year had been nothing short of turbulent for every Trainer in the Pokémon League.
Because in this year's World Championship, the eight strongest Trainers had finally been decided!
Through elimination rounds, one ultimate Champion emerged—his name: Leon!
From this year onward, there was no longer any doubt who the world's strongest Trainer was.
Countless Trainers across the globe now set Leon as their goal, beginning their own journeys.
And in the Kanto League's Pallet Town, a young boy was about to set off on his very first adventure…
…
"Waaah!! I'm gonna be late!! Mom, why didn't you wake me up?!" A boy with lightning-bolt marks on his cheeks dashed out of his room in pajamas, frantically rummaging through clothes as he shouted.
"Hm? Ash, you're fifteen years old already. It's not right for you to still expect your mom to wake you up," his mother, Delia Ketchum, said gently as she cleaned in the living room. But by the time her words fell, Ash was already gone.
He was nearly an hour late. There was no time to change, so in pajamas and slippers he bolted out the door like the wind.
Ash's home was almost two kilometers from Professor Oak's Laboratory, yet it took him less than five minutes to get there. People in town only felt a gust of wind rush past, catching just the faintest glimpse of a boy's silhouette in the distance.
But just as Ash was about to reach Professor Oak's place, he suddenly clutched his head, dropping to one knee, his face twisting in pain.
A flood of strange information was crashing into his mind, making it feel as if his skull was about to burst.
A Chat Group… parallel versions of himself… inherited abilities… What was all this?!
"Congratulations on successfully joining the Multiverse Chat Group. Inside, you will find only versions of yourself from parallel worlds. Communicate well with 'yourself' and walk the path to becoming the greatest Trainer."
"This Chat Group contains the function of ability inheritance. In the real world, whenever you encounter significant events—such as earning a Gym Badge, capturing a special Pokémon, or becoming an Elite Four member or Champion—you will gain lottery draws. Prizes are drawn from the abilities of the Chat Group's members. For details, please enter the Chat Group."
These were the only coherent points Ash could make out after being bombarded by a barrage of overwhelming messages. Chat Group? Parallel selves? He didn't understand a thing.
But he could clearly sense that there was now a point within his mind—if he focused on it, his consciousness would enter the Chat Group the mysterious voice had mentioned.
The sudden strangeness made Ash a little scared. Was he being possessed by a ghost?
But he was also brash and fearless. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to touch that glowing point with his mind.
The next second, Ash felt his consciousness detach from his body, floating in a vast, hazy void. In this space, a giant screen hovered before him.
"W-what… what is this?!"
[Champion Ash: Yo, we've got a newbie? Which version of me is it this time?]
The words on the screen, with the signature beside them, startled Ash all over again!
Ch–Champion Ash?! What on earth?!
[Aura Guardian Ash: Another top-tier bigshot arrives. Guess my rank in the group drops again.]
[Breeder Ash: Wonder if this one's me in the field of Pokémon breeding. Most of this group is obsessed with battles—it's hard to find someone who specializes in raising Pokémon.]
[...]
Ash stared at the floating messages, completely dumbfounded. Champion Ash was one thing—but Aura Guardian? Breeder? What kind of nonsense was this?!
[Ash: Uh, how do I even send messages on this thing?]
[Ash: Eh? Did that just go through?]
[Ash: Who are you guys? Why do you all have my name? And what's with those titles in front?!]
Ash tried communicating with the others, and to his surprise, the moment he thought about what he wanted to say, the words appeared on the screen.
Turns out sending messages just required thinking.
[Champion Ash: It's normal to be confused at first. Let me explain.]
[Champion Ash: Everyone here—the members of this Chat Group—are you. There exists something called parallel worlds. Every time you turn left or right, two timelines split off, creating parallel universes.]
[Champion Ash: And all of us here are Ash who reached the peak of different fields. For example, I'm Ash who became World Champion after countless battles and struggles.]
[Champion Ash: That guy calling himself Aura Guardian Ash—he didn't become Champion with Pokémon, but instead relied on his innate Aura Power, turning himself into a human powerhouse who can even take on Legendary Pokémon head-to-head. In terms of Pokémon battles he's not as strong as me, but in physical ability, ten of me wouldn't match one of him.]
[Champion Ash: Then there's Breeder Ash, who doesn't have much to show in battle, but when it comes to raising Pokémon, he's world-class. You could even say he's the very best in that field.]
[Champion Ash: So, newbie, which version of me are you—the one who stands at the top of your domain?]
As Champion Ash's explanation continued, Ash gradually began to understand what this place was.
He wasn't the brightest academically, but the explanation was thorough enough that even he could follow along.
In short, everyone in this so-called Chat Group was a version of Ash who had reached the pinnacle of a different field—Champion Ash in battling, Breeder Ash in raising Pokémon, Aura Guardian Ash in harnessing Aura Power…
Being able to talk to other versions of himself from different worlds was incredible.
But there was one rather embarrassing problem for Ash…
Everyone else had reached the peak of some domain. He, on the other hand, had just set out on his journey. He hadn't even received his first Pokémon yet—and he was late!
Compared to these bigshots, he was nothing but a total newbie!
[Ash: Um… I don't really know what I'm good at. I was just about to go get my first Pokémon, but I'm late…]
[Champion Ash: Huh?! You just started your journey?! Seriously? Almost every Ash who's shown up here has already become a master of some field. I don't think we've ever had a complete beginner before.]
Even Champion Ash, a veteran member of the group, was stunned.
So this time… a pure rookie had actually joined?
To put it in gaming terms, every Ash in the group was already a maxed-out account. And now suddenly, a brand-new starter account had walked in…
What the heck was going on?