Chapter 1: A Multiverse of Masters, and I'm Just Starting Out?
Pokémon Calendar, Year XX
This had been a turbulent year for Trainers across the Pokémon world.
The World Coronation Series had just concluded, crowning the eight strongest Trainers on the planet. After a grueling tournament, one man had emerged as the undisputed World Champion—Leon!
From this year forward, there was no longer any debate about who the strongest Trainer in the world was.
Inspired by Leon's victory, countless Trainers began their own journeys, hoping to one day reach his level.
And in Pallet Town, nestled in the Kanto region, one such young man was about to begin his own brand-new adventure...
"Aah! I'm gonna be late! Mom, why didn't you wake me up?!"
A boy with distinctive Z-shaped marks on his cheeks burst out of his room in his pajamas, frantically searching for his clothes while shouting.
"Now, Ash," a woman cleaning the living room said gently, "you're fifteen years old. It's not right to expect your mom to wake you up anymore."
But by the time she finished her sentence, the boy named Ash was already gone.
He was nearly an hour late and had no time to change. Clad in his pajamas and slippers, he shot out the door in a blur.
Ash's house was over a mile from Professor Oak's Laboratory, but he covered the distance in less than five minutes. The townsfolk only felt a gust of wind as he passed, catching a fleeting glimpse of a distant shadow.
However, just as Ash was about to reach the lab, he suddenly clutched his head and dropped to one knee, his face twisted in pain.
An overwhelming flood of bizarre information was surging through his mind, making his head feel like it was about to explode.
A chat group... versions of me from parallel worlds... ability inheritance... what is all this?!
『Congratulations on joining the Multiverse Chat Group. All members are parallel versions of yourself. Please interact with 'yourself' to walk the path to becoming a Pokémon Master.』
『This chat group features an Ability Inheritance function. By achieving major milestones in your world—such as earning Gym Badges, catching unique Pokémon, or becoming an Elite Four member or Champion—you will earn reward draws. The prizes are various abilities from the members of this chat group. Please enter the group for more details.』
This was the summary he managed to piece together from the chaotic storm of information. A chat group? Parallel versions of himself? Ash couldn't make sense of any of it.
But he could now clearly feel a single point of focus in his mind. He knew that if he concentrated on it, he would enter the "chat group" the strange voice had mentioned.
The sudden, inexplicable event was a little scary for the fifteen-year-old. Was he being haunted by a Gastly?
But his youthful bravado and impulsiveness won out. After a moment's hesitation, he focused his consciousness on that point in his mind.
In the next second, Ash felt his awareness detach from his body, floating in a vast, empty space. In the middle of this void was a giant, rectangular screen.
"Wh-what is this?!"
[Champion Ash]: Yo, we've got a new guy? So, which version of me are you?
The message that appeared on the screen, along with the sender's name, made Ash jump again.
Ch-Champion Ash? What the heck is that?!
[Aura Guardian Ash]: Another top-tier master arrives. My rank in the group just dropped again.
[Breeder Ash]: I wonder if this one is an expert in raising Pokémon. Most of the guys in here are battle-obsessed. It's hard to find someone who appreciates the art of breeding.
[...]
Staring at the floating messages, Ash grew even more confused. He could maybe understand "Champion Ash," but Aura Guardian and Breeder? What was that all about?
[Ash]: How do I type in this thing?
[Ash]: Whoa, it just posted?
[Ash]: Who are you guys? Why do you all have my name? And what's with the titles?
Ash tried to communicate with the others, but he couldn't figure out how to send a message. Then, as soon as the thought formed in his mind, his words appeared on the screen.
All he had to do was think it.
[Champion Ash]: It's normal for a newcomer to be confused. Let me explain.
[Champion Ash]: Everyone in this group, all the members, are you. There's a concept called a "parallel universe." When you make a choice, like turning left or turning right, two separate universes are born from that decision.
[Champion Ash]: And everyone in this group is a version of us who has achieved greatness in a specific field. For example, I became a Trainer, went through all sorts of challenges, and eventually became the World Champion.
[Champion Ash]: That guy, Aura Guardian Ash, he didn't become a champion with Pokémon. He mastered his natural talent for Aura and became a human powerhouse who can go toe-to-toe with Legendary Pokémon. In a Pokémon battle, I'd win. But in a physical fight, ten of me wouldn't stand a chance against him.
[Champion Ash]: And Breeder Ash over there specialized in raising Pokémon. He's not much of a battler, but when it comes to breeding and care, he's without a doubt the best in the world.
[Champion Ash]: So, new guy, what are you the master of?
As Champion Ash's explanation unfolded, Ash finally started to understand what was going on.
He might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed when it came to academics, but the explanation was so detailed that if he still didn't get it, he'd be dumber than a Slowpoke.
Basically, this "chat group" was filled with versions of himself from different worlds, each having reached the pinnacle of a different field. Champion Ash focused on battling, Breeder Ash on raising Pokémon, and Aura Guardian Ash on physical power...
Being able to talk to other versions of himself was an incredible, mind-blowing thing. But for Ash, there was one slightly awkward problem...
Everyone else here was a master of something. Meanwhile, he was just a kid about to start his journey, who hadn't even gotten his first Pokémon yet. And to top it all off, he was late.
Compared to the legends in this group, he was a total nobody!
[Ash]: Uh, well, I don't think I'm really a master of anything. I was just on my way to get my very first Pokémon. And I'm already late for that.
[Champion Ash]: Huh?! Just starting your journey?! Are you serious? Every Ash who's joined this group has already reached the top of their field. We've never had a complete beginner before.
As a veteran member of the group, Champion Ash was stunned. Had a total rookie really just joined?
To put it in gaming terms, the chat group was full of maxed-out, endgame accounts. And now, a level-one starter account had just logged in... How was that even possible?