"…"
A familiar ceiling.
Satoshi sat up on the bed with difficulty, head pounding.
Last night, it seemed he'd hit his head while sleeping, and now his mind was foggy. He looked around, trying to clear the haze from his thoughts.
Raising a hand, he gently massaged his temples in hopes of easing the discomfort.
He took stock of himself — hair a mess, face pale, a thin sheen of sweat sliding down his forehead. His body clearly wasn't feeling great.
Hn… looks like I've recovered my past-life memories. I transmigrated into the world of Pokémon.
Slowing his breathing, Satoshi tried to calm himself, get back to normal, and grasp the situation at hand.
The reason he'd come to that conclusion? There was a huge orange rat sleeping on his bed.
Undeniably, it was the evolved form of the famous Pikachu… the far less beloved Raichu.
Not Game Freak's mainline material—if Pikachu's involved, Raichu's usually nowhere to be seen. Just look at Unite or Smash.
A total jobber who lives under Pikachu's shadow every day.
"Rai~ rai~" Raichu murmured in its sleep, muttering through a [Sleep Talk] as it rolled over comfortably. Meanwhile, Satoshi's thoughts were sharpening, memory slowly returning.
Last night, he'd had a nightmare that made his whole body twitch. He'd accidentally slammed his head against the wall and ended up knocked silly. Things were a blur after that.
Luckily, he was in good physical shape, so he didn't think much of it and went back to sleep. But when he woke up… his mind was flooded with unfamiliar memories.
Never thought I'd awaken my past-life memories from something like this… better take a moment to piece things together.
My name is Asama Satoshi. A high school student aiming to become an elite Pokémon Trainer. Right now, I'm the lowest-ranked Poké Ball-tier trainer, and I've only got one partner — Raichu.
The headache slowly faded as the memories from his past life came into sharper focus. Compared to his present memories, those of his previous life were strangely vivid. The current ones… were a little fuzzy.
And this wave of memory had completely overhauled his personality.
He'd had vague impressions of a past life before, but they were never this clear. Because of that, his family had basically left him to fend for himself.
So basically, I wanted to become a trainer… but my family didn't support it, so I moved out on my own. I go to Rainbow Wing Academy now — enrolled in the Pokémon Battle Program.
Trying to get stronger, build a team, and qualify for the upcoming High School League… that was the plan.
There's a girl who takes care of me a lot… Nagasaki Soyo…? Wait, was that her name? Whatever. Not important.
The important thing is — I'm in the Pokémon world!
The moment that realization hit, the image of the flaxen-haired girl vanished from his thoughts entirely.
Girls? Whatever. They can't compare to these dreamlike creatures.
He'd been a die-hard Pokémon fan in his past life. It was his dream to come to a world like this.
He'd played battles daily, running powerful teams with Toucannon and a variety of tactics, always eager to test his strategies.
To meet wonderful Pokémon! To travel! To challenge Gyms! To battle!
Everything about this world was thrilling. Satoshi couldn't help but get swept up in the fantasy.
Hmm?
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. If this was a world where reality and Pokémon had merged…
Wait a minute. Are there… no journeys in this world?
That realization brought a twinge of disappointment. But even so, he smiled. Sure, traveling was fun, but the heart of the Pokémon world — its greatest appeal — was always the Pokémon themselves.
He loved Pokémon. Loved them.
Even if this wasn't a perfect world, it didn't matter — he'd already met the most wonderful things in existence.
And when one life meets another, something will always arise from that encounter.
Since he was here now, he'd chase his dream with his Pokémon, take care of his family, find a good partner, and live a happy life.
But… becoming a Pokémon Champion wasn't going to be easy.
Only the top 128 in the High School League get to challenge the Gyms? …That's tougher than I thought. But that's what makes it exciting.
The boy muttered to himself, sorting through everything he knew.
The High School League meant that out of all the students in the region, only 128 would qualify to challenge Gym Leaders. As for the Pokémon League — that required eight badges just to get in.
Think the Indigo Conference or the Lily of the Valley Conference. And beyond that, the Elite Four and Champion battles were on an entirely different level.
Even just qualifying for the High School League was no walk in the park.
Still early… guess I'll go out for a bit.
It was six in the morning. Schools in Kanto usually didn't start until eight, so Satoshi wasn't in a rush.
He figured he'd make the most of the extra time, take a stroll, and enjoy the company of Pokémon. With his memories still a bit jumbled, spending time with them seemed like the perfect way to re-center himself.
He dressed neatly, shoes and clothes matching well. The shadow of his cap shaded his eyes, which sparkled with anticipation.
Just as he was about to step outside and explore this beautiful world—
"Rai…"
He turned around to see Raichu rubbing its eyes, looking like it had just woken up. Sunlight filtered through the window, making its fur gleam.
"I'm heading out for a bit. Wanna come?"
Satoshi held out a hand. Raichu instantly perked up and happily scampered over.
"You really are an adorable guy." Satoshi crouched down, gently scratching behind Raichu's soft ears. Raichu closed its eyes in contentment, stretching under his touch as Satoshi ran his fingers through its fur.
"Rai~ rai~"
After a few more pats, the two of them headed out together.
On the sunlit streets, Satoshi and Raichu walked side by side, eyes lighting up at the Pokémon all around them. Humans and Pokémon coexisted in harmony — living, helping, growing together — painting a picture of warmth and connection.
Up above, Pidgeot and Pidgey soared freely through the skies, their wings slicing the air with crisp cries. In the rivers below, Magikarp and Goldeen swam lazily, perfectly at ease.
Along a winding path, a Raticate darted past, its fur shining in the morning sun.
This is the charm of the Pokémon world…
It's so dazzling… I'm really glad I came here.
Satoshi's eyes gleamed with excitement and longing. His smile was as radiant as the morning light, and even Raichu wagged its tail with visible joy.
"Raichu, I want to become a Pokémon Master!"
The words spilled out before he realized it, bold and ridiculous—but the more he said it, the more exhilarated he felt. Even Raichu was swept up in the mood.
"Rai? Rai!"
A moment passed before Satoshi's heartbeat finally settled down.
Then, a thought hit him.
Wait a second… transmigrators usually get a system, right?
Where's mine?
Just as the idea crossed his mind, a lively girl's voice suddenly echoed in his head.
[Hi-hi~ dearest Host~! Let me Net you with my charm! Who's sending Furi? Riko, that's me! I'm Furiko! Good morning, noon, and night! Fufu~!]
"…"
Satoshi froze, momentarily dizzy.
He glanced at Raichu. No reaction.
The people and Pokémon around him? Nothing.
Yup. Definitely in his own head.
So this is my system. But… where did they dig up this random girl from? Compared to Raichu's charm, she's not even in the same league.
In short, his thoughts boiled down to—
My cheat system has arrived… but the girl behind it seems off her rocker. What now?
Need help fast. Online. Urgent.