Can he make it to class with ten minutes left?
If it were his past life, Satoshi would've said, No way. But in this life?
He was a super rookie.
Ten minutes? More than enough.
Satoshi was a first-year at Rainbow Wing Academy, now a month into the new school term.
The school welcomed students from across the region—each one unique, with different backgrounds and goals. They gathered here to study, to battle, to hone their Pokémon skills in spirited competition.
Though he didn't know the full history, Satoshi was aware that Rainbow Wing Academy had expanded rapidly in recent years. It was now the largest school in the Kanto region.
Among its students were—
The daughter of the Grass-type Gym Leader, Wakaba Mutsumi.
The younger sister of the Ice-type Gym Leader, Yukinoshita Yukino.
And even a Trainer rumored to be a future Elite Four—Kagura Hikari, or Hikari for short.
To think he'd be facing off against people like this in the upcoming High School League… the excitement stirred something in his chest.
Except—
Why do all their names sound like heroines from the anime I watched in my last life?
Satoshi resisted the urge to complain out loud and stepped into the classroom. He took a seat at the back row. The moment he sat down, a girl to his left turned and locked eyes with him—her gaze intense, impossible to ignore.
Drawn by her stare, Satoshi looked up.
"Asama-kun, did you really carry a Raichu the whole way here? By yourself?"
The pink-haired girl, Chihaya Anon, blinked her gray eyes wide in disbelief.
A typical Raichu weighed 30 kilograms. Yet her desk neighbor had carried one the whole walk without breaking a sweat. Judging from the way he held it, he'd been cradling it for quite a while. Was this guy secretly superhuman?
"My strength's just… a bit above average," Satoshi replied casually. Truth was, this wasn't anywhere close to his limit.
Wait a sec… this might be a good opportunity.
The lively Chihaya Anon tilted her head slightly, studying him.
With a Froakie perched on his shoulder and a Raichu resting easily in his arms, a peculiar idea was forming in her mind.
But she didn't say anything—not yet. Class was about to start.
"In and out of battle, Abilities have specific effects. Most support a Pokémon's combat performance, but some—like [Truant], [Slow Start], or [Weak Armor]—can be detrimental in battle."
The classroom was calm, the teacher's figure framed against the blackboard. He wrote as he spoke, chalk gliding smoothly as neat script formed across the board.
The students listened closely. Occasionally, whispers passed between desks, and some took notes on key points.
But among all the attentive students, Satoshi's mind was elsewhere.
He was watching the girl to his right. His memory was still hazy, but if he recalled correctly, her name was Takamatsu Tomori.
In his old world, she was a girl from a band. Here, though… she was quietly playing with her Piplup, rolling pebbles with it in a daze.
Such a free-spirited school atmosphere.
Sensei, can I just leave class and go catch Pokémon instead?
Satoshi couldn't help the thought. After all, wasn't the whole point of being in the Pokémon world to explore and roam freely?
Reluctantly, he looked around the classroom. Most students had Pokémon like Rattata or Pidgey. Starters like Froakie were rare here—even though this was supposed to be the Battle Track, the talent level in his class was… disappointing.
Time to restore the glory of Class 1-A. It's my sacred duty!
As he gently stroked Froakie, Satoshi's eyes sharpened with resolve.
And then came the ever-unwelcome voice in his head.
[Host~ Host~ Look! Pretty girls over there! Time to romance them~!]
Shut up. No pretty girl's better than a good Pokémon.
Satoshi's gaze remained fixed on Piplup. He had to admit—it really was cute. It reminded him of Dawn's Piplup from the anime.
"Um… is something wrong?"
Tomori suddenly turned her head. She'd noticed someone staring. Her expression was a little startled, her gaze a little dazed.
Satoshi, caught in the act, answered honestly.
"You're really cute."
"…T-Thank you."
Her face turned faintly pink. She ducked her head and fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, flustered.
Huh?
Why is she so shy?
Satoshi looked away, refocusing on the class schedule. After this theory lecture on battle mechanics, their next session would be actual combat practice outdoors.
Pokémon battles…
This world was the real deal. You couldn't just rely on game logic. Sure, you could borrow team comps from the games—but the battles here weren't turn-based. They were action-style, real-time engagements. Adapting to that would be its own challenge.
Otherwise, he'd just slap a Rillaboom and Toxtricity on his team and be done with it.
Us six? Way too OP!
These days, Game Freak kept cranking out stronger and stronger Pokémon. It was getting hard to keep up—especially with stuff like Urshifu, who could ignore [Protect]. Insane.
While Satoshi was deep in thought, he didn't notice the teacher's eyes on him.
Crap… that pressure… it's the mortal enemy of students: the teacher!
A wave of ominous energy rolled off the man like a demon king. Satoshi shivered and looked up.
"Asama-kun, can you answer this?"
The teacher rapped the chalkboard with his knuckles. "We know Pokémon can have hidden abilities. Take Beartic, for instance—an Ice-type whose regular abilities are [Snow Cloak] and [Slush Rush]. Do you know what its hidden ability is?"
Satoshi stood up, suddenly under the sharp gaze of both girls at his sides. Beads of cold sweat formed.
Guess I deserved this… I was staring at them just a moment ago. Now it's my turn to get stared down.
The pressure was weirdly heavy.
As for the question—
He remembered using Beartic in Rain teams once. Sometimes, just to throw people off, he'd disguise it as a Hail team.
"[Swift Swim]."
He answered offhandedly.
Beartic wasn't very strong overall. Pure Ice-type—a Pokédex filler, really. But that [Swift Swim] hidden ability? That stuck in his mind.
"Correct. You may sit down."
The teacher's expression eased. He nodded in approval, and the room's tension melted slightly.
Satoshi could sense it.
Chihaya Anon's eyes were positively burning now.
And he wasn't imagining things.
After class, Anon stood up and approached his desk.
Their next class was battle practice. Students were encouraged to pair up early. If you didn't have a partner, you could always ask the teacher—but the social move was to team up beforehand.
"Hey, Satoshi. Want to partner up for the next class?"
Chihaya Anon smiled, showing off a perfect row of white teeth.
That grin felt oddly… intense.
"No problem! But just so you know—we won't be losing!"
Satoshi didn't mind. Her smile was contagious, and his own grin bloomed in response.
Hmph~ Pokémon battles, huh? Finally, it begins.
Let's see what Raichu and Froakie can really do!