"Those who believe in miracles are as extraordinary as miracles themselves, so I can't let you stop here."
"Fly high for me!"
The familiar alarm blared, and Zi Yu rubbed his bleary eyes, deftly shutting off the phone's wake-up chime.
"A ceiling that's both strange and familiar... How boring."
This inexplicable grumble was a complaint about his unchanging life.
Any hot-blooded teenager had fantasized about waking up in another world, then rising to dominance, reaching the pinnacle of life in that realm.
Since Zi Yu had lost his parents in this world and had no other ties, he was quite intrigued by the idea of transmigrating.
Though Mo Zi Yu was no longer a child, a boy's sense of wonder never truly fades—no matter if he's seventy or eighty.
"A new day, ah~"
Zi Yu stretched lazily, then habitually pulled out his phone to check it.
This was standard modern behavior: the moment you wake up, you grab your phone first.
He could afford to scroll so leisurely because the college entrance exam was over, and he'd gotten the scores he'd hoped for.
But as soon as he opened QQ and entered the chat group, Zi Yu froze. He glanced at the group name, then at their messages—something seemed off.
The group was clearly called [Class 3's Crouching Dragons Gathering Spot], so why were they talking about Pokémon?
And one message was more outlandish than the last.
Take this one from the user nicknamed Dawn's Break.
He claimed his Caterpie had a shot at evolving into the legendary Rayquaza.
He even attached a photo with his Caterpie.
"Am I still half-asleep?"
Zi Yu hurriedly opened QQ News, but the headlines that followed nearly made his jaw drop.
[During its ascent, the Shenzhou 51 rocket unexpectedly received protection from the divine beast Rayquaza, which lives in the ozone layer. Rayquaza only departed once the rocket reached outer space.]
[A Pokémon rampage occurred in the forests outside New City. Sources say the chaos was triggered by wild Mankey going into heat and fighting over females.]
[Breaking! Tencent's latest Gyarados-class submarine captured footage of a massive shadow in the deep sea—suspected to be the legendary Kyogre.]
After reading these, Zi Yu was utterly dumbfounded.
"Have I really transmigrated?"
"Hiss... That hurts."
Unwilling to believe it, Zi Yu pinched his thigh.
The sharp feedback from his leg made it crystal clear: he wasn't in his old world anymore.
This world had Pokémon.
Rolling out of bed, Zi Yu drew back the curtains, and his eyes were greeted by flocks of birds dancing in the sky.
"These are... Pidgey?"
The first-generation common bird Pokémon—Zi Yu would never forget Pidgey. Back then, he'd wanted to jump into the TV and punch that idiot Ash for releasing and forgetting about Pidgeotto in the forest.
Outside, the weather was mild and sunny, with Pidgey soaring in flocks.
The morning breeze brushed his cheeks, leaving Zi Yu momentarily entranced.
Summer's dawn wind felt so refreshing on the skin.
Just like that, Zi Yu leaned on the windowsill, browsing content on his phone.
He was searching for this world's history.
But a browser prompt made him furrow his brow slightly.
[The last browsed page is still open. Would you like to go there?]
Zi Yu ignored it outright. Who'd look at that kind of thing first thing in the morning? And now that Pokémon were real, those comics lost their appeal anyway.
Once he found what he wanted, Zi Yu dove in with full focus.
Hundreds of years ago, many mystical realms appeared in this world, and creatures known as magical beasts emerged from them.
People were highly wary of these sudden arrivals.
After all, anything that popped up out of nowhere would make anyone cautious.
Especially since these beasts wielded special powers—some commanded fierce winds, others controlled the weather.
Just as tensions peaked...
The first Pokémon Trainer appeared. He was the first to pull out a red-and-white ball and successfully capture a Pokémon.
Later, people learned these "magical beasts" were called Pokémon, and that red-and-white ball was a Poké Ball, obtained from some ruined relic.
Soon, more realms emerged.
The most famous one near Zi Yu's home in Pewter City was the Viridian Forest outside.
Seeing this, Zi Yu paused in surprise.
He read on: As more realms and relics were discovered, people gradually realized that these Pokémon and ruins had come from another world.
With Pokémon granting them power, the Trainers grew restless.
War broke out soon after.
The conflict raged for a full century before the newly formed Pokémon League quelled it.
From then on, the Pokémon League maintained order in the world.
And people began living the leisurely lives they enjoyed today.
"Zi Yu, come down for breakfast~"
Lost in the article, Zi Yu was jolted by a sweet voice from downstairs.
Only then did he remember: after his parents passed, his cousin had come to care for him, worried he wouldn't adjust and perform well on the exam.
His cousin had lost her parents in an accident too, so she understood Zi Yu's pain all too well.
"Coming."
Zi Yu called back, then slipped into a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. His fair arms and long, straight legs had even made his cousin admit she was jealous.
Paired with Zi Yu's refined features...
She'd jokingly said he'd been born into the wrong family—he should've been her sister.
Moments later, Zi Yu headed downstairs.
Glancing toward the kitchen, he spotted his cousin's figure.
She wore a white short-sleeved top printed with a Pikachu pattern—the cheeks on either side stood out prominently on her.
Below, a short skirt, and an apron tied around her waist as she carried breakfast over.
"Go wash your face and brush your teeth first. Even Roundy is more diligent than you."
Roundy?
Zi Yu was puzzled when a round, plump little Pokémon waddled out from the kitchen.
Its pink, egg-shaped body had hair-like protrusions on either side of its head. Its chubby form sported short arms and a short tail, with a pouch on its lower belly containing an egg.
This was a Chansey!
Zi Yu quickly recalled its backstory.
It was compensation from the League to his cousin, since her parents had died in the line of duty.
That reminded him: the League owed him compensation too, but it had been delayed because he was still a minor.
In this world, you had to be 18 to become a Trainer and own Pokémon.
"What are you spacing out for? We're all waiting on you."
His cousin shot Zi Yu a playful glare, urging him to freshen up.
"Oh, got it..."
While brushing his teeth, Zi Yu's mind raced. He'd always dreamed of transmigrating—he'd be lying if he said he wasn't thrilled.
But this wasn't exactly transmigration...
It was still the familiar world, familiar relationships.
The only addition was everything Pokémon-related.
While browsing history earlier, Zi Yu had noticed keenly: this world had no Pokémon anime, but plenty of derivative works inspired by them.
Like *Detective Pikachu*, *Tyranitar vs. Slaking*, and *Eevee's Driftwood Adventure*.
After washing up and tidying himself neatly, Zi Yu checked the mirror. The handsome young man staring back smiled faintly, then he pushed open the bathroom door and stepped out.
"Come eat breakfast—Roundy's been waiting ages for you."
Seeing him emerge, his cousin waved him over.
"Coming."
Zi Yu had just sat down across from her when the Chansey bustled over with steaming soy milk.
Chansey set it before him and flashed a warm smile.
"Thanks, Roundy."
Zi Yu smiled back and reached to pat its head—but in the next instant, he froze.
Because a voice echoed in his mind!
[Ding... Strongest Trainer Assistance System activated successfully.]
Translator's Note: If you find any mistakes or awkward phrasing, feel free to correct me... Also, join my Patreon if you want to support the translation! patreon.com/c/muffinya