"Since I've borrowed your body to live again, from this day forward, there is no Tajiri—only Ash Ketchum."
"I'll fulfill the dreams you never could. I'll become a true Pokémon Master… and I'll treat her as my real mother."
Gazing at the tear-streaked woman hugging him tightly, Ash made this vow silently in his heart.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but after making that promise, his whole body felt lighter—freer. It was as if the world itself had acknowledged him, accepting this outsider who had crossed through the boundaries of reality.
"Right… I remember hearing something earlier. Along with Mom's voice, there was… some kind of system starting up?"
Ash frowned slightly. A system?
"System," he called silently in his mind.
[Ding! Ascension Trainer System activated. Now loading…]
[Level Advancement Module loading… Success.]
[Skill Copy Module loading… Success.]
[Proficiency Module loading… Success.]
...
[Bzzt... Severe system damage detected! Task System failed to load!]
[Bzzt... Severe system damage detected! Shop Module failed to load!]
[Bzzt... Severe system damage detected! Spin-Wheel Lottery failed to load!]
...
...
"It's real. I actually have a system."
Hearing the crisp mechanical voice echoing in his mind, Ash's heart swelled with excitement.
No more "Release Master." No more "Forever Ten Years Old."
No more resets every time he entered a new region.
No more leaving his loyal Pokémon to gather dust in Professor Oak's backyard.
No more heartbreak at the Kalos League, where destiny's script denied him the championship.
With his memories of the original story and his knowledge of Pokémon, he was determined—this life would be different. This time, he would rewrite everything.
But theory was one thing, and reality another.
He knew better than anyone that becoming a top-tier Pokémon Trainer wasn't easy.
Still, with a Ascension Trainer System at his side, how could he not feel invincible?
"Wait… but what's with this 'severe damage' thing?" he muttered inwardly. "Don't tell me… my system's broken?"
His excitement dimmed as he began to inspect it closely. Sure enough, the interface that appeared in his mind flickered with broken data and error warnings. The system was heavily damaged, its upper functions inaccessible.
After some careful probing, he discovered why.
During the transmigration process, when the system carried his soul across dimensions, it had been attacked by the World Will of the Pokémon universe—a natural defense mechanism rejecting foreign interference. The system had spent nearly all its energy shielding him, leaving none to fight back.
The result: catastrophic damage.
Many advanced functions, including the Task System, Shop, and Lottery, had failed to load entirely.
Still, Ash wasn't one to despair easily. He had already died once; every breath now was a gift. The fact that the system had survived at all was a miracle.
Even crippled, it still had three working modules—three incredibly powerful ones.
Level Advancement Module:
After defeating an opponent, he and his Pokémon could absorb Experience Orbs from the battlefield, allowing rapid growth and level-ups far beyond normal pace. Skill Copy Module:
By making physical contact, he could copy the moves of other Pokémon and teach them instantly to his own partners. Proficiency Module:
Every skill now had a visible mastery percentage, allowing his Pokémon to train and perfect moves more efficiently.
Level Advancement. Skill copying. Mastery tracking.
Even without missions, shop items, or random lotteries, these three alone could make him unstoppable.
"Who needs a complete system?" Ash smirked to himself. "With these features—and my knowledge of every league, every champion, every legendary Pokémon—I'll be miles ahead of everyone else."
In his mind, he could already see it—training camps, league tournaments, legendary battles, all leading to one inevitable outcome: standing at the very top of the Pokémon world.
But his excitement cooled a little as reality set in.
"Too bad the League rules say Trainers must be at least ten years old to officially receive a Pokémon… and I'm only six right now. Four whole years to go."
He sighed, resting his small hands behind his head.
At that moment, Delia released him from her embrace, brushing away the tears at the corners of her eyes. "Ash, sweetheart, you should rest now. Mommy needs to go pay the hospital fee."
Her voice was gentle and warm.
Ash looked at her and smiled softly. In his previous life, he had no family—no one who cared if he lived or died. Now, having this woman as his mother… it felt almost unreal.
And after fusing with the original Ash's memories, the awkwardness of calling her "Mom" had completely disappeared.
"Mom, I'm fine already! I don't want to stay here—I want to go home!"
Delia chuckled. The lively, mischievous tone was so him. Her boy was back.
"Alright, alright, you little monkey," she said with a playful sigh. "You really scared me this time, you know that?"
She wagged her finger, feigning sternness before her lips curved into a fond smile. "Nurse Joy said you're fine, but you'll still need to stay here for two more days of observation. Be good and stay put, and I'll sign you up for Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp this weekend."
Her words lit up Ash's eyes.
A summer camp at Professor Oak's lab—the perfect place to observe Pokémon firsthand!
It was as if fate had opened its first door.
…
…