He dragged in a harsh breath. The air stabbed into his lungs like blades, bringing both pain and the sharp clarity of oxygen.
The boy who had just woken looked at the worn-out woman by his hospital bed, then at the old man in white with the red hat. In that instant, he knew it had really happened.
He had crossed over.
[Rotom... BondUp launching!]
[This product was developed by Rotom Unlimited Liability Company]
[Created to promote the harmonious growth and great prosperity of humans and Pokémon]
[Please make lots of friends. The more friends you make, the more you gain]
[User: Asher]
[Mental Power: III]
[Ability: Bond Aura (your social skills spike, skyrocket, and go completely off the charts—everyone loves being around you)]
[Relationship Advice: You'd totally fall for yourself, wouldn't you?]
Asher rubbed his head. BondUp was the project he had been working on in his previous life, a friendship app.
Whether it was wholesome or not... depended on the user.
Their boss had been marketing it as a hookup app, anyway...
He had been working overtime on the app when he heard the crackle of electricity, and then he crossed over.
So the app had come alive and crossed over with him?
More importantly, how was he supposed to use a friendship app in a place like this...?
Sensing Asher's confusion, the app got to work.
[Rotom... scanning information]
[Target: Professor Oak]
[Relationship: a junior he has high hopes for]
[Relationship Advice: He seems to have some rather unusual feelings about you. Show him your free spirit! He definitely won't let you down!]
In this insane world overrun by Pokémon, only Trainers got to live a truly exciting life.
A Trainer was the freest person in the world.
The original owner of this body had wanted to become one so badly that he'd tried copying a Bug Catcher and capturing a Pokémon with his bare hands.
A Weedle had stabbed him to death.
If he wanted to avoid working himself to death like he had in his previous life and actually live freely this time, then he had to take the app's advice.
Summoning the courage to overcome the social anxiety he had carried over from his previous life, Asher blurted out excitedly, "Professor! Can you give me a chance? I want to become a Trainer!"
Caught off guard by the sudden plea, Professor Oak asked in a low voice, "Asher... why do you want to become a Trainer?"
Asher answered without hesitation.
"Because... Trainers are the freest people in the world!"
In that instant, a tremendous aura slammed into Professor Oak like a shockwave.
His pupils shook. His whole body trembled. He could hardly believe what he had just heard.
It was... it was exactly the same as what that man had once said!
At that moment, the bright red hat atop Professor Oak's head seemed to react too, trembling ever so slightly.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he said, overcome with emotion, "Good, Asher! With words like that, there's no way I'll let you down! If you want to become a Trainer, then I'll make it happen!"
Asher was overjoyed. He hadn't expected his app to actually be this powerful.
As soon as he was discharged from the hospital, Professor Oak immediately helped him take care of the paperwork to become a Trainer and brought him to the lab.
Inside the lab, a bunch of Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur were running all over the place.
Asher activated the app and inspected each Pokémon's information.
As a new Trainer, he needed to choose one of them as his partner.
While all the other Pokémon were happily playing around, one gloomy little Charmander was crouched in the corner like a mushroom.
The moment Asher's gaze landed on her, a terrifying set of data appeared.
[Rotom... scanning information]
[Target: gloomy Charmander (female)]
[Level: 12]
[Element Affinity: Fire 10]
[Relationship: the man she can never have]
[PS: This entry mostly reflects how the target sees Asher]
[Relationship Advice: She's convinced you'll never pick her, so if you do choose her, she'll be so overjoyed she'll repay you with everything she's got!]
"Damn! Level twelve! We're taking off!"
Among a crowd of level-five and level-six Pokémon, he had just found a hidden boss at level twelve.
He didn't even bother looking at the others. He immediately waved at the Charmander.
"Hey! You there, come here!"
The little Charmander looked around.
After confirming there weren't any other Charmander nearby, she pointed at herself uncertainly with one claw.
"Yeah, you! I want you to be my partner!"
?!
In an instant, the Charmander's big eyes filled with tears, and she threw herself hard into Asher's arms!
[Rotom! Charmander has felt the gratitude of finally being recognized!]
[Your relationship has risen to: long-sought friend!]
[You have formed an initial Bond!]
[Ability unlocked: Aura Power I]
[Aura Power I: You can begin to sense each other's feelings!]
In that moment, a powerful Bond connected the two of them.
Asher hugged Charmander tightly, feeling the Aura Power rising inside him.
This sense of being so deeply connected felt incredible.
Professor Oak patted Asher on the shoulder and laughed.
"Asher, you really do like challenging yourself! This Pokémon's talent is so poor that she can't even learn Ember. She's been neglected for ten whole years. The fact that you picked her at a glance must mean you're determined to pursue the absolute limit of what a Trainer can do..."
"..."
Asher held his smile in frozen place. He carefully set Charmander down, then decisively stepped back to put some distance between them.
Damn it! No wonder she was level twelve! She'd been AFK in the starter nursery for ten years! Give it another two years and she'd probably start growing hair on her head! My friend, for the sake of keeping you from getting killed in a battle someday, I can only painfully let you go!
At once, the little Charmander shrank back into the corner, miserable.
She had known this would be the result.
That brief happiness had only been an empty dream...
At that moment, Asher's mind jolted violently.
Through their connection, he could actually feel the vast loneliness and sorrow rolling off her like an ocean.
And that feeling was one he knew all too well.
In his previous life, he had grown up in a single-parent household too. The family's constant struggles and the mockery of other kids had shaped him into an insecure, withdrawn person. From childhood to adulthood, he had always been a lonely, socially anxious person.
He had silently endured everything, working hard in his own way, shutting away his feelings and focusing only on doing his job properly so he could repay the mother who had raised him.
But deep down, hadn't he always wished for someone too?
Someone who could truly understand him.
Someone who could pull him out of that loneliness.
That was why, when he looked at this little Charmander, he felt like he was looking at himself.
Before he even realized it, he had rushed forward in a single step, scooped her up into his arms, and started crying real tears.
"I'm sorry. My hand slipped just now. I really do want to be with you!"
"Gah?!"
Startled beyond belief, Charmander looked up at him uncertainly.
Asher gave a solemn nod, as if he were being redeemed, as if he were stepping into a new life.
"That's right. I choose you."
Tears exploded from Charmander's eyes.
Ten years!
She had waited ten whole years, and at last her partner had arrived!
[Rotom! Your sincere feelings and masterful push-and-pull have made your Bond spike, skyrocket, and explode off the charts!]
[Your relationship has risen to: true partners!]
[Ability unlocked: Aura Power II]
[Aura Power II: You can sense each other's feelings fairly well!]
Charmander had waited ten years for a partner, but hadn't Asher spent more than twenty years living in loneliness too, wanting to change the person he used to be?
Boom—
At that moment, the Bond between them began to surge with unstoppable force.
Stronger, fiercer, more intense than ever!
Who the hell could stop a Bond this genuine and this powerful now?!
Even Professor Oak was moved by the sight.
Still, while he was feeling emotional, he didn't forget to remind Asher of something.
"Asher, now that you've become a Trainer, you should be preparing for the Great Pilgrimage in three months. I'm really looking forward to seeing how you do!"
Three...
Three months from now?!
Asher's memories began surfacing again...
Ten was the age when Trainers from League-affiliated families usually received their first Pokémon.
And at sixteen, all reserve Trainers were required to begin the journey known as the Great Pilgrimage.
During that journey, every Trainer had to cross countless dangerous regions and challenge eight Gyms before they could become official professional Trainers.
According to rumor, the Pilgrimage had once held a special meaning in ancient times.
In simple terms, that meant everyone else had already gotten a six-year head start, and he only had three months to prepare...
A journey wasn't some sightseeing vacation full of eating and drinking.
Every year, there were truckloads of Trainers who ended up dead on the road after being attacked by wild Pokémon...
Holding out his Trainer license, Asher forced a smile.
"Professor, can you help me cancel this?"
Professor Oak gave him a dependable smile as steady as a mountain.
"Asher, you're funny. Off you go without worry! I'll take care of your mother!"
"..."
Three months later.
An endless blue ocean stretched out under the sky. Beneath the glittering calm on the surface, hidden currents churned.
A magnificent passenger liner cut through the surging waves ahead, heading toward the continent of Hoenn.
On the deck of the S.S. Tidal, a young man in a red cap stood staring into the distance.
The most striking thing about him was the fire-bright red cap on his head and the passion burning in his eyes.
That young man was Asher.
And beside him, a Charmander was knitting a sweater.
Over the past three months, Asher had put Flare through hellish training so he wouldn't get torn apart by wild Pokémon during the journey.
Knitting sweaters, mopping floors, washing clothes, scrubbing dishes...
Every skill was stunning. Every trick was practical.
All of it had only been possible through the power of Bond!
Ahem. Sure, on the surface it looked like Asher had just made Flare do housework for three months, but there were profound mysteries hidden within it.
Life itself was training.
During those three months, following the app's advice, Asher massaged Flare every day, hand-fed her meals, and even slept beside her...
In his previous life, Asher had been a socially anxious programmer who kept everything bottled up and rarely expressed his feelings in front of other people. But in this life, facing a Charmander from an entirely different species, he found that he could actually open his heart and treat her with complete sincerity.
Maybe the two of them really did have too much in common, because before he knew it, they had grown unbelievably close.
Their Bond had risen to ridiculously close friends, and they had successfully unlocked Aura Power IV!
Everything had gone smoothly.
The only strange part was...
This old-stock Charmander had actually started growing hair on her head.
By all logic, Charmander was a fire lizard Pokémon. The species definitely wasn't supposed to grow hair...
Asher had once asked Professor Oak about it in total confusion.
Professor Oak's answer had been:
[Maybe it's a genetic mutation! Pokémon are mysterious creatures. Intense emotions can sometimes alter the way they grow. Take Salamence, for example—the species supposedly mutated and evolved wings because of its overwhelming desire for them! Maybe this Charmander just really wants hair like you humans do, hahahaha!]
The app's response had been much simpler and much more blunt.
[Rotom! This is a miracle of Bond. Flare has a bold idea!]
Asher had been speechless.
So Bond could even drive genetic mutation now?
Normally, Pokémon aimed for sharper claws and stronger limbs.
Flare, on the other hand, seemed to have invested her points into something very strange...
Bwooo—
A deep horn sounded from the ship.
Looking at the industrial city rising ahead of him, Asher took a deep breath.
He understood.
His journey was about to begin for real.
Before he left, Professor Oak had given Asher his red cap.
"Asher, I'm entrusting this red cap to you for now! The next time we meet, you'd better be an outstanding Trainer!"
Pulling the cap down firmly on his head, Asher grinned with confidence.
"Get ready, Flare. It's time to let the world know we exist."
"Gah!"
Charmander, who had been knitting her sweater, looked at the city ahead with soaring ambition.
The legend of the red-hat kid began on this continent.