Stepping inside, the first thing that came into view was a blackboard that occupied most of the wall.
Written across it in chalk was something unexpected—
a basic gameplay tutorial for Pokémon.
The bookshelf beside it was even more impressive. It was crammed with stacks of rolled-up blueprints and sketches, their edges curled with age.
Looking closer, one could vaguely make out early character design drafts, map sketches, and Pokémon concept art from the early development stages of the Pokémon game!
At the center of the room stood an extremely familiar figure in a white lab coat.
With his back turned to them, he sat intently in front of an old-fashioned television, tapping the controller rapidly.
Displayed on the screen was—
a Pokémon game.
They stepped forward and interacted.
"Researcher Rei:"
"Ah, travelers, hello. Don't misunderstand—I'm not the Researcher Rei you think you know."
"Researcher Rei:"
"But I do know quite a few little secrets about this world. For example—"
"Researcher Rei:"
"I know that right now you're controlling a character, playing Pokémon, and somehow managed to stumble upon this hidden location out of sheer boredom."
"Researcher Rei:"
"I have no idea how you managed to find this place, but that kind of persistence deserves a reward. Here—take a little surprise."
The moment he finished speaking, three soft beams of light enveloped Rei, Red, and Blue.
Above their characters' heads appeared a shimmering badge-shaped icon.
"There's Really Nothing Here!"
They clicked to view the title description.
Title:There's Really Nothing Here!
Type: Limited one-time title
Duration: 24 hours (real-world time)
Effect: While equipped, the probability of encountering Shiny Pokémon in the wild is significantly increased.
"A TITLE!!!"
Red's roar burst through the voice channel, unable to contain his excitement.
"This is way! Too! AWESOME!"
"An increased Shiny rate?"
Blue's focus was more practical, though the excitement in her voice was just as obvious.
"How much of an increase exactly? A Shiny Pokémon! I haven't even encountered one yet!"
It wasn't just the players who were excited—the chat exploded with messages.
"Bro! Besides Teacher Salted Fish, who else could even find this place?!"
"There's a title system in the game??? Since when?!"
"Boosted Shiny odds?! That effect is insane!!!"
"Pokémon Studio—the 0G0 at the start of the game was Pokémon Studio, right?! Teacher Salted Fish, you actually put your studio into the game?!"
"The fools are still typing in chat. The smart ones have already logged in to test it."
Red was the first to recover from the excitement of the title.
There had to be more things hidden in this strange studio!
He controlled Red like a curious child—
rifling through boxes under the bookshelf, poking at the potted plants in the corner.
At one point he even accidentally bumped the TV's power cable, and the screen went black with a pop.
Above the Researcher Rei's head, a giant yellow exclamation mark instantly appeared.
The researcher sighed helplessly, stood up, and walked to a nearby workbench. From a drawer he took out a Poké Ball, then walked straight toward Red.
"Researcher Rei:"
"I can tell you're a trainer full of patience and energy. Coincidentally, I have something I'd like to entrust to you."
"Researcher Rei:"
"Inside this Poké Ball is an Eevee that once underwent a special genetic experiment. That experience left it with deep psychological trauma."
"Researcher Rei:"
"As a result, it became rather sensitive and temperamental. I've always wanted to find a trainer it can truly trust—someone who can give it a sense of security."
"Researcher Rei:"
"So… would you be willing to accept this responsibility?"
Red stared at the text on the screen. His body suddenly froze, and his lips moved silently.
"…This is… Abu…"
Then he took a deep breath, his eyes turning firm.
"Leave it to me! I'll take good care of it!"
"Researcher Rei:"
"Good. That puts my mind at ease. I'm counting on you, young man! Now continue your adventure!"
Eevee joined Red's team!
???
Blue, who had been silently watching from the side, completely lost her composure.
"What?! That works too?!"
She shouted in disbelief and immediately controlled Blue to search the entire room frantically.
Behind the bookshelf. Under the desk.
She even tried rummaging through the researcher's drawers.
But aside from dust and a few discarded drafts—
There was nothing.
"Red, why do you get this?!"
Blue's voice was full of injustice.
"Hehe."
Red scratched the tip of his nose awkwardly and subconsciously turned his head toward the side of his couch.
In reality, a fluffy Espeon was curled up there, sleeping soundly.
Looking at Espeon, he revealed a gentle—somewhat foolish—smile.
"Maybe… this is the bond between me and Abu that can never be severed."
"Researcher Rei:"
"Hey, hey—I say, you three… you've taken the title and claimed the Eevee. Are you still not planning to leave?"
"Researcher Rei:"
"You've turned my studio into something that looks like a parking lot hit by a hurricane. You're not actually here to rob me, are you?"
The researcher's sudden teasing threw the three of them into an awkward silence.
Seeing that none of them moved, the Researcher Rei simply turned around, folded his arms, and continued speaking in a gossip-like tone.
"Researcher Rei:"
"Alright, alright. Looks like you're sticking around. Fine, I'll tell you something interesting."
"Researcher Rei:"
"For example… those charming characters in the game."
"Researcher Rei:"
"Just between us—Blue's lively cleverness, Misty's energetic spirit, Erika's elegant gentleness, Sabrina's mysterious coolness, and Lorelei's intellectual charm—"
"Researcher Rei:"
"These aren't just game settings. In reality, they're all shining individuals as well."
"Researcher Rei:"
"So? Want to hear more exclusive insider information? Ask away!"
Blue had originally been uninterested in this kind of official gossip.
After all, the so-called Researcher Rei himself was already in their voice channel. If she had questions, asking him directly would obviously be more reliable than asking an NPC.
But hearing herself listed first among the compliments, the corners of her lips still lifted slightly in pride.
Hmph.
That blockhead in real life has never praised me like that.
Not even once!
Looking at the talkative Researcher Rei on the screen, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
With a hint of bashfulness she didn't even realize she had—and a strong sense of anticipation—she asked almost involuntarily:
"Cough… then what about you? Out of all of them… which one do you like the most?"
"Researcher Rei:"
"Me? Haha, good question! Let me think… actually, I—"
The Researcher Rei rubbed his chin, looking as if he was about to launch into a long speech.
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