Chapter 5 — Visitors from the Pokémon World
The battlefield went silent.
Not because the fighting had stopped.
But because everyone heard it.
That voice.
The voice that had emerged from the dimensional rift.
"The missing Administrator..."
Jin stood beside Pikachu, his hand still glowing with golden energy.
His eyes remained fixed on the enormous creature floating above the ocean.
"...Missing?"
Pikachu looked confused.
"Pika?"
[What does it mean by missing?]
"I don't know."
Jin's mind raced.
He had been transported here less than a day ago.
Yet this creature was calling him the missing Administrator.
That meant one thing.
Someone—or something—expected him to exist.
Perhaps even before he was born.
The system suddenly reacted.
UNKNOWN ENTITY COMMUNICATION DETECTED.
Attempting translation...
The voice came again.
This time, Jin understood it more clearly.
"You were not supposed to be here."
Jin's expression hardened.
"What?"
"This world was never your destination."
Pikachu's ears lowered.
The creature's red eyes glowed brighter.
"Return what belongs to the dimensional realm."
Jin clenched his fists.
"You're talking about me?"
The creature didn't answer.
Instead, it raised one claw.
The corrupted Pokémon surrounding the island suddenly stopped fighting.
Their red eyes turned toward Jin.
Then every single one of them roared.
ROOOOOOOAR!
Jin took a step backward.
"That's creepy."
Pikachu stood in front of him.
"Pika!"
[Stay behind me!]
Jin stared at her.
"...You're protecting me?"
"Pikachu!"
[Of course!]
Before Jin could respond—
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion erupted in the distance.
A Dragonite had slammed into a corrupted Salamence.
Both Pokémon crashed into the ocean.
The battle resumed.
Jin looked around.
"There's too many of them."
Pikachu nodded.
"Pika."
[And more are coming.]
Jin looked toward the dimensional rift.
She was right.
The rift was still expanding.
Then—
A completely different sound echoed across the battlefield.
WOOOOOOOOSH!
A jet-black aircraft flew across the sky.
It passed over the League fleet before making a sharp turn toward the island.
Jin blinked.
"Another helicopter?"
Pikachu shook her head.
"Pika."
[No.]
The aircraft rapidly descended.
Then stopped above the ocean.
A loudspeaker activated.
"HEY!"
A familiar young male voice echoed across the water.
"What's going on?!"
Jin froze.
He knew that voice.
There was absolutely no way he could mistake it.
He slowly looked toward Pikachu.
"...Is that..."
The aircraft turned.
A familiar young man stood on its front platform.
He wore a blue jacket and a red-and-white cap.
Beside him was a Pikachu.
The Pikachu waved enthusiastically.
"Pika pika!"
Jin's eyes widened.
"No way."
Pikachu beside Jin looked toward the newcomer.
Then toward Jin.
"Pika?"
[Master?]
Jin swallowed.
"...That's Ash Ketchum."
Ash Ketchum
The young trainer jumped from the aircraft.
"Pikachu, let's go!"
"Pika!"
Ash and his Pikachu landed safely on the island.
Behind them came several other people.
A blond-haired girl with a white dress.
A blue-haired man with a long coat.
A brown-haired girl carrying a backpack.
And a young man with glasses.
Jin stared.
"Wait..."
He recognized them.
Serena.
Clemont.
Bonnie.
Ash looked around at the battlefield.
"What happened here?"
Jin couldn't answer immediately.
Because this wasn't some random character.
This was Ash Ketchum.
The protagonist he'd watched countless times.
The boy who had traveled across the Pokémon world.
The boy whose adventures he had read about.
The boy who should have been fictional.
But now...
He was standing right in front of him.
Ash noticed Jin.
"Hey!"
Jin looked at him.
"Uh..."
Ash smiled.
"I'm Ash."
"I know."
Ash blinked.
"You know me?"
Jin immediately realized his mistake.
"...I've heard about you."
Ash scratched his head.
"Oh."
Serena looked at Jin suspiciously.
"How could you have heard about Ash? We're far from the nearest region."
Jin froze.
"...Lucky guess?"
Clemont adjusted his glasses.
"That doesn't make scientific sense."
Bonnie looked at Pikachu.
"Are you the island's Pikachu?"
Pikachu proudly stepped forward.
"Pika!"
Bonnie smiled.
"You're adorable!"
The Pikachu accompanying Ash approached.
"Pika pika?"
The two Pikachu looked at each other.
Then—
"Pika!"
"Pika pika!"
They bumped their paws together.
Jin stared.
"...That's actually adorable."
Ash's Pikachu looked toward Jin.
"Pika?"
Ash looked at his Pikachu.
"What is it?"
Pikachu pointed at Jin.
Ash's eyes widened.
"Wait."
He looked at Jin.
"You're the person everyone's talking about?"
Jin frowned.
"Everyone?"
Clemont immediately stepped forward.
"News reports have already begun spreading."
He pulled out a device.
"According to the broadcasts, a mysterious human has appeared on Dimensional Island."
Ash looked surprised.
"So you're the new administrator?"
Jin sighed.
"Apparently."
Ash smiled.
"That's awesome!"
Jin stared at him.
"Awesome?"
"Yeah!"
Ash pointed toward the battlefield.
"You have an entire island full of Pokémon!"
Jin looked around.
"That's true."
Ash's eyes sparkled.
"And that giant Pokémon came from another dimension!"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Ash grinned.
"This is going to be an amazing adventure!"
Jin stared at him.
"...You're way too excited about this."
Serena sighed.
"Ash has always been like this."
Clemont nodded.
"Indeed."
Bonnie smiled.
"He's impossible to stop once he's interested in something."
Jin looked at Pikachu.
His own Pikachu shrugged.
"Pika."
[He's weird.]
Ash's Pikachu nodded.
"Pika pika."
[Very.]
The Legendary Pokémon Arrive
Suddenly—
The battlefield became strangely quiet.
Ash's Pikachu's ears twitched.
"Pika!"
Ash looked toward the ocean.
"What is it?"
Pikachu pointed toward the sky.
A massive shadow appeared above the clouds.
Then another.
Then another.
Three enormous figures descended from the heavens.
Jin immediately recognized them.
"Those are..."
The first was a massive blue whale-like Pokémon.
Kyogre.
The second was a gigantic red dragon-like Pokémon.
Groudon.
And the third—
A massive green serpentine Pokémon surrounded by clouds.
Rayquaza.
Jin's jaw dropped.
"You're kidding me."
Ash looked upward.
"Whoa!"
Clemont's eyes widened.
"Three Legendary Pokémon simultaneously..."
Serena stared.
"Why are they here?"
Pikachu pointed toward the dimensional rift.
"Pika."
[They're defending the island.]
Rayquaza immediately launched itself toward the rift.
Its body became surrounded by green energy.
DRAGON ASCENT!
It shot upward like a missile.
The dimensional creature raised one claw.
A purple barrier appeared.
Rayquaza slammed into it.
BOOOOOOM!
The shockwave spread across the sky.
Kyogre roared.
The ocean rose.
Groudon roared.
The ground shook.
Ash stared in amazement.
"Those three are fighting together!"
Jin nodded.
"Apparently."
Ash looked at Jin.
"Your island is incredible!"
Jin sighed.
"I'd prefer if it stopped trying to destroy itself."
A Familiar Champion
Before anyone could react, another aircraft approached.
This one was much smaller.
It landed near the mansion.
A tall woman stepped out.
Long black hair.
Elegant clothes.
A confident expression.
She looked at the battlefield.
Then at Jin.
Then at Ash.
"Interesting."
Jin recognized her immediately.
"Cynthia."
The Sinnoh Champion smiled.
"So you've heard of me."
"Of course."
Ash smiled.
"Cynthia!"
"Hello, Ash."
Cynthia walked toward Jin.
"I'm Cynthia."
"I know."
Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
"Again?"
Jin coughed.
"Your reputation is widespread."
Cynthia smiled.
"I see."
She looked toward the battlefield.
"This island has been a mystery for years."
Her gaze shifted toward Jin.
"And now it has an administrator."
Jin nodded.
"Apparently."
Cynthia studied him carefully.
"You don't seem like someone who planned this."
"I didn't."
"Then how did you arrive?"
Jin paused.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
Cynthia nodded.
"Then perhaps we're looking for the same answers."
Jin looked at her.
"You know something?"
"Not enough."
She pointed toward the dimensional rift.
"But I recognize the symbol."
Jin's eyes widened.
"You do?"
Cynthia nodded.
"I've seen it before."
"Where?"
"In ancient Sinnoh."
Cynthia's expression became serious.
"Several years ago, I discovered an ancient tablet describing a being called the Dimensional Administrator."
Jin stared.
"Administrator?"
"Yes."
She continued.
"According to the tablet, the Administrator wasn't a person."
Jin frowned.
"What was it?"
Cynthia looked toward him.
"A title."
The Ancient Legend
Everyone gathered inside the mansion.
Ash.
Pikachu.
Serena.
Clemont.
Bonnie.
Cynthia.
Jin.
And several Pokémon.
Cynthia placed an old photograph on the table.
It showed an ancient stone tablet.
The same symbol that had appeared on the island was carved into it.
Jin stared.
"What does it say?"
Cynthia translated the ancient writing.
"When the boundaries between worlds weaken, the Administrator shall appear."
Another line.
"Neither born of this world nor claimed by another."
Another.
"He shall inherit the island between dimensions."
Jin's expression changed.
"That's me."
Cynthia nodded.
"Possibly."
Ash leaned closer.
"So you're some kind of chosen hero?"
Jin immediately shook his head.
"No."
Ash blinked.
"No?"
"I'm just a guy who went to sleep."
Bonnie giggled.
"That's not a very heroic origin."
"Exactly."
Ash smiled.
"I like it."
Jin looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because you don't seem interested in being a hero."
Jin paused.
Ash continued.
"But you're still trying to protect everyone."
Jin became quiet.
Cynthia smiled slightly.
"Perhaps that is precisely why the island chose you."
Jin looked down at his glowing hand.
"I still don't understand."
Cynthia pointed toward the tablet.
"There is more."
She turned the tablet over.
A second inscription was revealed.
Everyone became silent.
Cynthia translated.
"When the Administrator returns..."
"Three doors shall open."
"One toward the past."
"One toward the future."
"One toward worlds beyond Pokémon."
Jin stared.
"Worlds beyond Pokémon?"
Cynthia nodded.
"That part is unclear."
Jin suddenly remembered his previous life.
His apartment.
His phone.
The Pokémon fanfic he had been reading.
His final thought before sleeping.
It'll be nice if I can also experience being reincarnated.
His eyes widened.
"Wait..."
Pikachu looked at him.
"Pika?"
Jin whispered.
"...Could the island be connected to my original world?"
Nobody answered.
Then—
BEEP!
The mansion system activated.
NEW INFORMATION DETECTED.
Historical record synchronized.
Administrator memories partially restored.
Jin's head suddenly throbbed.
Images flashed through his mind.
A gigantic island.
Pokémon.
Humans.
A laboratory.
A mysterious figure.
And himself...
Standing on the island.
But he wasn't alone.
There was another human beside him.
A woman.
He couldn't see her face.
She reached toward him.
Then—
Everything disappeared.
Jin grabbed his head.
"Ah!"
Ash immediately stepped forward.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Cynthia looked concerned.
"What did you see?"
"I don't know."
Jin looked at the computer.
"The system showed me something."
Cynthia approached.
"What?"
"Someone."
"A person?"
Jin nodded.
"A woman."
"Do you know her?"
"No."
He looked toward the dimensional rift outside.
"But I think..."
His voice became quiet.
"...she might be the reason I'm here."
Suddenly—
The system screamed.
WARNING!
Everyone froze.
DIMENSIONAL RIFT DESTABILIZATION.
NEW ENTITY DETECTED.
THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN.
Jin ran toward the balcony.
Cynthia followed.
Ash and the others rushed behind them.
The dimensional rift had changed.
It was no longer purple.
It had become completely white.
And something was walking through it.
Not a Pokémon.
Not a human.
A silhouette.
A woman.
Long hair.
A strange dress.
She slowly stepped through the rift.
Jin's heart stopped.
He recognized her.
Not from this world.
Not from a memory.
But from the vision.
The woman turned toward the mansion.
Her eyes met Jin's.
And she smiled.
"I finally found you."
Jin whispered.
"...Who are you?"
The woman raised one hand.
The entire dimensional rift began collapsing behind her.
Then she answered.
"Your predecessor."