The town of Pokémon World didn't sleep.
Even as night settled in, lanterns glowed softly along the streets, Pokémon padded quietly beside their trainers, and distant routes still echoed with the sounds of adventure. Shunya stood near the Pokémon Center, hands resting at his sides, feeling strangely reluctant.
It was different now.
Earlier, he'd been overwhelmed—by the world, by Pikachu, by the reality of it all.
Now… it felt normal.
Too normal.
Pikachu sat on a low stone ledge, swinging its tail lazily. When Shunya didn't move, it glanced back at him, ears tilting.
"Pika?"
Shunya smiled faintly. "Yeah… I know. I don't really want to stop either."
A soft sensation pressed against the back of his head, subtle but unmistakable. Not pain—just a reminder. His body was tired, even if his heart wasn't.
A translucent notification slid gently into view.
> VR Safety System Notice
Continuous immersion time nearing limit.
Mandatory rest recommended.
Shunya exhaled slowly.
"So this is where reality pulls me back," he murmured.
He crouched in front of Pikachu, meeting its gaze. The sparks on its cheeks were dimmer now, calmer—almost sleepy.
"Hey," Shunya said quietly. "This doesn't mean I'm done. Just… taking a break."
Pikachu studied him for a long moment.
Then it hopped down, padded over, and pressed its small forehead against Shunya's knee.
Shunya froze.
"…You really do understand, don't you?"
He reached out and gently stroked Pikachu's head. It didn't pull away.
With a reluctant sigh, Shunya reached for the Poké Ball.
"Rest up," he said softly. "I'll be back tomorrow."
The red light enveloped Pikachu slowly, without resistance. The Poké Ball clicked shut, warm in his palm.
Shunya stood and looked around one last time.
The town square.
The notice board fluttering in the night breeze.
The Pokémon Center glowing like a promise.
"This world keeps going," he whispered. "Even without me."
That thought didn't scare him.
It made him excited.
"Log out," he said.
The town didn't vanish.
It faded—colors softening, sounds stretching, the world dissolving like a half-remembered dream.
---
Darkness.
Then—
The gentle whirr of the VR system powering down.
The headset lifted away, cool air brushing against Shunya's face as reality snapped back into place. His bedroom ceiling stared down at him, plain and familiar.
He blinked a few times.
"…Wow," he muttered.
His body felt heavy. Not unpleasant—just exhausted in the way you felt after a long day of running around outside.
He sat up slowly, glancing at the VR headset on his desk.
It looked so ordinary.
And yet…
"I really was there," he whispered.
He checked the time and winced. "I'm dead if I oversleep."
After changing and crawling into bed, Shunya pulled the blanket up to his chin. His muscles relaxed the moment his head hit the pillow.
As his eyes closed, images drifted through his mind.
Tall grass.
Crackling sparks.
A small yellow Pokémon perched proudly on his shoulder.
Shunya smiled in his sleep.
Tomorrow, he'd log back in.
Tomorrow, the world would move again.
And somewhere inside Pokémon World, a record quietly updated—
Trainer Shunya Shiraishi: Status — Offline
But his journey?
It had only just begun.
To Be Continued. [1]
[1] Yeah, I know this chapter is a bit short and I'll release next chapter within 1-2 hours.