A Parallel Pokémon World
Huaguo.
Shuimu City.
The streets lay empty and desolate. Decorative trees lining the sidewalks swayed violently in the wind, their branches nearly snapping. Sheets of rain fell so densely they blurred into silver threads.
It was the kind of weather that even Pidgey—the region's most reliable delivery Pokémon—would refuse to work in.
A slender, sharp-featured teenage boy ran through the storm, shielding his face as best he could. "What the heck? The forecast didn't say anything about rain today…"
Lin Yu hadn't expected this at all. He'd simply gone out to choose his first Pokémon—and had walked straight into a downpour.
The Grass- and Bug-type specialty shop had already closed.
Left with no choice, he sprinted home, rain soaking through his clothes. Despite the inconvenience, a strange sense of emotion welled up inside him.
It had been fifteen years since he'd transmigrated into this world.
And yesterday, at long last, he had heard that unmistakable sound in his mind—
Ding.
No transmigrator could resist the allure of a "ding."
But his system came with a condition: he had to form a bond with a Pokémon.
So the moment he turned fifteen today, he rushed out to buy his very first partner.
Unfortunately, things hadn't gone as planned.
"Well, if it didn't work out today, I'll just come back tomorrow."
With a small sigh, Lin Yu glanced toward a luxurious villa with a courtyard beside him. A house this close to downtown was the perfect place to take shelter from the rain.
If only he weren't so thin-skinned… he might've swallowed his pride and knocked to beg for cover.
Clang.
The iron gate creaked open.
Lin Yu's eyes lit up. He quickly turned toward the sound.
Finally—no more getting drenched!
But what he saw next made his already furrowed brows twist tighter. His blood began to boil.
"I've never seen such a useless Charmander! It's been over ten days and you still can't learn Ember? Trash!"
A small Charmander was shoved unceremoniously out through the gate, curses following close behind.
"You're a month old and you only know Scratch. What, you think you can win battles by scratching your opponent to death? Worthless!"
As if that wasn't enough, the man in the black raincoat kicked the little Pokémon hard. "Good thing I never registered you as my first Pokémon. Go crawl somewhere and die!"
With that, he turned and walked away.
The Charmander didn't understand.
It had been obedient. It had trained as hard as it could.
Yet it was always scolded, always called useless.
And now… now it was being abandoned.
A pitiful cry escaped its throat. It clawed helplessly at the gate, watching its trainer disappear into the rain.
"Hey! You in the raincoat—yeah, you! Don't look around, I'm talking to you."
Lin Yu stepped forward, raising his voice over the storm.
"Publicly abusing and abandoning a Pokémon? According to the Pokémon Protection Act, that's at least three years in prison—no upper limit!"
The man froze, startled. He clearly hadn't expected anyone to be out in such heavy rain.
"What's it to you? I never registered it with the League. Mind your own business and get lost!"
His tone was vicious. After snapping back, he left without another glance.
Lin Yu clenched his phone and muttered a curse under his breath.
In the end, all he could do was sigh.
He couldn't stop the man.
In this life, he was just an orphan.
The scene before him felt painfully familiar—a flickering flame struggling against wind and rain.
Registered or not, what that man had done was illegal. But a family that could casually discard a Charmander like that wasn't one Lin Yu could afford to offend. His earlier words had only been a bluff—the raincoat guy looked about his age anyway.
Shaking away his thoughts, Lin Yu crouched down beside the dejected Charmander and gently placed a hand on its head.
"Hey, little guy… since your trainer doesn't want you anymore, how about coming with me?"
The wind howled.
And then—
His smile froze.
A translucent interface, shimmering like a liquid crystal display, materialized before his eyes.
[Ding. Congratulations, Host. A weak bond has been established with a Pokémon. The Trainer Trait System is now activated.]
[Trait System: Provides various Pokémon-related traits and items. The Host may purchase them at extremely low prices.]
[Newbie Reward obtained: Beginner's Gift Box.]
[Trait acquired: Eye of Insight — Grants data visualization of any target.]
[System Space unlocked.]
[Trait Shop unlocked.]
[Note: The Beginner's Gift Box has a high probability of containing a Golden Legendary Trait.]
[Open the Beginner's Gift Box?]
Mechanical notifications echoed in his mind the instant his hand touched the Charmander.
A golden, illusory gift box floated before him.
Lin Yu's heart pounded.
So this was his cheat ability.
All it took was forming even a weak bond with a Pokémon?
Joy surged through him.
At the same time, when he looked down at the Charmander, streams of data flowed across his vision.
[Pokémon: Charmander (Weakened)]
[Ability: Solar Power]
[Gender: Male]
[Potential: Standard (Champion-tier)]
[Level: 4]
[Moves: Scratch]
[Notes: Originally possessed Champion-tier potential. During transportation, its eggshell was damaged, resulting in a downgrade of potential. This is the first time someone has spoken up for it. It is extremely moved.]
Was this the system's built-in function?
It revealed so much.
Ever since the appearance of Pokémon Secret Realms on Earth two centuries ago, humanity was still figuring things out. Knowledge remained incomplete.
This ability alone gave Lin Yu an enormous informational advantage.
And this was only a bonus feature—how powerful would the actual "traits" be?
But the storm was worsening.
The flame at the tip of Charmander's tail had begun to dim.
He needed to get it home.
"Char…"
Charmander, usually proud by nature, now looked up at him like an abandoned puppy. Its blue eyes shimmered, as if silently asking—
Will you take me home?
Lin Yu's heart melted.
Champion-tier potential reduced to ordinary… then abandoned.
If this were a novel, that was textbook protagonist material.
In that case—
He'd be its Yao Lao.
A surge of heroic spirit filled him.
"Let's go home. We're going home. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don't bully the poor while they're young! I swear I'll use everything I've got to help you reach the Champion's throne. And then we'll go back and slap that guy in the face!"
As a former web novelist in his past life, Lin Yu's mind was already outlining an epic fantasy saga.
Crack!
Lightning split the dark sky, illuminating the world in a blinding flash.
"Right… maybe less dramatic."
Charmander, perhaps having never known warmth since hatching, nestled obediently into his arms and soon fell asleep.
Lin Yu smiled faintly.
"I was planning to start with a Caterpie… but meeting you? That's real luck."
On that storm-lashed night, Lin Yu silently made a vow.
He would raise this Charmander into a Charizard—
No.
Into something that surpassed even the mightiest Charizard.
And together, they would soar to the very top.