At Professor Oak's research lab.
Akira glanced around. The scene was largely the same as in the anime.
There was a large device platform for storing Poké Balls, surrounded by bookshelves and various experimental equipment.
Professor Oak walked over to a machine and placed the Poké Ball containing his Dragonite inside.
This was a machine used to heal Pokémon, similar to the ones at Pokémon Centers.
"That's truly surprising. To possess such a powerful Dragonite and yet not be from the Dragon Clan."
Professor Oak sighed, then turned to Akira and asked, "Should your Dragonite also receive some treatment?"
Akira chuckled, "Professor, aren't you the same?"
"Despite not being from the Dragon Clan, you still have a powerful Dragonite. Mine isn't that much stronger."
"No need. It's not injured—it recovered its stamina long ago."
Akira waved his hand dismissively.
Yet his words left Professor Oak in another bout of silence and sighs.
The young man's words were truly cutting.
One Dragonite needed to stay in the healing machine, while the other had fought without a scratch.
How were they even comparable?
He had no idea where this young man came from, to have such a terrifying Dragonite.
If not from the Dragon Clan, then where?
Wait a minute...
Wasn't there another place connected to Dragon-type Pokémon?
Professor Oak's pupils contracted slightly as he recalled something he had learned long ago.
Deep within the Meteor Falls of the Hoenn region lived a mysterious ancient people.
They were called the People of the Falling Star.
Legend had it that long, long ago, as meteor showers streaked across the night sky, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre waged war.
Then, the ancient Pokémon Rayquaza intervened and stopped them.
A thousand years later, a meteor fell near present-day Sootopolis City, awakening Groudon and Kyogre once more.
At that time, the inheritor stood upon the Rainbow Rock and prayed for Rayquaza's return, their wish enabling Rayquaza to undergo Mega Evolution.
After the fierce battle, Groudon and Kyogre returned to the depths,
while Rayquaza ascended back to the heavens. The People of the Falling Star built the Sky Pillar to honor their deity, adorning its walls with murals.
In other words, the People of the Falling Star were the most likely to communicate with Rayquaza.
They revered Rayquaza as a god, their sacred Pokémon.
At the same time, this people raised many Dragon-type Pokémon, their numbers no fewer than those of the Dragon Clan.
They also possessed special abilities related to Dragon-types, each one a formidable trainer.
And due to the need for secrecy, it made perfect sense that Akira wouldn't reveal his origins.
Professor Oak scratched his cheek, his expression softening. "So you're from that place, huh?"
"Don't worry, I'll keep your identity a secret. I won't tell anyone else."
Akira: ?
Had he said anything?
How did Professor Oak suddenly figure out where he was from?
Had his otherworldly origins been exposed?
That couldn't be.
A moment later, Akira's bewildered expression faded, replaced by a wry smile.
Magearna had just used its ability, Heart Swap,
to sense Professor Oak's emotions and synchronize their thoughts.
Only then did he understand why the professor had spoken that way.
Turns out, his display of Dragonite, combined with his secrecy, had led Professor Oak to mistake him for one of the People of the Falling Star.
Akira nodded silently, offering no further explanation.
He had no intention of clarifying—the more he explained, the messier it would get. Might as well let the professor believe he was one of them.
Professor Oak's expression turned knowing.
Just as he thought—Akira was indeed one of the People of the Falling Star.
To possess such a powerful Dragonite at this age, he must be one of their rising prodigies.
But what had brought him here?
After a brief silence,
Akira was the first to speak again."Professor Oak, I've run out of Poké Balls on my journey. Could I trade something with you for some?"
As he spoke, Akira casually took out a gold bar, intending to hand it to Professor Oak.
Naturally, this was just a made-up excuse.
Having just arrived in the Pokémon world, how could he have already used up 913 Poké Balls?
He simply wanted to take advantage of being at Professor Oak's lab to get some Poké Balls.
Coming to the Pokémon world without using Poké Balls would be like not coming at all.
Without any local currency, he simply grabbed a gold bar from his storage space—a universally accepted commodity.
Professor Oak waved his hand. "No need, no need. They're just a few Poké Balls. No need for something like this."
He then handed Akira several shrunken red-and-white balls along with a few Great Balls, insisting on not charging anything.
After all, he was used to giving young trainers Poké Balls—it was part of his duty.
At the same time, Professor Oak began to ponder whether he should also entrust Akira with a Pokédex.
Through Magearna's observation, Akira could sense the professor's thoughts.
He was slightly surprised.
In the Special Edition universe, only a select few could possess a Pokédex, known as [Pokédex Holders].
For example, Red and Blue...
After a moment of contemplation, Professor Oak picked up a red Pokédex and asked:
"Akira, would you be interested in becoming a Pokédex Holder?"
"This title doesn't carry much practical significance—it's more of a symbolic honor. You'd be given a designation that matches your unique traits."
Akira thought about what his title should be.
There was already [The Fighter], [The Breeder], [The Hatcher]...
Should he be [The Slacker]?
[The Invincible One]?
That didn't quite fit.
"Professor, what should my title be?"
Professor Oak paused.
He hadn't known Akira for long, only that he was a young man "descended" from the Meteor Clan.
With an absurdly powerful Dragonite by his side.
Could he be [The Breeder]? But that title was already taken.
Perhaps [The Meteor One]? Or [The Dragon Master]?
So the two of them began brainstorming what would be the most fitting title.
After a while, Akira suggested:
"How about [The Victorious One]?"
"It might sound a bit exaggerated, but I've never lost a single battle in my life so far."
"I think I've earned that title."
Akira wasn't boasting.
He truly had never lost a fight.
From his earliest days in the Hunter world, battling that washed-up Nen Ability user, Hose,
to his world-shaking clashes with the Snake Lord and Rock Lord.
Not once had he tasted defeat.
In the Pokémon world, some might even whisper that he had Victini's favor.
Victini was a Mythical Pokémon, said to symbolize victory—any trainer who possessed it would be unbeatable in battle.
"[The Victorious One], huh...?"
Professor Oak repeated the title.
For anyone else, it might have sounded arrogant or overblown, but for Akira, it fit.
He had the skills to back it up.
At the very least, even the professor couldn't beat him—so calling him [The Victorious One] wasn't out of line.
He just wondered how Akira would fare against Red. He'd love to see them battle.
Shaking off the thought, Professor Oak nodded in agreement."Alright, it's decided. Your title shall be [The Victorious One]."
Professor Oak promptly entered Akira's information into the Pokédex before handing it to him.
At the same moment, a pleasant chime sounded in Akira's mind.
"Ding!"
"Pokémon incubation complete!"
This incubation bar had appeared after he arrived in Pallet Town. He guessed it might be one of the Kanto region's Starter Pokémon.
After all, this was Pallet Town.
However, when Akira clearly saw the figure in his mind, he suddenly realized his assumption was wrong.
There stood a small yellow figure.
The Pokémon resembled a mouse, its entire body covered in yellow fur.
Two brown stripes ran down its back, and its tail was shaped like a jagged lightning bolt.
Red electric sacs adorned its cheeks, and the tips of its long ears were black.
This was unmistakably the most widely recognized Pokémon on Earth!
Pikachu.
Akira understood.
As the signature partner of both Ash and Red, it made perfect sense for a Pikachu to be incubated in Pallet Town.
Pikachu are forest-dwelling Pokémon that live in groups among the trees.
They communicate by touching tails to exchange electric currents—essentially their way of greeting each other.
Sometimes they'll shock weakened companions, sharing their own vitality through electric attacks.
Intelligent by nature, they'll zap anything they see for the first time, and soften tough berries with electricity before eating them.
If you find charred berries on the ground, that's proof they miscalculated their electric intensity.
Pikachu store electricity in their cheek sacs, discharging it when threatened. When angered, they release all stored power at once.
Pull its tail carelessly, and you'll get bitten.
The electricity in their cheek sacs seems to recharge while they sleep at night.
Though the Pokémon was just a Pikachu, Akira wasn't particularly disappointed.
After all, he already had plenty of powerful Pokémon, and he quite liked Pikachu anyway.
It felt like fulfilling a childhood dream.
But when he examined this Pikachu's information closely, he realized it wasn't ordinary at all.
Name: Pikachu
Ability: Pika-God
Type: Electric
Power Level: Undefined
Moves: Thunderbolt, Thunder, Iron Tail, Electro Ball...
[Pika-God]: This Pikachu is exceptionally special, with normally average power levels.
When serious, its displayed strength can make even Legendary Pokémon retreat three steps.
[Protagonist Aura]: If allowed to perch on your shoulder, it increases luck, improving chances of fortunate encounters and triggering special events.
This was actually an Ash-style Pikachu.
No—it should be called [Pika-God].