Johto Region.
Violet City.
"Mew, how is it? Are these beef noodles delicious?"
In a corner of a beef noodle restaurant, Jack had just finished his beef noodles and was enjoying them, clutching his stomach. Next to him was another bowl of beef noodles.
However, no one was eating that bowl, yet it was visibly decreasing little by little.
"Delicious."
In Jack's mind, Mew's happy voice echoed.
"If it's delicious, eat more. We have plenty of money, so eat your fill. After we're full and rested, we'll go get our first badge." Jack laughed heartily, patting the air beside him.
Since arriving in this world, his bond with Mew had grown deeper and deeper. Basically, every time they arrived at a new place, they would first find a famous restaurant and have a big meal.
For convenience in communication, he now referred to Mew as Mew.
"Then I want another bowl of beef noodles and a beef pancake."
The voice in his mind rang out again.
"Okay, okay, okay." Jack smiled and nodded, then got up and walked to the counter to ask the boss for another bowl of noodles and two beef pancakes.
A few minutes later, a waiter came over. Mew, who was in an invisible state eating beef noodles, quickly stopped, waiting for the waiter to put down the items and leave before happily resuming its meal.
Jack watched as the beef noodles began to disappear little by little again, shaking his head with a smile, too lazy to say anything more. Mew was extremely obsessive about food. Under normal circumstances, it was very willing to transform into other Pokémon, but only when eating, even if it was troublesome, it would transform into its original appearance before starting to eat. Because it felt that only then was it truly eating.
Twenty minutes later, Jack and Mew, full and satisfied, left, clutching their stomachs. They were now preparing to leisurely stroll to the Gym entrance, then begin their first Gym challenge.
Half an hour later, Jack and Mew, walking slowly, arrived at the Flying-type Gym in Violet City. As soon as they reached the entrance, they were stopped by a Yellow-Haired Youth.
"Excuse me, there are twenty people ahead of you waiting to challenge. You can choose to come back in a day or two when there are fewer people, or you can take a number and wait for your turn."
"Twenty people?" Jack's mouth twitched. Could they all be players with the same idea as him? If so, then waiting a few days to challenge would probably mean an even longer wait.
"What does taking a number mean? Do we enter in order?" Jack asked.
"Yes." The Yellow-Haired Youth nodded, pulling out a machine card with the number 21 written on it from his pocket. "When the twenty Trainers ahead of you finish their challenges, the number on your card will flash. You just need to arrive here within half an hour and hand me your number card to proceed with your challenge as desired."
"Then I'll take a number, thank you." Jack thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded, accepting the number card.
Leaving the Gym, Jack planned to wander around the city for a while longer. As he passed a park not far from the Pokémon Center, he saw a group of people engaged in two-on-two battles. Two of them seemed to have just finished a battle, each handing a digital card to the other. The style of those digital cards looked the same as the one he received at the Gym.
Jack walked over and watched for a while, then found a spectator to chat with. Only then did he understand that these people were the ones ahead of him in line to challenge the Gym. They were using battles to get earlier digital cards. The rule was that the holder of a later number card challenging an earlier one needed to pay three thousand dollars as a challenge fee. Then, both sides would use one Pokémon to determine the winner. The loser had to give three thousand to the other party, while the winner didn't have to give anything and could directly exchange digital cards with the opponent.
"Mew, let's join too. You go into the Poké Ball first, then transform according to my instructions."
After understanding this, Jack decisively chose to join. He took out a Poké Ball, muttered to the air, and the Poké Ball automatically opened. An invisible entity drilled inside.
A minute later, Jack found the Trainer with digital card 18. According to the rules, he could challenge a maximum of three numbers ahead, which meant 20, 19, 18. He couldn't directly challenge the one with the number 1 card.
At this time, the Trainer with digital card 18 had just failed a challenge against the 15th digital card holder. According to the rules, if he still wanted to challenge, he needed to accept a challenge from a later digital card holder. If he won, he could challenge an earlier digital card holder again. If he lost, he would exchange digital cards with the later challenger.
"Come on, I won't let you take my digital card."
This Trainer, holding digital card 18, was a young man with an irritated expression. He was originally the holder of digital card 6, but after participating in this for greed, he had dropped all the way to his current position and couldn't go back.
Seeing his expression, Jack smiled, took a Poké Ball from his belt, whispered a few words, and then pressed the switch on the Poké Ball.
"Come out! Pikachu."
A red light flashed, and a yellow electric mouse, sometimes sparkling with electricity and with iconic red spots on its cheeks, made a dazzling appearance.
"Pika! Pika! Pikachu!"
As soon as Pikachu appeared, it immediately caused some Young Women watching the commotion to shriek.
In this city, wild Pikachu were rarely seen.
So, it was considered a rare Pokémon.
Across from him, the young man was stunned. After seeing Pikachu, a feeling of wanting to vomit blood immediately enveloped him.
Because his Pokémon was a Water-type. It was directly countered by an Electric-type Pikachu. But he was helpless and could only take out his Poké Ball.
"Come out, Totodile."
A red light flashed, and a hopping Totodile appeared.
"Totodile, rush forward with Water Gun, then Bite when you get close!"
As soon as it appeared, the young man eagerly gave the command, hoping to catch Jack off guard.
"Wali!"
Totodile cried "Wali!", suddenly spitting a stream of Water Gun from its mouth, then rushing towards Pikachu while still spitting.
However, his plan was overestimated. Jack, upon seeing the Water Gun, knew what he was trying to do.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge Water Gun and get close to Totodile!" Jack decisively commanded.
A flash of electricity passed, and Totodile's Water Gun was easily dodged. Pikachu rapidly approached Totodile.
When it was about a meter away from Totodile, Jack commanded again.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Follow up with Iron Tail!"
As his voice fell, a bolt of lightning, as thick as a human thigh, instantly shot from Pikachu's skin, striking Totodile, and its tail simultaneously transformed into steel.
At such close range, Totodile could not dodge and could only endure the attack.
One second later, a violent cry of electrocution came from Totodile's mouth. Two seconds later, the electric light disappeared, and Pikachu leaped into the air, spinning 360 degrees, connecting with an Iron Tail that slammed heavily onto Totodile's belly.
It was directly sent flying dozens of feet into the park's pond.
The onlookers quickly followed to check the situation, only to see Totodile wobbling, crying "Wali!", then falling into the pond, losing its ability to battle.
The young man could only reluctantly exchange digital cards with Jack. He returned Totodile to its Poké Ball and ran to the Pokémon Center to restore Totodile's health before finding someone else to battle.