{Important Note: This story does not adhere to the four-move limit...
Whether I decide to take this fic up fully is not set-in-stone. I'm just doing it because all previous translators have dropped it, and because I greatly enjoyed the author's previous work; Release That Pokémon!, Which I've already completed.
And no, I'm not going to continue from where others have dropped it. I like my translations better, simply because I never slack on quality, opting instead to edit every detail to Kingdom come. So I'm starting from the ground up...
Warning: Don't expect frequent updates during this month, November...}
...
It took Ethan Forrest all morning to adjust to this body, one that was twenty years younger than his original one, before he finally accepted the fact that he had somehow been Isekai'd.
Six hours ago, Ethan had been a 6IV Pokémon 'merchant' Online, modifying game data to create perfect Pokémon for customers.
He had just received a massive order for three hundred flawless 6IV Pokémon and was about to pull an all-nighter to fulfill it...
However, the moment he finished modifying the first one, his vision went black. When he opened his eyes again, he was in this world.
After freezing in place and watching a thirty-centimeter-long green caterpillar crawl over his leg, Ethan finally confirmed that he had indeed transmigrated into the world of Pokémon.
As a die-hard Pokémon fan with no family ties in his previous life, ending up in a world he loved should have been a dream come true. But his current situation made it impossible to feel excited...
'Damn it! Other people transmigrate into bustling cities, but I get dumped in the middle of a godforsaken wilderness?!'
Minutes ago, he had barely escaped a nest of Caterpie, only to stumble straight into a thicket inhabited by Beedrills.
As any Pokémon fan knew, Beedrills were notoriously aggressive, territorial, and quick to anger. The moment someone trespassed into their domain, there was a 99.9% chance of getting attacked.
Staring at the Beedrill before him, its red eyes gleaming, and its massive white stingers glinting ominously in the shadows, Ethan gulped.
'If those poison needles pierce me, my trainer career will end before it even begins.'
"Buzzzz!" The Beedrill emitted a strange, vibrating sound from its mouth.
Ethan could swear it wasn't a friendly greeting.
Sure enough, the next second, the surrounding bushes rustled, and multiple pairs of ruby-red eyes flickered to life in the darkness.
Ethan turned and bolted.
The buzzing of Beedrill wings sounded right behind him.
A fork in the forest path appeared ahead, making Ethan feel like he was playing 'Temple Run' in real life.
*Thwack!*
A sharp pain shot through his side as one of the Beedrill's stingers struck him.
"Owwww! I've been poisoned! It hurts so bad!"
'Providence really wants me dead!' he lamented inwardly.
But just as despair set in, a river suddenly appeared to his left. Ethan nearly cried tears of joy.
He immediately changed direction and dove in headfirst. At that moment, he was infinitely grateful for the swimming lessons he had taken in his past life.
Water rushed into his ears and nose as he held his breath. In his frantic flailing, his hand bumped into something hard.
Opening his eyes underwater, he saw a dull-eyed creature covered in red scales floating in the current...
'Woah, is that a freaking Magikarp?!' he exclaimed inwardly while reaching out toward the Pokémon.
The moment Ethan grabbed it, the Magikarp began thrashing. The strong current made it slip right out of his grip.
The next second, he experienced firsthand what the lyrics 'Cold raindrops slap haphazardly against my face' truly meant...
His eyes stung from the barrage of splashes. Worse, he couldn't even surface. Through the water's surface, he could see the swarm of Beedrills still hovering above. It was clear they were unwilling to let him go.
'This place isn't safe...' Holding his breath, Ethan swam downstream with the current.
After about ten meters, he surfaced for air before diving back under.
He had no idea how long he swam, but once he was certain the Beedrills were no longer pursuing him, he finally dragged himself ashore.
Staring at his reflection in the water, even though he was twenty years younger, Ethan immediately recognized his ten-year-old self...
'Not bad. Even at ten, I was already a looker.' Ethan mused.
The chaotic escape had left his clothes completely soaked. Earlier, he had noticed the yellowing leaves in the forest, which meant it was likely autumn.
He was still wearing the clothes from his previous life; a white T-shirt under a blue sports jacket and gray sweatpants.
After confirming the area was temporarily safe, Ethan peeled off his clothes to inspect the wound from the Beedrill's sting.
Thanks to the fabric barrier, the translucent purple stinger hadn't fully penetrated his flesh.
Using a leaf, he carefully pulled it out, only to see the surrounding skin had turned a faint violet, accompanied by a burning sensation.
"Yep. I'm poisoned," Ethan felt a looming sense of dread, "If Pokémon slowly lose strength from poisoning before fainting… then what happens to humans?"
He didn't dare imagine.
To make matters worse, his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.
'I'm starving.'
Earlier, he had noticed fruit-like objects growing on the trees. It was likely the berries of this world.
Unlike regular fruit, different berries had different effects.
For example, Cheri Berries cured paralysis, Rawst Berries treated burns, and, most crucially, Pecha Berries could heal poisoning.
"The question is… do berries work on humans?"
Aside from berries, Ethan had also spotted ordinary fish in the river.
As he had suspected, the Pokémon world wasn't exclusively populated by Pokémon... regular animals existed too.
Laying his jacket on the ground as a makeshift mat, Ethan collapsed onto it, exhausted from the ordeal.
Through the dappled foliage, he gazed up at the clear sky.
'Right now, the priority is getting out of this forest, finding a human settlement, and figuring out how to cure this poison.' After all, the forest was vast.
Locating berry trees would be hard enough, let alone finding the specific Pecha Berry he needed.
As he pondered, something suddenly poked his side.
Sitting up, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small purple sphere. The moment his fingers brushed against it, the object rapidly expanded to its normal size.
Ethan froze...
Purple on top, white on the bottom, a white button in the center, and an unmistakable "M" emblem above it.
This was… a Master Ball.
"H–how?" Ethan stammered.
Pressing the button, he heard a click as the ball opened, releasing a beam of white light.
Materializing within the light was an orange-feathered Pokémon. But not just orange; its chest and neck were adorned with crisp white plumage, resembling a dinner napkin.
"Caww!"
The Pokémon tilted its head, its round vacant eyes staring dumbly at Ethan...
Ethan stared back...
A second later, a flood of information abruptly surged into his mind:
«Cramorant (Shiny)»
- Species: Gulp Pokémon
- Gender: Male
- Type: Flying / Water
- Ability: Gulp Missile
- Known Moves: Precipice Blades, Origin Pulse, Spacial Rend, Roar of Time...
[Base Stats: 1530...]
- HP: 255
- Attack: 255
- Defense: 255
- Sp. Atk: 255
- Sp. Def: 255
- Speed: 255
- Current Mood: ＆＃?+!＃
- Physical Condition: Perfect
- Affection: 100 (You are its most beloved trainer. It loves you more than it loves itself.)
"!!!"
Ethan was stunned.
'Isn't this the first Pokémon I had just modified for my customer?!'
Cramorant, a shiny one at that, was a Pokémon from the Galar region.
The Pokédex entry for Cramorant read:
{..Though Cramorant is incredibly forgetful, it will never forget a trainer it has bonded with. However, if its food is stolen, it will attack without mercy, even if the thief is its own trainer..}
Since this had been a test subject, Ethan had maxed out all six of its base stats to absurd levels. The four moves it knew were also deliberately chosen as a joke...
But not only had this Cramorant crossed over with him, the very software he used to modify it had come along too!
He could already see the corresponding information in his mind:
Features:
- Appraisal
- Move Tutoring
- Shiny Modification
- Ability Modification (Corresponding template missing. Unavailable...)
- Base Stat Modification (Corresponding template missing. Unavailable.)
- IV Modification (Corresponding template missing. Unavailable.)
«Bug Report: This product is currently in trial phase. If you encounter any bugs, please screenshot and email the developer...»