June 9, 2016. Summer.
The weather was beautiful, with gentle breezes and cloudless skies.
However, Owen, who was fast asleep in bed, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
"I feel like I've forgotten something..."
After opening his eyes, Owen stared at the ceiling and rubbed his head.
That's right! Today was the day of the National College Entrance Examination, and it was the final day. He reached out, grabbed his phone to check the time, and was instantly shocked. It was already noon?!
"Did the alarm not go off...?"
Panic-stricken, he dropped the phone. His heart sank. Just yesterday, he had promised a senior girl who was taking the exam that he would go cheer her on today... and he had overslept?
Normally, he went to bed early. Even if the alarm failed, he shouldn't have slept until noon. Picking up the phone again, Owen felt terrible, mentally rehearsing how to apologize to her.
Then... Ding! A notification popped up. It was a message from his senior.
Senior: The battle exam this morning went very smoothly. My opponent's Pikachu was too weak.
"Haha, looks like it went well."
Owen was about to reply with a "Congratulations" and an apology, but he suddenly paused. Something felt wrong.
Battle exam? Pikachu? You went to take your finals—do you think you're playing Pokémon?!
"I must still be dreaming."
At that moment, a barrage of news notifications from the news app flooded his screen. The first headline was so bizarre that it made his skin crawl.
"Four Professional Trainers Explore the West Canyon Secret Realm; Encounter the Ancient and Fierce Pokémon Aerodactyl; Only One Survivor!"
Owen frowned and scrolled through the comments.
User "Talk Later": Aerodactyl? A Dragon? Is this a newly discovered Dragon-type species?
User "Big Picture": Looks like the West Canyon area is going to get busy. Whoever catches that Aerodactyl will definitely be famous. But if four Pro Trainers couldn't handle it, its strength must be insane.
User "Mountain of Books": What? Another new species? I protest! Stop adding new Pokémon data to our textbooks!
At that moment, Owen's head began to throb. While a Psyduck might awaken superpowers from a headache, Owen's headache awakened a flood of memories.
A few minutes later, after the agonizing pain subsided, Owen's expression became incredibly complex. He finally understood what was happening.
A World Transformed
"No wonder... I'm still Owen, that hasn't changed..."
"But the history of this world..."
The Pikachu the senior mentioned and the Aerodactyl in the news were real.
A century ago, mysterious spaces called "Secret Realms" began appearing across the globe. Explorers discovered that each realm was an independent world filled with "Magical Beasts" that possessed powers far surpassing conventional weaponry.
Years later, the "Viridian Forest" realm merged with Earth for the first time. Magical beasts descended upon the world—some were aggressive, while others were friendly toward humans.
As more realms merged, the First Magical Beast War broke out. This conflict accelerated human technology and led to a deeper understanding of these creatures.
Following the war, the Pokémon League was established by nations worldwide. That same year, the beasts were officially named "Pokémon."
Soon after, the modern Poké Ball was invented by Dr. Rowan at Celadon University. To manage the risks of the Secret Realms and prevent private monopolies on their resources, countries established Trainer Associations.
The profession of "Trainer" officially stepped onto the world stage.
By the 21st century, every nation sought to train more Trainers. For reasons kept as top-tier national secrets, the education system was reformed.
"Key High Schools" were redefined as training grounds, the "16-Year-Old Trainer Law" was passed, and Pokémon studies and battles became core components of the College Entrance Exam.
The New Reality
"It really is Pokémon..." Owen muttered, splashing cold water on his face in the bathroom.
Waking up to find the Pokémon franchise integrated into reality was beyond absurd. However, he found some comfort in the fact that he was still a junior at Fairview High, his parents were the same, and his house hadn't moved.
The difference was that Fairview High was a "Key High School" specifically for training Trainers. Unlike ordinary schools, his senior year would focus almost entirely on Pokémon knowledge.
Over the summer break, every student at a Key High School is expected to obtain their first Pokémon and register as a Trainer.
The gap between ordinary and Key high schools wasn't just academic—it was financial. Tuition for a Trainer-focused senior year costs 200,000 credits, not including registration fees. Money was the primary barrier to entry.
This summer, Owen was scheduled to register and begin preparing for his own exams next year.
The "Magical Beasts"—now Pokémon—controlled lightning, fire, water, and wind. Trainers would capture, train, and bond with them.
A top-tier Trainer could push a Pokémon's potential to the limit, using their extraordinary powers to achieve things humans never could. This profession was now the global mainstream, influencing every industry.
However, Owen noticed a strange discrepancy. Because the Secret Realms appeared in real life, the Pokémon video games and anime never existed. Human knowledge of Pokémon species was currently capped at 702.
This was a far cry from the 800+ species he remembered.
Abilities, moves, tactics, types, and rare items were all still in the "exploration phase." Humans had only been studying them for a century, and their understanding was nowhere near as comprehensive as the systematic data Owen held in his head.
Owen gave a wry smile and picked up his phone. He replied to his senior with a "Congratulations" and an apology for oversleeping.
She truly deserved the congratulations. If a top student from a Key High School got into a good university and worked hard for four years, they had a high chance of becoming a Professional Trainer.
Unlike "Amateur Trainers"—a title anyone with money could register for—a Professional Trainer held a distinct social class.
Their license granted free access to 95% of public facilities worldwide and came with elite benefits.
This, Owen realized, was now his dream as well.