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"The world you're heading to can be denominated as a Slightly Altered Danmachi."
As the name suggests, it's a parallel version of the Danmachi franchise you may already know."
"But this particular world was created by a bored God — one who seeks amusement and entertainment from the lives of mortals like yourself."
Suddenly a counter appeared on my right arm, displaying the number 11.
"Hm… Professor Sycamore, what exactly is that counter for?"
He looked at me with a small smile.
"Nothing you need to worry about for now, it's very much in your favor."
"Understood!"
"As for the power systems in that world — you should able to understand it pretty easily when you get there."
"Ah, I understand."
"Good — because that brings me to the end of the presentation. Do you have any remaining questions?"
I took a moment to think.
"Professor… roughly how many worlds have been mixed into this one?"
He paused to consider.
"Well, at first place it isn't always entire worlds that get added — there might be just city, village, or even a single character. But in total, I'd estimate around three or four distinct worlds."
"Ohh. Well, it's somewhat reassuring that they didn't merge entire worlds wholesale — though it already sounds like quite the mess."
"Ah, yes — I should also mention the various traditional races : Elves, Dwarfs, Beastmen, and half-breeds of all kinds. And scattered here and there, a few demonic races as well — though they're not particularly dangerous, all things considered."
"Hmm… now *that* sounds interesting. Maybe I should look into—"
"And now, without further ado…"
A huge amount of smoke erupted from nowhere. And just like that, the man who was definitely not Professor Sycamore vanished into it entirely.
"…???"
I stood there for a moment, turning my head left and right. After a solid two minutes of silence, a quiet unease began to settle in.
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"Welcome, young— wait, are you a girl or a boy? Actually, I'm not sure you're either, are you?"
An uncertain voice drifted down from somewhere above me.
"Well, sir — I'm a man."
(….. Apparently I put a little too much work into this body.)
He studied me with a slight frown — then seemed to shake it off.
The room transformed instantly.
One moment it was a featureless white void. The next — a cabaret. Flashy neon signs flickered to life on every side, and at the center of it all, an enormous roulette wheel materialized with all the subtlety of a fireworks display.
In the new light, I could finally get a proper look at the cosmic being who had just appeared.
"…Professor Kukui?"
Same face. Same clothes. Same voice.
"Hm — I don't know who this Professor Kukui is, but he sounds cool."
(—Is that a recurring joke with them or something ?)
"No, it's not a joke. And as much as I'd like to make one, I need to check something first."
Without warning, he reached out and took my right hand — the one with the counter on it.
The moment he touched it, I briefly considered doing something mischievous. The enormous roulette wheel looming behind him reminded me to behave.
*(Stay calm. There will be other minds to mess with later.)*
"Interesting. It looks like you've got a solid self-preservation instinct — and a nice little point bonus to go with it. That'll serve you well."
He dropped my arm then point at the huge roulette wheel.
"Alright — here's how this works. You see that number 11 on your arm? That's how many times you can roll the roulette."
I glanced at the wheel, genuinely curious now.
"And what exactly do I win by spinning it?"
"Great question. Why don't you see for yourself?"
The roulette materialized in front of us, and a small panel appeared in my hand displaying several categories.
{ 1 — Items.}
{ 2 — Talent.}
{ 3 — Pokémon.}
{ 4 — Hazard (Indefinite).}
"Each category gives you one free spin. If you don't like what you land on, you can re-roll — that's what the points are for. But you can only confirm one result per category. The Hazard slot is the exception."
"Got it. So I have 11 rolls total to spend across all categories."
"Exactly."
(—Two approaches here. I could play it safe — accept early results and save my re-rolls for the Hazard slot. Or I go aggressive and fish for the best possible Pokémon, then burn whatever's left on Hazard.)*
"You thinking too hard, kid. Just roll and see what happens."
"Fair enough, Professor."
I tapped the Items category. The roulette began to spin.
Thirty seconds later, it slowed — and stopped.
[ Smoke Ball (3) : Allows the user to flee any battle.]
The wheel spun again.
[ Keen Eyes : Your eyesight is enhanced beyond normal human limits.]
(—Not spectacular, but I'm pretty sure it would be pretty useful later.)
I decided to accept all remaining free rolls without re-rolling them to save as much possible for the Pokémon category.
Because at the end of the day, I can have a bunch of precious or powerful items but if at the end I only have a Weedle I don't know how I will proceed.
"Alright. Now for the important one."
(— For a Pokémon to be at least acceptable, it needs to meet at least three of my five criteria.)
( 1- A strong physique, or a bulky evolution line.)
( 2- Good defensive typing or reliable recovery moves like Heal Pulse, Draining Kiss, Giga Drain — any of those work. Even Leech Seed is acceptable.)
( 3- Be a dual typing or have at least a good moveset.)
( 4- Usable as a ride Pokémon in at least one of the three classic ways, ground, water, or air — I'm not picky.)
( 5- It had to be either of cute, cool or looks cold.)
"…ROLL."
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**[ Pachirisu — EleSqirrel Pokémon ]**
*One of the kinds of Pokémon with electric cheek pouches—*
"Cute. But no."
**ROLL.**
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**[ Pyukumuku — Sea Cucumber Pokémon ]**
"I don't need the description. Good defense, decent moves — still a no."
**ROLL.**
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**[ Seviper — Fang Snake Pokémon ]**
"What do you think?" the Professor asked.
"No. Next."
**ROLL.**
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**[ Nincada — Trainee Pokémon ]**
"No bulk, no real moves, no evolution worth the wait. Skip — and please stop showing me the full description for ones I'm already rejecting."
"Fair enough. Though you're being pretty selective."
"I said three out of five. That's already a compromise."
**ROLL.**
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**[ Rattata ]**
"…Not *that* much of a compromise."
**ROLL.**
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**[ Gogoat ]**
"First fully evolved Pokémon so far. That's something."
"But not enough?" the Professor prompted.
"Not quite. I'll keep it in mind as a fallback."
**ROLL.**
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**[ Honedge — Sword Pokémon ]**
I paused.
"…Description, please."
*[ Honedge — Ghost/Steel type. Said to drain the life energy of anyone foolish enough to grab its hilt. Elegant. Dangerous. A living weapon with a will of its own. ]*
*(Ghost/Steel typing. Excellent defensive combination. Strong moveset. Fits the Cool criteria without any argument. And if I'm reading the lore right — it floats.)*
*(It floats.)*
"It fits. All five criteria, actually. I'll take it."
"You sure? Just like that?"
"Just like that."
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With the Pokémon decided, I turned my attention to the remaining Hazard rolls and confirmed them all without hesitation.
The results were… surprisingly good.
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**[ Mysterious Egg ]**
*Hold Item / Key Item — A peculiar egg with a smooth, shimmering shell that glows faintly in the dark. Its origin is unknown. Whatever is inside radiates an aura of quiet intensity, as though it has been waiting for exactly this moment.*
**[ Camping Gear ]**
*Hold Item / Key Item — A compact, lightweight set of equipment designed for Trainers who live on the road. Tent, sleeping bag, cooking tools — everything needed to make a temporary camp feel like home.*
**[ Scarlet Student Uniform ]**
*Wearable Item — The standard uniform of Naranja Academy, Paldea region.
**[ Power Band ]**
*Hold Item — A sleek band worn around the wrist or arm, designed to enhance physical output and endurance.*
*In Battle: Slightly boosts the power of physical moves. Improves stamina in prolonged fights.*
*Out of Battle: Makes carrying heavy equipment noticeably easier. Improves the efficiency of physical training.*
**[ Chest Harness ]**
Multi-purpose Item — A sleek black harness worn across the chest.
——————
The Mysterious Egg caught me off guard — in the best possible way. And the harness was an immediate yes.
It also occurred to me, right about then, that I had arrived here without a single piece of clothing on me.
I used everything.
The uniform fit well — comfortable, clean, practical. The harness settled across my chest with a satisfying click, the faint violet sparks along its edges flickering quietly in the light. I strapped the Power Band around my wrist.
And then my eyes landed on the Poké Ball.
Every trace of excitement I had evaporated in under a second.
I picked it up. Turned it over in my hands. Examined it from every angle.
Then I tossed it gently toward the ceiling.
In a flash of white light, Honedge appeared beside me. The Poké Ball arced back down and returned to my hand on its own.
I went completely still.
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Floating before me was the Honedge — the Sword Pokémon.
Its blade caught the light like a polished war mirror, the steel cold and immaculate, carrying the kind of quiet dignity that didn't need to announce itself. The guard — a deep, rich blue — didn't just frame the blade. It watched. There was something deliberate about it, something aware.
At its center, a single purple eye regarded me with unsettling stillness.
And then there was the ribbon.
It drifted from the hilt as though moved by a wind that didn't exist — soft at first glance, almost delicate. But there was something in the way it moved. Something that whispered of old promises and older dangers, meant for anyone reckless enough to reach out and take hold.
A shiver moved through me.
This wasn't just a Pokémon.
It was the physical embodiment of a blade that had chosen to exist. Grace and danger, fused into something that shouldn't have been beautiful — and absolutely was.
*"…Magnificent,"* I said quietly.
Not just because of what it looked like.
But because of what it *was.*
Silent loyalty. Cutting honor.
And a flying sword.
**A FLYING SWORD.**
It could only be the wet dream of every xianxia protagonist who ever lived.
*(Calm down. First impressions matter.)*
"H-Hi, Honedge." (°o°)／
I had no idea how much time passed. Honedge simply stared at me, utterly motionless — expression unreadable, that single eye fixed on mine with the intensity of something ancient and patient.
Then, without warning, it changed.
The fierce, measuring gaze softened. The eye that had looked ready to judge a soul shifted — and suddenly Honedge looked exactly like a puppy that had just spotted the person it had been waiting its whole life to meet.
**"SCREE"** ヾ(*'Ｏ'*)/
It launched toward me at a speed that left no time to react, spinning in delighted circles the moment it got close enough.
Mildly stunned, I glanced over at Professor Kukui, who was watching the whole thing with the deeply satisfied expression of someone who had just witnessed something genuinely funny.
"Well. Looks like my job here is done."
The moment those words left his mouth, the floor split open.
A massive hole appeared beneath us — and through it, I could see a planet.
An entire planet, suspended in the dark, turning slowly in the silence of space. I stood there, completely transfixed by the view, which is probably why I didn't notice Professor Kukui positioning himself behind me.
He was wearing the smile of a man with absolutely no regrets.
With a cheerful, unhesitating, thoroughly evil open palm — he smacked the back of my head and sent me straight through the hole.
I screamed with every cubic centimeter of air my lungs could produce as I plummeted like a meteor with a grudge.
And then — Honedge appeared.
Somehow. Impossibly. Right there beside me, materializing from thin air and pressing close as though this were the most natural thing in the world.
"SCREE!!" (≧▽≦)/
The distance between me and the hole was enormous now — but somehow, his voice still carried.
*"MY BAD — ALSO, YOU HAVE A LITTLE GIFT FROM BOTH PROFESSOR SYCAMORE AND MYSELF. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF OUT THERE, KIDDO!!!"*
**"THANK YOU — AND PLEASE PASS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO PROFESSOR SYCAMORE!!!"**
Silence.
(—Alright, now how do I figure out where exactly I'm going to land ?)
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