Chapter 1: The Power of Viridian and N

Snap.

A branch snapped with a sharp crack as a pale yellow blur darted through the jade-green grass. The figure seemed to be fleeing, yet it constantly stole glances backward, as if curious whether its pursuer was still giving chase.

"Pika?"

The small, yellow creature gradually slowed to a halt. Seeing no one behind it, the Pokémon tilted its head in confusion, its long ears drooping in a dazed, adorable fashion.

"I’m sorry, did I startle you?"

A gentle voice reached the Pikachu’s ears, causing its body to shudder involuntarily. It spun around instantly, its gaze landing on a figure standing right behind it.

The man had long, sea-green hair tied back and wore a black-and-white cap that partially shadowed his face. He was dressed in a high-collared, pure white shirt that exuded an air of quiet elegance. He crouched before the Pikachu, his lips curled into a faint, soft smile.

He was tall and slender; even with his features partially obscured, one could sense his handsome composure.

"Hmm. It looks like you’ve been hurt a little."

The man lowered his head slightly, resting a hand on his chin as if lost in thought. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he reached out to stroke the Pikachu’s head.

Under normal circumstances, a wild Pokémon would be at a state of maximum alertness around a stranger, never allowing a human to get so close. Yet, for some reason, this Pikachu felt no resentment. Instead, it found the man’s touch incredibly soothing.

A brilliant emerald light flickered. The scratches on the Pikachu’s back, caused by the brambles, began to knit back together at a visible speed, and the dull sting washed away like a receding tide.

Such a miraculous sight would have drawn immediate attention anywhere else in the world.

"You’re all better now. Go on."

"Pika-pi!"

The Pikachu nuzzled the young man’s hand affectionately before turning and vanishing into the tall grass. The man stood up slowly, adjusting the brim of his black cap.

"...Try to be more careful next time."

His name was N.

Full name: Natural Harmonia Gropius.

The "N" stood for the first letter of Natural, and he was also a traveler from another world. He had been in this world for seventeen years now, exactly his current age.

He had realized something was different about this world since the day he was born. While it shared similarities with his previous world, there was one fundamental distinction.

Here, Pokémon were everywhere.

The entire world had evolved into a place where humans and Pokémon coexisted, and the most prominent profession was, and always would be, that of a Pokémon Trainer.

This world possessed the familiar regions of Kanto, Unova, Hoenn, and Sinnoh...

However, there was a slight twist. N was currently in a remote territory known as the Japan League. Aside from the presence of Pokémon, this place was almost identical to the Japan of his past life.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been born into a prestigious family or a silver-spoon life accompanied by Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon.

N’s life had been fraught with hardship from the start. As an orphaned infant, his first conscious memory was being caught in the middle of a violent clash between Pokémon.

He vaguely remembered being snatched up by a Zoroark to escape the carnage. He had survived by the skin of his teeth as a baby, only to be left alone in the heart of a forest.

Had it not been for his innate Pokémon Affinity and the mystical Viridian Power that allowed him to communicate with Pokémon, combined with the luck of being picked up by a certain old man who happened to be traveling through Unova, N would likely have been served as an appetizer for a wild Seviper years ago.

"...Oh no. It's about time I headed back."

…

"You're late!"

"Where on earth did you go wandering off to today? I haven't seen you all day!"

"Ah... well, I was stopped by a Glameow on my way back. I'm afraid I lost my way on the path of life."

As soon as he returned to the apartment, a slender girl marched toward him. Her movements were swift and purposeful; before N could react, she had closed the distance, grabbing his collar to interrogate him.

The girl looked to be around sixteen or seventeen. Her features were refined and elegant, a natural beauty with a delicate nose and long, dark lashes that fluttered with every breath. She radiated youthful charm.

She wore a simple black jacket over a white shirt, paired with short hot pants that showed off her long, fair legs, drawing the eye without even trying.

The girl’s light-brown eyes locked onto N’s, her face inches from his. It was clear she was agitated. Normally, she wasn't this aggressive, but today was different.

The reason she was desperate enough to seize his collar was simple.

"N! I told you to come with me to collect our Starter Pokémon today! How dare you stand me up?!"

The girl puffed out her cheeks, clearly fuming. She wasn't just upset about being ignored; she was furious that N had skipped something as monumental as receiving his first Pokémon. Did he simply not want to be a Trainer?