AN: Now you all know where the story at the start takes place. "Ingat" and "Salamat" is just there to tell you it takes place in the Philippines. And also I'm about to use Google Maps 24/7 lol

Anyway, updates are slow due to school matters, got a powerpoint presenation to do next week and an impromptu so it's going to be a bit tough.

(Finally got the time to edit this rahh)

Disclaimer): I do not own Pokémon.

"Reyes, so there aren't any kingdoms in the human world anymore?" Flamey the Eevee asked.

"There are a few, but almost all of their kings and queens have way less power than they did centuries ago," I explained.

Flamey nodded, still curious. "Wow, you humans are weird and complicated."

I chuckled. "Well, I'm not really human anymore, you know."

Flamey giggled and gave my nose a teasing tap. "You were human before, so it's still the same, even if you're a Riolu now."

Suddenly, someone started shaking me, pulling me out of the dream.

"Reyes! Reyes, wake up!"

"Ugh, what?" I mumbled groggily.

I blinked awake to see my dad standing over me, worry etched across his face. "Son, something bad happened at school."

I tensed, sleep still clinging to me. "What? What happened?"

"The school got damaged by monsters from the dungeons."

"Wait, when did this happen?" I asked, sitting up quickly.

"Three hours ago. We slept through it," he said.

"Check social media. It's all over the news," Dad urged, his voice tight with concern.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I grabbed my phone and glanced at the time—5:32 a.m. Still too early, but Dad's words made me uneasy. With a sense of dread, I opened Facebook and scrolled through the feed.

The first post that caught my eye was from GMA News:

GMA News: Monsters from the dungeons wreak havoc on the outskirts of Digos City, destroying a high school campus before being neutralized by the military.

My eyes widened as I scrolled further.

ABS-CBN: Public outrage grows over the government's failure to prevent the dungeon breach, with calls for stricter safety measures and containment protocols.

The comments were piling up, and I switched to forums, needing more info.

Haki: Dude, crazy shit in the Philippines. How did this even happen?

LizzyYT: No idea, monsters aren't supposed to leave the dungeons. Something's seriously wrong. But at least no one died, so that's something.

Macho_Macho: This is on the military. They let their guard down, and now monsters are loose. That's not supposed to happen!

Mr. Troll: Evolution or some SCP-level shit, man. And no one's talking about the weird pink anomaly at Mt. Everest? We're doomed.

Fw.Gojoisthe.best: Politics are gonna blow up over this. The Global Guild's under fire for sure.

Each comment made the pit in my stomach grow deeper. Monsters breaching the dungeon barriers? That's never supposed to happen, and now a school was in ruins. I felt my chest tighten.

"Damn it…" I muttered.

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's a mess, Reyes. Stay alert, okay?"

I nodded, still processing everything. If these dungeon monsters were once humans, could they break free elsewhere? The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I just wanted a peaceful life, and here I was, stuck in what seemed like the start of an apocalypse.

"I've got to go, son. The government's calling all hands on deck," Dad said, ruffling my hair before he left.

"You too, Dad," I replied, giving him a tired smile.

Once the door clicked shut, I dropped back onto the bed, pulling the blanket over my eyes. Too much to think about on barely any sleep. I decided to crash for a bit longer, hoping things would make more sense when I woke up.

I woke up a few hours later, feeling somewhat rested but still heavy with the weight of it all. 12:00 PM. At least I managed to sleep in. My stomach growled, reminding me it was time to eat.

I shuffled to the dining room and found some leftover pork, covered with a plastic container to keep the cats out. As I prepped my plate, Mom came in, her face lined with worry.

"All schools are closed because of this dungeon mess," she said, her tone soft but concerned.

"I know," I muttered. It was all anyone could talk about now.

"Do I have to work?" I asked, not really feeling up for anything.

Mom sighed. "Not right now. We need to let everything settle. People are scared."

"Oh. Okay," I said, relieved but still unsure about how to feel.

"Thinking of going out?" she asked, eyeing me carefully.

"…Yeah."

She smiled softly. "It's alright. Just don't go too far, okay?"

"I won't," I promised.

After finishing my food, I washed the leftover dishes, figuring Mom and everyone else had been too shaken up to keep up with chores. Once that was done, I decided I needed to clear my head and took a quick shower. Cleaned up and dressed, I headed toward the front door with my satchel ready.

As I passed through the living room, I noticed my younger brother glued to his laptop, working on something in Roblox Studio.

"Working on a new game?" I asked, curious.

He barely glanced up, still focused. "Yeah, trying to script some new stuff for my tower defense game."

"Cool. Keep it up," I said, nodding.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Just getting some air."

"Don't stay out too long. Mom'll get worried."

I smiled at that. "I won't." I gave him a light pat on the head before stepping out the door.

The fresh air hit me, and I breathed it in, trying to clear my mind. I needed to think about what the hell was happening. Maybe head to the beach, someplace quiet where I could just… breathe.

I chuckled to myself, thinking about that old spot where my friends and I used to hang out—our little secret base. Stupid, but it was fun. That's where I'd go, clear my head and figure things out.

I smiled at the thought and started walking, making my way toward the south to catch a tricycle ride.

The sun was bright, the air warm but not stifling. As I made my way down the quiet streets, the familiar hum of tricycles and distant chatter filled the background. Life carried on like the world hadn't just tilted off its axis. People were buying groceries, chatting with neighbors, and waiting at street corners. It almost felt… normal.

But I knew better.

Catching a tricycle heading south, I climbed in and leaned back, letting the breeze hit my face as the vehicle bounced over rough, cracked roads. My mind drifted back to the weird shit I'd seen online—monsters escaping their dungeons, spatial anomalies popping up at Mt. Everest, and the Global Guild catching heat.

It was a lot to process. But one thought gnawed at me: What if this is only the beginning?

My phone buzzed.

I checked—Nowel. His messages popped up on the screen:

Nowel: Wanna play Valorant?

Nowel: Yo, since school's out, wanna play something?

I sighed, typing back a quick reply:

Reyes: Sorry, can't right now. Going somewhere.

He responded almost instantly.

Nowel: Aw man, that sucks. Tomorrow, then? No school for the next week or two anyway. Maybe we'll join a guild together.

Reyes: No guild.

Nowel: Oh. Well, alright then. Have a good one, dude.

Reyes: You too, man.

I slipped my phone back into my satchel and looked out. The tricycle was nearing my stop—a small commercial area tucked into the city. Maybe I'd grab something sweet while I was here. A little dessert wouldn't hurt.

The driver pulled up at the stop, and I handed him a few bills. "Thanks," I muttered, hopping out.

The place felt both familiar and different. Vendors sold street food, and the smell of grilled meat drifted through the air, blending with the scent of seawater carried by the wind. I spotted a café I didn't recognize—Cool Cravings, nestled between a pharmacy and a salon.

I gave it a once-over. "This used to be Neptune Harvest," I muttered under my breath. Did the old place go under while I was… gone? My stomach growled, snapping me out of my thoughts. Screw it, I thought and headed inside.

The café was cozy, with the hum of the air conditioner and a handful of customers quietly sipping their drinks. I walked to the counter and glanced at the menu, though I already knew what I wanted.

The cashier gave me a polite smile. "Good morning! What can I get you?"

"One large cookies and cream milkshake," I answered. It was always my go-to—creamy, sweet, and just enough crunch to hit the spot.

"Sure thing! That'll be 120 pesos."

I handed over the cash and waited. They were quick—probably had a solid system going.

"Here you go! Thanks for stopping by," the cashier said, handing me the cup.

I took a sip as I walked out, and it was perfect—cold, creamy, and everything I needed. The taste pulled me back to simpler times, making me feel like a kid again, even if just for a moment.

With the milkshake in hand, I made my way toward the beach. This path had always been special—back when we were just kids with wild imaginations, building a secret base here with sand, sticks, and whatever junk we could find.

As the crashing waves grew louder, I spotted someone by a sari-sari store. A tall, lanky figure waved me over.

"Reyes, that you?"

I squinted. "Juniel?"

The dude had grown since the last time I saw him. Now he looked like a full-on college student, wearing a loose hoodie and holding a plastic bag of veggies and raw meat.

"Long time no see, man," I greeted, smiling.

"What brings you here?" Juniel asked, grinning.

"Just taking a nostalgia walk."

He chuckled. "Right, right. You heading to the old base? The one with Jennifer?"

"Yeah. Thought I'd see what's left of it."

Juniel shook his head. "Man, I'd join you, but I got errands. Even with classes on hold, I'm swamped with assignments. College life, bro."

"That's rough. Good luck, man."

He smirked. "Crazy how we both lived in wooden houses with tilted trees ready to fall on us. Look at us now."

"Yeah. Times sure changed," I agreed with a grin.

We exchanged waves, and I continued toward the beach. The salty breeze hit me as I got closer, stirring something in me—like the past was waiting just ahead.

The base we built as kids was gone. Nature had reclaimed it—tall grass, vines, and palm trees now stood where we once played.

I activated my Aura Sight, and the world shifted. Everything around me pulsed with life—the trees, the animals, even the tiny insects. It was like watching rivers of energy flow through every living thing.

Nothing seemed off. The auras were weak but steady. No anomalies, no signs of anything strange. Just life going on, as it always had.

I found a small boulder by the shore and sat down, letting the breeze brush against my skin. The waves rolled in and out, a rhythm that grounded me as I let my mind wander.

My family had come a long way. We used to scrape by in that old wooden house, barely making it through storms without losing half the roof. But things were different now.

When I fell into that coma—when I was somewhere else—everything changed. Desperate, my parents started a crowdfunding campaign to save me. Somehow, it caught the attention of someone big—a popular figure who took our family under their wing.

Now, we weren't just surviving—we were thriving. Dad followed that person's example, diving into politics. He's a high-ranking official now, probably with access to national secrets. Crazy how people change with the right push.

And me? I got isekai'd—thrown into a world I thought only existed in fiction. That place rewired the way I think. It's humbling when you have to survive in a world where the laws of physics are more like suggestions, and biology doesn't make sense.

And now? Now I've got those same powers here. Like some kind of cosmic joke.

A gust of wind picked up, stirring the leaves into a lazy spiral. They floated like water before falling gently onto the sand and waves. For the first time in a while, I felt… peaceful.

I stood, walking along the shore toward the commercial area, leaving light footprints in the sand that the tide soon washed away.

That's when I saw him.

A young man lay face-down on the sand, unmoving. His green hair was messy, and his white t-shirt bore a red-filled triangle. He wore plain work pants, looking out of place against the backdrop of the calm beach.

My heart skipped a beat. Something felt off.

I approached slowly, scanning the area. No one else was around—it was just the two of us on the quiet shore.

Kneeling beside him, I gently shook his shoulder. "Hey. You okay?"

No response. But his breathing was steady, at least.

What the hell is he doing here?

Frowning, I activated Aura Sight again. His aura was healthy—but way too big. Something about it felt… wrong, like it didn't belong here.

"Don't tell me…" I muttered, a cold realization settling in my gut.