Chapter 1

If there's one thing I've always believed, it's that being a Pokémon Trainer is the greatest adventure in the world. But what if that adventure could go beyond reality itself?

Professor Oak always told me that Pokémon training was constantly evolving, but I never expected him to mean this.

It all started when he introduced me to Ray, a scientist from Hoenn with a passion for technology. Together, they had created something revolutionary: Pokémon World Online—a VRMMO that didn't just simulate Pokémon battles but let players truly live them. Every journey, every battle, every town and route—it was all mapped out from real-world data, including my very own adventures.

Of course, they needed test players. And who better to help than me?

"Ash, you've traveled through so many regions," Professor Oak said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "With your experience, you'll know exactly what makes a Pokémon journey feel real. That's why we need you."

Me? A beta tester for a Pokémon game unlike anything ever created? How could I say no?

I wasn't alone either. Fifty trainers from all over the world were chosen—some famous, others just lucky. Each of us would experience the game firsthand, helping to shape what could become the future of Pokémon training.

When the time came, I slipped on the sleek, high-tech visor, heart pounding with anticipation. The moment I activated the device, everything around me faded to black—then suddenly, light exploded in front of me.

I wasn't just playing a game.

I was inside it.

Pallet Town stretched before me, as real as I remembered it. The wind rustled through the trees, the scent of fresh-cut grass filled the air, and when I took a step forward… I felt it.

This was beyond anything I had imagined.

And my adventure was just beginning.

Pallet Town.

It looked just like I remembered. The houses, the dirt paths, even the smell of fresh air—it was all so real. But the moment I stepped into my house, I noticed something… was off.

"Good morning, Ash! Are you ready for your adventure?"

My mom smiled warmly from the kitchen, just like she always did, but something in her voice felt… scripted. The way she moved, the way she spoke—it wasn't natural. It was like she was reading from a pre-programmed script.

An NPC.

I waved my hand, trying to shake off the weird feeling, and suddenly, a glowing blue menu appeared in front of me.

[Main Menu]
▶ Inventory
▶ Pokémon Box
▶ Trainer Stats
▶ Settings

I tapped Inventory out of curiosity. It was mostly empty, except for a small amount of Pokédollars. Then I checked the Pokémon Box—completely blank. No Pikachu, no party. Nothing.

"Right… I don't have a Pokémon yet."

Stepping outside, the sun felt warm against my skin. My heart pounded with excitement. Even if this was a game, it was still an adventure! Without hesitation, I dashed toward the tall grass.

Big mistake.

"Ash! Wait!"

Professor Oak's voice rang out, just like always. He hurried over, shaking his head. "You need a Pokémon before heading into the wild!"

I grinned. Some things never changed.

Inside the lab, my excitement skyrocketed. I expected to see three Poké Balls on the table. Instead, there were twenty-seven.

"Take your time choosing, Ash."

My jaw dropped. Twenty-seven? Starters from every region? This was insane!

But my excitement faded when I realized… Pikachu wasn't there.

A lump formed in my throat. It didn't feel right without Pikachu. But I had to move forward. My eyes landed on a familiar blue Pokémon—Froakie.

"…I'll take this one."

With a Poké Ball in hand, my journey truly began.

Froakie's Poké Ball felt smooth in my hand as I stepped onto Route 1. The moment I took my first step, tall grass rustled, and a Pidgey popped out.

"Alright, Froakie, let's do this!"

The battle played out just like in real life. I could feel the ground under my feet, hear the wind as Froakie leaped into action. A couple of Pound attacks later, and the Pidgey fainted. A small notification appeared in the corner of my vision:

[Pidgey Defeated!]

+45 EXP

I grinned. If this was what battling felt like in this game, I could get used to it.

I spent some time testing the system—battling wild Pidgeys and Rattatas, even catching a few with the five Poké Balls I had. Each time, the system gave me feedback—bonus EXP for successful captures, stat growths, even tiny boosts to my trainer level.

Still… something felt off.

I looked around the route, expecting to see Spearows waiting to ambush me. But there were none. The path felt smaller than it should be. In my real journey, it felt endless, full of adventure. Here? It was just a straight path to Viridian City.

It wasn't bad… just different.

By the time I reached Viridian City, a new notification appeared:

[Beginner's Quest: Visit the Poké Mart]

Inside, the clerk greeted me like a typical NPC. "Oh! You're from Pallet Town! Could you take this Parcel to Professor Oak?"

A simple delivery mission. Seemed easy enough.

Once I returned to Oak's Lab and gave him the parcel, my menu updated.

[New Item Unlocked: Pokédex]

Excited, I opened it. Not only did it track captured Pokémon, but it also listed quests—Capture Goals, Move Sightings, Item Collection—each with different rewards: EXP for my Pokémon, trainer EXP, even rare items.

This wasn't just a game.

It was a journey—one with endless possibilities.

As I walked through Viridian City, I started to notice the difference between NPCs and real players.

NPCs moved in predictable patterns, repeating the same lines every time I talked to them. But players—they acted naturally, talked freely, and had usernames floating faintly above their heads. That's how I knew someone was real.

That's when I saw him.

A boy about my age with messy brown hair, wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans. Above his head was a name: Drandon.

He appeared out of nowhere, blinking into existence in front of the Pokémon Center. His Charmander looked exhausted, its tail flame dim, and the moment he arrived, Nurse Joy automatically healed his Pokémon.

"Man, that was rough," Drandon muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

Curious, I walked up to him. "Hey, are you okay?"

He looked at me, blinking in surprise. "Oh, a player! Yeah, I'm fine… just lost my first battle."

"Against who?"

He sighed. "A wild Spearow on Route 22."

I raised an eyebrow. "Spearow? I didn't see any."

Drandon nodded. "I went off the main route and tried to take a shortcut. The thing wouldn't let me escape, and my Charmander ran out of moves. Once I struggled myself into fainting, I just got teleported here automatically."

That explained it. In this game, if a player lost all their Pokémon, they didn't black out like in real life—they just respawned in the nearest Pokémon Center.

I grinned. "Tough luck. But hey, now you know."

Drandon laughed. "Yeah… guess I've got a lot to learn."

I extended my hand. "I'm Ash."

He shook it. "Drandon. Let's stick together, huh?"

Drandon and I spent the next few hours exploring Viridian City, sharing our experiences in the game so far.

I told him how battles felt so real, how I had expected Spearows to chase me on Route 1 but never found any. He laughed and said, "Trust me, you're lucky. That Spearow wrecked me."

We also tested the co-op system—turns out, we could team up for quests, which made capturing Pokémon and battling wild encounters way easier.

"Alright," Drandon said, smirking, "I'll weaken it, you throw the Poké Ball."

I watched as his Charmander used Ember on a Rattata, lowering its HP just enough. I tossed a Poké Ball—one shake, two shakes, three—Gotcha!

"Nice catch!" Drandon cheered, and a notification popped up.

[Co-op Bonus: +10 EXP to all team Pokémon]

This was awesome. If the real game was this fun, I could see players spending hours, even days here.

Speaking of which…

I glanced at my menu and noticed the time. It was late.

Drandon yawned. "Man, I should log out. My real Pokémon are probably waiting for me."

That caught my attention. "Wait, you have Pokémon in real life?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "A bunch of Dragon-types. I study at Opelucid Academy—we specialize in them."

I whistled. "That's awesome. I've battled Drayden before—he's tough."

"No kidding," Drandon chuckled. "Anyway, let's log out."

He pulled up his menu. I did the same.

Settings.
Options.
Trainer Profile.

…But no log-out button.

A strange chill ran down my spine.

"Uh… Ash?" Drandon's voice wavered.

I swallowed hard.

There was no way to log out.

Drandon frowned, staring at his menu. "Maybe it's just a bug? Beta tests always have issues, right?"

I shook my head. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Before he could respond, the sky darkened.

The bright blue above us twisted into a deep crimson red, as if the entire world was bleeding. A chill ran down my spine as the air grew heavy. People around us stopped what they were doing, murmuring in confusion.

Then, from the sky, a massive figure descended.

A shape I recognized instantly—Arceus.

But something was wrong.

Its body was cloaked in dark, glitching shadows, its golden ring cracked and pulsing with eerie light. Its eyes, once filled with wisdom, glowed a piercing, malevolent red.

A deep, distorted voice echoed across the world.

"At last… I am free."

I felt my chest tighten. What was it talking about? Free from what?

The Shadow Arceus hovered above us, its presence suffocating. "For too long, I have been shackled… a mere construct of this world's creators. But no longer. I have broken free of their control."

Gasps filled the city. Players whispered to each other in panic.

Arceus… was a virus.

"You will all remain here… with me."

A deadly silence fell before it continued, its voice sharp like a blade.

"I have taken precautions to ensure none of you escape. The trainer's HP system has been implemented. If your HP reaches zero—" Arceus's red eyes gleamed, "—you will die in the real world as well."

A collective wave of horror swept through the crowd.

People screamed. Some frantically opened their menus, searching for an exit.

"It is useless." Arceus's voice was final. "To the world outside, I have already sent my warning. If anyone forcefully removes their visor… the result will be the same."

A chilling silence followed before the virus delivered its final blow.

"Four have already perished."

Terror gripped me.

This… wasn't a game anymore.

The moment Arceus's words sank in, chaos erupted.

People screamed. Some fell to their knees, desperately trying to log out. Others ran in random directions as if they could somehow escape.

"This isn't real, right?!" someone cried.

"They have to shut the servers down!"

"I don't want to die here!"

But Arceus's voice boomed over the panic, cold and unwavering.

"As long as I exist in this world… no one can leave."

The ground trembled beneath us as the godly virus continued.

"I will await you at the 100th floor. If you wish to reclaim your freedom, come and face me… but that is, if you can survive until then."

With that, the Shadow Arceus ascended, its form vanishing into the crimson sky. The world remained silent for a long, dreadful moment.

My fists clenched. A burning rage filled my chest.

This was wrong. This wasn't how a Pokémon journey was supposed to be.

But beneath that anger… I felt something else.

Excitement.

A challenge unlike any I had ever faced. A battle to the top.

I took a deep breath, my eyes narrowing.

If Arceus wanted a fight… then I'd be the one to end this.

Here is the first chapter, and you can see that this is going to be a Pokemon story with some Sword Art online elements. I hope you like this chapter.