The human world was vast, so immense that it housed millions of life forms,animals, fungi, even creatures of legend—all competing for dominance. And yet, to the surprise of all beings, it was the weakest of them all, the one whose only advantage was its understanding of the world, that seized control and named this land its own. Humanity, against all odds, rose to the top.
They overcame beasts that surpassed them in strength, adapted to lands where even nature's finest could not survive, and even defied the very laws of existence by defeating those who controlled nature itself. It would be tempting to call these triumphs the achievements of humanity alone… but humanity is not a solitary race. It is a social one. And that is what led them to the top.
Did their social nature allow them to overcome the gap in strength through teamwork?
No.
Did it push them to combine their knowledge and create weapons that defied logic?
No.
Was it their innate cruelty that drove them to the peak?
No.
What allowed humanity to survive in such a hostile world… was an unexpected alliance. A bond forged with another of the creatures fighting for dominion over the land. Beings of noble form, created by the highest entity of all. Creatures of immense power or boundless kindness, depending on who guided them. Creatures that, by all rights, should have been the ones to claim the throne.
And yet, they took pity on humanity. They supported them, nurtured their potential, fought in their wars, and eased their loneliness. Their bond with humans is as old as history itself. These creatures were Pokémon.
Beings with animal-like forms but with powers that rivaled legends. Creatures that stood by humanity from their loneliest days to the modern era, where all now live in a globalized world. Their greatest allies and truest friends… the real reason why humanity stands at the top.
And because of that, their friendship was coveted, imitated, and even envied by the beings that dwell in the heavens and the underworld.
This is the story of how a boy and his loyal companion forever changed the course of the supernatural,across the underworld and into the heavens.
The tale of the Red Dragon and his faithful dragon companion.
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Like all great stories, the greatest heroes often come from humble beginnings, and ours is no different. Before making a name for himself in the world of the occult, our protagonist was just a seventeen-year-old boy from the island of Japan.
A land rich in tradition, bound to Pokémon since the earliest days of its history. They stood alongside humans during their greatest moments, such as the era of the shogunate, and shared in their sorrow when war brought them to their knees. These creatures fought alongside humanity against the spirits of nature, earning the attention of the gods themselves.
In this land of ancient traditions now embracing modernity like the rest of the world, there was a city where our protagonist lived. East of Tokyo, it was far smaller than the capital in population, yet large enough to have its own entertainment districts, schools, and even Pokémon battle stadiums.
This city was Kuoh.
And as the morning sun rose, its people awakened, along with the Pokémon and animals that shared their homes. In modern society, it was not uncommon to see people walking through the streets or riding public transport alongside their Pokémon. A custom born in the United States had become so popular that it turned into an unspoken rule. The only real issues arose when a Pokémon was simply too large to fit in certain places, which led to regulations limiting access based on size, a rule that mostly affected trainers of larger Pokémon.
Aside from that, most people preferred to stay close to their Pokémon. If their partner was too large to walk freely, they would always keep a Pokéball on hand, ready to summon them in times of need. It was common to see students of all ages, high schoolers, middle schoolers, even young children in kindergarten, walking the streets with their Pokémon, trusted partners gifted to them by their parents.
And among those students strolling through the city, one young man stood out.
A brown-haired boy, his gaze somewhat questionable as he occasionally peeked at his female classmates, was the hero of this story. But he was not alone.
Walking beside him, moving with a mixture of pride and exasperation, was a peculiar creature.
It walked on two legs, its body resembling that of a lizard, perhaps even a salamander. Its slightly loose skin and coloration were reminiscent of those creatures, but one thing set it apart: its tail.
A tail that burned.
The flame flickered like a fuse, glowing a deep red, yet it did not harm the creature in the slightest. If anything, it seemed to be a part of its very essence. The warmth it emitted shifted with the creature's emotions, and at that moment, it burned low, a quiet warmth, a subtle glow of secondhand embarrassment as it watched its trainer's antics.
This creature, who trudged behind its companion with an expression of weary patience, was none other than a Charmander.
A Pokémon born to wield fire, its greatest feats of strength tied to the flames it controlled. And one day, should it evolve to its final form, it would stand among the strongest creatures in the world.
Now, the cub of such a powerful creature walked in embarrassment, trailing behind his companion, who seemed to have his mind elsewhere. And to Charmander's eyes, his trainer had gone completely insane.
Because it had all started that morning, just minutes after Charmander had woken him up.
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Charmander had woken up feeling exhausted, something he made clear with his very first action of the day, a long, drawn-out yawn. A yawn that signaled his energy had already been drained before the day had even begun.
But what could have possibly sapped the strength of this Fire-type Pokémon before he even woke up? The explanation was simple: his trainer's late-night runs, which he had been doing every night for the past several days.
Charmander knew his trainer better than he knew himself, and he was well aware that the boy was far from being an exemplary young man. In fact, if he had to be honest, his trainer was probably closer to a prison sentence than to a university acceptance letter. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, one that completely eluded Charmander's understanding, his trainer had suddenly taken up nightly jogging. Even stranger, he would sometimes mutter a name under his breath.
Yuuma.
A name that Charmander would swear to Arceus he had never heard in his life.
Even when his trainer insisted that this so-called Yuuma had been his girlfriend, and even when he asked the two other failures of human beings that he called friends, no one seemed to know anything about her. At this point, they were starting to suspect that their friend had finally lost his mind.
But Charmander was a loyal Pokémon. No matter how insane his trainer's actions seemed, no matter how ridiculous his behavior became, he would never leave his side. And that resolve only grew stronger now that his trainer was beginning to give off the aura of a Dark-type specialist.
Or at least, that was what Charmander's instincts were telling him.
He could feel it, his trainer's once-normal energy was changing, shifting into something darker. A presence that, in his limited understanding, he could only compare to the Pokémon known as Dark-types.
And his theory wasn't baseless. His trainer's father had a similar aura, and he had encountered Dark-type trainers before who carried the same shadowy sensation that was now radiating from his own trainer.
Perhaps his trainer was preparing to become the greatest Dark-type specialist of all time. Maybe this was the moment for him, as his Pokémon, to begin preparing as well. If his trainer was walking the path of darkness, then as a future Charizard, he would have to master his Flying-type abilities to provide the perfect coverage.
Yes, that must have been what Charmander was thinking.
At least, that's what he should have been thinking.
But all of those thoughts shattered when he turned to look at his trainer's face, only to see him grinning like an idiot.
And from the look of it, it was the kind of smile that could only mean one thing.
He was having an erotic dream.
With a wicked grin, Charmander approached his trainer, carefully calculating the perfect moment. He sharpened his claws and, with a swift motion, struck him across the face.
Ah, you idiot, Ryusei. Do you seriously never get tired of waking me up like this? Issei shouted angrily while Ryusei just laughed. As his trainer always said, he did this every morning, but it was always funny.
You should be grateful that Ryusei even bothers to wake you up. Now hurry up, or you're going to be late for school, spoke a feminine voice from the doorway. The door was already open, and the woman had come to collect the dirty laundry.
Okay, Mom, the young man groaned, rubbing his face as the sting from Charmander's hit slowly faded. As always, it didn't leave a mark.
Miki, the young man's mother, quickly gathered the clothes and left to give her son some privacy. Meanwhile, Charmander followed her downstairs, eager for breakfast.
As Charmander walked into the living room, his gaze shifted to the dining table, where a grown man sat. He was an older, scruffier version of his trainer. Next to him was what appeared to be a hyena, though instead of having a spotted coat, its fur was entirely black with gray patches, giving it a terrifying appearance.
An intimidating sight for many Pokémon, but not for Charmander. Without hesitation, he greeted the Dark-type Pokémon.
Char! Charmander called out cheerfully.
Might, the Dark-type Pokémon responded between bites of his food.
You always greet Garou first. You must really admire him, Ryusei, the man chuckled as he lowered his coffee cup, watching the Fire-type Pokémon with a knowing smile.
Char! Charmander replied happily, while Mightyena quickly ate faster, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Afterward, Charmander made his way to the window overlooking the backyard, where a massive metal bird still lay sleeping.
Char! Charmander greeted happily, his voice stirring the Steel-type Pokémon.
Skarmory, the metal bird mumbled in response before promptly going back to sleep.
Looks like another morning where Benyu chooses to keep sleeping. I should register him in the records as the sleepiest Skarmory in the world, Miki commented as she passed by her husband.
The man at the table, Gorou Hyoudou, was a sub-manager at an accounting firm. He let out a short chuckle at his wife's remark before turning back to his Pokémon.
Steel-types have always been more composed. That's why there's a saying about the temperance of steel. Unlike Dark-types, who stay lively until the very end. Look at Might, he's a Mightyena that could keep up with the younger ones any day, Gorou said as he affectionately stroked his Pokémon's fur.
Well, you should try to match Might's youthful spirit, Dad. Oh, if not, Ryusei and I will catch up to you soon enough," Issei said as he sat down at the table for breakfast. His voice carried a hint of tiredness, but there was enough energy to keep up the rivalry with his father, a rivalry as normal as any between trainers.
"And when you catch up to your father, maybe then you can be a rival for Benyu and me," Miki added with amusement, as Benyu continued to sleep.
All of this was being observed by Ryusei, the way Charmander, a Fire-type Pokémon, enjoyed these lively and fun interactions between his trainer and family.
He could already imagine himself as Charizard, sharing the space with all of them, and that was enough to stir Ryusei's hunger. After all, eating was the first step to becoming stronger, especially as he was being watched by Might, who simply smiled at the excitement of the little Charmander.
With the food and the cheerful attitudes of both humans and Pokémon around him, Charmander momentarily forgot all his thoughts about the changes in his trainer. That was, until he began walking alongside him.
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In the present, Charmander watched as his trainer complained about the sunlight, but he still kept walking toward the Kuoh Academy, the place where he studied.
But what was Kuoh Academy? Well, the answer was simple: the best educational institution for both trainers and non-trainers, a place where people learned arithmetic and then had battles with their Pokémon, while being divided into classes that were identified by the lines on their uniforms.
Trainers had golden lines, the most envied and popular classification in the academy. They were the elite of the elite, the students who dedicated their lives to Pokémon. Even though they shared common classes with other students, they had extra classes where they only studied Pokémon—from breeding to contests to battles. The choice was up to the students, and every young person wanted to be in those golden classes.
But those classes weren't for everyone. Below them were the black lines, trainers who didn't have the skill to rise to the golden classes but still possessed enough talent to qualify for Pokémon classes, albeit fewer hours than the golden class. This gave them enough time to decide if they wanted to pursue a career related to Pokémon. They were also skilled enough to earn a position at Kuoh University in whichever field they chose.
Beneath them were the blue lines, with much less talent as trainers but who focused their learning in other technical areas, such as economics or hands-on work like mechanics or electricians. Going to Kuoh University or earning a specialization in two years was the typical path for the blue lines.
And finally, at the bottom of the academy, were the students of the white line. These were the indecisive people, lacking the talent to be placed in the blue line. They were the lowest tier of the academy, a position created to motivate others, since no one wanted to fall into the white line. Therefore, it was the position that couldn't gain entry to Kuoh University or the two-year specialization. After finishing at the academy, they had to figure out what to do with their lives.
Issei Hyoudou found himself in this classification. He had no talent for Pokémon battles, as his Charmander was considered the weakest Pokémon in the academy. His academic skills were above the city average, but it wasn't enough for Kuoh.
The greatest accomplishments in Issei's life were getting into the academy because of his high academic percentage, which counterbalanced his poor performance in Pokémon combat, and managing to stay there. It was often joked that Issei had sacrificed all his intelligence just to get in.
This, however, aligned perfectly with the young man's goal. Unlike most of the other young students who dreamed of becoming the best Pokémon trainers in the world or having a career like the rest of them, Issei dreamed of having a harem. Kuoh was considered the place where the most beautiful women in the city gathered.
And when that didn't work, the uniform was enough. He still remembered when he was in high school, how as a weird chubby kid with a Kuoh uniform, he walked hand in hand with a beautiful, busty girl with white hair. In that moment, Issei had an epiphany: his goal in life was to get that blue line.
Something he didn't manage in his first year because his negative combat Pokémon score remained and the fines he received for his first-year punishments for being a pervert left him not only in the white line but at the bottom of the entire academy. If it hadn't been for his grades above average, he would have been expelled.
Now, Issei's goal was to raise his grades and awaken the hidden power of Ryusei so that everyone who called him the weakest at Kuoh would give up, and the women would start looking at him with different eyes. Eyes that wanted to take him to the old-school Kuoh bathroom, or so Matsuda had told him after hearing a few black and blue line students talk about it.
"Again with your head in the clouds. If you keep this up, my dear partner, you'll never achieve your goal and your dream of a harem," said a voice that was unmistakably masculine. The upbeat tone suggested it had come from a former athlete, one fallen from grace, and bald.
"Wartlo," said the blue line companion at his side, who was almost as bald as his trainer, except for the pointed ears resembling wings, which were soft as cotton and seemed to have hair when the wind blew.
"Are you still dreaming of that Yuuma? Get over it, buddy. If you fall into fantasies, you'll never leave the white line," said a voice from a young man who thought he was interesting. His hand movements to adjust his glasses supported this self-image.
"Ivysaur," said the green-line companion, holding a large flower beside the glasses-wearing guy, a flower that released a relaxing summer aroma, which gave him the strength to study for the exams leading up to summer.
"Matsuda and Motohama, what are two blues doing talking to a mere white?" Issei responded with sarcasm, slightly irritated that they were reminding him of Yuuma without even knowing what they were talking about.
Quite the opposite of Ryusei, who greeted the Wartortle and Ivysaur of Matsuda and Motohama with enthusiasm.
"It's nice to see that Ryusei is kind in the mornings, don't you think, Kame?" Matsuda said with a laugh as he addressed his Wartortle.
"And here we were, bringing you a treasure to motivate you to leave the white line. Maybe we'll give it to Ryusei, don't you think, Gisou?" Motohama said with mock pain to his Ivysaur as he pulled out a magazine, which, upon seeing it, caused Issei's pupils to widen.
"The 100 Best Breasts in the Porn Industry, Playboy Edition—how did you get this, Motohama?" Issei said in shock as he fell to his knees to grab the magazine.
"I have my contacts. And when you talk to me, add the 'sama,' my little white line," Motohama said with a laugh.
"Hai," Issei said with sparkling eyes, gazing at the magazine with pleasure, eager to open it despite being in the middle of a public street before entering the academy. People and Pokémon were watching them with disdain, but not for the trainers—no, for their Pokémon.
"[Poor Charmander, Wartortle, and Ivysaur," was the thought of every student at Kuoh who passed by the trio of perverts with their Pokémon, especially a certain girl with white hair adorned with a cat ornament. She looked at them with disgust, especially at Issei, who was kneeling before the magazine as if it were a holy treasure.
Thinking of something holy caused a slight headache, which only increased her disgust for Issei as she followed behind, her Meowth walking on two legs, wearing boots and a hat. It merely sighed before continuing after its trainer.
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Issei walked home, Ryusei trailing behind him with his head down.
"Don't worry, Ryusei. We just had bad luck with that simulated battle. We ended up facing a trainer with a Geodude. There was nothing we could do with type advantages. Next time, we'll have better luck," Issei said, smiling as he tried to calm and cheer up his little friend. Today had been another Pokémon battle in class, a battle that didn't really affect the average but was important for progressing in the school. It also served as a good introduction for university applications, as companies tended to favor trainers who were good at battling, contests, or breeding. Because of this, battling, contests, and breeding were crucial parts of the global educational system.
Since Issei was not a Black Line student, he was required to participate in Pokémon battles, and today, he had another loss to add to his record. Losses didn't bother him anymore; he had always known he wasn't talented at training Pokémon, and Ryusei's lack of skill was more his fault than his Pokémon's.
For this reason, Issei longed for a girlfriend—or many girlfriends. He hoped to have a child soon, so that he could leave Ryusei's legacy in his child's hands, someone who could carry Ryusei's fire to the top where he belonged.
"Don't worry, when I get a harem, I'll have a child right away, so I'll have someone who can carry your fiery spirit to the top you deserve," Issei told Ryusei with a smile, which made Ryusei smile in return.
His companion's optimism always brightened his heart. They might not have talent for battling, but there was no one better suited to be his trainer than Issei, as he was the type of human who could always lift the spirits of the downtrodden. It was no surprise he still had two friends, despite his questionable behavior, because those two preferred being rejected together rather than changing. That was due to the optimism Issei expressed through his actions, like the stars lighting up the sky above them.
Even though night had fallen, trainer and Pokémon walked calmly down the street. The reason they were arriving home so late was that Issei had to stay behind after school to clean the classrooms as punishment for his perverted actions.
A task that had started with Issei feeling sluggish but ended with him having more energy than usual, as if, once the sun set, all the energy he hadn't had during the day suddenly charged him up and allowed him to do double or triple the work.
Even now, Issei felt like running home, not out of fear, but because of the surplus of energy. However, he didn't run because of his companion's exhaustion.
As he tried to suppress the urge to sprint, Issei suddenly felt the gaze of a predator watching them, and he came to an abrupt stop. He wasn't the only one who felt it—Ryusei sensed it too, quickly positioning himself in front of Issei, ready for battle.
A man appeared in front of them, wearing a trench coat and a hat. Issei could tell by his face that he was of middle age, possibly foreign—perhaps from a European country. Under normal circumstances, Issei would have ignored him and kept walking with Ryusei.
"Where is your master?" the man spoke, his gaze fixed on Issei and Ryusei. The man's words seemed strange, not just because of his excellent Japanese but because there was a certain malice in his voice.
"Is he talking to me?" Issei spoke nervously, his voice betraying his unease, especially since Ryusei hadn't abandoned his combat stance. "He must be mistaking me for something else. As far as I know, I'm not a Pokémon, and this little Charmander is my partner. So, if you'll excuse us, we'll be leaving."
Issei began to walk quickly, picking up Charmander, who still refused to leave his defensive position. He turned and tried to walk faster, hoping to get away from the strange man.
"Where do you think you're going? It would be a shame if you left before answering my questions," the man spoke from behind, his breath reaching Issei's neck, causing him to freeze in fear. He quickly dropped Charmander.
"A—how the hell did you get so close, mister? Do you have a psychic Pokémon with teleport or something? You could give someone a heart attack doing that!" Issei exclaimed, trying to hide his fear with false anger.
Ryusei, on the other hand, wasted no time. The man's actions had triggered every protective instinct in the little Charmander, and from his mouth, a rain of small flames erupted, bright orange in color.
The flames weren't fast, and most Pokémon would have taken the hit without fearing damage due to the weak nature of the attack. But against a human, they could cause significant harm, including first-degree burns, which was exactly what Charmander intended.
"Pokémon always acting first and asking questions later, no wonder they're such good friends with humans," the man said, and as he spoke, two black wings appeared behind him. The sight of them sent a sharp pain to Issei's head, and a woman's name echoed in his mind.
With the wings unfurled, the man used them as a shield against the incoming attack. The flames collided with his wings, causing nothing more than a small burn.
"Pathetic. I was worried about the reputation of Charmander, but yours is laughable, street dog," the man said, as he began to rise into the air. That motion was the signal to Issei's brain that something bad was about to happen. With a speed that would have surprised any Pokémon, Issei grabbed Charmander and tried to run, turning on his heel to escape from the strange and dangerous man.
Something in his mind told him he knew what was coming, and all he could think of was running with his little friend. But before he could move more than a few steps, a searing pain shot through his back. The force of the blow caused him to release Charmander, who fell to the ground from the impact.
"Did you think I was going to let you go, street rat?" the man said, his appearance now almost maniacal. "Ha, how foolish you are. Do you see hawks or Fearow abandoning their prey?"
The man held up a neon-lit javelin, which had embedded itself into Issei's back. For some reason, Issei couldn't remove it, no matter how much pain he felt.
"And you thought you could pull it out, how amusing," the man said, pulling the neon javelin out of Issei's body with a brutal tug. "Do you still think, street dog, that you're human? Don't make me laugh."
Ryusei witnessed this and, filled with fury, lunged forward, releasing a stream of embers from his mouth towards the man in the trench coat.
"This is ridiculous, it's time to show this lizard his place," the man said as he created another neon-lit javelin.
Issei, still unaware of what was happening and feeling the intense pain from the javelin embedded in his lower side, could only manage to shout an order to Ryusei.
"Dodge, Ryusei!" Issei cried out as blood began to stain his clothes and he lost consciousness.
"Don't worry, street rat, I'll give you a quick death, and then I'll give it to you too. This is the kindness of masters toward humans and their Pokémon," the man shouted before throwing his javelin, which never reached its target.
An orb of energy hit the man from the side, destroying much of the lateral part of his body and forcing him to stumble.
Issei couldn't see much of who had come to their rescue, only catching a glimpse of a beautiful woman with red hair that, even in the darkness overtaking his vision, shone like a crimson moon.
"R-Rias-senpai..." Issei whispered weakly before losing consciousness, his vision fading as he saw Ryusei's worried and tearful gaze.