Future Pokémon Master

Today is February 28, 2046. Ethan woke up early in the morning, or rather, he was so excited that he didn't sleep all night. Why didn't he sleep? Because Nintendo released a new game simultaneously around the world yesterday, and he managed to snag the limited edition game and console. With the express delivery set to arrive soon, how could he not be excited?

This is a special release for the 50th anniversary, launched simultaneously worldwide for the first time. Even in China, Ethan got the game on the release day, having spent all of yesterday rushing to buy it.

With daylight breaking, Ethan, having no desire to sleep, got up and had some breakfast. Then he sat on the balcony, eagerly waiting for the delivery drone to bring his package. The wait seemed particularly long, and Ethan found himself leaning over the balcony railing multiple times to look out.

Finally, at half-past ten, the delivery drone arrived. After confirming receipt, Ethan couldn't wait to open the package. This time, the limited special gift included a Pokémon-themed stealth device—a Pikachu-style head-mounted terminal—and some Pokémon accessories.

What truly attracted Ethan was the device's ability to immerse players in the Pokémon world. After a quick inspection of the packaging, Ethan put on the device and prepared to dive into the game.

Upon entering, Ethan first saw a white world, followed by a familiar voice.

"Welcome to the world of Pokémon! In this world, whether it's the sky, the sea, the mountains, the forests, grasslands, or towns, you can encounter incredible creatures called Pokémon. From now on, you will live here with Pokémon, growing and experiencing joy and sorrow together. So, please tell me your name."

The opening was consistent with all previous Pokémon games, making Ethan feel right at home. Having played all the Pokémon games, Ethan decided on his game name without hesitation, as he had always used this nickname in Pokémon games. This time would be no different.

"My name is Ethan."

"Ethan, since you're a limited bonus player, you now have a choice. Do you want to accept this Pokémon egg?"

Pokémon eggs? Ethan never expected this plot twist. When he purchased the bonus, there was no mention of this benefit. What's going on?

"What Pokémon eggs?"

"Pokémon eggs are an option only for bonus players. It's unknown what kind of Pokémon will hatch. They will appear randomly among all Pokémon with a base stat of 580 or less in the current version. The first Pokémon for bonus players who choose Pokémon eggs will be the one hatched from the egg, so there won't be a later plot to choose the starter Pokémon."

After hearing this, Ethan understood that he was being asked to choose between the three starter Pokémon and any random Pokémon. At yesterday's press conference, it was stated that the current version of "Pokémon World" only includes Pokémon from the first four generations, totaling 493 Pokémon. Excluding the pseudo-legendaries and legendary beasts with base stats above 580, the rest are randomly hatched. This was exciting because it was like a gamble—you could hatch a Caterpie, or perhaps something more powerful. Would you take the gamble?

If you don't choose the Pokémon egg, there will be a plot later allowing you to select one of the three starter Pokémon from the first four generations. This was nothing new for Ethan, who had played all the Pokémon series games. So, Ethan wanted to gamble on his luck, hoping to hatch a Snorlax, or something equally exciting.

"I choose to accept the Pokémon Egg!"

Once Ethan made his choice, a Pokémon egg with blue stripes appeared before him. Ethan gently reached out and cradled the egg in his arms.

"Congratulations on obtaining a Pokémon egg. Let's wait and see what type of Pokémon will hatch from it! Now, your adventure begins!"

As the system's voice concluded, Ethan was momentarily blinded by a bright light. Even with his eyes closed, the glare was discomforting, but it didn't last long. When Ethan felt the light had dimmed, he slowly opened his eyes.

He was stunned by the sight before him. Initially, he thought it was a towering tree, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was a massive creature made of tree-like rock formations. This strange appearance was both shocking and familiar to Ethan, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

However, he soon snapped out of his daze, remembering the Pokémon egg in his arms. He needed to find a way to hatch the egg quickly. So, he continued down the road, hoping to find a town and a Pokémon Center soon.

As he walked, Ethan couldn't help but complain internally: Why is the spawn point in this game so random? I was just dropped on the side of the road. It's too unpredictable! And there was no other plot after receiving the egg—it's completely different from previous games! But now, being in the Pokémon world, watching Pidgeot fly overhead and Rattata scurry by, made Ethan incredibly excited.

Fueled by excitement, Ethan arrived at the first town in the Pokémon world. After asking around, he learned that the town was called Orudran City. He also discovered that he was in the mountains north of Pewter City and Mt. Moon in the Kanto region.

Finally understanding where he was, Ethan felt a sense of relief. Without hesitation, he hurried to the Pokémon Center in Orudran City. When the live Nurse Joy appeared before him, Ethan greeted her with enthusiasm.

"Hello! Nurse Joy, I have a Pokémon egg here. Could you please check its health?"

"Hello! Welcome to the Pokémon Center! Pokémon eggs are very rare, so please leave them with me confidently. I'll check the egg's health for you right away!"

Ethan gently handed the egg to Nurse Joy and followed her into the treatment room of the Pokémon Center, eager to personally confirm the egg's condition. Nurse Joy, not minding Ethan's presence, led him to the room and began attaching the testing equipment to the egg.