The ultra-luxury cruise ship 'S.S. Anne,' designed for the wealthy to travel around the world, and the 'S.S. Aqua,' which shuttles between the Johto and Kanto regions, both call Vermilion City their home port.
Just like major port cities in other worlds, Vermilion City serves as a hub for goods distribution and a vital maritime route, making its economy exceptionally prosperous. Though it may not rival the international metropolises of Celadon City and Goldenrod City, these three cities remain the most bustling areas in the Kanto region.
The distance between Cerulean City and Vermilion City is originally quite short. However, due to Ryuuske piloting Mewtwo and Mew in battle, they ended up fighting all the way to the old satellite city northeast of Cerulean City. At the time, Ryuuske relied on Mewtwo's psychic powers to fly there, but when he returned on foot, the distance to Vermilion City more than doubled.
On top of that, Ryuuske spent most of his journey training his Dratini and Gabite, deliberately choosing remote wilderness paths, which further extended his travel time. It wasn't until three weeks after that war-like battle that Ryuuske finally arrived in Vermilion City.
This also marked his fourth month since crossing into this world.
"Before I knew it, four months have already passed…"
Ryuuske sighed as he reflected on the events of the past four months.
Most of his time had been spent battling and training, often facing life-threatening dangers. There were even moments when he teetered on the edge of death. Looking back, Ryuuske felt it was no small feat that he had persevered without slacking off. Not even during his college entrance exams had he pushed himself this hard. Perhaps this was the kind of potential and strength people could unleash when their lives were on the line.
If failing the college entrance exams meant death, students would probably study like their lives depended on it.
And that was exactly how Ryuuske had lived these past four months.
Upon arriving in Vermilion City, Ryuuske immediately headed straight for the Pokémon Center in the urban district. After ordering a lavish meal and enjoying a good night's sleep, he bought two sets of high-quality clothes before finally allowing himself to relax in the Pokémon Center's lounge area, savoring a rare moment of respite.
Pokémon Centers in every city were always bustling with people, and it wasn't long before someone recognized Ryuuske. After fending off yet another wave of trainers seeking battles, he finally found some peace.
He disliked instructional battles—to him, they lacked the thrill of real combat and offered little practical experience. He far preferred standing alongside his Pokémon, facing towering flames and tsunami-like waves together. Just like in that abandoned city, every command he gave and every move Mewtwo executed could bring about apocalyptic destruction, reducing an entire city to ruins.
That was a man's true romance. Even though every clash between Mewtwo and Mew's attacks sent terrifying shockwaves through the air—waves so intense that even with Mewtwo's protective energy field, Ryuuske still felt excruciating pain—that pain was never a reason to retreat.
Opening a tablet he had bought earlier, Ryuuske browsed recent news and amusing online comments and videos. The internet in this world was just as advanced as in his previous life, which satisfied him—at least he wasn't living primitively.
Due to Team Rocket's terrorist attack three weeks prior, security in Vermilion City remained tight. However, Team Rocket had suffered a major loss this time—they had invested significant resources into the attack but failed to achieve their objectives. Ryuuske couldn't help but wonder how Giovanni, Team Rocket's leader, was taking the setback.
"Hmm? This Green girl actually recorded videos and took photos…"
As Ryuuske scrolled through the most viral videos of recent weeks, he discovered footage of his battle with Mewtwo and Mew. However, due to the dense psychic energy in the air and the intense aura surrounding the two Legendary Pokémon, the footage was blurry. Viewers could only vaguely make out a human commanding one Pokémon against another.
Yet, the battle scenes were nothing short of mythical—an entire city of reinforced concrete was utterly annihilated. Many netizens dismissed the video as fake, assuming it was digitally altered. Still, they couldn't deny how thrilling the apocalyptic spectacle was.
It wasn't until someone identified the abandoned city in the video and personally visited the site that the truth came to light. When photos of the twisted, ruined city surfaced online, the public was stunned. No one could believe the video was real—that such a war-like scene had actually happened. Some even dug up history books to prove the existence and terrifying power of Legendary Pokémon, sparking a wave of existential doubt among many.
If Legendary Pokémon possessed such devastating power, how had humanity survived this long?
Then, Green released a series of ultra-close-up photos of Mew, causing an even greater uproar. Renowned researchers scrambled to purchase them at exorbitant prices, and even Professor Oak emailed Ryuuske, asking if he had any firsthand information. The professor had recognized Ryuuske and Mewtwo in the video.
"That mischievous girl probably made a fortune selling those photos and the original footage."
Thinking of Green's charmingly cunning smile and her smug, scheming grin, Ryuuske couldn't help but pity the researchers. They were undoubtedly being extorted by her.
"At the very least, half the credit for those photos and videos belongs to me. That means half the money she extorted should be mine too."
Rubbing his chin, Ryuuske decided that the next time he met Green, he'd make sure to claim his rightful share of the profits.
Propping the tablet on the table, Ryuuske nibbled on cake while watching funny videos. Occasionally, he fed snacks from the porcelain plate to the Dratini coiled around him, playfully slithering about. Meanwhile, his ears picked up conversations among the trainers in the Pokémon Center.
Much like taverns of old, Pokémon Centers were hubs of information exchange. Trainers often knew far more than the average person, and young trainers, in particular, were prone to spilling interesting tidbits in casual chatter.
Just then, Ryuuske caught sight of a familiar figure in his peripheral vision. His eyes lit up as he raised a hand and called out,
"...Ash!"
To be continued…
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