Chapter 1: A Different World Amidst Cries, Binding the Strongest Trainer System"Wah— Wah—"The sharp yet weak cries buzzed in his eardrums like a broken bellows. Ash's consciousness felt as if it were submerged in a warm deep sea, chaotic and soft. His only perceptions were the burning dryness in his throat and the uncontrollable cries squeezing out of his gullet.Something was wrong.He clearly remembered that last night he was still hunched over his computer, scratching his head over a Pokémon fanfiction document, trying to figure out how to arrange an overpowered cheat for the protagonist. As a result, he stayed up past midnight until his eyelids fought each other, and his head slumped onto the keyboard.How is it that as soon as he opened his eyes... No, he couldn't open his eyes at all. He could only feel a blurry light and a pair of gentle hands softly patting his back."Ash, be good now. Don't cry, don't cry. Mommy is here."A female voice, so gentle it could almost drip water, sounded in his ears, carrying deep concern and a faint scent of milk.Ash?This name was like a thunderclap, violently striking Ash's chaotic consciousness, making his body jerk suddenly. Even his crying paused subconsciously.Ash from the Pokémon world? That youth with the cowlick, forever passionate, forever ten years old, whose goal was to become a Pokémon Master?He... he had transmigrated? And he transmigrated as the newborn Ash?Before Ash could digest this terrifying fact, a cold mechanical voice exploded deep within his mind without warning:[Ding! Detected that the host's soul and body integration has reached 100%, meeting the binding conditions.][The Strongest Trainer System is currently binding... Binding progress 10%... 50%... 100%!][Binding successful! Congratulations host, you have become the sole possessor of this system!]A system?!Ash's consciousness instantly boiled over!As an author who had spent years in the web novel circles, he was more than familiar with the tropes of system-style stories. This was the standard cheat for a transmigrator!He suppressed his excitement, wanting to speak, but his throat could only produce the babbling sounds of an infant, making him so anxious he almost cried again.[Ding! The Newbie Gift Pack has been issued. Would you like to open it immediately?]"Open it! Open it quickly!" Ash shouted frantically in his heart.[Newbie Gift Pack opened successfully! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the following rewards:][1. Talent: Heart of Affinity (Passive) — Initial favorability with all Pokémon +30. Pokémon are more likely to feel close to the host, and the speed of loyalty increase is doubled.][2. Skill: Eye of Insight (Active) — Allows viewing of a Pokémon's basic information, status, and hidden potential. 10 free uses daily.][3. Item: Potential Stimulant (Low-grade) *1 — Can slightly increase a Pokémon's potential limit with no side effects.][4. Initial Points: 100 points (Can be exchanged for items, skills, Pokémon, etc., in the System Store).]With a string of rewards raining down, Ash almost fainted from happiness.Heart of Affinity? This was practically a divine skill tailor-made for a Trainer! One must know that Ashoriginally relied on nothing but passion and sincerity to capture countless powerful Pokémon. Now, with this talent added, wouldn't all Pokémon's favorability toward him explode?And the Eye of Insight—with this skill, he could see a Pokémon's hidden potential in advance. He would never again miss those seemingly ordinary but exceptionally talented Pokémon like in the original series!"Ash, why did you suddenly stop crying and start smiling so happily?"Delia's gentle voice came again. Ash could feel his cheek being softly poked by her supple finger.Only then did he realize that he was currently a newborn infant. His body was completely out of his control. In his excitement just now, the corners of his mouth had actually pulled into a silly grin.He quickly composed himself, snuggling obediently in Delia's arms. His small head rubbed against her chest, feeling that warm touch and faint milky scent.Delia, his current mother, was a gentle and kind woman. In the original series, she raised Ash alone and supported his dreams, acting as Ash's strongest pillar of support.From now on, she was his mother too.A warm current surged through Ash's heart. In his previous life, he was an orphan and had never felt maternal love. Now that he had such a gentle mother, he must be filial to her.Of course, being filial was one thing, but his goal was to become a Pokémon Master who surpassed the original!With the system in hand and the support of the divine skills Heart of Affinity and Eye of Insight, he would surely be able to capture those legendary Pokémon and reach the pinnacle!He closed his eyes and called out to the system in his mind: "System, open the attribute panel."[Host: Ash (Ash)][Age: 0 years old (Newborn)][Identity: Resident of Pallet Town, future PokémonTrainer][Talent: Heart of Affinity (Passive)][Skill: Eye of Insight (Active, 10 daily uses remaining)][Items Held: Potential Stimulant (Low-grade) *1][Points: 100][Current Mission: None (Please grow to ten years old and receive your initial Pokémon to unlock main missions)]Seeing the "Age 0" on the attribute panel, Ashcouldn't help but roll his eyes.Ten years old... he still had to wait for a full ten years before he could receive his initial Pokémon and embark on his journey.Ten years was neither long nor short.But it didn't matter; he had plenty of time to prepare.During these ten years, he could first familiarize himself with this world, train his body, study Pokémon-related knowledge, and use the Eye of Insight to observe the wild Pokémon around Pallet Town to scout for his future partners in advance.For example, that Shiny Caterpie that Ash missed in the original series?Or that Pikachu wandering the outskirts of Pallet Town with a special talent?Thinking of this, Ash's heart was filled with anticipation.He snuggled in Delia's arms, his small mouth pursed slightly, his eyes shining with a light that didn't match his age.Pokémon world, here I come!With the system in hand, the world is mine!Ten years later, I, Ash, will surely become the strongest Pokémon Master in this world!The sunlight outside the window spilled through the glass onto the crib, warm and cozy, as if offering the gentlest blessing to this newborn Trainer destined for greatness.
Chapter 2: A Three-Year-Old's Encounter, The Star of Potential in the GrassTime flies, and three years pass in the blink of an eye.The sunlight in Pallet Town remains warm, spilling over the grass at the town's entrance and making the dewdrops among the blades sparkle.A little boy with a signature cowlick was running clumsily across the grass. He wore faded white shorts and was barefoot, his small face stained with dirt, yet his bright black eyes were like stars, full of curiosity and spirit.This was the three-year-old Ash—or rather, Ash, who now occupied Ash's body.Three years was enough time for him to adapt to this infant body and to figure out some of the system's inner workings.The Heart of Affinity talent truly lived up to its reputation. The town's cats and dogs, and even the occasional passing wild Rattata, would proactively approach him for a nuzzle. Even the ill-tempered Weedle in Professor Oak's laboratory became much gentler when they saw him.As for the Eye of Insight, he had mastered its use to a creative degree.He never wasted the ten free daily uses. From the potted plants at home to the sparrows at the town entrance and the Caterpie in the grass, he had examined almost everything visible around Pallet Town.Of course, most of the time, he saw ordinary information, such as [Caterpie, Level 2, Status: Healthy, Potential: Common] and the like.However, over these three years, he hadn't come away empty-handed.In Professor Oak's backyard, he had once seen a Bulbasaur with [Excellent] potential, which was one of the Pokémon the Professor was raising. By the river, he had also discovered a Magikarp with [Rare] potential, but unfortunately, he was too young then to have any way of capturing it."System, open the attribute panel."Ash squatted on the grass, resting his chin on his small hands, and called out silently in his mind.A blue light screen that only he could see instantly appeared before his eyes:[Host: Ash (Ash)][Age: 3 years old][Identity: Resident of Pallet Town, Future PokémonTrainer][Talent: Heart of Affinity (Passive)][Skill: Eye of Insight (Active, 8 uses remaining today)][Held Items: Potential Stimulant (Junior) *1][Points: 100 (Unused)][Current Task: None (Main quest unlocks after reaching age ten and receiving initial Pokémon)]Looking at those still-untouched 100 points, Ashcurled his lip helplessly.There were many good things in the system mall: Junior Potions, Poké Balls, and even poffins that could increase intimacy, but they all required points for exchange. As for tasks to earn points, the system was slow to release them, only stating that he needed to reach the standard of a "Trainer Reserve.""Whatever, I still have seven years anyway. I'll accumulate them slowly."Ash shook his head, tossing those worries to the back of his mind, and then ran toward the depths of the grassland on his short legs.Today, his goal was the small woods on the west side of town.Few people went there, and it was said that many wild Pokémon resided within.He carefully pushed aside the grass leaves blocking his path, his small eyes scanning the surroundings alertly. Suddenly, a faint rustling sound came from the grass by his feet.Ash's eyes lit up.The opportunity had come!Holding his breath, he slowly squatted down and reached out with his small hands to gently part the swaying grass.There in the grass lay a tiny Caterpie.It was emerald green all over, with rings of white patterns on its body. The antennae on its head twitched slightly, making it look quite adorable.It looked no different from any other Caterpie.But in Ash's heart, a strong intuition inexplicably surged—this Caterpie was not simple!He took a deep breath and thought: "Eye of Insight, activate!"[Ding! Eye of Insight used successfully!][Pokémon: Caterpie][Level: 1][Status: Healthy (Contains a trace of special energy within its body)][Type: Bug][Skills: Tackle, String Shot][Potential: ★★★★☆ Extraordinary (Hidden Ability: Shed Skin (Mutated) — After each shedding, there is a 50% chance to increase a base stat)][Evaluation: A rare Caterpie with a Mutated hidden ability. Its evolutionary chain potential far exceeds its species. Highly worth training!]"Extraordinary potential! A Mutated hidden ability!"Ash's eyes instantly widened like copper bells, and his heart thudded wildly. He almost cried out in excitement.He suppressed the urge to cheer and clamped his hand tightly over his mouth.One must know that the potential of an ordinary Caterpie was [Good] at best. Those reaching [Excellent] were as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns, let alone this [Extraordinary] level, which even came with a Mutated hidden ability!This Caterpie was a literal treasure!He remembered that in the original story, Ash's first Pokémon was a Caterpie, which later evolved into a Butterfree and accompanied Ash for a long journey.But the potential of the Caterpie before him was countless times higher than the one from the original story!Ash squatted by the grass, staring unblinkingly at the Caterpie, his mind racing with calculations.He was only three years old now and had no way to capture a Pokémon; even if he did, he couldn't support it. Moreover, a Caterpie needed plenty of leaves and sunlight; living here was much better for it than following a small child."Why don't I... build a good relationship with it first?"Ash's eyes darted as he thought of a great idea.He remembered that in his pocket, he still had the dried Berries his mother, Delia, had given him this morning. They were made from Pallet Town's specialty Cheri Berries and were sweet; he usually couldn't bear to eat them.Ash carefully pulled out a small piece of dried Berryand slowly extended it toward the Caterpie.The Caterpie shrank back warily, its antennae twitching even more violently.But a second later, it seemed to smell the sweet scent of the dried Berry. It poked its head out curiously and leaned its small head toward Ash's finger, sniffing gently.Ash held his breath, not daring to move an inch.His Heart of Affinity talent was silently working its magic at this moment.Sure enough, after hesitating for a moment, the Caterpie opened its tiny mouth, carefully took the dried Berry from Ash's finger, and began to chew slowly.Seeing it eat with such relish, the corners of Ash's mouth couldn't help but turn up.He reached out and gently stroked the Caterpie's smooth body.The Caterpie's body trembled slightly, but then it didn't pull away. Instead, it nuzzled against his palm as if expressing its gratitude."Great!"Ash felt a surge of wild joy in his heart.He knew he had made the right move.From today on, he would come here every day to bring dried Berries to this Caterpie. He wanted to build a deep bond with it. When the day came ten years later for him to become a Trainer, this Caterpiewith extraordinary potential would be his first partner!He could already almost see this Caterpie evolving into a Metapod, then into a Butterfree, soaring through the sky and fighting side by side with him.As the sun set, the golden afterglow spilled into the woods, stretching the shadows of the boy and the insect long across the ground.Ash hummed an out-of-tune little ditty as he skipped toward home.In his small head, he had already begun planning his future training schedule.Seven years would be enough for him to train this Caterpie into the strongest partner.And his journey to becoming a Pokémon Master had quietly begun from this very moment.Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 2 / 2140.9%Ch. 2 / 214
Chapter 3: A Five-Year-Old Scamp Breaks into the Laboratory, Pikachu's Golden Electric LightSpring passed and autumn came; two more years had gone by.The wind in Pallet Town carried the sweet scent of green grass and berries as it blew past Professor Oaks Laboratory at the edge of town—the small building covered in vines was always the liveliest place in town, especially in the afternoon, when Professor Oak's grandson Gary loved to hold his pokédex and boss around the Pokémon in the courtyard.At this moment, a small figure was crouching, hugging the back wall of the laboratory and standing on tiptoes to peek inside.It was five-year-old Ash.Over the past two years, he had become a regular in the small woods to the west of town. That Caterpiewith the mutated Shed Skin ability had long since become his inseparable partner. Every morning, he would tuck berry pancakes baked by his mother into his clothes and run off to share them with Caterpie; in the evening, he would sit on the grass, watching Caterpie munch on leaves and using his Eye of Insight to observe its growth—by now, Caterpie's level had risen to Level 5, and its potential rating was showing signs of advancing toward the Extraordinary rank.But Ash's mind was set on more than just this.He was thinking about the Pokémon in Professor Oaks Laboratory. Especially since he had heard the town's elders say that the Professor had recently taken in an exceptionally short-tempered Pikachu. The little fellow's yellow fur was so bright it was dazzling, yet it happened to dislike being touched, and even Professor Oak had to put in quite a bit of effort just to feed it."Pikachu, huh..." Ash licked the corner of his mouth, his bright black eyes shining with curiosity. "In the original story, Pikachu was the protagonist's standard partner. I wonder what this one's potential is like?"Taking advantage of his small stature, he waited for a gap when Gary was called by a servant to eat snacks, and with a whoosh, he slipped through a gap in the fence of the back wall.The laboratory's backyard was filled with Sunflowers and Bellsprout. A few Oddish were lazily swaying their heads; seeing Ash, they didn't panic but instead affectionately rubbed against his trouser legs—his Heart of Affinity talent had become increasingly apparent over these two years. Not to mention these gentle Grass-type Pokémon, even that fierce Onix in the laboratory would restrain its hostility somewhat when it saw him.Ash tiptoed around the flowerbeds and headed toward the greenhouse where a light was on.The greenhouse door wasn't locked, just left slightly ajar. He gently pushed the door open, and a warm breath filled with electrical particles wafted toward him."Creak—"The slight sound, however, startled a certain little fellow in the corner of the greenhouse."Pika! Pika!"A sharp and wary cry rang out.Ash looked closely and saw a Pikachu curled up on a cushion covered in hay.Its fur color was a few shades deeper than an ordinary Pikachu, and the down on its back shimmered with a faint golden light. Especially the tips of its two pointed ears, which were actually adorned with a touch of light orange-red. At this moment, it was arching its back, its ruby-like eyes staring fixedly at Ash at the door, the electric sacs on both sides of its cheeks bulging slightly, crackling with fine sparks of electricity."Man, this looks anything but ordinary!" Ash's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately chanted in his mind, "Eye of Insight, activate!"[Ding! Eye of Insight used successfully!][Pokémon: Pikachu][Level: 7][Status: Healthy (Contains dense lightning energy within its body; mood is in a state of alert)][Attribute: Electric][Skills: Thunder Shock, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Thunderbolt (Not mastered, potential awakening)][Potential: ★★★★★ Extraordinary (Hidden Ability: Lightning Control—Increases the power of Electric-type moves by 30%, has a chance to trigger paralysis, and affinity for lightning energy far exceeds its own species)][Evaluation: A Pikachu born with control over lightning, with infinite potential. If caught, it will become one of the host's strongest combat forces!]Extraordinary potential! And a unique hidden ability!Ash's breathing instantly became rapid.This Pikachu was even more heaven-defying than he had imagined!The hidden ability of an ordinary Pikachu is usually 'Static,' but this one actually had the unique 'Lightning Control'! What was even more ridiculous was that it was only Level 7 and had already awakened the potential for Thunderbolt!"Pika!!"Pikachu clearly didn't intend to give Ash much time to be shocked. It suddenly kicked off with its hind legs and lunged toward Ash, the electric sacs on its cheeks bursting with blinding light as a weak Thunder Shock shot toward him."Oh no!"Ash instinctively backed up, but forgot the threshold was right behind him. He tripped, and it looked like he was about to fall flat on his back.But just then, the bottle of Basic Potential Stimulation Fluid in his pocket actually grew slightly warm.A gentle energy flowed out along his palm and happened to touch the tip of Pikachu's nose.Pikachu's movements came to a sudden halt.It blinked its ruby-like eyes, tilted its head to study Ash, and gently sniffed the scent on his palm. Its previously tense body actually began to relax slowly.The Heart of Affinity talent, combined with the energy aura emitted by the Potential Stimulation Fluid, seemed to make it develop a slight favorable impression of Ash."Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I mean no harm." Ash quickly raised both hands, softened his voice, and carefully took a piece of dried berry from his pocket—this was a sweet dried Cheri Berry he had specially prepared for Caterpie; all Pokémon liked them.He held the dried berry out to Pikachu and said softly, "This is for you. It's very tasty."Pikachu stared warily at the dried berry, then looked at Ash's clear eyes. After hesitating for a long time, it finally reached out a small paw, carefully took the dried berry in its mouth, and squatted on the ground to munch on it slowly.Seeing it eating happily, the heart Ash had been holding in his throat finally settled.He tentatively reached out his hand, wanting to pat Pikachu's head."Pika?"Pikachu looked up and let out a curious hum from its throat, but it didn't dodge.A warm sensation came from his fingertips; Pikachu's fur was soft, with a tingle of Staticelectricity. Ash's mouth couldn't help but break into a wide grin.Just then, the greenhouse door was suddenly pushed open."Ash? Why are you here?"Professor Oak's voice came through, sounding somewhat surprised.Ash was startled and quickly withdrew his hand, turned around, and gave Professor Oak a silly smile: "Grandpa Professor, I... I came to play with you!"Professor Oak looked at the cookie crumbs at the corner of his mouth, then at the Pikachu crouching by his feet munching on a dried berry, and he knew exactly what had happened. He shook his head helplessly, but a flash of surprise crossed his eyes—one must know that since he brought this Pikachuback to the laboratory, it hadn't gotten close to anyone. To think it would actually take the initiative to eat something Ash gave it today?"You child, sneaking in again." Professor Oak smiled and ruffled Ash's hair. "Well, since you're here, help me feed these Pokémon."Ash's eyes lit up: "Really? Thank you, Grandpa Professor!"He knew this was an excellent opportunity.An opportunity to build a good relationship with this Extraordinary potential Pikachu.The setting sun shone through the greenhouse glass onto the boy and the Pokémon, its golden light outlining a warm silhouette.Ash crouched on the ground, watching Pikachuhappily munching on the dried berry, and made a silent vow in his heart.On that day ten years later, he would not only catch that mutated Caterpie but also take this Pikachuwith Lightning Control under his command!His path to becoming a Pokémon Master was destined to be even more dazzling than the original story!