Night had fallen.
Under the starry sky, a beam of bright moonlight illuminated the dark sea, casting a spotlight on the small fishing boat as it rocked gently with the waves.
"Alright, that should do it," Red muttered, adjusting the sails one last time. After double-checking their direction, he nodded in satisfaction before turning to Luffy.
"Get ready, Luffy."
"No matter what happens tonight, we have to make it out of the Viridian Forest!"
"Woohoo~ Leave all the fighting to me!" Luffy exclaimed, his voice full of energy.
Though Red wasn't much of a fighter, Luffy's confidence felt oddly reassuring. The rubber boy leapt to Red's side, his eyes glinting with excitement and anticipation.
Even though this wasn't their first time visiting another world together, Luffy's adventurous spirit never waned. The magical experience of crossing dimensions always managed to ignite his boundless enthusiasm.
Seeing Luffy's eagerness, Red smiled faintly. Without hesitation, he closed his eyes and focused, sinking his consciousness inward.
In an instant, a familiar red-and-blue handheld game console appeared in Red's mind.
This was his system: an imaginary game console that allowed him to enter game worlds.
It was this ability that gave Red the courage to navigate the seas alongside Luffy. Yet, as amazing as it was, the console had one glaring flaw—its terrible battery life.
When Red first arrived in this world, the console had stubbornly displayed the message:
"Low Battery. Unable to Start."
For two and a half long years, it remained dormant, the only sign of life being the small "Charging…" icon in the corner and the slow crawl of the progress bar. Red had often wondered if he'd been scammed by fate.
But just three nights ago, the console's power had finally reached a level sufficient to boot up.
The moment it activated, a flood of knowledge surged into Red's mind, explaining the console's abilities.
First, the console allowed him to enter game worlds stored within it. By completing achievements or clearing levels, he could earn rewards that matched the game's features.
Second, items or abilities acquired in the game could be extracted into the real world. The cost? Battery power. The extracted items retained their effects and functionality, making them incredibly valuable.
And finally, once powered on, the console could recharge itself by absorbing small amounts of biological energy from Red. This process didn't harm him and currently allowed for two hours of gameplay per day. Since Red had skipped using it the previous day to prepare for their voyage, he now had a full four hours of gameplay available.
Red couldn't help but glance wistfully at the game list. "If I'd known my golden finger would work like this, I'd have played something else back then…" he muttered to himself.
"If it were a Dragon Ball game, I'd be flying across the Grand Line like it's my personal backyard. Go wherever I want, crush anyone who stands in my way!"
Unfortunately, all the games on the console were ones he had played before—and they were all Pokémon games.
Red sighed as his eyes scanned the game titles displayed in his mind:
Let's Go! Pikachu/Eevee
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl
Sword/Shield
Scarlet/Violet
Due to the peculiarities of his transmigration, Red had discovered an unexpected twist: games that were originally released as separate versions were now merged into single, comprehensive titles on his mysterious handheld console.
For example, "Scarlet" and "Violet" had combined into one game, offering all the exclusive content from both versions in a single package. Following this entry in the game list was a mall icon, locked for now, but it promised access to new games once Red completed the last title in the list.
Red had already set his sights on that mall icon, betting his dreams of becoming a Super Saiyan in the One Piece world on unlocking it.
However, despite the perks of merging versions, Red couldn't help but lament his system's limitations.
"Who else would choose Pikachu, throw a Poké Ball, and end up summoning Luffy?!"
The memory still haunted him. On his first dive into the Pokémon world, the adorable Pikachu he was supposed to partner with had been replaced by none other than Luffy. Worse, catching Pokémon didn't work as expected. Every time he captured one, the creature dissolved into a burst of white light, converting into experience points and, occasionally, dropped items.
And so, Red had to rely on Luffy as his sole "Pokémon."
He still hadn't figured out whether this was a bug in his system or some cosmic joke. But one thing was clear: there was no escaping Luffy. If Red moved more than 100 meters away from him in the real world, he'd wake up back in his bed with a message on the console screen: "No Pokémon available for battle."
Thus, their bond as pirate and crewmate—and now "trainer" and "Pokémon"—was forged.
In hindsight, Red considered himself lucky. When he first arrived in this world, it was just after Ace had gone to sea, leaving Luffy alone in Foosha Village. Using his knowledge of the One Piece timeline, Red, an ordinary villager at the time, had managed to forge a strong friendship with the aspiring pirate.
Initially, Red had grand dreams of becoming strong himself. Inspired by Saitama from One Punch Man, he began following the infamous workout:
100 push-ups
100 sit-ups
100 squats
A 10-kilometer run every day
For a college gamer who spent most of his time indoors, it was pure agony. But Red persevered, his determination bolstered by his desire to survive in this dangerous world.
Over time, he felt his body grow stronger. He even bested Foosha Village's strongest man in an arm-wrestling contest. But something about his progress felt… off.
While his strength and endurance improved dramatically, his punches lacked impact. Even with all his effort, a single strike felt as weak as a child's. On the flip side, his vitality and resilience skyrocketed. He discovered he could endure injuries that would incapacitate a normal person: burns, lightning strikes, high falls—all superficial at best. His body healed rapidly, leaving him wondering if he'd somehow unlocked Saitama's immortality perk. (T/N: Those who know)
Unable to explain it, Red chalked it up to a perk of being a transmigrator. Even if he wasn't Saitama, he was confident enough to protect himself in the East Blue.
"Alright, enough reminiscing," Red muttered.
He focused his attention on the game console, turning his consciousness into a pointer. He selected the Let's Go! Pikachu/Eevee icon, and a blinding white light engulfed him and Luffy.
When the light faded, they were no longer on the moonlit sea.
The salty scent of the ocean had been replaced by the fresh, earthy aroma of grass and trees. Around them stretched a lush, vibrant forest, rendered in a soft, cartoonish style. The half-tall grass swayed gently in the breeze, as if welcoming their arrival.
In the distance, faint rustling sounds revealed the presence of familiar creatures. Red's eyes lit up as he recognized them:
Weedle. Caterpie. Oddish.
These Pokémon, once confined to fantasy, now moved through the forest as if they truly belonged there. Each followed its own pattern, oblivious to the newcomers in their midst.
This is… the Pokémon world.
He glanced around, noting that they had arrived at the save point from their last session: Viridian Forest.