Spring turned to autumn, and time flew by like a white steed.
In the blink of an eye, eighteen years had passed.
Tomorrow would be Ash’s eighteenth birthday.
“Thud…”
Ash returned from outside and placed a basket of firewood and berries in the yard before pushing open the door.
“Mom, I’m home!”
Over the past eighteen years, Ash had gradually grown accustomed to his new identity and life.
In his previous life, he had lived in poverty and loneliness.
In this life, he and Hanako had depended on each other.
Unlike the anime, where they rarely seemed to worry about food and daily expenses, Hanako had been unable to build a normal family life after Ash’s mysterious birth.
As a result, the mother and son had very little income.
Fortunately, Pallet Town was a peaceful place, and their expenses were relatively simple.
From a young age, Ash helped with household chores and assisted the townspeople with various tasks in exchange for payment.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough to ease some of Hanako’s burden.
“You’re back, Ash.”
Hanako was busy preparing dinner.
“How about curry tonight?”
“Sounds great!”
Ash walked over and looked into the pot.
“It smells amazing.”
Hanako smiled.
“You always say that.”
“I mean it every time.”
She laughed softly.
“The older you get, the better you become at flattering people.”
“Can’t help it. Mom’s cooking really is good.”
“All right, all right. Go wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Got it!”
Ash returned to his room.
Standing before the mirror, he studied his reflection.
Perhaps because of the strange power he had inherited, he had grown into a remarkably healthy and handsome young man.
Dark, slightly messy hair.
Sharp features.
Clear, deep eyes.
And a physique far stronger than an ordinary person.
Ash couldn’t help smiling.
“Eighteen years already…”
He quietly took out a strangely shaped phone.
It looked almost identical to the Arceus Phone from the game he remembered from his previous life.
This object was actually the physical manifestation of his system.
It had existed inside his consciousness since birth and could be materialized whenever he concentrated.
The countdown displayed on its screen had nearly reached zero.
For eighteen years, Ash had watched that number slowly decrease.
And now—
Only a few moments remained.
His heart began beating faster.
The wait had been incredibly long.
But Ash was grateful.
Grateful that he had been given another chance at life.
Grateful that he had been brought into this familiar yet mysterious world.
And most importantly, grateful that in this life, he had a mother who had raised him with love.
For the past eighteen years, Ash had also been studying his own abilities.
As an experienced Pokémon fan, he quickly realized that the golden ring connected to his power was actually the Thousand Universe Bracelet, the divine artifact associated with Arceus.
He had initially expected himself to possess incredible abilities.
Unfortunately, the legendary Plates were nowhere to be found, and he couldn’t use Judgment either.
Aside from his extraordinary physical abilities, he sometimes wondered whether he had inherited Arceus’s power correctly at all.
“If I really am connected to Arceus…”
Ash looked at the strange phone.
“Then tomorrow should finally give me some answers.”
He glanced toward the window.
“Hmm…”
“They should be deciding which Pokémon to choose now.”
Three names appeared in his mind.
Red.
Green.
Gary.
That’s right.
This world wasn’t an ordinary Pokémon world.
It was a unique world that combined elements from the Pokémon anime, games, and special manga.
When Ash first discovered this, he had been surprised.
But more than anything, he had been excited.
It meant there were countless powerful trainers, Pokémon, and adventures waiting for him.
Unlike Ash, those three childhood rivals were descendants of recognized Trainers.
In this world, the children of certified Trainers could receive a starter Pokémon when they reached adulthood at eighteen.
Those without a recognized Trainer lineage were not automatically qualified.
The League’s reasoning was simple.
Trainers were essentially adventurers.
Without proper training, experience, or guidance, inexperienced people could easily become lost or injured in the wilderness.
The regulation was intended to protect new Trainers while preserving the traditions of the Trainer community.
Of course, no system was perfect.
Over time, the rule had also created a certain social divide.
And because Ash’s origins were unknown, he wasn’t eligible for a starter Pokémon.
That had always bothered him.
Bulbasaur.
Squirtle.
Charmander.
They were all Pokémon he had loved since his previous life.
But Ash hadn’t simply waited around.
Several years earlier, after learning about the League’s regulations, he had begun preparing his own path.
As someone who had already experienced this world through games, anime, and manga in his previous life, Ash knew that many major events would still happen despite the differences between this world and the original stories.
When he was younger, he had even ventured into the nearby mountains alone.
That journey had eventually led him to discover a certain Pokémon.
A small figure flashed through his memory.
Ash smiled.
“You’re going to be important tomorrow.”
“Ash!”
Hanako’s voice came from downstairs.
“Dinner’s ready!”
“Coming!”
Ash returned the Arceus Phone to his consciousness space and headed downstairs.
Hanako had already prepared the curry.
The two sat down together and began eating.
“This is good.”
Ash nodded approvingly.
Hanako smiled.
“You’ve said that three times already.”
“Because it’s true.”
She shook her head with amusement.
After dinner, Hanako accidentally knocked over a bowl while cleaning the table.
“Ah!”
The curry spilled onto the floor.
“Oh no…”
Ash immediately stood up.
“Mom, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Hanako quickly stepped back to avoid the spilled food.
Ash grabbed a cloth and began cleaning the mess.
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“It’s nothing.”
He smiled.
“Besides, you’ve been cooking all day.”
Hanako looked at her son and smiled warmly.
“You’re really becoming dependable.”
Ash paused.
For a moment, he remembered how different his previous life had been.
Back then, he had been completely alone.
Now, he had someone waiting for him when he came home.
Someone who worried about him.
Someone who had watched him grow up.
“Thanks, Mom.”
Hanako blinked.
“For what?”
“For everything.”
She smiled and gently patted his head.
“You’ve grown so much.”
Ash laughed.
“Tomorrow I’ll officially be an adult.”
“You’re still my son.”
“Of course.”
The two finished cleaning up and returned to their usual evening routine.
Later that night, Ash returned to his room.
He materialized the Arceus Phone again.
The countdown had finally reached its end.
Three.
Two.
One.
“Ding!”
The screen suddenly lit up.
“System activation complete.”
Ash’s eyes widened.
At last.
After eighteen years of waiting—
The Dream Fulfillment Peak System had awakened.
A powerful wave of energy surged through his consciousness.
Ash clenched his fists.
“Finally…”
His adventure was about to begin.
Outside the window, the moon shone quietly over Pallet Town.
Tomorrow, he would turn eighteen.
Tomorrow, his new life would truly begin.
And somewhere beyond the mountains, the Pokémon he had been waiting for was already preparing to meet him.
Ash looked toward the night sky.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
“Then let’s begin.”
His journey had finally arrived.