The First Step to Greatness

A man, desperate and out of breath, runs through a maze of alleyways as he tries to escape from his pursuers. He turns a corner only to find himself face-to-face with an imposing figure blocking his path. The man's heart froze as he realized there was nowhere left to go.

"...It ends now, Arthur." The figure says in a low voice.

Yes, Arthur…. It was the man's name.

Arthur takes a deep breath and responds nonchalantly, "I guess so?" His eyes dart around the alleyway looking for any chance of escape or help that might come his way. But, there's nothing that comes into view.

"Got any last word?" The figure asks mockingly while raising their gun at him. It isn't really a question but more like an invitation for Arthur to say something before meeting his end.

Knowing that there wouldn't be a chance to escape. Arthur smirks and points his finger at the figure, "Do you think if that Art School accepted Hitler, there wouldn't have been a World War 2 before?"

The figure stops for a moment, taken aback by the man's question. He stares at him blankly before letting out an exasperated sigh and saying, "Ah fuck man, just die."

Without hesitation or remorse, he pulls the trigger. The gunshot echoes through the alleyway as blood spurts from Arthur's chest wound. He coughs up some blood while looking straight into his killer's eyes with a hint of amusement on his face.

"Heh~ Thought so," he chuckles weakly as he feels himself growing weaker by the second due to loss of blood. "By the way... did I say I planted a bomb near my heart? Good luck with that explosion."

*BBBBBBOOOOOMMMMMMM*

[…]

(Arthur POV)

As I awoke, my vision was a blur, and my body felt sluggish, refusing to obey my commands. Panic set in when I realized my body felt smaller than I remembered.

Then, the truth dawned on me.

I'm a baby.

"Babuga"('Fuck me') I cursed, realizing the predicament I was in.

And so, my hellish journey began.

[...]

(9 Years Later)

Nine years have flown by since my reincarnation. Initially disoriented, I eventually settled into this new life. It's remarkable how adaptable humans are.

But being reborn in a world filled with monsters —Pokémon, to be exact —still feels strange. Initially, their realistic appearance gave me chills, though I eventually grew accustomed to them.

I vividly recall freezing in shock the first time I encountered a Meowth as a toddler.

I believe I'm in the anime version of the Pokémon world, or at least I hope so. Those descriptions of Pokémon in the games are utterly terrifying. No, it was beyond a nightmare that I don't want to touch.

I don't want to be there.

Not one bit.

Nada.

Nein.

No fucking way.

"Heyyy~ Red!!!" A high-pitched voice called out, and I turned to see my neighbor Satoshi, known as Ash, running toward me.

"Ash, how many times have I told you not to shout when I'm around?" I sighed, feeling my annoyance rise. This kid's voice could rival an Exploud's.

"To not do it?" He replied, rubbing the back of his neck, looking puzzled.

"And what did you just do?" I asked with a wry smile.

"I called you? But I didn't shout!!" His defense was feeble; that was definitely a shout. If that was not it then, I wanted to know what kind of shout he was thinking.

"Whatever. So, what's up?" I asked, massaging my temple. I couldn't really scold this guy for various reasons, one being that I'm an adult (at least in my mind).

"Hehe, there's a new Poke-Arcade near the school. Wanna go? Blue and Green are coming too," Ash said, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

Blue is Garry's nickname, while Green is Leafa's or Leaf's nickname. Speaking of Leaf, she's the reason I'm not sure if I'm in the anime version of Pokémon. As far as I remember, she was only in the games and manga. I haven't read any Pokémon manga before, so I'm not entirely sure.

"I can't go today, I'm swamped with the assignment the professor gave me," I declined Ash's invitation, not because I didn't enjoy their company, but because I genuinely had a lot on my plate.

Although Professor Oak existed in this world, he was old —so old that some of his accomplishments from the anime were unheard of here. Or flat out just don't exist in this world.

Did you know they didn't even know how to evolve a Growlithe or a Nidorino here? It was freaking hilarious if you ask me. The knowledge gap is too vast.

Either way, Professor Oak was still renowned worldwide for creating the Pokédex, inventing new types of Poké Balls, discovering Eevee's evolutions, and pioneering research in the Pokémon world. So, it was no biggie.

Anyway

I wasn't sure what had changed in this world, but I wasn't about to pass up an opportunity for easy success. So, at the age of five, I applied as an assistant intern at his lab, becoming the youngest applicant.

Naturally, doubt clouded the old professor's face. However, I proved my worth by presenting a theory about Eevee's undiscovered evolutions.

It took me a year to craft the theory because some of the evolution mechanics for Eevee were nonsensical. Like bonding with your Eevee from 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM to get an Umbreon —what kind of ridiculous requirement was that? Professor Oak would have likely reprimanded me if I'd written such things. So, I attributed everything to the vague concept of "Bond" and included these strange conditions. After all, to get a Sylveon, Eevee does require a strong bond and a Fairy-type move for its evolution, right?

After reviewing my theories, Professor Oak accepted me gladly, not just as an assistant but as his student —the first and perhaps the last, unless Garry decides to follow in his grandpa's footsteps, which I believe he did in the anime.

Now, I'm renowned throughout the Pokémon world as the youngest professor.

My theories on Eeveelutions were proven correct, catapulting me to the status of the Pokémon Researching World's rising star. If only one theory had been validated in my thesis, I might have been granted a junior title or simple recognition, not the prestigious title of 'Professor.'

I'm grateful for all those hours spent playing the games; they were truly worth it. (Although I do wish I had watched all the anime episodes and read some of the manga, sadly, I did not.)

"Anyway, I really feel bad for those applicants in my batch."

"What batch?" I was surprised to hear Ash's voice again. Was he still here?

"Nothing, Ash. Anyway, as I mentioned, I won't be able to go. Please let Blue and Green know," I said with a smile. "I'll treat everyone next time."

"Ohh! That's a promise then." Ash beamed before darting down the lane. I couldn't help but laugh at how innocent he could be.

[...]

*Chaarrrrr*

My PokéNav rang, jolting me awake from my sprawled-out position on the bed, looking like I'd been murdered in my sleep.

"Hnn~?" I let out a loud yawn and sat up. "What time is it?"

Checking my PokéNav, I groaned, "Geh? It's already 10:00 am. Looks like all those sleepless nights are catching up with me."

"Hmm?" I noticed a red dot indicating a message on the screen. "Oh, it's Serena." I quickly typed a reply and hit send.

Serena: [Hey, good morning! How's your day, Red? :D] (Sent at 8:00 am)

Red: [Oh, good morning to you too, Serena. Truthfully, I just woke up.] (Sent just now)

*Ding*

Wow, that was fast.

Serena: [Ehhh? Are you not sleeping again? That's not good for your health, you know? 3:/] (Sent just now)

Red: [Hahaha, well… I've been busy since last week... But I'll take a rest in a few days. So don't worry.] (Sent just now)

Serena: [That's …] (Sent just now)

Serena, she's quite a girl if you ask me. When I was seven, I found her crying in the middle of the forest during a Pokémon camp organized by Professor Oak. Being mature for my age, I approached her and asked what was wrong, offering my help.

Looking back, it feels like a scene straight out of a anime, with a childhood character appearing at just the right moment. But, I suppose I'm just imagining things. After all, Ash doesn't have a similar storyline in the anime... I hope so.

After that day, Serena and I became fast friends. She even stayed at my house for a few days after the incident, solidifying our friendship.

She's quite clingy too.

Red: [Anyway, I'll continue my work as I only need to do some finishing touches for it to be done. I'll call you after that. Bye Serena!] (Sent just now)

Serena: [I see, then call me when you are done, okay? I'll wait for it. Bye Red! :D] (Sent just now)

[...]

"... And that concludes my presentation on how an Onix can evolve into a Steelix." I stood before a crowd of Pokémon assistants at Professor Oak's lab, the event broadcast live for the entire Pokémon research world to witness.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Professor Oak exclaimed loudly, his face beaming with pride. "As expected of my student."

I modestly bowed, playing along with the expected manners. "Thank you, Professor. None of this would have been possible without your support and allowing me to use your Onix in the experiment."

The professor chuckled heartily, patting my shoulder. "You're too humble, my favorite student." He paused, then added with a grin, "But thanks to you, my Onix… no Steelix is much happier now. It always envied other Pokémon's evolution, you know?"

I couldn't help but smile wryly at his comment. Despite his age, he was still witty as ever. "I'm your only student, Professor Oak."

"Haha, really?" He laughed, then continued more seriously, "But on a more serious note, with this research, no one can deny your status as a legitimate professor in the Pokémon researching world."

I nodded, acknowledging the truth in his words. Despite having earned my professorship after submitting my paper on Eeveelutions, there were people that were still pessimists of me. However, with this new research, my place in the world of Pokémon research was now firmly established.

Professor Oak and I continued our conversation, delving into other topics.

Suddenly, a soothing voice interrupted us.

"Congratulations to you, Red."

I turned around quickly and found myself face to face with a stunning woman. Her bountiful curves and long brown hair tied into a ponytail gave her a youthful look. She exuded an undeniable aura of sexiness —it was Delia Ketchum, Ash's mother.

[Image]

"Oh, hello, Delia," Professor Oak greeted her with a smile, then turned to me with a smirk. "I need to discuss something with another professor online, so forgive me. I'll need to take my leave. Arata, would you mind accompanying our guest?"

Ah, yes, Arata —Akabane Arata, to be exact. That was my new name in this world.

"Of course, Professor," I replied with a smile, ignoring his knowing look that seemed to say, 'I know you're fond of her.' Sadly, he was slightly off the mark with his assumption.

"Ufufufu, was Professor Oak being tough on you again, Arata?" Delia moved closer, her laughter graceful and teasing.

"No, that's just our usual banter," I replied, downplaying the interaction. My relationship with Professor Oak was more like that of a father and son.

"I see, so I guess you don't need your 'relief' for today, huh~?" Her voice turned sultry as she whispered in my ear, her touch tracing the outlines of my abs beneath my lab coat.

When I said Professor Oak was slightly off the mark, I meant it. It wasn't just a small crush or liking —Delia and I were already involved in some form of a romantic relationship. She was an amazing woman, completely my type.

In the Pokémon world, human biology works a bit differently than in my previous life. Here, people mature at a much faster rate. Despite being only nine years old, I already have the body build of a 16 to 17 year old from my past life. It's a unique aspect of this world where, at nine, I'm already considered one step away from adulthood. Legally and Physically.

It was mind blowing.

"No, I've been quite stressed for the past week... so I really needed it." I then quickly grabbed her ass and squeezed it. 'Damn, it's so perky.' I glanced around and noticed that no one else was present. So, I grabbed Delia's hand and led her to my room

…

As I lean in closer, my lips meet hers in a soft, gentle kiss. Her hands find their way to my shoulder, pulling me even closer as our mouths explore each other's warmth. While my hands were on her hips as I pinch her supple ass.

"Hnnng~" Her moans were so erotic.

The room fades away as we lose ourselves in the moment, our hearts racing and bodies pressed tightly together.

We move towards the bed where she continues to kiss me passionately, her tongue dancing against mine playfully. My hands roam freely over her body; touching every inch of skin that they can reach while she does the same to me.

After a few moments, we stopped kissing and just looked at each other lovingly. She then jumped out of the bed and let me sit alone on the edge of the bed.

Delia then kneels down in front of me, her hands slowly slide down my chest until they reach my pants. She looks up at me with a mischievous glint in her eye before giving a playful smile.

"Ready for this?" she asks teasingly, her voice low and seductive. I nod eagerly, unable to speak due to the anticipation coursing through my veins.

Without hesitation, she undoes my zipper and reaches inside to free my hardened cock from its confines. Her warm hands wrap around it gently as she begins to stroke it up and down; teasing me of what's to come next. I watch in anticipation as she takes me into her mouth, sucking on the head gently before taking more of me inside her mouth.

[Image]