Everyone Else Awakened, But I Just Opened a Pokémon Pet Shop

[Blueprint for Pokémon Adventure Outpost ×1 acquired. Please construct at designated nodes. Nodes are protected under system rules.]

[Nurse Joy will be provided once node construction is completed. Each Joy arrives with one Pokémon.]

[Nurse Joys will not reveal any information about the Pokémon world to locals and will automatically be aware of this world's current status.]

[Host's mission completion rating: Perfect. Reward granted: Fire-type Ability!]

[Host has obtained a fully-trained Charizard. Please claim it from your Pokédex.]

[Due to exceptional mission performance, host has earned one Mythical Pokémon draw attempt. Claimable via Pokédex.]

[Pokémon Center Upgrade Project unlocked: TM Machine, Pokémon Trade Machine. These upgrades will also be available at the Adventure Outpost.]

[TM Machine uses Breeding Points to roll TMs—500 points per draw, randomized.]

[As the Pokémon Center owner, you receive one free daily TM draw.]

[New Main Quest: Explore the New World]

[The arrival of Pokémon has fundamentally transformed the Haicheng region and brought forth brand-new challenges.]

[Trainers are tasked with exploring the region and achieving the following goals:]

1. Reach 80% Exploration Rate. This increases as Trainers venture into unknown areas, capture Pokémon, and uncover new regions.

2. Locate unclaimed items in the area: TMs, Berries, Apricorn Balls, and other materials. Picking up items also increases Exploration Rate.

3. Through any means necessary, earn the recognition of one Kanto Tier-1 Legendary, or two Tier-2 Legendaries or Mythical Pokémon.

(Note: Recognition does not require capture.)

4. As the Pokémon Center owner, you may assist—but your actions do not contribute to Exploration Rate.

5. Trainer Exploration Rankings will be shown in real-time in the Pokédex. Top 5 Trainers will receive mysterious rewards.

A flood of system messages rang in Su Bai's ears like a chorus of heavenly bells.

The system was being unbelievably generous!

Fire-type powers—the most destructive of all Pokémon abilities—were finally his. Su Bai no longer had to brawl barehanded with feral beasts.

His Grass-type powers had mostly served to bind or hinder enemies—not harm them outright.

But now… he finally had a legitimate offensive toolkit!

Even so, what really made Su Bai's heart race were the other rewards.

Charizard.

Sure, Piplup topped the popularity polls, but that was mostly thanks to its round, adorable penguin look.

Charizard, though?

Charizard was in a league of its own. Not only did it have looks, but it had power—a true icon of the franchise.

It was practically treated like the developers' favorite child, showered with endless perks.

Outside of Mewtwo, Charizard was the only Pokémon with two distinct Mega Evolutions.

In the games, it was a versatile powerhouse—Charizard X could run Dragon Dance builds and Belly Drum with a Sitrus Berry. Charizard Y? Instant sun setup. Whether in doubles or singles, it was always a top-tier threat.

Its movepool coverage was outrageous.

And in the anime? It was even more ridiculous.

Ash's Charizard might as well have been more of a protagonist than Pikachu.

Its battle record was incredible—it could go toe-to-toe with Legendaries and not falter. It even beat an Articuno to a pulp.

That kind of feat was unheard of among starter Pokémon.

In every Pokémon fan's heart, Charizard had an irreplaceable place.

Even if it wasn't a Mythical, its status was never in doubt.

And to top it off, he'd also gotten a chance to draw a Mythical Pokémon!

Right now, Su Bai's greatest urge was to rush back to the Pokémon Center, pull out his Pokédex, and smash that summon button.

But unfortunately… this wasn't the time.

The system's new Main Quest was another full-scale mobilization event.

The Exploration Quest would be led by the city's Trainers.

And according to the system's prompt, while Su Bai could help, his efforts wouldn't count toward Exploration Rate.

In other words: no cheating.

So there was no point in Su Bai stealing exploration achievements from the actual Trainers.

After all, the system always gave out generous rewards. Those who participated in exploration would surely gain a lot in return.

As for Su Bai?

Between the current and soon-to-arrive Mythical Pokémon, he already had three.

His Charizard had just been delivered, and he still had Rotom and Ditto—his need for more Pokémon wasn't pressing.

Of course, he still planned to head out and take a look.

He was deeply curious to observe how the Pokémon ecosystem was developing.

Besides the exploration mission, what excited Su Bai the most… was that Technical Machines (TMs) were finally here.

With TMs in play, Trainers could now greatly expand their battle tactics.

Su Bai imagined all sorts of strategies he had used in the games—now being recreated in this world in brand-new ways.

He couldn't wait to see it happen!

But even with all these exciting developments, one particular surprise shocked him most of all—

Nurse Joy.

A staple in every generation of Pokémon games, Nurse Joy had always held a special role.

Whether in games or anime, Joys had always been iconic.

Every Pokémon Center had a Joy—graceful, warm, and endlessly professional—offering healing to all who passed through.

And now, they would appear in this world too.

In the anime, only Brock ever seemed able to distinguish one Joy from another. Su Bai couldn't help but wonder—would someone in this world have Brock's "talent"?

Reward after reward slammed into Su Bai's consciousness, leaving him dazed.

Until City Lord Zhu Jianyuan noticed something was off.

He clapped Su Bai on the shoulder, snapping him out of his stunned state.

Then came pure, uncontainable excitement.

Before the confused Zhu Jianyuan could even ask what was wrong, Su Bai pulled him close.

He began whispering rapidly into his ear.

Ten minutes later…

With a strange and shocked expression on his face, Zhu Jianyuan issued new orders from the City Lord's Hall.

The City Lord's decree was simple:

For the next three days, no one was allowed to leave the city.

The official explanation was that going outside might interfere with the Pokémon's arrival.

But in truth, Su Bai was worried.

Before the nodes were properly built, some people might get too excited and end up injured by already-descended Pokémon.

Whether or not people were outside didn't actually affect the descent process.

Once again, the Ding Corporation sprang into action.

Any and all awakened individuals with Earth or Wood-type powers were mobilized—not a single one idle. Every last one joined in constructing the new system nodes.

As for Su Bai—he returned to the Pokémon Center with the Trainers.

The path forward was now very clear.

As tempting as TM machines and other upgrades were…

The most important thing—was drawing a new Pokémon.

With trembling anticipation—and under the watchful eyes of Wang Tao and the others—Su Bai took out the mystical Pokédex.

It was time.