Pain.
Not dull. Not sharp.
Primal.
Like being ripped out of one world and slammed into another.
He gasped, lungs burning as fire filled them for the first time. His eyes blinked against a blinding sun cutting through twisted trees. His whole body throbbed — heavy, strange, tight.
The world felt… wrong. And quiet. Too quiet.
He pushed himself upright, stumbling. His balance was off. Limbs shorter. Hands clawed. Skin—stone gray.
His heart hammered.
He looked down.
Broad chest. Compact arms. Defined muscles packed into a small frame. Three thick, clawed fingers, ridged like stone. Short, powerful legs heavy with coiled strength. His skin gleamed in the sunlight like polished granite.
This wasn't his body.
He forced himself to stand, breathing hard. His center of gravity was lower. Solid. Predatory.
What the hell…?
A shimmer in a nearby pool caught his eye. He moved closer and froze.
A short, powerful figure stared back. Reptilian features. Red eyes glowing with feral intensity — but behind them… still human.
Machop.
The word struck him like a memory from his past life. He was a professional fighter and as a kid he really loved the Pokemon show, specially the best fighting type pokemon Machamp.
And now he was one ....Machop. A fighting-type Pokémon.
But how?
The last thing he remembered—
The ring.
Sweat. Blood.
That final punch. A flash of white.
Death.
But this wasn't the afterlife. This was too real. The smell of earth. The warmth of the sun. The wind through the grass. Everything was vivid. Raw. Alive.
A sudden rustle made him turn sharply. His muscles tensed instinctively.
Something darted through the underbrush — small, quick, squeaking. Purple fur, long curling tail, buck teeth gnawing at a fallen berry. It froze when it saw him, whiskers twitching, before bolting back into the bushes.
He stared after it, stunned for a heartbeat.
A Rattata.
Not just an animal. A Pokémon.
His stomach tightened. This wasn't some strange jungle or hallucination.
This was a new world entirely.
The forest stretched endlessly, tall twisted trees looming like ancient pillars. Vines dangled from above, swaying gently in the wind. The air was thick, damp with moss and heavy with the scent of unseen creatures. Somewhere far off, something shrieked.
He crouched, pressing his palm into the dirt. His fighter's instinct kicked in immediately. Always know your ground. Always know your body.
And this body?
He rolled his shoulders, punched the air a few times — slow, then faster. His strikes were unrefined, clunky, but raw power surged in every movement.
A tree stood nearby — thick trunk, rough bark.
He stepped closer, planted his feet, and punched.
CRACK!
The bark shattered under his fist, chunks of wood flying off. His knuckles stung, but the pain felt good. Familiar.
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Right," he muttered, testing his voice. Or at least, he tried to.
"I'm Nova," he said firmly.
Or that's what he thought he said.
What actually came out was:
"Maa! Machop! Machop!"
He froze.
"…Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."
He cleared his throat, tried again, pointing at himself. "No-va!"
"Machop! Maaachop!"
He smacked his forehead with his palm, groaning. 'Great. I sound like a squeaky toy on steroids…'
Suddenly, a soft ding echoed in his head.
{
[SYSTEM DETECTED REQUESTED DESIGNATION]
Name updated: [Nova]
}
A translucent panel shimmered into existence in front of him, floating like a hologram.
Nova stared at it, jaw tightening.
A system. A real system.
Not only was he reborn in a Pokémon world, but he had a goddamn cheat built in.
"…Well, at least you understand me," Nova muttered, crossing his arms.
----
[STATUS]
Name: Nova
Species: Machop ♂
Level: 5
Type: Fighting
Nature: Adamant (Attack ↑, Sp. Atk ↓)
Ability: Guts (Boosts Attack if inflicted with a status condition)
Held Item: None
Base Stats | Current Stats
HP: 42 / 42
Attack: 21
Defense: 15
Sp. Atk: 8
Sp. Def: 11
Speed: 14
---
Experience: 0 / 156 (Next Level)
Known Moves:
•Pound
Egg Moves:
•Cut
•Bullet punch
•Fire punch
•Quick Guard
•Close Combat
---
Another ding blinked at the bottom of the panel.
---
> [Tutorial Quest: Prove Your Instincts]
Hunt and defeat 3 wild Pokémon using only physical attacks.
| REWARDS:-
Exp depended on wild pokemon levels
Random reward 🎁
---
He clenched his fist, heart pounding with anticipation.
This was it.
His new life. His new chance.
Not just to survive.
But to become what he had always dreamed of —
the strongest.
He straightened, rolling his shoulders as the wind swept through the forest.
Three wild Pokémon? Easy.
He grinned, baring sharp teeth
Then his stomach growled. Loudly.
"...Great. Reborn in a new world, and I'm still hungry," he muttered.
He scanned the ground and spotted a small bush with round blue berries, glistening in the sunlight. He sniffed them cautiously — sweet, tangy, edible. At least, his new instincts didn't scream poison.
"Guess I don't exactly have a choice."
He crouched, grabbed a handful, and shoved them into his mouth. The taste was sour at first, then slightly sweet. Juice dripped down his chin as he chewed.
He sat for a moment, eating in silence, staring into the forest.
This wasn't a dream. This was survival.
When the last berry was gone, he wiped his mouth with the back of his clawed hand, exhaled, and stood again.
"Alright. Now we hunt."