Let you make a game, what the hell is Pokemon?.

Chapter 194 Ah Xiang
While Ling Feng was creating the sequel to the battle of the two gods, at the same time, in an unnamed small city in the Sinnoh region,

The afternoon sun shone warmly into the deserted stairwell of the apartment building.

Light and shadow were cut into the cement steps, and a black-haired youth walked slowly, step by step, as if each step required a lot of effort.

In the hallway, only his own footsteps and the faint calls of Pokémon coming from afar outside the window could be heard.

"Hey, Xiang, you're back?"

A gentle yet surprised female voice broke the silence from above.

Ah Xiang looked up and saw Mrs. Matsumoto, who lived next door, standing at the door with a black garbage bag in her hand, her face bearing her usual concerned smile. There were still some oil stains on her apron, as if she had just finished working in the kitchen.

“Yes, Aunt Matsumoto,” A responded, his voice a little hoarse. He tried to force a smile in response to the friendliness, but his lips only twitched slightly, and he ultimately couldn’t manage a smile.
"Perfect timing!" Mrs. Matsumoto seemed oblivious to his reluctance, greeting him warmly and casually placing the trash bag by the door. "I cooked a huge pot of ribs today, simmering them over low heat for almost two hours until the meat is tender and flavorful! You must come over for dinner tonight! Mika has been talking about it ever since she got home from school, saying she hasn't eaten with Brother Xiang in ages and insisting I save the biggest piece for you."

That invitation, brimming with the warmth of everyday life, was like a gentle current.

He could indeed smell the warm aroma of soy sauce and meat wafting from the crack of the Matsumoto family's half-open door, a scent that made his empty stomach twitch slightly.

But another image immediately flashed into his mind—the house used to be filled with the aroma of food, his mother busy in the kitchen, and his father would urge him to wash his hands and get ready to eat with a smile—that image was so warm that it seemed particularly jarring in contrast to his current loneliness.

“Thank you, Auntie, but…” Hibiki avoided Mrs. Matsumoto’s expectant gaze, his eyes falling on the stair railing where a thin layer of dust had accumulated. “I have something important to do later, so I might… miss it.”

He spoke vaguely, but the words "important things" were enunciated with a sharp, forceful emphasis.

Mrs. Matsumoto's smile faded slightly as she carefully examined the boy's expression and tightly pursed lips, a hint of heartache flashing in her smiling eyes.

She sighed softly, wiped her hands with her apron, walked down a few steps, approached Ah Xiang, and softened her voice even more:
"Ah Xiang, when I went to the community center to submit my documents today... I overheard the staff mention something." She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully, "They said you had an appointment this afternoon to... cancel your trainer license? Child, is this... really not going to reconsider?"

Ah Xiang's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

Mrs. Matsumoto continued, her voice filled with regret: "When your parents were still alive, they couldn't hide their pride whenever they talked about you. Your father always said that our Hibiki was a natural-born trainer, and his understanding and affinity for Pokémon were much stronger than his when he was young! Your mother also often said that when you officially debuted, you would definitely become an amazing trainer, even better than both of them... We all believed that."

The word "trainer" is nothing out of the ordinary under normal circumstances, but at this moment, it pierced the depths of Hibiki's heart.

A sharp pain flashed through his eyes, causing his pupils to contract sharply and his vision to blur for a moment.

He suddenly lowered his head, burying his face almost entirely in his collar, not daring to let Aunt Matsumoto see the pain and struggle on his face at that moment.

Mrs. Matsumoto seemed to keenly sense the boy's sudden emotional shift. She immediately stopped talking, a look of regret on her face, and quickly said, "Oh dear, look at me, I couldn't help but talk too much again, always bringing up things that make you sad... Auntie didn't mean anything by it, really, I just think... it's such a waste of your talent..."

She reached out to pat Ah Xiang's shoulder, but seeing the boy's tense body, her hand stopped in mid-air and she gently patted her own forehead instead.

"Xiang, Auntie knows you're suffering." Her voice softened, full of understanding. "But whatever you decide to do in the end, whether you continue on this path or take a different one, Auntie will support you. Remember, you're not alone. We, your neighbors, are all here for you. If anything happens, you can come to me anytime. Don't try to bear everything alone, okay? You're still just a child."

"Um... I understand, thank you, Auntie." Ah Xiang's voice was very low, as if something was blocking his throat, and he couldn't say anything more.

He was afraid that if he lingered for even a second longer, his feigned composure would completely crumble, so he hurriedly nodded, almost awkwardly pulled out his key, inserted it into the lock, and turned the key to open the door.

"Then... I'll head back now."

"Okay, okay, you go ahead with your work." Mrs. Matsumoto quickly replied, her tone full of reassurance. "I've saved some ribs for you in the pot, keeping them warm over low heat! If you get hungry when you get home tonight, feel free to come over and eat anytime, don't be shy!"

"boom."

The door closed gently, completely shutting out the warmth and care from outside, carrying the aroma of food and the comforts of everyday life.

The room fell into a deathly silence, a stark contrast to the vibrant world outside.

The afternoon sun shone through the window, casting a few dappled patterns on the floor, but he still felt very cold.

In the living room, a robust fire-breathing dragon covered in orange-red scales was dozing on an old cushion in the center of the room. The flame at the tip of its thick tail burned steadily, making a soft crackling sound.

Hearing the familiar sound of the door opening, it immediately raised its head alertly. Its gentle amber eyes, upon seeing Ah Xiang, exhaled a breath through its nose and nodded slightly, as if this was its usual way of greeting.
"I'm back... Charizard." Ah Xiang squatted down and picked up a cushion, which still faintly smelled of the kind of Pokémon food that his father often used.

Only in front of the last member of this family could he shed all pretense and reveal a trace of true weariness and vulnerability.

Charizard, this is the Pokémon left by his father, proof that his parents existed, and now his only family and only bond.

He stood quietly for a while, then stood up and walked to the cabinet in the corner of the living room.

Above the cabinet, two carefully wiped black-and-white photographs are placed side by side. The couple in the photos have bright smiles and lively eyes; although they are nearing middle age, they look very youthful.

Those were his parents, both of whom were once well-known gym leader-level trainers in the city—passionate, powerful, and helpful.

Ah Xiang skillfully picked up three sticks of incense, lit them with a lighter, watched the wisps of smoke rise, and then solemnly placed them into the small ceramic incense burner in front of the photograph. A faint sandalwood scent filled the air, carrying a melancholy atmosphere.

"Dad, Mom," he said, looking at the photo as if reporting on his recent situation, or perhaps muttering to himself, his voice unusually clear in the empty room, "I...I've made up my mind."

He paused for a moment, as if he needed to prepare himself before he could say what he was going to say next.

“Trainer or whatever… forget it.” His voice lowered. “I don’t want to… I really don’t want to repeat the path you all went down. Risking your lives to save people, for the sake of so-called 'responsibility'… and in the end, even you…”

He couldn't finish his sentence and could no longer continue.

What came to mind was that chaotic afternoon many years ago, shrouded in despair. A frenzied tide of elves surged forth from a secret realm near the city, sweeping across the entire town.

The parents, who were volunteers, rushed to the most dangerous place without hesitation to evacuate the crowd and stop the rampaging Pokémon.

They succeeded and saved many people, including him, who was trembling in the basement at the time.

But they themselves never returned.

All that was left for him was this empty house and his father's beloved partner—the badly injured Charizard.

Ah Xiang never wants to experience the pain of losing everything, or the fear and confusion of being abandoned alone, again.

He once wanted to become a trainer, but that incident made him realize that great power means responsibility, and becoming a trainer means taking on that responsibility.

He was afraid, afraid that one day he would disappear like his parents, leaving those who cared about him to suffer.

Although it seems that such people no longer exist...
He stared silently at his parents' frozen smiles in the photo until nearly a third of the incense stick had burned, leaving a trail of white ash.

“Don’t worry,” he said, raising his voice slightly as if to reassure his parents in the photo and to reaffirm his own resolve. “Even if I don’t become a trainer, I can find other ways out. I heard… I heard that the new Pokémon breeding center in the west of the city is hiring assistants to help take care of Pokémon eggs and baby Pokémon. Perhaps… that kind of peaceful life is quite nice.”

At least that way there will be no risk of loss, no more despair of watching someone important leave while being powerless to stop it.

He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the sandalwood scent and heavy memories deep within his heart, then resolutely turned around and patted the fire-breathing dragon that was quietly keeping him company.

"Come on, old friend. Come with me to the community center. Let's get the paperwork done, and then...we'll live a simple, peaceful life."

Before leaving, he picked up a small cloth bag from the table, took a deep breath, opened it, and revealed two items inside.

It is like a glass ball, with a spiral structure inside, and a dazzling, rainbow-like round stone.

He acquired these two items suddenly today because he played a game.

The game claimed to allow him to experience the life of a trainer. Although he had lost faith and hope in becoming a trainer in reality, when he saw the game, he thought that perhaps this game could at least allow him to experience it virtually, which would be good.

Unexpectedly, after downloading the game and completing the tutorial last night, I received a strange gift this morning.

—This game actually sent out a reward to the real world, saying it was a lucky prize drawn from players, which is these two stones in front of me.

According to the prompt that appeared before me, these seem to be "mega stones" and "key stones"?
Ah Xiang didn't know what this thing was for. After a brief moment of surprise, he went online and learned that this game called Emerald could actually give out rewards to players in the real world, and the rewards were all powerful items that could improve the strength of Pokémon.

Upon hearing the news, he couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly.

Unfortunately, I've already decided not to become a trainer anymore. I'll see if I can find a way to sell these two items to people who can actually use them.

At that moment, he took out the somewhat worn red and white Poké Ball and gently pressed the button in the middle. A beam of red light shot out, enveloping Charizard. Charizard let out a low growl, seemingly puzzled, but still returned to the ball.

Ah Xiang gripped the Poké Ball tightly, as if holding onto a piece of the past that was about to be forcibly severed.

He walked to the door, grasped the cold metal doorknob, took a deep breath, and twisted it open forcefully.

Stepping out of the apartment building, the afternoon sun was a bit too bright.

At this time, the streets were bustling with pedestrians, and everything seemed so normal and peaceful, completely different from the turmoil in his heart.

He walked briskly along the sidewalk with his head down, wanting only to get to the community center as soon as possible and end it all.

Just then, a burst of cheerful laughter and noise reached his ears.

He subconsciously looked up and saw a group of teenagers who looked to be about his age gathered together in a small park on the street corner not far away. They were accompanied by several lively Pokémon—a Magnemite floating around, a Bulbasaur looking around curiously, and a Pidgey circling in the air.

They seemed to be excitedly exchanging their battle experiences, their faces beaming with anticipation for the future and undisguised excitement.

"My goal is to become a Dragon Master like Mr. Wataru!"

"Tch, that's clearly a Pidgey, a Flying-type, okay? Besides, Dragon-types are too hard to train! I still think Water-type Pokémon are the coolest!"

"How dare you say that! Your Pokémon is also an Electric-type!"

"Stop arguing. I'm telling you, we're starting our trip next month. Aren't you excited?"

"Of course! I've been waiting for ages!"

These words made Ah Xiang stop in his tracks.

Once upon a time, he, like them, harbored the dream of becoming a powerful trainer, and together with his parents, he envisioned future adventures. His fingers unconsciously rubbed against another empty Poké Ball in his pocket.

But soon, he shook his head slightly and prepared to leave.

But at that moment, he suddenly felt that the sky above his head... seemed to have darkened?

He raised his head subconsciously.

However, the next moment, when he saw the scene before him clearly, a trace of fear suddenly flashed deep in his eyes!
—What is that?!
(End of this chapter)