In the Dragon Clan of Blackthorn City, Johto region.
This is one of the most renowned noble families in the region, famous for their mastery over the power of dragons. With a long history and control over the Dragon's Den, the Dragon Clan has never declined. They have consistently held the position of Gym Leader in Blackthorn City. However...
That's all there is to it.
In recent years, though it hasn't been explicitly stated, the Dragon Clan has indeed gone too long without producing a prodigy who could lead the clan to greater heights. This has caused considerable concern for the clan's leader and the elders.
But there is one person who stands apart.
Night. The stars twinkle, and a crescent moon adorns the night sky, casting a cold, silvery light over the land.
"Still no mention of Lance... but it should be soon," murmured a delicate-looking white-haired boy sitting on a soft chair in the luxurious backyard of the Dragon Clan's mansion. He put down the Pokémon book he was holding and whispered to himself.
His current name is Ryuu Shiro, and he is a transmigrator who has been in this world for exactly eight years. However, this world is slightly different from the one he remembers—specifically, the timeline is different!
Among the current Kanto Elite Four, apart from Agatha, the others are unfamiliar to Ryuu Shiro. Especially the man who commands dragons—he has yet to rise to the pinnacle of Kanto!
"If Clair is here, there's no reason Lance shouldn't exist, but the Dragon Clan's records don't mention him..."
"Then without a doubt, he must have been born in Viridian Forest and will challenge the League in the next few years, right?"
Ryuu Shiro's clear red eyes pondered deeply. He is a direct descendant of the Dragon Clan, but after scouring the clan's genealogy, he couldn't find that familiar name.
Yes, that red-haired dragon master from the original story who stood at the top of Kanto—Lance, the Dragonite rider!
If he wasn't born into the Dragon Clan, then it's likely Lance was born in Viridian Forest!
"Still ten years to go... seriously, why is it different from the TV series?" Ryuu Shiro muttered, seemingly complaining, but a smile that didn't match his youthful appearance crept onto his face.
What does Lance from Viridian Forest represent?
Every ten or so years, special children are born in Viridian Forest, receiving its gifts and blessings. This special power allows them to communicate with Pokémon, heal their injuries, and gain the affection of wild Pokémon.
The Viridian Power!
Yes, it's the Viridian Power, and Lance, born in Viridian Forest, was the last chosen one. Before Lance, the chosen one was none other than Giovanni, who was also favored by Viridian Forest.
This is the setting from the Pokémon Adventures, and the third chosen one is Yellow from the Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow series. But right now, Yellow is probably just a few years old.
"If it's the Special manga, then this is going to be really interesting," Ryuu Shiro said softly, flexing his fingers, his clear red eyes sparkling with light.
Compared to the more child-oriented TV series, the Special manga is far more realistic and brutal. And the Lance from the Special manga...
He's completely different from the mature and righteous dragon master from the games and anime.
"Better focus on training my Pokémon. Becoming stronger is the only way to make this rebirth worthwhile."
Putting the book down, Ryuu Shiro lay back on the soft chair, smiling as he gazed at the beautiful night sky.
Cherishing this hard-earned rebirth, Ryuu Shiro hasn't wasted a single day. As a direct descendant of the Dragon Clan and a child prodigy, he is highly valued by the clan. Almost all the elders see him as the hope of the Dragon Clan.
They even agreed to his request for a highly talented Dragon-type Pokémon at such a young age!
"Time to head back and rest. Tomorrow, I'll start planning the training regimen for the little guy... Wait, what?"
After resting for a while, Ryuu Shiro stood up to return to his room. But just then...
"Screech~"
A piercing cry rang out in Ryuu Shiro's ears, accompanied by an incredibly strong gust of wind.
"???"
Ryuu Shiro was stunned. Before he could react, his body was suddenly grabbed by a massive claw. The suddenness of the situation left the young Ryuu Shiro dizzy and disoriented.
"What the hell?"
When Ryuu Shiro regained his senses, his red eyes scanned the surroundings, only to find himself in the vast night sky. His face froze.
He was currently being carried by a giant bird-like Pokémon, flying toward some unknown destination...
And, most importantly...
The shimmering, multicolored feathers and the warm aura emanating from the Pokémon holding him.
It was none other than Ho-Oh, one of the legendary Fire-type Pokémon of Kanto!
Why the hell am I being kidnapped by Ho-Oh?
"This doesn't make sense…"
Held firmly in Ho-Oh's powerful claws, Ryuu Shiro helplessly gazed down at the night scenery below.
Although he wanted to have a proper conversation with this legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh completely ignored him after he tried to greet it.
After two attempts, Ryuu Shiro gave up.
Ho-Oh's flight was incredibly fast, but perhaps out of consideration for its passenger, Ryuu Shiro didn't feel the impact of the strong wind or any discomfort.
"Where is Ho-Oh taking me?"
Time passed quickly, and Ryuu Shiro noticed that Ho-Oh's speed was slowing down, and it was descending.
Frowning, Ryuu Shiro carefully observed the area below, but he didn't recognize it.
However, he knew it couldn't be too far from Blackthorn City, as Ho-Oh had only been flying for less than half an hour.
In other words, they were still within the Johto region.
"There are quite a few people… and they've been kidnapped too."
Ryuu Shiro looked down. From this height, he could see clearly. There were several children on the ground, all around seven or eight years old. Some looked around in confusion, while others were quietly crying.
Ho-Oh gently landed and released Ryuu Shiro before taking off again, not even glancing at the children on the ground.
"Why is Ho-Oh kidnapping these kids? Ho-Oh is supposed to be a benevolent Pokémon."
Ryuu Shiro glanced at his fellow "prisoners," both boys and girls, still puzzled but starting to form a rough guess.
At the pinnacle of the Pokémon world are the legendary Pokémon, or "Legendary Beasts," as they were commonly referred to in his previous life. Even in this real world, these high-level legendaries, whose life and species levels are almost at the world's limit, are revered as gods!
Legendary Pokémon have diverse personalities, but aside from those like Yveltal and Kyurem, who are extremely difficult to get along with, most legendaries remain dormant in some corner of the world, indifferent to humans and keeping to themselves. Some are even quite friendly toward humans.
The most famous ancient legendaries in Kanto are Mew, Ho-Oh, and Lugia. Although Ho-Oh was deeply disappointed in humans hundreds of years ago and left its habitat, the Bell Tower in Ecruteak City, it still holds some hope for humanity.
The best proof of this is the Three Legendary Beasts, who roam the world on Ho-Oh's behalf, searching for pure-hearted children to become Rainbow Heroes.
Ho-Oh may despise humans with dark hearts, but it would never harm innocent people, let alone resort to kidnapping. This is why Ryuu Shiro couldn't understand what was happening.
"Hmm~"
Just then, a deep, resonant cry echoed through the air. Ryuu Shiro looked up, his red eyes widening as another massive Pokémon came into view. Its elegant white body was breathtakingly beautiful even under the night sky. It was Lugia, the legendary Pokémon revered by devout humans as the "Guardian of the Seas"!
Lugia descended, gently placing a young child on the ground using its psychic powers…
Is Lugia also a kidnapper?
Seeing this, Ryuu Shiro's eyelids twitched. He was starting to piece things together.
Being suddenly kidnapped was undoubtedly terrifying for these young children, especially when their kidnapper was a man wearing an ice-carved mask, exuding a cold and sinister aura.
Yes, the mastermind behind this extravagant use of two high-level Kanto legendaries as kidnappers had finally appeared.
"It's that old monster, after all."
Ryuu Shiro sighed inwardly. While being kidnapped by Ho-Oh was confusing, seeing Lugia confirmed his suspicions. Both Ho-Oh and Lugia stood at the pinnacle of the world, their power immense. The only person capable of taming both and forcing them to kidnap innocent children was the man standing before them.
Yes, it was none other than Pryce, the Masked Man, the most terrifying boss in the Pokémon Adventures!
In the original story, it was Pryce who captured Ho-Oh and Lugia, using them to search for talented children across Kanto to further his plans. Among these children were Green, Silver, Karen, and Will.
"But this would become his greatest failure, something Pryce likely never anticipated."
As Ryuu Shiro observed the gray-robed Pryce, his eyes gleamed with insight.
Defeating and capturing Ho-Oh and Lugia was undoubtedly Pryce's greatest achievement.
However, later on, both Ho-Oh and Lugia abandoned him.
Why?
In Ryuu Shiro's view, both Ho-Oh and Lugia were benevolent legendaries.
Being forced to kidnap innocent children and destroy families went against their nature, leaving them deeply dissatisfied.
While Pryce's strength had earned their respect, his character clearly didn't meet their standards.
Thus, after this incident, both legendaries turned their backs on Pryce.
In the Pokémon world, it's not just humans who choose Pokémon as companions—Pokémon also choose their partners. And legendaries, with intelligence rivaling humans, are no exception!
Even if they are defeated and captured, if the trainer doesn't meet their expectations, legendaries will leave!