The Path of a Pokémon Researcher

Chapter 1: The Ranger of Viridian Forest

In this world dominated by Pokémon, the seasonal changes are not very pronounced in most areas; some regions even experience only one season all year round. However, for the ranger in Viridian Forest, the seasonal changes are quite recognizable. By observing the growth patterns of bug-type Pokémon in the forest, one can clearly distinguish the seasons.

"As Pokémon at the lowest evolutionary stage, Caterpie and Weedle generally appear in large numbers in spring. In the natural environment, Caterpie can only gain experience through food and minimal battles, which isn't enough to support their evolution into Butterfree or Beedrill. Instead, they accelerate their growth by burning through their lifespan, so wild Caterpie and Beedrill usually only live for about a year," a middle-aged ranger explained as he walked through the forest with two children, a boy and a girl.

"Dad, isn't it really sad for those Caterpie?" asked the younger-looking girl.

"It's just the way of things; they have to adapt to their environment. After all, they reproduce very quickly."

"I just counted; there seem to be too many Caterpie and Weedle this year. It might harm the forest!" the older boy remarked. His father had mostly been explaining these things for his sister's benefit. After a pause, he added, "Although the season when new trainers start their journeys is coming soon, not many of them will choose to catch these two types of bugs. On the other hand, bird Pokémon like Spearow and Pidgey will be caught in large numbers, which will be even more problematic. Based on my recent observations, the number of Butterfree and Beedrill eggs hasn't differed much from previous years, and their predators in the forest haven't changed either, so it seems an unknown factor has increased their hatching rate."

In the wild, Pokémon eggs tend to have low hatching rates due to the lack of care. Smarter Pokémon, like Pidgey, tend to take care of their eggs, and although their hatching rates are lower than with human care, the difference isn't huge. But Pokémon like Butterfree and Beedrill tend to spread their eggs in a widespread manner, much like insects in the natural world.

Coming back from his thoughts, the boy continued, "As a solution, we could apply to the League to hold a Bug-Catching Contest. Although not all trainers who participate would take the bugs they catch with them, the contest could speed up the bugs' evolution. Whether they evolve into cocoons or adults, it would reduce the pressure on the forest. It could even increase the town's reputation and bring more income to the townsfolk."

"That's a great idea! I'll go back and write up an application," the father confirmed his son's suggestion.

"Brother, you're amazing!"

"Oh, I heard that! You really have a great son, Sanko. If you pull this off, then after the old captain retires, the successor will definitely be you!" A voice came from behind a tree, and a man dressed as a ranger stepped out.

"Hello, Uncle Ichiro!" the two kids greeted.

"Genma, Yoko, hello!"

"Ichiro, you're too kind," Sanko said modestly.

"You're just being modest! Big brother Sanko is one of the best among us. He's always been a strong candidate for the next leader, and now with this significant contribution, there's no doubt about it." Ichiro walked over and patted the boy on the shoulder (he had originally intended to ruffle his hair but remembered the boy disliked it). "Such a capable youngster! Genma is sure to be an excellent ranger one day!"

"Everyone else is just weak," Genma thought to himself. In this world, because of Pokémon, the development path is different from the world of his previous life. At least in this world, the natural resources are enough for most people to fill their stomachs, so people don't have as strong of a drive for success. Most people here only complete a basic education in school, and anything beyond that depends on one's own luck and drive.

Ichiro kept praising Sanko for having a great successor, but Sanko could only smile wryly: His son's ambition was never to become a top ranger.

After chatting for a bit, the two groups went their separate ways to continue their patrols. Sanko taught his daughter about the forest, as it was her first time in it, while Genma observed and took notes, gathering some herbs along the way. With a seasoned ranger leading the way, they avoided areas like Beedrill nests, finishing their work by midday and heading back to town.

Kusamaki Village was an unremarkable, ordinary little town. Though it wasn't far from the Viridian Gym, most people would travel directly to Viridian City, where there was a Pokémon Center, before heading to the gym, which was located outside the city. Most residents of Kusamaki Village were rangers of Viridian Forest or descendants of rangers. The abundant resources of the forest had supported generations of townsfolk. Since they had worked as rangers for generations, the ranger captain was generally also seen as the town's mayor, recognized as an official position in the League.

As the most promising candidate to succeed as captain, Sanko was very popular in town, and he was greeted warmly all the way back to his home. Their house was built with wood from Viridian Forest; although it looked simple, it was actually sturdy and warm, much like the ranger's work: ordinary and unremarkable, yet peaceful and fulfilling.

As a family reliant on Sanko's salary and some income from herbs and berries, they couldn't afford a rare Pokémon like Mr. Mime to help with household chores. Genma's mother, Miwako, handled all the housework herself.

A traditional homemaker, Miwako was satisfied with her life and proud of her husband and children. Seeing them return home, she quickly brought out the lunch she had already prepared.

"Genma, there's a letter for you. I put it in the drawer," she said to Genma, who was washing up.

"Thanks, Mom!" Genma quickly dried his hands and took the letter from the drawer.

Feeling excited, Genma opened the envelope.

Dear Mr. Genma,

Congratulations on passing the exam with excellent results and earning your probationary researcher qualification. Given that you have just turned ten, and previously did not have any recognized League status, if you require a starter Pokémon and Pokédex, please reply soon to apply. Then, bring your ID and qualification certificate to the Pokémon Center at the time provided in our response.

Keep up the great work!

Kanto League

Inside the envelope was also a qualification certificate.

"I did it! I passed!" Genma exclaimed with excitement. Ever since he realized he had been reborn into the Pokémon world, he had wanted to travel around like Ash. But reality was harsher. The Pokédex and starter Pokémon that Ash received at age ten in the anime required a high fee that most families couldn't afford, and spaces were limited, often filled internally and hard to get.

Of course, he could become an independent trainer, but the Pokémon Centers wouldn't offer him free services, and the battle recovery costs were enormous, making it difficult for many people.

Apart from buying directly, there were other ways to get a League-recognized status, like becoming a breeder or graduating from a Pokémon school, which would allow you to get a Pokédex and a starter at an internal price.

As a ranger's son, however, Genma's family couldn't afford the private Pokémon academies for the wealthy, so he had no choice but to pursue other options. Without family connections, he relied on his knowledge of Pokémon games from his previous life and strong self-learning ability, hoping to pass the probationary researcher exam.

Finally, his hard work paid off.

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