Five years had passed since that double birth that changed his fate.
Red—formerly James—had spent this time observing, analyzing, and learning. Though his body was small, his mind was that of a veteran, hardened by years of betrayal, strategies, and death. He had come to understand that his ability, "Strategist's Eyes," was not all-powerful. Having it wasn't enough—it required data, knowledge, and real-world Pokémon experience to use at its full potential.
And this world… was far more complex than any anime, manga, or game had ever shown him.
From his very first steps, he had begun scanning every Pokémon he encountered. Not with technology, but with his passive ability—an extension of his strategist instinct. He could analyze styles, latent strength, and the bonds between trainers and Pokémon. But soon, he noticed something unsettling: his analysis often stopped halfway, as if something was blocking it.
"My ability isn't broken... it's incomplete," he murmured one afternoon, watching a Pidgeotto glide across the sky.
The system responded, as always, in a neutral voice:
Warning: User knowledge limits system functionality. Expand database to unlock advanced analysis.
It made sense. He couldn't analyze what he didn't understand. He lacked information—about moves, natures, types, breeding, strategies... And above all: real experience. Practice battles with his brother Ash weren't enough. Ash was kind, playful… but lacked technique.
What he needed was theory. Books. Serious battles. Data. True trainers.
But that wasn't his only revelation.
As he grew, Red began to perceive something else in his surroundings: other people... with abilities. And it wasn't the Aura—that mysterious energy Ash seemed to attract naturally. No. These were individual abilities, passive or active, that felt almost supernatural. Some children were incredibly perceptive with Grass-types, others could sync emotionally with their Pokémon with eerie precision. It wasn't the system—it wasn't part of it… it was part of the world.
"Is this a hidden rule of the universe...?" he thought, mentally noting each anomaly.
Each case he observed fed his hypothesis: this world wasn't exactly like the one he remembered. Here, some humans were born with "Innate Talents," as if blessed by nature itself.
And he… had at least two:
Aura: still locked, no clear clues on how to awaken it. Strategist's Eyes: useful, but dangerously demanding.
And then he realized something else: not all abilities were unlocked in people. Most didn't even know they had them. Only a few—the exceptional ones—were born with their gifts already active.
And among those few... was Samuel Oak.
FLASHBACK – Two years ago
Red (barely three years old) walked beside his mother, Delia, on their way to the town market. It was a warm, quiet morning—one of those where the sun caresses your skin and the breeze smells of soil and fresh fruit. Delia, as always, smiled and greeted the neighbors.
But something caught Red's attention: an older man in a white lab coat, speaking with several researchers near the lab. His posture was firm, his presence imposing, though his gaze was kind.
Samuel Oak.
Professor… and, according to the system, much more than that. Driven by irresistible curiosity, Red activated his ability.
A blue screen floated before his childish vision.
Name: Samuel Oak
Age: 67 years
Ability: Origin (UNLOCKED)
Lineage: Primordial Origin (UNLOCKED)
Red held his breath.
System – Additional Query: "Primordial Origin" Lineage
An ancient line of human sages who coexisted with legendary Pokémon. This heritage grants not only extraordinary intelligence, but also a unique sensitivity to the world's secrets. Their bloodline is genetically bound to forbidden knowledge and pacts made between humans and Pokémon thousands of years ago.
Red stood still, processing the information. Professor Oak—a direct descendant of the first sages to interact with legendary Pokémon? Forbidden knowledge? Pacts?
None of that ever appeared in the anime, or the games. The "wise old man" who gave out starter Pokémon… was in truth a hidden colossus beneath the skin of a kindly elder.
"Pallet Town… isn't just a simple town," he murmured days later in his room. "It's a nest of sleeping monsters."
From that day on, Red changed how he saw everything. He realized he was surrounded by exceptional people: his brother, with an innate affinity for Aura and absurd luck; his mother, with an emotional warmth capable of calming even wild Pokémon; and Oak, a silent guardian of ancient knowledge.
He too had to become more than just a prodigy. He needed to be an absolute strategist in a world where innate talent was only the first barrier.
Because if Oak was a sage…
Ash was a chosen one…
Then he, Red…
Would be the player who understood the entire board.
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