On the screen:
A tiny pixel figure wearing a straw hat stood in tall grass, looking around cautiously.
[You were born in Viridian City to a family of average means.]
Suddenly, a Caterpie popped out of the grass. The straw-hat boy threw a small red ball, which sucked the Caterpie inside.
[At age ten, you met your first partner in Viridian Forest: Caterpie. Your journey began.]
As this text appeared, a pixel animation of a Caterpie was added to the bottom corner of the screen.
Lying on his bed, Kashiwagi shifted his posture. He hadn't expected his first simulation to start with a "Bug Catcher" build.
The scene changed.
The Bug Catcher appeared in front of a large building. Upon entering, he was met by a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair. A "fierce" battle ensued.
The actual process was basically Caterpie being sent out, only to be instantly sent flying by the opponent's Rhyhorn. Although there was no background music, the jagged "explosion" bubbles that appeared when Caterpie hit the wall made it clear just how brutal the impact was.
[You lost to the Viridian Gym Leader. You failed to obtain your first Badge.]
Kashiwagi: "?"
Wait a minute!
You're challenging a Gym without leveling up? And with a Caterpie?
The screen flickered black and then brightened. Under Kashiwagi's bewildered gaze, the Bug Catcher entered the Viridian Gym again. The exact same sequence repeated, followed by the exact same text.
A third time, a fourth, a fifth...
Wait, wait, wait—!!
You're throwing a Caterpie at a Gym without training? Haven't you learned a single lesson? This isn't a "Hot-blooded Youth"; this is a brainless kid who refuses to change!
Kashiwagi watched the translucent screen in silence as it repeated the same content.
After the tenth failure, the content finally changed.
[You lost to the Viridian Gym Leader. Your sheer persistence earned his respect. You obtained the Earth Badge.]
An icon of a green stalk of wheat appeared beneath the Caterpie.
Kashiwagi was speechless. This Badge was clearly given only because Giovanni was annoyed and wanted him to leave.
As soon as he got the Badge, Caterpie's form shifted, transforming from a caterpillar into a pupa.
[Your Caterpie evolved into Metapod.]
Finally, an evolution... Even though it had just started, Kashiwagi felt strangely exhausted.
In the simulation, the boy left Viridian City and reached a dense forest. Faced with a golden caterpillar in the grass, the boy sent out his Metapod. Just as Kashiwagi wondered how he'd catch it, Metapod used Tackle, slamming into the target so hard it knocked itself out.
[You caught your second Pokémon in Viridian Forest: Weedle. Your traveling party has grown.]
...A moron Trainer and moron Pokémon. A match made in heaven.
Kashiwagi suddenly wished he had a fast-forward button.
The scene changed to a city made of stone at the foot of a massive rocky mountain.
[You have arrived in Pewter City. The towering stone mountains set your blood on fire. You decide to challenge the Gym.]
Predictably. Training? What was training?
Kashiwagi never saw the boy battle wild Pokémon; he was a pure Gym-challenging machine, completely ignoring the fact that special training after a loss makes a Pokémon stronger.
Even Ash, who got several badges through pity, at least knew he needed to catch more Pokémon! Can a Metapod and a Weedle actually fight? No. They don't have the "capability," you know?
Just like at the Viridian Gym, the boy failed ten times before winning the Gym Leader's admiration through sheer grit.
[You obtained the Boulder Badge.]
An octagonal grey stone icon appeared under the Weedle. Simultaneously, both Metapod and Weedle were engulfed in white light. A large butterfly and a golden pupa took shape.
[Your Metapod evolved into Butterfree. Your Weedle evolved into Kakuna. Overjoyed, you decide to set out for the next city immediately.]
At last, one final evolution. Kashiwagi breathed a sigh of relief. Better yet, the Bug Catcher seemed to be getting his act together.
[You caught your third Pokémon at the foot of Mt. Moon: Venonat. Your party has grown.]
[You caught your fourth Pokémon inside Mt. Moon: Paras. Your party has grown.]
[You lost to a stranger.]
[You defeated a stranger.]
[Your Kakuna evolved into Beedrill.]
A series of encouraging scenes flashed by as the boy moved through the Mt. Moon area. The "Hot-blooded Youth" seemed to be turning into a normal Trainer.
Until—
[You have arrived in Cerulean City, a city of water and abundant resources.]
The boy headed for the Cerulean Gym as usual, only to be told the Gym Leaders were out performing an underwater ballet.
A performance? Is this the anime setting?
Kashiwagi was shocked. He had assumed it was based on the games, since only game locations had appeared so far, whereas the anime has many original towns. He suddenly had a bad feeling, and that feeling was quickly confirmed.
When the Bug Catcher reached the place where the Gym Leaders were performing, a fated encounter occurred.
[You accidentally bumped into a girl. The mutual apology left you both in high spirits. You exchanged contact information.]
[You contacted the girl. You shared a wonderful conversation and decided to travel together.]
[You began challenging the Cerulean Gym. Though you failed, the girl's presence made you more courageous for your next attempt.]
[You have started dating.]
Wait, wait, wait. No! What's with this "dog food" (romance) overflowing from the screen? The Trainer Simulator turned into a Dating Sim!
It said "potential" to develop a relationship, not that it was mandatory! Kashiwagi sat bolt upright.
The Bug Catcher was already a hot-headed idiot. After getting a girlfriend, his fighting spirit remained, but the scenes of the two of them alone increased significantly. The gritty battle details started going south, too. Usually, after seven or eight tries, even a moron learns a pattern and lasts a few rounds.
But at the Cerulean Gym, it went from lasting a few rounds at first to being one-shotted every single time thereafter. By the time he got the Badge via "persistence" on the tenth try, he had become a total scrub.
His Pokémon stopped evolving.
Seeing the two pixel figures holding hands, skipping all wild battles, and arriving in Saffron City without a fifth Pokémon, the same pattern of losing repeated. Kashiwagi's heart sank.
The Saffron Gym Leader, Sabrina, was a stern Psychic. Her personality was the exact opposite of the previous three. Even after the Bug Catcher lost ten times, she refused to hand over the Marsh Badge.
Just as Kashiwagi was wondering how the boy would break the stalemate, the end arrived. The screen turned grey.
[The Indigo Plateau Conference has officially begun. Having only three Badges, you missed your chance to compete.]
[Simulation Ended.]
The virtual screen froze on the Bug Catcher's fifteenth defeat.
"...So, the simulation covers the story of a single League cycle."
Kashiwagi looked like he had just watched a terrible movie. Who would have thought a hot-blooded Bug Catcher would suddenly turn into a lovesick fool? Losing time at Gyms was bad enough, but the girlfriend was a total time-sink. It would be fine if she made him stronger, but he actually got weaker!
Isn't love supposed to give you strength? What kind of simulator is this?!
Thinking this, several lines of text popped up.
[Selection Reward 1: Raise one Pokémon by one level (Below Lv.30)]
[Selection Reward 2: A clue to a obtainable Pokémon]
[Selection Reward 3: Move—String Shot (Can be taught to a Pokémon of your choice)]
[Selection Reward 4: Carry over the [Romantic Encounters] talent to the next simulation]
There were rewards after all. Kashiwagi checked and found he could choose two. Two out of four—not bad at all. However, he couldn't start the second simulation without choosing. He wasn't sure if Reward 1 and 3 could be saved for later.
He had to try.
Kashiwagi selected Rewards 2 and 3, completely ignoring the fourth one. Fortunately, the Move reward could be held in reserve.
The simulation attempts could also be hoarded. The countdown was still running; it didn't stop just because he had one use left. Kashiwagi suspected the level-up reward could also be accumulated.
But for now, his attention was on the "Clue":
[Please carry a piece of iron ingot weighing no less than 1kg with you.]
What kind of clue was that? It was more like a hint.
Kashiwagi checked the time and the sky outside. Pyrite Town was already shrouded in night, but the noise from the mines and the smelting plants was unending.
It was still early. He splashed some water on his face and headed out to find an iron ingot. Once that was settled, he'd start the second simulation.