Rain slid down the glass towers of Linhai City, turning neon signs into blurred veins of color. Eighteen years was not a long time to live, but it was long enough to understand one truth: the world was fair only on paper.
Eren Vale learned that early.
He stood beneath the rusted awning of an old convenience store, school bag slung over one shoulder, watching pedestrians hurry past with umbrellas and Pokémon at their sides. Electric types crackled softly to keep their trainers warm, water types splashed happily through puddles, and flying types perched on lampposts like urban ornaments.
Eren had none of that.
What he did have was his sister.
"Stop staring," Lia Vale said, nudging him with her elbow. Her hair was damp, tied hastily behind her head, eyes sharp despite the late hour. "You'll miss dinner."
"Dinner's instant noodles," Eren replied. "Again."
"Luxury," Lia said seriously. "At least we have eggs this time."
They laughed, quietly, the kind of laughter that came from shared hardship rather than humor.
Orphans since they could remember, the twins had learned to survive without complaining. They studied, trained, and worked part-time jobs, saving every credit they could. Pokémon trainers made money. Ordinary people scraped by.
Eren had always planned to become a trainer.
He just never expected the world to answer him today.
That night, after dinner and homework, Eren lay on his narrow bed, staring at the cracked ceiling. Lia sat cross-legged on the floor, polishing an old Poké Ball she'd bought secondhand—empty, but cherished.
"Entrance exams are in three months," she said. "If we don't awaken our trainer qualifications soon, we'll fall behind."
"I know," Eren replied quietly.
He closed his eyes.
And the world clicked.
[DING!]
A sound echoed not in his ears, but directly in his mind.
[Sign-In System Initialized.][Host Detected: Eren Vale.][Age: 18 — Eligible.][Status: Orphan — Qualification Bonus Applied.]
Eren shot upright, heart hammering.
"What's wrong?" Lia asked instantly, already on her feet.
Before Eren could answer, translucent blue light unfolded in front of him like a holographic ledger.
[Welcome, Administrator.]
He swallowed.
"Lia," he said slowly, voice shaking, "don't freak out."
She frowned. "That's not reassuring."
"I have… a system."
Silence fell.
Lia stared at him for three full seconds.
Then she said, "Okay. Explain. Slowly. From the beginning."
Relief flooded him so hard his vision blurred.
Eren told her everything.
About the sign-in system.The mall.The restrictions.The monthly limits.The rules about Pokémon, realms, treasures—all of it.
He expected disbelief. Fear. Doubt.
Instead, Lia sat down again, chin resting on her hands, eyes burning with something fierce.
"So," she said when he finished, "this thing doesn't lie?"
"It hasn't yet."
"And you're telling me," she continued, calm but intense, "that we finally have a way to stop being stepped on?"
Eren nodded.
She smiled.
"Good. Then we do this together."
The system pulsed.
[Detected: Information Disclosure to Bound Kin.][Verification… Complete.][Twin Trust Confirmed.][Access Level Granted: Authorized Entity.]
A second panel opened.
Lia could see it.
They stared at the light between them, breaths synchronized.
"This isn't just yours," Eren said. "Everything I get, we share. Pokémon. Treasures. The realm."
Lia didn't hesitate. "Same for me. No solo hero nonsense."
They bumped fists.
The ledger turned a page.
[Novice Gift Pack Unlocked.]
Golden light spilled into the room, bathing the peeling walls in warmth.
[Contents:]• Exclusive Secret Realm — Sovereign Genesis Realm (Tier-EX)• Pokémon Egg ×2 (Choice Available)• Mall Points: 100,000• Secret Treasure ×2 (Compatible with Chosen Pokémon)
Lia inhaled sharply. "That's… obscene."
Eren laughed weakly. "You're telling me."
A map unfolded—an abstract space of floating landmasses, glowing rivers, and sealed zones pulsing with restrained power.
The Sovereign Genesis Realm.
Even through the screen, Eren felt it—control. Safety. Opportunity.
"No death traps," Lia murmured. "No forced gambles."
"But still dangerous enough to grow," Eren replied.
They exchanged a look.
This realm wasn't a shortcut.
It was a promise.
The final panel hovered patiently.
[Please Choose Two Pokémon Eggs.]
A catalog appeared, scrolling endlessly. Types, lineages, rare bloodlines—all capped at gym-level current strength, yet each marked with glowing seals.
[Potential Rating: Champion or Above.]
Lia's fingers trembled.
"These… these could stand at the top one day," she whispered.
Eren nodded. "But only if we raise them right."
They sat side by side, shoulders touching, scrolling slowly, arguing softly, dreaming fiercely.
Outside, rain continued to fall on Linhai City.
Inside a tiny apartment, two orphans made a decision that would tilt the balance of the world.
Eren took a breath.
"Alright," he said. "First egg."
The cursor hovered.
And the future held its breath.