Is this... My Golden finger?
Ben immediately recalled the typical setup of transmigrators and silently asked in his heart,
'System, what functions do you have?'
[Ding! The system is activated.]
[1. Identification function: check the attributes, levels, characteristics, and moves of Pokémon.]
[2. Training value function: through training, battling, and earning training points, you can improve your Pokémon's skill proficiency, speeding up their mastery of skills.]
[Unlock additional functions as conditions are met.]
'The identification function makes sense it's like a Pokedex entry. And the training value sounds great! There are other functions too,'
Ben thought with a smile.
'I really am the protagonist!'
John observed his son's excitement, nodded with a smile, and looked at his two large Onix, reminiscent of his own journey when he first set out.
"All right, you've tamed the Onix. Make sure to take good care of it," John advised.
"Don't worry, Dad! I'll definitely train Onix well," Ben assured both his father and Onix's parents, "Well, I'm heading out now!"
"Go on, it's time for you to explore the world," John encouraged, beaming with pride. "Remember, Mom and I are behind you. Make sure to visit Professor Birch in Littleroot Town first."
"I will! Goodbye, everyone!" Ben waved farewell and set off along the path leading east toward Dewford Town, where he would catch a boat to Petalburg City.
According to legend, the Hoenn region was formed after the emergence of Groudon and Kyogre. Groudon raised the land, while Kyogre filled the seas, shaping the landscapes we see today. Hoenn is known for its wide variety of natural environments, from tropical rainforests to deserts, but its most notable feature is the vast expanse of water that covers a significant area, rivalling the size of the land itself. Numerous islands, both large and small, dot the region, accessible only by water. In some areas, diving is even possible. The climate in Hoenn is much warmer compared to many other regions.
The interior of the mainland is surrounded by mountains and forests, with major cities situated along the coast. Life in inland towns is significantly harsher; for example, residents of Fortree City live in tree houses. There are two dormant volcanoes in Hoenn, Mt. Chimney and another underwater volcano that erupted long ago, forming a crater that became a lake from accumulated rainwater. This warm environment led to the establishment of Sootopolis City within the crater.
Littleroot Town is located in the southwest of the Hoenn region. In Ben's previous game experience, this is where the journey begins. As the starting point of the Hoenn region, the only exit from Littleroot Town is Route 101, which leads north to Oldale Town. In the southern part of town is Professor Birch's research institute, where aspiring Pokémon trainers can choose their first Pokémon: a Treecko, a Torchic, or a Mudkip.
To travel from Dewford Town to Littleroot Town, one must take a boat from Dewford Port to the ferry in Petalburg City, then pass through Petalburg City before heading south along the road.
At this moment, Ben was sitting on a passenger ship bound for Petalburg City. It was his first time leaving home, truly stepping into this magical world. Everything felt new and exciting. Though Onix hadn't fully matured yet, its impressive size of 6 meters and weight of 160 kg made it inconvenient to release on the boat.
'System, check Onix's information.'
Pokémon: Onix, Level: 18
Type: Rock + Ground
Nature: Adamant (Note: Personality does not affect stats)
Ability: Rock Head: immune to recoil damage and effects from status changes.
Friendship: 255
Skills:
- Tackle (40/100)
- Screech (20/100)
- Bind (45/100)
- Dig (80/100)
- Return (20/100)
- Harden (35/100)
Egg Skills:
- Rock Slide (10/100)
- Iron Tail (30/100)
- Stone Edge (10/100)
TM: None"
'Wow, I didn't expect Onix to have learnt Return and Stone Edge already! Though the proficiency could be better, Dig is looking good,' Ben mused, contemplating the training direction for Onix. 'Priority should be given to it's physical defence, increasing its hardness, and then supplement it with physical attack. Occasionally, it should train in water to improve its resilience at least then it shouldn't be knocked out by a Water Gun!'
'With so few offensive skills, leveling up should be a priority. Having Earthquake in the repertoire is standard. It seems Dragon Pulse can also be learned, as well as Dragon Breath. Rock Throw is essential, too.'
Scratching his head in thought, Ben recognized the challenges ahead. Although aiming to master the Rock and Ground types is his goal, Onix has vulnerabilities to Water, Grass (four times), Ground, Fighting, Ice, and Steel (twice). Still, he believed that challenges were what made the journey worthwhile.
Relaxing against the side of the boat, Ben gazed at the endless sea, watching giant Wingull leap from the waves alongside schools of Magikarp and Tentacool. "We need to work on Onix's water resistance..."
After a long journey, the passenger ship docked at the beach of Petalburg City. As soon as Ben stepped onto solid ground, he felt more grounded, nothing beats being back on land.
Finally squeezing through the crowd, he identified the direction and headed toward Petalburg City, guided by road signs.
Petalburg City, known for its vast green spaces, boasts the premier forest resource, Petalburg Forest, and extends to the coast, where a gentle sea breeze blows. This city is one of the main hubs in the region and hosts the General Gymnasium. The gym leader, Norman, is renowned for his power; using his expertise in Normal type Pokémon , and his trump card Slaking is the epitome of strength. Originally from Johto, he moved to Hoenn to fulfil his duties as a gym leader. People often say, "He was born to battle Pokémon." As a well-known gym leader in the anime, he even became one of Hoenn's Elite Four, highlighting his incredible skill. His daughter, May, was also once one of Ash's companions.
Of course, Ben, fully aware of his abilities, knew he wasn't ready to challenge Petalburg Gym yet his current Onix would likely struggle against even Norman's weakest Pokémon, so he slipped away instead.
After admiring the majestic Petalburg Gym, Ben made his way to the Pokémon Supermarket.
"Hello! Welcome! What can I help you with today?" an enthusiastic shop assistant greeted him.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the friendly atmosphere especially since there was no department store back in Dewford Town Ben replied, "Hi! I'd like to buy some Pokémon food, energy cubes for Rock and Ground types, and I also need a tent, antidotes, and healing items."
"Sure thing! Your total is $3000. Thank you for your patronage!"
It stung to pay the bill. Even though his mother had given him a generous amount of money, watching it dwindle by a third still made him wince. He promised himself to save more for his Pokémon in the future and left the store, feeling a bit lighter despite the expenditure.
Not far away, a prominent red building caught his eye, it was the Pokémon Centre. However, Ben wasn't yet a registered trainer with the League. He needed to find Professor Birch in Littleroot Town to get his trainer credentials and obtain an illustrated guide, which would grant him access to the benefits offered by the Pokémon Centre and allow him to register for this year's Hoenn League Conference.
Unlike in the animated series, each region's starting town has a League Professors. These Professors are not only researchers but also skilled trainers at the level of Elite Four. In Pallet Town, famous among Pokémon fans for the renowned Professor Oak, it's rumoured that Professor Oak possesses the power of a champion.
Kanto will come eventually, Ben thought, reflecting on events from the animated series. Even though he wasn't sure which timeline he was in, he knew he needed to forge his own path, allowing fate to determine if he would cross paths with Ash and the others.
Continuing east along Route 102, he gradually left the bustling Petalburg City behind. "Alright, let's go! Onix!" he exclaimed, releasing Onix from its Poké Ball after quite some time.
"Onix!" Onix lowered its head and affectionately nudged Ben.
"Okay, okay, you've been in the Poké Ball for a while. Let's stretch those legs... or body!" Ben encouraged, patting Onix's sturdy body. He surveyed the grass and bushes ahead. "Get ready for battle, Onix!"
"Onix!"
"Great! Let's go!"
Like when I was younger, I climbed onto the back of the Onix and settled in comfortably. "Alright, let's go, Onix!"
"Onix!" With that, the Onix obediently followed the direction I pointed, moving faster than its lack of legs would suggest, even if it wasn't particularly speedy.
Though the Onix was only at level 18, its massive form still had a commanding presence. As we travelled, we didn't encounter any weak Pokémon trying to block our path. Frustrated, I decided it would be best to put the Onix away for now and release it when the time was right to fight.
Sure enough, as soon as I returned it to its Poké Ball, a Pokémon appeared before me. "Not bad, not too weak," I thought as I faced the Kappa-like creature blocking my way. "With its Water and Grass dual types, this could be a tough opponent."
I quickly activated my system to scan the foe.
Pokémon: Lombre (lv17)
Type: Water/Grass
Ability: Rain Dish - Recovers 1/16 of its maximum HP at the end of each turn in rainy weather
Friendship: 0
Moves: Water Gun (25/100), Mist (40/100), Growl (40/100), Absorb (80/100), Growth (36/100)
Egg Moves: None
TM Moves: None
Seeing that it was level 17 made me realize this Pokémon had undergone its evolution some time ago. Yet looking at the details, I felt hopeful about my chances.
"Let's go, Onix! Welcome to your first battle! This is going to be a strong opponent!"
Tossing out the luxury ball, and in a burst of colourful light, the Onix emerged, crashing onto the ground with a thud.
"Onix!"
The Onix locked eyes with our opponent, coiling its body on the ground, steady and ready for action it had obviously been waiting for this moment.