Reincarnated Into a Pokémon World and Can See Their Hidden Potential?!

The sun rose brightly over Celadon City, casting warm golden rays over the sprawling plaza outside the Pokémon League Complex. Flags fluttered in the breeze, each bearing the symbol of the League: the silhouette of a Poké Ball flanked by the wings of a Pidgeot and the tail of a Charizard. Today marked the official beginning of the Intermediate Trainer Tournament, an event only held once per year.

Ray Virel stood near the entrance, adjusting the strap of his bag, his expression caught between anticipation and awe. He looked to his side and saw Kira Damos, her usual confident smirk replaced with a nervous smile.

"You ready for this?" Ray asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Kira exhaled. "I've dreamed of it for so long... but being here is surreal."

Their families stood a short distance behind them, watching proudly. Just yesterday, they had finished the registration process and passed all legal checks. Their Pokémon had been scanned and verified as legitimately trained under their licenses—Pidgeotto, Dratini, and Charmander for Ray; Machoke, Tyrogue, and Riolu for Kira.

The atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Hundreds of intermediate-ranked trainers gathered in the stadium's central arena, each wearing a silver badge confirming their eligibility. On the big screen above the stage, the League's emblem flickered to life, silencing the crowd.

A woman in a tailored blue suit stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand. "Welcome, trainers, to the Celadon Intermediate Tournament!"

Applause erupted.

"This year, over 700 trainers have qualified. As per League guidelines, all entrants are verified intermediate-level Pokémon trainers who have held their license for less than five years." She paused. "And for many, this is their first major tournament experience."

Ray exchanged a glance with Kira. The pressure was real, but so was the fire burning in their eyes.

"To test your ability and adaptability, Round One will be held over the next several days in a 1v1 format. Each trainer will participate in five one-on-one duels against randomly selected opponents. Win or lose, your overall performance—strategy, execution, synergy, and outcomes—will determine your score."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

"Only the top 100 scoring trainers will advance to Round Two. After that, it becomes a standard knockout format."

The woman's tone grew stern. "Let me be clear. All registered Pokémon must belong to the trainer and be recorded in the League system. Using borrowed or unregistered Pokémon is a serious offense and will result in immediate disqualification and legal repercussions."

Ray nodded to himself. That rule had come up several times already—but now it carried even more weight. This wasn't some academy exercise. This was the real deal.

The screen flickered again, revealing a massive digital bracket labeled Round One Assignments. One by one, names appeared alongside arena numbers.

"Good luck, trainers. Your first duel begins tomorrow. May your bond with your Pokémon shine through!"

As the crowd began to disperse, Ray finally spotted his name on the screen:

Ray Virel – Match 19, Arena C

Just a few lines below:

Kira Damos – Match 27, Arena D

"Well, looks like we're not fighting each other right away," Ray muttered with a relieved chuckle.

"Not yet," Kira grinned. "But remember our promise—finals."

He held out his pinky. She hooked hers around it without hesitation.

As the stadium began to empty, Ray took one final glance at the stage, at the banners, at the blazing energy in the air. This was it.

The road to the finals had begun.