Pokémon: Gacha Master of Destiny

Death Wasn't Supposed to Be This Sudden

Elliot Kane never thought much about how he'd die. Maybe old age, maybe something stupid like choking on instant noodles. He definitely didn't expect this.

He had been crossing the street, headphones in, lost in thought after another long shift at the convenience store. His life had been a cycle of boredom—wake up, work, go home, repeat. No grand dreams, no ambitions. Just another nameless college dropout trying to scrape by.

Then, in a blink, everything changed.

A blaring horn. The screech of tires. A weightless sensation as his body was flung through the air. The impact was like slamming into concrete at full speed—because, well, it was exactly that.

Pain. Then… nothing.

No light at the end of the tunnel. No grand revelations. Just an overwhelming emptiness, stretching forever.

Then, something stirred.

Elliot gasped as he bolted upright, lungs burning as if he had been underwater. His hands shot up to his face—he *felt* real. His heart pounded, breath shaky. But something was… off.

His body was different. Leaner, smaller, younger. His hands weren't his—they lacked the scars from kitchen burns and the calluses from gripping a register. He felt… lighter.

Memories that weren't his flooded in.

Elliot Kane. Orphan. Age sixteen.

He clutched his head as flashes of a different life seeped in. A rundown orphanage. A bed too small. Faded posters of Gym Leaders and Pokémon battles stuck to the walls. The vague, distant hope that one day, he'd leave this place behind.

This wasn't Earth.

He wasn't just reborn—he had been dropped into a world he had only ever seen on screens and trading cards.

Pokémon.

Elliot staggered to his feet, glancing around the tiny room. The orphanage was exactly what the memories told him—a barely-maintained dormitory where kids were sent off at sixteen with nothing but a Pokéball and a wish for good luck.

His heart pounded.

It was real.

And he had nothing.

No family name. No money. No guaranteed starter like some rich kid from Pallet Town. Just a single Pokéball.

Then, his vision flickered.

[Gacha System Initialized]

Elliot yelped as glowing text suddenly materialized before his eyes, floating like some kind of holographic screen. It looked futuristic, but the words sent a shiver down his spine.

Welcome, Elliot Kane!

Congratulations! You have received the Pokémon Gacha System.

Starter Gift: 1x Starter/Pseudo-Legendary Gacha Ticket.

Spin now?

His mind raced.

No way. This has to be a joke. A system? Like in those webnovels?

But what choice did he have? He had no money, no Pokémon, and the moment he left the orphanage, the world wouldn't be kind. If this system was offering a chance…

"Spin."

The words had barely left his mouth when the screen flickered, and a digital roulette wheel appeared. Names of Pokémon blurred together, spinning too fast to read—Dratini, Larvitar, Gible, Bagon, Axew, Jangmo-o...

His breath caught as the wheel slowed.

The tension was unbearable.

Then, the result locked in.

Congratulations! You have obtained: Deino!

A bright light flashed, forcing Elliot to shield his eyes. Energy crackled in the air, and suddenly, something *small* and *alive* appeared in front of him.

A deep growl.

Elliot lowered his arms slowly.

There, sitting in the middle of his tiny room, was a Pokémon.

It was barely a foot tall, covered in dark-blue fur with a black, shaggy mane obscuring its eyes. Its stubby little legs barely held up its round, dragon-like body, and its head twitched blindly in his direction.

"Dei?" the little Dark Dragon muttered, sniffing the air.

Elliot's heart nearly stopped.

Holy crap. I actually got a pseudo-legendary.

Deino—an incredibly rare Pokémon. A stubborn, reckless creature that would one day evolve into Hydreigon, one of the most fearsome dragons in existence.

Elliot's fingers trembled as he reached for the Pokéball on his belt—the only one he had. The rules were simple: if the Pokémon didn't accept him, he was screwed.

Deino sniffed again, took a few slow steps forward… then bonked its head against Elliot's Pokéball with a soft plink.

The ball wobbled as light engulfed the tiny dragon. It rocked once. Twice.

Then.

Click.

Silence.

Elliot exhaled, staring at the Pokéball in his hand. His heart hammered like a drum.

He had done it.

His first Pokémon. His first partner.

A wide grin broke across his face.

This wasn't just a new beginning.

It was the start of something much, much greater.