Su Yi, The Pokemon(?) Master (Pokemon X Monster Hunter Fanfic)

"Chansey."

Chansey held a few berries in its hands and offered them to Su Yi, who was still recovering from his injuries.

"Thank you, Chansey." Su Yi sincerely expressed his gratitude before accepting the Oran Berries and Sitrus Berries, sharing some with Rucao.

Seeing Su Yi regain his strength, Chansey smiled warmly, then turned to use Heal Pulse on other injured Pokémon.

Watching Chansey patiently tend to the wild Pokémon, Su Yi sighed in admiration. "What a kind-hearted Pokémon."

When he first met Chansey, it had already shown kindness by helping a stranger. Now, it even offered them precious berries, a valuable resource for wild Pokémon.

According to the Pokédex, Chansey actively helps injured people and Pokémon. No wonder the Joy family partners with them to assist trainers in Pokémon Centers.

First, he was saved by the kind-hearted Felyne, Rucao. Then, he was healed by the warm-hearted Chansey. The fear and trauma from being chased by an Anjanath and hunted by a Nargacuga had mostly faded.

"This really is the Pokémon world, huh?" Su Yi mused as he observed the Pokémon coming to Chansey for help.

The highly recognizable berries and the diversity of Pokémon left no doubt—this was the Pokémon world.

"But which region am I in?" Su Yi wondered as he looked at the Pokémon around him.

Corphish, Foongus, Whirlipede, Pikachu… Pokémon from multiple generations were gathered here. How was he supposed to figure out his location?

"Su Yi, this fruit is so delicious, nyah! I feel my strength returning right away, nyah!" Rucao purred happily.

"Eat as much as you want." Su Yi smiled, patting the fluffy head of the feline.

Rucao reached out and grabbed a nearby fruit.

As soon as Rucao lifted what looked like an apple—

"Squeak!"

The apple suddenly opened two eyes and let out a sharp cry. Startled, Rucao yelped and threw it away.

"What was that, nyah?!"

"Squeak!"

The apple-like Pokémon quickly scurried away.

"Applin?!" Su Yi immediately recognized the Pokémon. It was Applin, a Grass/Dragon-type from the eighth generation—introduced in Pokémon Sword & Shield.

"Am I in Galar?" The appearance of Applin made Su Yi suspect he might be in the Galar region.

However, Galar was vast. Unlike in games, Pokémon weren't confined to specific routes. If the environment was suitable, Pokémon could appear anywhere. While it was likely he was in Galar, his exact location remained unknown.

"I should focus on recovering first and then take a closer look at my golden finger."

Leaning against a large tree, Su Yi flipped open the mysterious book. This time, all five options—[Quests], [Map], [Companions], [Ecology Report], [Items]—were lit up. Additionally, the first page now contained a Hunter's ID Card, depicting him in his modern attire. Below it was a label:

[Hunter's Guild · New Continent Research Team · Fifth Expedition · Recommended Hunter NO.001]

"…Huh?"

Su Yi was baffled. He wasn't even a guild hunter! Should he add another title?

[Pokémon World Research Team First Expedition Hunter NO.001]

Of course, he was just joking.

Su Yi then carefully examined the book's contents.

First, he opened the [Quests] section. The page flipped, revealing no active quests. Instead, it prompted him to explore and investigate. There was also an option to return to his previous coordinates and continue his last expedition.

Naturally, Su Yi had no intention of returning to the Ancient Forest so soon. That place was too dangerous. He needed proper preparation before heading back.

"So, aside from the initial quest, all others must be triggered through exploration and investigation?" Su Yi mused.

In Monster Hunter: World, quests came in various forms, including investigation quests.

Investigation quests were unlocked by tracking monster traces and studying their behavior. These reports could then be registered as official quests, with considerable rewards upon completion.

His [Quests] feature seemed similar, allowing for a more open-ended experience.

Next, he checked the [Map].

It documented the places Su Yi had explored in the Monster Hunter world. The only area mapped out was the path where he was chased by Anjanath. He could also add notes and markers.

Then came his most crucial survival tool—[Companions].

Since he wasn't a native hunter, nor had he undergone rigorous training, he had no way to match the standards of the Monster Hunter world. If he wanted to thrive in this dangerous environment, he needed to rely on Pokémon battles instead of monster hunting.

Flipping the page, the screen instantly became Pokémon-themed. There was only one entry—a chibi, Q-version of a black-and-white, cow-patterned feline bouncing up and down. Next to it, the name Rucao was displayed, along with its status: Active Battle.

There were no level or HP indicators—logical, since this wasn't a game. Those values couldn't be precisely quantified in reality.

Curious, Su Yi tapped on Rucao's profile. What appeared next made him nearly burst out laughing.

The interface displayed Type, Ability, Moves, Held Item, just like in a real Pokémon game!

"Let's see…" Su Yi eagerly examined the details.

[Name]: Rucao

[Species]: Felyne (Male)

[Type]: Normal

[Ability]: Cat Strike (Felyne's type changes based on equipped armor.)

[Moves]: Cat Strike (Varies by equipment), Scratch, Growl

[Held Item]: None

"…It's literally Pokémon." Su Yi was speechless. His feline companion now had Pokémon-style attributes, complete with an Ability and a unique move.

Normal-type made sense—it was as basic as it got.

Scratch and Growl were logical too—cat claws and cat meows.

But the move "Cat Strike" intrigued him. It shared its name with Rucao's Ability, meaning it must be an exclusive move.

He checked the move description. Cat Strike was a Physical Normal-type move with 80 Power, but its type and form changed based on Rucchi's equipped armor.

"Rucao, were you once a hunter's Palico?" Su Yi asked. This ability and move resembled the adaptable armor sets worn by Palicoes in Monster Hunter.

Rucao scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "I was just a trainee explorer, nyah! I only did simple material gathering, nyah."

Indeed, Rucao wore basic leather armor, and his only weapon was a small bone knife. He wasn't assigned to any hunter.

"Rucao , did you feel any changes after being caught in the ball?" Su Yi asked.

Rucao tilted his head, thinking. "I feel more energetic, nyah! And after eating, my strength and wounds healed much faster, nyah."

"Faster recovery?" Su Yi picked up a berry.

These were indeed Pokémon Berries, known for restoring energy quickly. However, when Su Yi ate them, they didn't have such an immediate effect. His back wound, though treated by Heal Pulse, was still fragile.

In other words, the berries worked best on Rucao and Pokémon.

Could it be?!

"Rucao! Use Scratch!" Su Yi suddenly shouted.

"Meow?!" Rucao was startled, panicking as he swung his paws. At that moment, something seemed to activate instinctively—his cat paws glowed white and began to elongate.

"Eh?! What's happening, meow?!" Rucao looked at his changing paws in confusion.

Su Yi, as if he had unlocked a new world, exclaimed excitedly, "I knew it! This golden finger is more than it seems—Rucao has gained Pokémon abilities!"

"Pokémon?! What do you mean, meow?! Su Yi, when you first arrived here and saw those strange creatures, you were so calm, meow. Where exactly is this place, and what happened to me, meow?!" Rucao bombarded him with questions about the strange experiences he had encountered in such a short time.

Su Yi couldn't bring himself to deceive Rucao, who trusted him so much. He took a deep breath and began explaining the concept of the Pokémon world.

"So that's how it is, meow! But I still can't imagine it, meow. Gaining a mysterious power, arriving in another world—are you sure this isn't just some really faraway land, meow?" Rucao adorably scratched his cat ears in amazement.

As a Felyne born in the New Continent's Astera base, Rucao's world had always been limited to Astera and a small part of the Ancient Forest. Though he had heard of the Old World and the vastness of the New Continent's interior, they were merely distant dreams to him. He had never imagined the existence of another equally fantastical world.

"Su Yi, you're amazing, meow! You actually brought me to such an incredible place, meow! I want to be your Palico, meow!" Rucao gazed at Su Yi with admiration and longing, his big, watery eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.

At this moment, despite being suddenly taken to an entirely unfamiliar world, Rucao did not complain or blame Su Yi. Instead, he trusted him, wanting to go on an adventure together.

Su Yi felt deeply touched by Rucao's unwavering trust and expectations.

He took a deep breath and said seriously, "No! You're not just a Palico—you are my Rucao, my partner. Don't worry, whether it's the New Continent or the Pokémon world, I will take you to witness all the magnificent sights!"

At the same time, the dust-covered dreams in Su Yi's heart were reignited. The simple and pure wish of Rucao—wasn't it the same as what he once dreamed of when he was young?

Since he had been given this opportunity, how could he let it go to waste?

"Chansey?" A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

Chansey looked at Su Yi curiously.

At this moment, Su Yi had changed into a completely different outfit. His old, tattered modern clothes had been discarded. Instead, he now wore the starting leather armor set from Monster Hunter: World—a durable yet lightweight leather outfit that protected his body while allowing for ease of movement.

But the most eye-catching features were the Slinger on his left arm and the Scoutfly lantern on his waist.

These two tools were essential for a Hunter's exploration. The Slinger could fire various projectiles, launch capture nets, and even shoot grappling hooks to traverse difficult terrains. It also had a Clutch Claw attachment to aid in hunting.

Meanwhile, the Scoutflies helped track monsters and locate useful resources in the surroundings.

Of course, these tools, along with his ration set, whetstone, and other basic items already stored in his [Inventory], were part of his beginner's equipment. More importantly, fundamental Hunter knowledge had been imprinted in his memory—but he still needed hands-on practice to fully master it.

One thing Su Yi found amusing was that the Hunter's training even included how to cook Palico meals.

Thinking back, in Monster Hunter: World, even the protagonist's Handler knew how to make Palico meals. Though that might have been due to her love of food, there was no denying that being able to cook stat-boosting meals during a hunt was a huge advantage.

For now, though, there was no one else to cook Palico meals for him.

After a full night's rest, a fully geared-up Su Yi was ready to set off again.

"Chansey?" Chansey looked at Su Yi worriedly, pointing at the wound on his back.

Su Yi smiled. "It's fine now. Besides, Rucao has something he needs to do."

Indeed, after resting for a night, Su Yi planned to return to the Monster Hunter world because of Rucao's request. Upon learning that he would be away for a long time, Rucao wanted to go back to Astera to submit a long-term absence request and inform his friends not to worry.

Chansey still looked concerned. Seeing this, an idea popped into Su Yi's mind—something he needed to test.

Once again, they arrived in the familiar forest.

Sunlight streamed through the dense trees, and with a flash of light, Su Yi and Rucao reappeared.

"We're back, meow!" Through the thick leaves, Rucao spotted the towering Ancient Tree he knew so well.

"There's no immediate danger," Su Yi observed cautiously, then noticed the spikes embedded in the ground.

"So these are from the Nargacuga's tail." He crouched down, examining the two quill-like spikes that had penetrated the earth.

"These things cause Bleeding status—the more you move, the worse it gets. No wonder I was bleeding so much that day," Su Yi muttered.

His Scoutflies swarmed toward the spikes, glowing faintly green, but they did not start tracking any further traces of the Nargacuga. This meant the monster had left the area long ago, making it difficult to find any fresh tracks.

That was a good thing.

"Rucao, let's move to the outer edges of the Ancient Forest," Su Yi said.

Rucao pulled out a compass and responded cheerfully, "No problem, meow!"

Using the stealth techniques ingrained in his Hunter training, Su Yi and Rucao carefully maneuvered their way from the central part of the Ancient Forest to its outer edges.

Pushing through the foliage, their view suddenly expanded—a coastal region with sparse trees stretched before them. In the distance, the endless ocean sparkled under the sunlight.

Several Aptonoths, dinosaur-like herbivores, wandered leisurely near the water and around patches of Sunkissed Grass. Above, a few Oricorio (Pa'u Style) fluttered cautiously, pecking at seeds and fruit. Nearby, Lopunny lay basking in the sun, grooming their fur.

It was a breathtaking sight—far more awe-inspiring than when he had first seen it in the game.

The gentle breeze, the warm sunlight, the distant echoes of creatures calling—all of it felt overwhelmingly real.

In his mind, Su Yi could almost hear the triumphant notes of "Proof of a Hero."

It all started so simply. But soon, it would be a legendary adventure.

ROAR!

Suddenly!

A piercing roar shattered the tranquil scene.

Every creature froze in alarm. Then, in an instant, chaos erupted—small creatures scattered in panic, while the larger Aptonoths fled clumsily in different directions.

WHOOSH!

A gust of wind swept through as a massive, green figure soared from the Ancient Forest.

Like an eagle striking its prey, the creature zeroed in on an Aptonoth and plummeted down.

SQUELCH!

The Aptonoth let out a pitiful cry as razor-sharp talons pinned it down. Its struggles grew weaker as the grip tightened.

ROAR!

The green wyvern let out another deafening cry—declaring its dominance over its prey.

But instead of devouring it on the spot, the mighty dragon effortlessly lifted the ten-meter-long Aptonoth into the air.

Then, with powerful wingbeats, it ascended—heading toward the canopy of the Ancient Forest.