The grasslands outside were already filled with many players.
Some players already had Pokémon by their side, though they were mostly the same few kinds.
Rinko speculated that these Pokémon were likely obtained from the research lab in the main storyline, meaning there were only a few options available for selection.
Instead of rushing straight to the lab, she stood by and calmly observed the movements of those Pokémon.
As a scientist, Rinko always approached situations with a logical mindset, analyzing and making choices that would be beneficial in the long run. However, she quickly realized that this was just a game, and analyzing which Pokémon was superior or inferior had little meaning.
With that in mind, she turned away and walked toward the research lab.
In reality, if Rinko were serious about playing the game, her starting difficulty would be much lower than that of players who chose their Pokémon based on appearance.
In the Pokémon series, the choice of a starter Pokémon often determined the difficulty of the early game.
For example, Grass-type starters were generally associated with normal or easy difficulty since their moves tended to be more effective early on in the game.
However, for the majority of players, Fire- and Water-type Pokémon were the preferred choices.
This was mainly because these two types often had more visually appealing Pokémon.
For instance: Charizard, Blaziken, Greninja, Infernape, Empoleon, and Swampert.
That's not to say Grass-types didn't have their own cool-looking Pokémon.
For example, Sceptile and Serperior.
But Sceptile had to compete with Blaziken and Swampert, two strong and stylish contenders. Unless someone truly loved Sceptile, it was rarely the first choice.
Serperior, on the other hand, had a much better environment. Its contemporaries were Samurott and Emboar—Pokémon that simply didn't match its elegance in terms of appearance, making it a popular pick.
It wasn't until Pokémon Scarlet & Violet that Grass-type starters truly gained prominence.
Neither Skeledirge nor Quaxly's evolution could compare to Meowscarada in terms of strength or aesthetics.
Meowscarada quickly became a rising star in the 3D Pokémon era, second only in popularity to the eternal queen, Gardevoir, and even surpassing long-time favorites like Lopunny.
In the updated Pokémon game, the map had been scaled down slightly to reduce the time players spent traveling.
So, what originally required an hour's walk in SAO now only took Rinko fifteen minutes.
[Arceus Research Lab]
Standing before the research lab, which was packed with players, Rinko felt as if cold sweat would have dripped down her forehead if this weren't a game.
But soon, she noticed something strange.
Players were continuously flooding into the lab like waves. She stood and watched for a couple of minutes, estimating that at least a hundred people had entered. However, despite its modest size of about 120 square meters, the research lab never seemed to become overcrowded.
With curiosity piqued, she stepped forward and entered the lab.
As soon as she did, she understood why.
What appeared from the outside to be an overcrowded space was actually empty from within.
Looking around, she saw a green-haired man in a white lab coat standing at the front, smiling at her.
She recognized him instantly.
This character had appeared online countless times before. Some skilled SAO survivors had even illustrated the three final bosses, and the NPC standing before her—who acted like a guide—was one of them.
She could already imagine how SAO survivors would react upon seeing him again in this game.
Elsewhere in the lab, a few NPCs with their backs turned were busy operating research equipment.
At first glance, the scene felt eerily unsettling. These NPCs clearly saw her enter, yet they acted as if she didn't exist.
"They're all AIs."
After just a few minutes of observation, she had already determined that these NPCs lacked advanced intelligence.
Even the so-called "Arceus," whom SAO players once described as nearly indistinguishable from a human, now stood there like an empty shell—a mere puppet.
"So, when SAO ended, did their missions end as well?"
She silently speculated while stepping forward to trigger the interaction.
"Hello, I'm here."
Rinko spoke in a precise and formal manner, which was actually common among many Japanese players when addressing NPCs.
In virtual reality, NPCs were nearly indistinguishable from real people.
And for someone like Rinko, who lacked extensive gaming experience and primarily lived in the real world, it was natural to carry over real-life behaviors into a virtual setting.
"Welcome. The children have been waiting for you, Miss Rinko," Arceus replied in a textbook-like manner, gesturing toward a table behind him where nine Poké Balls were neatly placed.
At the same time, nine card-like panels appeared before her, each displaying a Pokémon's information.
The options were:
Charmander Snivy Froakie Gastly Gligar Alolan Sandshrew Mareep Ralts Swablu
Rinko scanned through them and quickly filtered out six, leaving only Snivy, Ralts, and Swablu.
Her selection was based purely on appearance—because they looked cute.
After a few seconds of consideration, she chose Snivy, which had a proud and elegant demeanor.
Ralts and Swablu seemed too fragile, not the type she wanted.
"It looks like you've chosen your first partner. Then, set off on a new journey with this little one," Arceus said with a smile, handing the Poké Ball containing Snivy to her.
He then handed her a book and a tablet-like device.
"This Trainer's Manual will help you understand your role and make your journey easier. And this Pokédex will assist you in identifying Pokémon you haven't encountered before."
"Thank you. Well then, I'll be on my way."
She gave a slight bow, took the items, and left the research lab.
Outside, the area was still teeming with players, and her sudden appearance drew a few glances.
Some were curious about which Pokémon she had chosen, while others focused their gaze… elsewhere.
"Did I make the chest too big?"
Noticing the stares, Rinko sighed helplessly.
For the first time, she understood the inconveniences of having a large bust—not only did it make movement slightly awkward, but it also attracted unwanted attention.
Thankfully, most players only stole a quick glance out of instinct.
Unlike SAO's early days, Pokémon allowed players to freely change their appearance and gender. No one could tell if a mature-looking woman was actually a sweaty old man in real life.
Finding a quiet spot, Rinko summoned her Snivy.
"Snivy~"
As soon as Snivy appeared, it circled around her in excitement.
This movement instantly revealed something to her.
She had observed other players' Pokémon and noticed that Snivy had a preset entry animation where it circled its Trainer upon being summoned.
This meant these Pokémon weren't truly intelligent, nor did they have AI resembling real creatures. Instead, they operated based on programmed behaviors.
This aligned with a traditional gaming experience, and players were thoroughly enjoying it as they discovered the main storyline.
The core gameplay involved traveling through floors 1 to 100 with Pokémon.
Players had to clear each floor's boss to unlock the teleportation gate to the next level, just like in SAO.
However, this version introduced wild Pokémon for players to catch and build their teams.
At certain floors—10, 20, 30, 80—players would challenge eight Gyms to earn badges.
After obtaining eight badges, they could challenge the Elite Four and then the Champion on Floor 90.
Victory against the Champion granted access to the Floor 100 annual Aincrad Pokémon Battle Tournament and the Ranked PvP ladder.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was 10 PM.
Despite the late hour, the number of online players in Pokémon continued to rise.
Rinko waited alone in the game for "Heathcliff" to log in, passing time by battling wild Pokémon and sightseeing with Snivy.
Just as she was sitting on a park bench, holding Snivy and enjoying the night breeze, she heard a crisp notification sound.
Opening her system settings, she saw:
[Friends (1)]
Her once-empty friend list now displayed a new name—[Heathcliff]—and it was online.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Taking a deep breath, her nose tingled with emotion.
She wanted to cry, but she wasn't sure if this account truly belonged to Akihiko…
Her rational mind told her he was dead—she had seen his body with her own eyes.
But deep inside, she still held onto hope.
After all, this man had defied expectations before.
(End of Chapter)
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