"Huff… huff…!"
His breathing came in ragged bursts, each inhale tearing at his lungs as his heart hammered wildly against his ribs—so violently it felt like it might burst out of his chest.
ROAR!
A savage roar exploded behind him.
The sound slammed into his eardrums, sending a bone-chilling wave of terror through his entire body.
Su Yi ran.
He sprinted through the dense forest like a man possessed, weaving desperately between towering trees. Branches clawed at him, ripping his modern clothes into tattered strips. Some scraped against his skin, leaving behind burning welts—
—but he couldn't stop.
He didn't dare stop.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Heavy footsteps pounded behind him like war drums, each impact shaking the ground—and his sanity.
Behind him—
A massive brute wyvern crashed through the forest, crushing everything in its path as it charged forward with unstoppable momentum.
"I'm dead… I'm dead… I'm so dead!"
Panic screamed inside his mind as he twisted and turned through the terrain, using every obstacle he could to slow the monster—desperately trying to create even the slightest distance.
ROAR!!
The creature grew increasingly irritated.
Its pale pink skin rippled as it roared. Black fur along its spine bristled violently. Near its tail, two sail-like membranes snapped open with a sharp flare. Its nasal cover split apart, revealing a towering crest as its massive nostrils flared—
Locking onto Su Yi completely.
"…That's an Anjanath… right?!"
His pupils shrank.
"What the hell… why did I wake up in the New World?!"
Taking advantage of a brief moment, he glanced back—
—and saw the monster he had hunted countless times in-game.
That single glance confirmed everything.
This wasn't some prehistoric world.
This was the setting of Monster Hunter: World—
The New World.
A land ruled by monsters.
A place where humans struggled to survive—fighting, adapting, and barely maintaining balance within a brutal ecosystem.
But Su Yi—
Was not a hunter.
He had no massive weapon.
No armor.
No skills.
He was just an ordinary office worker from the 21st century.
Right now—
He was prey.
Barely faster than the herbivores Anjanath usually hunted.
ROAR!!!
The Anjanath entered full hunting mode.
It stepped back, muscles coiling—
Then—
BOOM!
With a thunderous stomp, it launched itself into the air.
Hearing that sound—
Every hunt he had ever played flashed through his mind.
His scalp went numb.
WHOOSH!
BOOM!!!
The multi-ton monster slammed into the ground.
The earth trembled violently.
The shockwave knocked Su Yi off balance—
He stumbled—
—and crashed hard onto the ground.
Despair surged through him.
"…Is this it?"
"…Am I really going to die like this…?"
He looked up.
A massive maw filled with razor-sharp teeth.
A wave of foul, suffocating breath washed over him.
Cold terror swallowed him whole.
"Someone's in danger, meow!"
A nimble figure shot past the Anjanath in a blur.
At the same instant—
A foul-smelling object was hurled straight into the monster's open mouth.
ROOOAR—!!
The stench hit instantly.
The Anjanath recoiled violently, shaking its head and gagging in fury.
"Run, meow!"
A small, cow-patterned feline sprinted ahead on all fours, glancing back as it signaled him.
"I'm saved…!"
Strength surged back into Su Yi's limbs.
Without hesitation, he scrambled to his feet and followed the agile figure deeper into the forest, ignoring the furious roars echoing behind them.
…
"Huff… huff… I can't hear it anymore… we should be safe now… right?"
Su Yi bent forward, gasping heavily.
Every muscle screamed in protest.
His lungs burned like fire.
"For now, we're out of danger, meow."
The small feline straightened up, standing on two legs, and adjusted the leather goggles on its head.
"Thank you… kitty."
Only now did Su Yi finally get a clear look at his savior.
A cow-patterned cat.
And one that could talk.
This—
Was a Felyne.
A highly intelligent beastfolk race known to hunters as Palicoes.
They had their own culture. Their own society.
They worked, communicated, and fought just like humans.
And most importantly—
They were hunters' companions.
In battle, they could distract monsters, set traps, heal wounds, gather materials—
Brave.
Loyal.
Incredibly dependable.
The perfect partner.
Back in the game—
Su Yi had been saved countless times by Palicoes.
Drawing aggro.
Dropping Vigorwasps.
Turning the tide at the last second.
And now—
The first one to save him in this world—
Was still a Palico.
Su Yi let out a quiet sigh.
How could such a creature even exist?
This…
This was the real aibo.
Fake aibo (Handler): expert at pulling aggro—basically a baby Deviljho.
Real aibo (Palico): tanky, versatile, fearless—taking hits head-on.
"No need to thank me, meow. My name is Lushui. Say… you're not a hunter, are you, meow? Why are you alone in the dangerous Ancient Forest?"
"I'm Su Yi… as for how I got here…"
He hesitated.
"I don't really know."
Before this—
He had just been an ordinary employee.
Endless work.
Endless exhaustion.
The only thing keeping him sane—
Games.
Like Monster Hunter: World… and Pokémon.
He tried to recall.
After a long day, he had picked up his Nintendo Switch—
Planning to relax for a bit.
Maybe take a short nap while the game loaded…
And then—
Nothing.
"That's strange, meow… Are you from Astera? Which fleet? Hmm… you don't look like it, meow. You're so young—were you born there?"
"…Just think of me as someone who ended up here by accident."
"Could you be from the Old World, meow?"
Lushui circled him curiously—
Then suddenly froze.
"Hey! That book on your waist, meow! It has the Hunter's Guild symbol!"
"…A book?"
Su Yi looked down.
Sure enough—
A thick, ancient-looking book hung at his waist.
Strangely—
It felt weightless.
He hadn't even noticed it while running.
He took it off.
At its center—
A blue star.
Below it—
A white banner bearing the emblem of the Fifth Fleet.
"Huh? That insignia… it's not from the first four fleets, meow. Are you from the rumored Fifth Fleet?"
Su Yi's gaze sharpened slightly.
"So… Astera only has four fleets right now?"
"Of course, meow! But recently, there are rumors—they're applying for a Fifth Fleet to investigate the Elder Crossing!"
His heart skipped.
So—
This was before the main story began.
Soon—
The Fifth Fleet would arrive.
Zorah Magdaros would cross the sea.
And everything—
Would begin.
But that wouldn't be the end.
It would only be—
The beginning.
"…Could I become the Sapphire Star of the New World?"
His gaze fell onto the blue star.
Something long extinguished within him—
Flickered back to life.
This wasn't the end of a story.
It was a beginning.
Maybe—
He could become part of the legend.
He opened the book.
The yellowed pages shimmered—
Transforming into a clean interface.
[Quest] [Map] [Monstie] [Ecology Report] [Items]
Only Quest, Items, and Monstie were active.
"…A system?"
His eyes lit up.
"This is my cheat… right?"
"Monstie… isn't that from Monster Hunter Stories?"
He opened it.
Empty.
"…As expected."
Then—
Quest.
[Beginning of the Journey: Obtain Your First Companion]Time Remaining: 2 days 1 hour 30 minutesSupport: 5 Capture BallsReward: 5 Capture Balls, Basic Hunter Skills
"…Capture Balls?"
He opened the item menu.
A single item appeared—
A red-and-white sphere.
Quantity: 5.
"…No way."
He tapped it.
A small ball appeared in his hand.
Click.
Pop!
It expanded to palm size.
"This is literally a Poké Ball…"
Use Poké Balls—
To capture monsters—
To turn them into companions—
To become a Pokémon Master?
"…That's insane."
[Capture Ball: Has a chance to capture monsters. More effective when the target is weakened.]
"…You're telling me this thing can catch those monsters?"
"Hey, what are you staring at, meow? Why are you zoning out at a blank book?"
"You… can't see this?"
"See what, meow?"
"…Nothing."
So—
Others could see the book.
But not what was inside.
"…Then where do I even find my first companion?"
He looked around.
The forest—
Was silent.
Too silent.
"…Is it just me, or is this place too quiet…?"
"I don't like this, meow…"
Lushui's fur bristled.
Then—
Su Yi froze.
In the shadows between the trees—
A pair of crimson lights flickered.
His scalp tingled.
Something was there.
SWISH—!
A tail lashed through the darkness.
Sharp projectiles tore through the air—
"Watch out!"
Without hesitation—
Su Yi lunged forward, tackling Lushui to the ground.
SPLASH!
A spike grazed his back—
Tearing through flesh.
"—!!"
"What was that, meow?! A monster?!"
Lushui scrambled up—
Eyes locked on the darkness.
And then—
A black figure slowly stepped forward…