Read advance chapters for both of my work, exclusively on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/Sniperwoof
-----------------
A few nights later, Sato's training in the mountain village finally came to an end—after nearly one hundred days, just as autumn was beginning to set in.
A few evenings prior, he had discovered a letter left for him on the riverbank by Master Genmei. The words were few, but their meaning was clear: his spiritual training was complete, and he was free to leave.
Sato felt little turbulence within. More than a month earlier, he had already sensed the shadows in his heart completely dissolved. He had returned to the state he was in before leaving the countryside—able even, at times, to enter a state of complete calm.
What held him back was not necessity but attachment—reluctance to part from the peaceful days he had found here. Yet all gatherings must end. He knew he was only an outsider, and if he stayed longer, he might disturb this quiet paradise.
Deep down, his drive to become stronger still burned strong.
So he left.
He took only Pichu, Ditto, and Kecleon with him. Swampert, Shiny Pelipper, Nidoking, Heracross, and Natu he entrusted to Slowpoke Temple, to remain and continue their training.
He had originally planned to bring Natu along as well, but the little one had grown attached to the carefree life there and firmly declared she would settle permanently at the temple.
Sato had less than a million PokeDollars remaining. He entrusted most of his funds to Master Genmei—not only as payment for his spiritual guidance, but also as support for the continued care and training of his Pokémon.
The months of training had brought him immeasurable gains. Not only had he shed the inner darkness, but he had also received advanced meditation methods from Genmei, allowing his psychic strength to grow tremendously.
For indeed, Slowpoke Temple was a sanctuary for psychics. Every generation's abbot was a master of psychic arts.
Sato found Master Genmei even more formidable than Sabrina. Genmei was a true sage, dwelling constantly in a state of desirelessness. Proof of his mastery lay in the fact that he could consistently catch the elusive Shellder at the Lake—something nearly impossible.
Sato's own psychic power now measured 223 points, a staggering increase from the 108 he had when leaving the mysterious island. He attributed his rapid progress over three months to three main factors:
i) The advanced meditation method bestowed by Master Genmei. Unlike the basic technique Sato had once received from Maya, this temple's Heart Meditation Method was vastly superior, multiplying his efficiency manyfold.
ii) The Tranquilizing Tonic he had consumed earlier, brewed from the rare Wisdom Lotus Seed. This miraculous potion seemed not only to aid meditation but also to permanently boost innate psychic potential. After several doses, Sato had noticed his efficiency double or even triple compared to before.
iii) The spiritual training itself. The calmer his heart, the deeper his meditation. With a still mind, he could even remain in meditation while working in the fields. This seamless state of mind, he realized, was tied closely to the Heart Meditation Method, whose essence was the use of one's inner spirit to enhance meditation efficiency.
Because of this, Sato spent most of his final two months in near-constant meditation, and his psychic strength soared.
With 223 points, he had risen to a mid-level Beginner Psychic—a level far beyond the dangerous early stage where many died prematurely. At this stage, a psychic inevitably mastered one indispensable technique: Teleportation.
The moment his psychic strength passed 200, Sato dedicated himself to learning it. Under Master Genmei's guidance, he quickly grasped the life-saving art.
Beyond Teleportation, he also mastered subtle Mind Reading, Mental Suggestion, and Hypnosis—all practical and versatile psychic techniques.
....
Olivine City, two o'clock in the afternoon.
At the harbor, Sato—now disguised—watched the distant sea while waiting for a passenger ship bound for Hoenn's Slateport City.
Two weeks had passed since he left Slowpoke Temple. In that time, he had shed his old identity as 'Kira Hayashi' and assumed a new one: Tyler.
Yes—upon leaving the temple, his first move was to contact Giovanni, who immediately initiated the Seed Project for him.
Tyler was a young man from Johto, Sato's age, with the same blood type and a similar build. He was to be Sato's new face, a fresh identity through which he would infiltrate the League.
Tyler's background was unremarkable: the son of Olivine fishermen, born into a family that had never produced a noteworthy trainer in three generations. His father, unable to achieve his own dream of greatness, had pinned his hopes on his son.
Though the family lived in poverty, Tyler was spared the fisherman's life. From age six, his parents enrolled him in Pokémon school, where he progressed from primary to advanced studies, receiving systematic training.
Tyler worked hard. Always near the top of his class, he even secured admission to Johto's most prestigious academy, Goldenrod Academy, while still in middle school.
His parents went deep into debt to support him, but he justified their sacrifice by remaining in the academy's top ten despite the fierce competition.
Had he continued on this path, Tyler could have graduated at sixteen, potentially earning direct appointment as a League-affiliated trainer, complete with a Pokédex and a starter from Professor Elm.
But fate struck cruelly. A sudden sea storm claimed the lives of both his parents. The debt remained, forcing Tyler to sell his house, though even then he still owed the bank tens of thousands of PokeDollars.
Unable to pay tuition, he was forced to drop out.
Though many kind teachers offered to sponsor him, the loss of his parents and the crushing weight of debt drove Tyler into despair. At last, he attempted to end his life.
He failed, but prolonged drowning left him brain-dead.
Then came the "miracle." Days ago, he awoke in the hospital.
But the truth was simple: the real Tyler had died. In his place now lived Sato.
The reason the impoverished boy had remained on life support despite his condition was Giovanni's hidden hand, operating through a charitable foundation.
And now, the reborn "Tyler" was bound for Hoenn—to seek out his 'uncle'.