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Having thought of a path that might help Mewtwo, Aiden quickly took action.
Far away in Saffron City, Kanto region, Sabrina—who was in meditation—vaguely sensed something and instinctively took out her phone.
She immediately noticed the message from Aiden.
She fell into confusion for a moment, then quickly understood.
It must be related to that Pokémon called "Mewtwo."
According to Mr. Lance, both Mewtwo and Mew had followed Aiden when he left, probably returning to Paldea with him.
As expected of Teacher Azure—to gain the recognition of the legendary Mew...
Recalling Aiden's calm demeanor at Viridian Gym before, Sabrina's face quickly showed signs of appreciation.
Indeed, only the most excellent trainers were qualified to earn the favor of Legendary Pokémon.
However, Teacher Azure was actually asking her about insights on using psychic power?
This special ability that one was born with—Sabrina found it hard to explain exactly how to use it.
Just like how living beings open their eyes and can see the world, using psychic power was basically an instinct too—that's why some psychics born with strong psychic abilities would easily go out of control.
How to use psychic power at will was like why human eyes can distinguish different colors of light—something you're born knowing how to do...
Those who can learn don't need teaching; those who can't learn won't benefit from being taught anyway.
Although there were some cases of people learning it later in life, those humans could only manage basic applications like bending spoons or moving objects with their minds.
Even if she taught him, Teacher Azure probably wouldn't understand well either?
After all, in Sabrina's impression, Aiden shouldn't have any psychic abilities—if he did, she would have sensed it during their meeting.
Therefore, instead of communicating with Aiden, it would be better to let Mewtwo directly understand her thoughts.
After figuring this out, Sabrina quickly used her psychic power to control her phone, entering video recording mode as it floated in the air.
Soon after, Aiden received a reply from Sabrina.
But it wasn't text content—instead, it was a video recording several minutes long.
Sabrina's unique understanding of psychic power was concentrated in every movement in the video—even at her mental command, the furniture before her immediately shrunk several sizes, finally transforming into more cartoonish toy versions.
"???"
Question marks quickly sprouted above Aiden's head.
So the animation was actually a documentary—Sabrina really could do this move!
Although it looked impressive, Aiden completely failed to understand how Sabrina had done it.
Of course, this wasn't important to him.
If he didn't understand, Mewtwo surely would.
After calling over Mewtwo—who had just finished washing up and looked much more energetic—Aiden showed it the video Sabrina had just sent.
At first, Mewtwo was a bit puzzled, but upon noticing the somewhat familiar human on the screen, it quickly understood Aiden's intention.
"I see—humans actually have monsters capable of controlling such terrifying psychic power..."
Mewtwo couldn't help but sigh in amazement.
During that great battle, its situation hadn't allowed it to observe the outside world, so it hadn't noticed the terrifying psychic power Sabrina had used in battle.
Several times stronger than ordinary Pokémon—even compared to itself, which had now grown to a certain level, it might be slightly stronger...
And this terrifying reserve of psychic power actually existed in a human? Staring at the "human" on screen who casually used psychic power without changing expression, Mewtwo fell into silence.
However, could psychic power actually be used like this?
Not only could it be used to enhance Pokémon and temporarily boost their strength, but it could even forcibly break through evolution barriers with massive amounts of psychic power, completing a temporary evolution through enlightenment.
Theoretically, this small technique of using psychic power was very similar to Mega Evolution.
So it might also be able to verify its own hypothesis?
Thinking this, Mewtwo's attention became even more focused.
The techniques she demonstrated weren't difficult to learn—they basically relied on brute force, using powerful psychic power to forcefully break through obstacles.
And in this area, it was equally skilled.
Mewtwo quickly focused on learning Sabrina's psychic tricks. Seeing this, Aiden beside it also quickly smiled.
With Mewtwo's learning ability, it might replicate this very soon.
Starting today, it could begin practical training too.
...
Noon arrived, and students gradually appeared in Cabo Poco.
Nowadays, there wasn't a single student at Naranja Academy who didn't know about Teacher Azure. His weekend streams had basically become required Paldea curriculum, and even Director Harrington had personally promoted Aiden's strategies at school.
Therefore, everyone had a basic expectation that this week's new strategy would be Rain teams.
Rain teams it is—anyway, they weren't relying on just one person's strength anymore, but an entire team working together!
After freshman Penny established Team Star, students suddenly realized—
So this was another way to improve?
Compared to struggling alone to study Teacher Azure's streams and videos but remaining confused, discussing with everyone else was clearly a more cost-effective approach.
As a result, in the short three weeks since Team Star's establishment, most students had already joined this authoritative organization.
Naranja Academy students had never been so united before.
And their goal was only one—
Complete Teacher Azure as a team, and trample this Paldea demon king under their feet!
Students were always enthusiastic about challenging Teacher Azure and Sunshine Gym.
After all, one of Penny's purposes in establishing Team Star was to serve as Teacher Azure's fan club, finding like-minded people at Naranja Academy.
Even haters are still fans!
Even now, multiple small teams had spontaneously formed within Team Star, maximizing the students' strength.
The "Strategy Group" responsible for studying Teacher Azure's videos and devising plans for students to challenge the gym; the "Vanguard Team" serving as pioneers, arriving at Sunshine Gym every Monday to test strategies through actual battles; and the "Logistics Group" responsible for assisting classmates with Pokémon breeding, providing high-nutrition diet plans and training schedules.
After the Strategy Group's overnight analysis, the weaknesses of Aiden's Rain team were finally exposed.
This seemingly comprehensive Rain team actually had a fatal flaw!
Once it lost the protection of rain, the other Pokémon mixed into the Rain team could easily be eliminated by Fire-type moves all at once!
Therefore, the Sun team that Teacher Azure had taught last week happened to be the optimal solution to this week's Rain team.
Especially Ferrothorn, the so-called despair wall—Under Sunny weather, it simply couldn't have any defensive synergy. Any Fire-type move could easily break through it.
After understanding this point, students couldn't help but sigh in admiration:
"Each week's strategy interlocks perfectly with previous teachings—truly worthy of Teacher Azure!"
Thus, the first batch of "Vanguard Team" members, primarily using Fire-type Pokémon, arrived at Sunshine Gym, beginning to transform theory into reality.
Obviously, challenging other tactics that had already been overcome would be more stable and easier to obtain badges from Aiden.
But what kind of people were the Team Star members?
They were a group of pure humans who had transcended base interests, filled only with battles in their minds, devoted to the god of Pokémon battles!
Since there was a new strategy, they should conquer it as soon as possible!
Anyway, as long as they could pass Sunshine Gym's test, the difficulty of the other seven gyms would drop dramatically—passing the Champion's Path in the first half of the year shouldn't be too difficult.
Then...
With this mindset, students arrived at Sunshine Gym only to collectively freeze in shock.
What? The intelligence was fake?
Today's opponent wasn't Teacher Azure at all?
"Yo, you're all here."
Seeing students arriving in groups, Aiden—who had been waiting for quite some time—quickly smiled.
"Congratulations—young people. Sunshine Gym has recently welcomed a rather talented gym apprentice. It's also a rookie trainer. I hope you can all gain something from sparring with each other."
Following his introduction, Mewtwo standing behind him quickly stepped forward.
"Who's the first challenger?"
???
A somewhat humanoid, intimidating pink Pokémon appeared before them, and Aiden personally acknowledged its status as a gym apprentice. The students were all stunned.
What on earth was happening...
Was Teacher Azure thinking they were too useless—still not having passed Sunshine Gym's test—so he deliberately found a Pokémon to impersonate a trainer to stimulate them?
Moreover, how could this Pokémon even speak human language!
Facing the students' confused gazes, Aiden maintained his smile and calmly spoke:
"Don't underestimate this child. After all, no one said Pokémon can't be trainers, right?"
"In the world of wild Pokémon, Oranguru, Slowking, and even Hatterene all have good command abilities—we can completely consider them trainers."
"Moreover, Mewtwo's strength might surprise you."
With Aiden's words as guarantee, students gradually withdrew their skeptical gazes.
A Pokémon becoming a trainer was indeed quite novel...
However, Teacher Azure had said it was purely a rookie, right?
Then there was nothing to fear!
One student quickly straightened his chest and stepped before Mewtwo.
"Hello, I've come to challenge Sunshine Gym."
Mewtwo nodded, taking three quick steps to one side of the battle field.
Seeing this, the challenger quickly followed.
After Aiden simply repeated the gym rules, the challenger was the first to send out his Pokémon.
"Go, Ninetales!"
A fiery nine-tailed fox appeared on the field, and the weather quickly became somewhat sunny.
"...Ninetales?"
Mewtwo nodded slightly, quickly using its psychic power to retrieve a Poké Ball from behind.
"Then, the one I'm sending out is this child."
As Mewtwo finished speaking, the Poké Ball quickly popped open with a "poof."
Squirtle, wearing sunglasses and loving no one, made its shining debut.
Whether it was heated by the sunlight or intimidated by Ninetales' aura before it, a drop of cold sweat quickly rolled down Squirtle's forehead.
"Squirtle???"
Not just the opponent—even the other rookie spectators were stunned.
So Teacher Azure was telling the truth—this really was a rookie "trainer" who had just received their starter Pokémon?
Even with type advantage, it was completely compensated for in sunny weather, and the huge strength gap made this battle seem completely one-sided.
An unevolved, average-strength starter Pokémon—how could it compete on the same stage as a well-bred Ninetales?
The entire field seemed to have only Aiden maintaining his mysterious smile.
Just thinking about what would happen next, Aiden—who had originally wanted to appear serious—couldn't help but suppress a smile.
On the other side of the battle field, a flash of blue light passed through Mewtwo's eyes, causing Ninetales—who was extremely sensitive to psychic power—to instinctively shrink back.
"I see—strength roughly at the level of the gym's Incineroar?"
After murmuring this to itself, Mewtwo slowly raised its arm before the battle began, pointing at Squirtle before it.
With its movement, a mysterious gust of wind suddenly rose over the battle field.
And then...
Before everyone's eyes, Squirtle's body suddenly flashed with brilliant evolution light and immediately shot into the sky.
Soon, a Blastoise several times more robust than before—actually even more muscular than the opposing Ninetales—appeared on the field.
The students were instantly stunned.
W-what on earth is happening???
Evolving before the battle was one thing, but it actually completed two stages of evolution in one go?
Teacher Azure, your gym apprentice doesn't seem quite right...
Noticing their complex expressions, the smile on Aiden's lips became even more pronounced.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry—I forgot to tell you. Our new apprentice at Sunshine Gym can use a bit of psychic power to enhance its Pokémon."
"So the Pokémon it sends out to battle you will definitely be evenly matched in strength."
"And when the Pokémon's strength is about the same, what's being tested is pure trainer skill~"
After Aiden finished speaking, Mewtwo looked at him and extended four fingers.
The meaning was roughly "only used 40% of my power."
Such an absurd battle method actually wouldn't be unfamiliar to Kanto newcomers.
Wasn't this exactly what Gym Leader Sabrina did!
The facts indeed supported this.
Even Aiden hadn't expected that Mewtwo, after watching Sabrina's video just a few times, had already mastered these psychic techniques on its own.
With psychic power as a prerequisite, the gym tests would clearly become fairer.
In the past, when he personally oversaw them, the gym tests got easier as they went on because the strategies had been analyzed thoroughly—it was all about raw strength.
However, Mewtwo was completely the opposite.
Currently without any battle experience, Mewtwo might still be a bit green—a complete rookie in battling.
But its comprehension ability was strong—believing it wouldn't take long to gradually adapt to battle intensity and apply the knowledge it had gained from him.
Standing as referee at the center of the battle field, watching Mewtwo's extremely serious expression, its face written with "want to win," Aiden felt even more satisfied.
Mewtwo, you must work hard to grow stronger and then amaze all these rookies!
If you can't even beat Pokémon commanded by other Pokémon, what are you rookies even doing!
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