Entering the Saffron City Gym, they found a passageway resembling a corridor.
On both sides of the corridor were many small rooms. From within came faint rustling sounds, though it was unclear what was happening.
"What are the people in those rooms doing?" Ash tiptoed curiously, peeking through one of the windows.
Everyone else followed his gaze.
Inside were about twenty to thirty people, like a small classroom. Each held a spoon, practicing something with it in front of them.
"Is this some kind of performance art?" Misty tilted her head.
"It's psychic training," Giselle suddenly spoke up.
"I've heard a lot of psychic beginners start out by trying to bend spoons with telekinesis."
"Is there any threshold for that?" Natsume asked, watching the beginners train with interest.
If he could learn psychic powers, wouldn't that mean he could perform many experimental operations without relying on instruments?
And for large machinery, he could handle it more smoothly, with greater precision.
"Mr. Natsume, do you want to learn?" Giselle looked at him quickly and said:
"I heard that many people who study psychic powers undergo drastic personality changes afterward." She looked at Natsume nervously.
She definitely didn't want him turning into some strange person.
"Yeah, there's an example back in Cerulean City. A man studied psychic powers and his personality completely changed!" Misty suddenly added.
"Tell me about it?" Natsume raised an eyebrow, and everyone else leaned in with curiosity.
Although he didn't believe external methods could alter one's personality, it wouldn't hurt to hear more.
"Ahem, I don't know if it's the same as this kind of systematic training, because that man trained by himself." Misty paused, then continued:
"Basically, he learned psychic powers from his Psychic-type Pokémon."
"I heard he had a fiancée, but he always resisted marriage. Then, on the very day he mastered psychic powers, he suddenly changed his mind!"
"What Psychic-type Pokémon was it?" Natsume's expression grew odd.
"Hmm, I think it was… Kirlia!" Misty answered.
"Did it evolve?" Natsume asked again.
"Huh, how did you know? On the very day he changed his mind, his Pokémon evolved too."
Misty looked at him strangely, not understanding why he asked.
Natsume: "…".
"Misty, is that really true?" Giselle suddenly grabbed Misty's hand, eyes flashing with the words changed his mind.
Now she suddenly wanted Natsume to study psychic powers.
"Hey, don't lump us in with that back-alley nonsense!"
From behind them came a dissatisfied voice.
They turned to see three young men.
The one in front wore a suit with slicked-back hair, while the two behind him looked like assistants, dressed the same as the beginners in those rooms.
"Sir, are you a teacher here?" Ash asked curiously.
"Yes. I'm Lucian, leader of the Telekinesis Club. The Gym Leader here, Sabrina, is the head of our club."
After introducing himself, Lucian glanced at Ash, then at Natsume, and shook his head in disappointment.
"Give it up. You'd be better off getting badges in another city."
???
Ash's face was full of question marks.
Why did everyone he'd met lately look down on him?
Did he really look like a weakling?
Unconvinced, Ash shouted back:
"Mr. Lucian, how can you say that without even seeing me battle? My Pikachu is really strong!"
*Pika!*
Pikachu cried out with confidence.
"Still stubborn, huh." Lucian shook his head.
Sabrina's condition had been unstable lately. For unlucky challengers, he could only try to save as many as he could.
Just as he was about to demonstrate, Lucian pulled out a soda can. But before he could say a word, the can was gone.
"Glug, glug—ah!" Natsume finished it in one gulp.
"What are you doing?!" Lucian glared, but all he got in response was an empty can.
He grabbed the can, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Forget it, an empty can works too. Watch closely."
He placed the can upright on his palm, raising it before everyone.
The next second, a faint blue glow appeared in his eyes.
The glow grew brighter, filling his pupils, and the can in his hand became wrapped in the same light.
Slowly, the can began to float.
"Well? What do you think?" Lucian looked at them.
"Oh, amazing," Ash praised without enthusiasm.
"But what's the point? I could blow it over with one breath." Misty muttered.
Feeling insulted, Lucian gritted his teeth.
"Then keep watching!"
A creaking sound came from the can.
*Crack—crunch!*
As if caught in an invisible press, the can was gradually crushed flat into a disk in under three minutes.
"Whoa, now that's kinda impressive!" Ash generously clapped his hands.
"Well? Do you understand now?" Lucian wiped sweat from his forehead and looked at them.
"Understand what?" Ash looked even more confused.
"My point is—Leader Sabrina's psychic power is hundreds, thousands of times stronger than mine. She could crush you like I crushed this can!"
Lucian glared at the group of reckless Trainers. Since no one argued back, he thought they'd finally realized the danger.
But then, the quiet, clean-looking Trainer who had stolen his can earlier suddenly spoke.
"Ash, give him the whole show!"
"Got it, Natsume!"
The moment Natsume's voice fell, Ash took the flattened can from Lucian's hand.
"What are you doing?" Lucian frowned in confusion.
Ash took a deep breath, pressing his lips to the can's opening.
*Hah—pff!*
With a forceful blow, the flat can instantly returned to its original shape.
Lucian: "???"
But it didn't end there. Ash's cheeks were still puffed out.
He kept blowing, and the can visibly began to swell.
Air hissed out in places, but not nearly as fast as Ash was filling it.
After just three seconds—*Bang!* The can exploded.
"Huh? Why'd it blow up?"
Ash scratched his head, unharmed except for a bright red triangle-shaped mark around his lips.
Natsume looked down at the can's pull tab in his hand, then at Ash's reddened mouth.
Hmm. Maybe he should keep it as a souvenir and sell it to Serena.
While Natsume's thoughts drifted, the three men stood frozen in shock, unable to react.
The corridor fell silent.
"Teacher, he's practically a superhuman!"
Behind them, the two assistants pointed at Ash, voices trembling.
"Please, go ahead. You'll be the greatest challengers."
Lucian stepped aside, afraid Ash might blow in his face next.
"Alright, let's go in!" Ash cheered, marching forward with excitement.
Behind him, Lucian let out a long breath. Maybe this was a good thing.
In Sabrina's current condition, his words never reached her. Every time challengers came, he had to call the old Gym Leader to intervene.
Perhaps this Trainer named Ash could finally wake her up.
You can read more (around 80+ free chapters) of Natsume's adventure ad-free at [https ://ravenarchives .com/book/pokemon-who-let-him-leave-pallet-town]. Bulk uploads is a mess here, so updates here might be irregular.