Chapter 116: An Unknown Ability

“Elder sister! Um... Gym Leader, welcome back! What did you do today?” A Zi greeted Naza very attentively.

A Zi was a “psychic orphan” Naza had taken in several years ago. Now only fifteen, she was already a ten-star gym trainer—meaning she could handle any challenger who came for the ten-star badge herself.

Though not quite at the Champion level, she was close enough that, facing an ordinary ten-star gym leader, even with more losses than wins, she still had a chance to prevail.

A Zi sported an obvious imitation of Naza’s princess-cut hairstyle, but with purple hair instead of Naza’s slightly lustrous ash gray, and at this moment, she wore a black eye patch over her right eye.

When A Zi asked her questions, Naza’s face plainly said, “None of your business.”

A Zi’s dependence on Naza was a bit excessive since being adopted. Perhaps for this reason, Naza had forbidden her from calling her “sister” and insisted on the more formal “Gym Leader.”

“How did you end up here?” Naza’s curiosity piqued.

The central tower of the Golden Yellow City Psychic Gym was Naza’s private quarters, off-limits without permission!

“I... I came to greet my sister!” A Zi blinked her large, cute eyes.

But Naza had already decided to check if anything of hers was missing. If so... A Zi would be confined as punishment.

“Oh, alright.” Naza’s tone made it clear that she thought A Zi could leave now.

“Then... I’ll be going.” A Zi said, feeling a bit wronged.

Just then, Naza called out, “Wait, I have something to entrust to you.”

“What? Did some reckless person offend the Gym Leader?” A Zi seemed eager for a violent mission.

“No. If tomorrow someone named Am comes to challenge for a badge... he will probably choose a personal psychic ability challenge. No matter which badge he goes for, lead him to the Realm of Truth. The specific test... leave it to this.”

Naza spoke as a Kadabra appeared beside her.

In fact, if Am thought carefully, he would realize that the first Kadabra Naza “released” seemed to appear by teleportation on its own, without a Poké Ball.

“Lord Alakazam,” A Zi greeted obediently, while the Kadabra still looked half-asleep.

Even A Zi was noticeably more respectful upon seeing this Kadabra — it was Naza’s ace Pokémon and guide on her psychic journey, a powerful Alakazam ranked at the Champion level!

For ease of meditation, Naza usually kept her Alakazam constrained in its Kadabra form to enjoy longer, sleep-like meditation sessions.

“Hm? Am? Who is that?” A Zi immediately asked.

Naza responded with her usual “None of your concern” expression, and A Zi quickly obeyed: “Yes!”

“I’m entrusting this to you so as not to alarm others,” Naza reminded her.

“Leave it to A Zi! This is a secret between the Gym Leader and me!” A Zi declared solemnly.

“It’s not that important... Fine, just go do it,” Naza said wearily, waving her hand to dismiss her.

...

Elsewhere, Am’s “volunteering” was cut short, and Misty and the others complained he always got involved in dangerous situations—though Am was just a volunteer, he had literally been burning for several minutes!

The volunteer work ended prematurely because the orphanage’s old building was completely destroyed.

At this moment, the old director of the orphanage revealed his formidable side.

“What? Pokémon violence gangs?”

“So you had this planned ambush, right? You deliberately lured them here!”

“What unexpected incident? You didn’t notice? It was obviously a conspiracy to forcibly demolish my house!”

“Your conscience is rotten, using criminals to destroy the orphanage...”

“I’m going to expose you!”

...

Only after Aunt Jinghua, representing the Golden Yellow City Junsha Headquarters, promised a series of “unequal compensations,” mainly for the children, did the old director finally calm down.

Although the orphanage children had to be merged into a welfare home, the old director successfully gained a position there, claiming he would serve as a supervisor.

Moreover, the Junsha team would take turns volunteering there...

...

At past three in the morning, Am finally rested in his room at the Pokémon Center.

By six the next morning, Am woke up promptly, unusually energetic.

He suspected this might be due to the “Undying Flame,” otherwise he wouldn’t have felt so spirited after barely over two hours of sleep.

Since he was already awake, Am didn’t nap again but used the networked Pokédex to research the “Undying Flame”—or the “power of Uchiha Madara.”

Unfortunately, most information he found was legendary tales, and he couldn’t gauge their credibility.

At seven o’clock, Am’s Pokédex signaled an incoming call, from Professor Giant Tree. Am answered immediately.

“You obtained the Undying Flame left behind by Uchiha Madara?” Professor Giant Tree asked bluntly, cutting to the chase.

“Seems so. But Professor, aside from feeling more energetic, I haven’t noticed any other effects,” Am replied.

He had emailed the professor the night before but hadn’t contacted him directly due to the late hour—he was waiting for this call.

“Tell me the whole process in detail,” the professor calmly instructed.

He was curious about Am’s experience but not overly excited—after all, Professor Giant Tree himself was a trainer with “Heart of the Sacred Grass” and “Power of the Eternal.”

For a powerful trainer, having some special abilities was basic. Even blessings from legendary beasts only made their journey smoother.

“A few days ago, I met a group of strange people in Golden Yellow City...” Am began, recounting his encounter with the traveling troupe.

He continued until he described how he wrested the prize from “Nana’s” hands.

“Professor Giant Tree, do you know that Nana? She shouldn’t be an unknown figure, right?” Am asked with curiosity.

“Hm... she’s probably a very strong psychic-type trainer. You don’t need to worry too much,” the professor said, eyeing Am oddly.

Unfortunately, Am couldn’t see the professor’s expression clearly, obscured by his exaggerated goggles.

“But before she left, she said something to me...”