"Sigh, this is so strange…"
In the Pokémon Center's backyard, countless valuable machines were lined up.
Right now, Nurse Joy stood before them, looking left and right, puzzled.
"Is something wrong, Nurse Joy?" Natsume and Giselle walked in.
"Mr. Natsume, can you check these machines for me? I feel like… someone swapped them for new ones."
Joy patted her own cheeks, making sure she wasn't dreaming.
*Chanse~ Chanse~* Chansey mimicked its trainer's actions and stepped aside to make room for Natsume.
"The machines turned new?"
Natsume was confused.
He walked up and began inspecting them one by one.
After a while, he started doubting his own senses.
It was too strange—these machines…
Not only did their exteriors suddenly look brand-new, but even their performance loss was better than fresh out of the factory.
Even more absurd, a machine that had already been scrapped could now be powered on again!
"Mr. Natsume, didn't you feel like you slept extra well last night?" Giselle suddenly leaned in, her face blushing crimson.
"You're a genius. These machines are just like people—they got a good night's sleep and came back brimming with energy!" Natsume was enlightened, giving Giselle a big thumbs up.
The only anomaly here was the white mist that Midchu released last night, the one that put everything into sleep.
The machines' change must also be related to that mist.
It seemed capable of letting machines *sleep* like people, restoring their energy and performance.
*Then recalling the Gigantamax energy Pikachu had expelled like impurities yesterday, Natsume's brows furrowed.*
*Could it be that the Eternatus shard Midchu absorbed had formed a different Divine Authority inside it?*
*One tied to sleep?*
Natsume suddenly thought of the Mythical Pokémon Darkrai and the Legendary Pokémon Cresselia.
According to official records, both were deeply connected to dreams.
"Natsume!"
A familiar voice called out. Turning around, he saw Ash and his friends at the doorway.
"Natsume, what happened here?" Brock was startled by the ruins outside, thinking the Pokémon Center had been attacked.
"Was it Team Rocket?" Misty asked nervously.
"It was Midchu," Natsume said, holding up the snoring Midchu.
"Huh?" Everyone was puzzled, but Natsume looked straight at Ash:
"Ash, let's have a battle!" Natsume's eyes sparkled.
"I'll battle you with Midchu." He lifted the sleeping Midchu in his hands.
"You want to test Midchu's training results? Alright, I accept!" Ash eagerly ran toward the backyard battlefield.
Soon, everyone arrived at the battle arena.
"I'll act as the referee," Brock suggested.
"No, this time I'll be using the Battle Arena."
Natsume refused outright.
In the next moment, an invisible barrier fell from the sky.
With the Battle Arena battle, he could tell right away whether Midchu truly possessed the Divine Authority.
The universal boosts of Divine Authority: increased damage, damage reduction, and even a second health bar—
All of these would show clearly in the Battle Arena.
> Natsume VS Ash.
"Go, Pikachu!" Ash swung his arm forward.
> Trainer Ash sent out Pikachu, Lv.40.
"Go, Midchu!"
> Trainer Natsume sent out Pikaremon, Lv.36.
"Huh?" Both Ash and Natsume froze.
Midchu's species had changed?
"Midchu, Fake Out!" The blood-sapping god move.
> *Midchu* used Fake Out, Pikachu flinched!
*Pika!* Pikachu froze in place, stunned by the sudden strike.
"Why isn't there a damage boost notification…" Natsume muttered.
He had asked the system before—though every Legendary Pokémon's Divine Authority effects differed, they all shared the basics: boosted damage, reduced damage taken, healing, and a second health bar.
"Midchu, Iron Tail!" Natsume refused to believe it and commanded another attack.
*Boom!*
Pikachu's HP bar instantly dropped by a chunk.
"Alright, we won't lose!" Having spent so long under Natsume's Battle Arena collecting data, Ash was extremely familiar with the battlefield.
Natsume frowned slightly, still holding on to some hope.
Maybe Midchu had leaked too much of the Divine Authority, leaving him without the basics to activate properly.
Even if there was no boosted damage, maybe there was reduced damage taken—or healing.
"Ash, try dealing damage to Midchu!" Natsume called.
"Got it, Natsume! We won't hold back!"
Ash raised his voice:
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
> Because of Midchu's Lightning Rod ability, his Special Attack rose!
Natsume: "…"
"Hey, Ash, are you throwing this match?" Misty's voice rang out from outside.
"Iron Tail again." Natsume was speechless—truly, this was Ash being Ash.
*Boom!*
Pikachu's HP bar dropped again, nearly empty.
*Pika!* Pikachu cried out, still full of fighting spirit.
"Pikachu, use Magnetic Tail!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu's tail suddenly flared, surrounded by countless black magnetic particles, forming the shape of a massive blade.
Electric light crackled along the blade!
*Pika—!* The roar echoed, yet the Divine Authority's reduced-damage notification Natsume longed for never appeared.
Midchu's HP bar instantly hit bottom—still no healing notification.
"Midchu, Iron Tail!"
Natsume frowned, clinging to one last sliver of hope.
*Maybe… maybe there was a second health bar? Just maybe.*
*Boom!*
> Pikachu held on so his Trainer wouldn't be sad!
That hit should have knocked Pikachu out, but he endured through sheer willpower.
"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash cheered, raising his hand.
"Quick Attack!"
*Whoosh!*
> Midchu fainted!
Midchu didn't have any *not letting his Trainer be sad* resolve. The moment he could fall, he wanted no part of the battle.
Natsume looked down at the collapsed Midchu, silently praying.
> Trainer Natsume, please send out your next Pokémon.
But instead of a second health bar, all he got was the system's prompt.
Natsume: "…"
"Alright, I forfeit."
He raised his hand, canceling the Battle Arena.
"Yes! I beat Natsume!" Ash jumped up in excitement.
*Pika!* Pikachu leapt too, high-fiving him.
"Natsume, are you okay?" Giselle noticed something was off in his expression.
"It's nothing." Natsume sighed deeply.
He picked up Midchu, feeling an overwhelming sense of loss.
The most useless one at home had eaten the most valuable.
Such a large shard of Eternatus, and after eating it all it did was change his species name.
*A name-change card?*
Natsume was on the verge of tears.
If that shard had ended up in his hands, he would have studied it thoroughly no matter what.
After all, if one wanted to create a god, how could it be done without Divine Authority?
Still, his path was long, and Rotom's body had only just begun.
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.