Nozomi didn't go far after leaving the Cerulean Gym. He found a bench in the park and sat down, then activated his communication system in his mind.
"System, let's start the lottery."
[Lottery in progress… Congratulations, host! You've obtained a special ability—Psychic Power.]
"Psychic Power?"
Nozomi raised an eyebrow in surprise at his draw. He hadn't expected such luck to strike so suddenly. Previously, his lottery prizes had been mostly items, Pokémon, or knowledge about Pokémon—but this time, he had drawn a real ability: Psychic Power!
Anyone familiar with the Pokémon world would know what Psychic Power is. Also called Telekinesis, it is one of the rare special abilities that humans can actually harness.
Special abilities that humans can master are few. Aside from Psychic Power, only the Power of Aura or the Power of Viridian were known to exist. Even the most "accessible" ability, Psychic Power, would take someone with the right talent a year or several years just to barely get a grasp of it—and at first, the most they could do was bend a spoon.
That was why Nozomi felt as if his luck had truly exploded this time.
"This is a good haul," Nozomi thought, pleased. Clearly, he wasn't completely useless.
"Now… let's see how I measure up against Sabrina."
When it came to Psychic Power, one could not fail to mention Sabrina, the Saffron Gym leader. In Nozomi's previous life, out of all the Kanto Gym Leaders Ash challenged, Sabrina had left the deepest impression on him.
Her unpredictable teleportation, the ability to shrink people or turn them into dolls—each display of power was terrifying.
Eager to test his newly acquired ability, Nozomi followed the system's instructions and extended his hand.
He focused on a Pidgey perched on a branch nearby, sunbathing and preening its feathers. With a thought…
Whoosh!
A bright blue aura of Psychic energy flared around the Pidgey, lifting it completely into the air.
Panicking, the Pidgey flapped furiously, but its body refused to move.
"So this is Psychic Power… not bad," Nozomi said. Through his ability, he could feel the Pidgey's struggles, but it didn't feel strenuous. Judging roughly, he could control a Pidgey just with his Psychic Power.
"Now for teleportation."
The poor Pidgey was still floating helplessly. Nozomi concentrated again and snapped his fingers.
Snap!
In the blink of an eye, the Pidgey, which had been over ten meters away, landed safely in front of Nozomi. Its feathers were intact, but the wide-eyed fear was impossible to hide.
The bird had no idea what had just happened—it had somehow gone from the tree to the roadside in an instant.
"Not missing any limbs… looks like it worked."
Nozomi rubbed his slightly sore temples.
"The energy cost is high, but manageable. I should be able to teleport one person within a ten-meter range. Any farther, or if there are multiple targets, I wouldn't be able to manage."
He released his Psychic hold, and the frightened Pidgey flapped its wings, soaring back into the sky and disappearing.
Nozomi was satisfied with the effect of his ability.
Though not as powerful as Sabrina, he hadn't expected to match someone of her extraordinary talent. He only knew that his Psychic Power now exceeded that of over ninety percent of other psychics—more than enough.
"Next stop: Vermilion City."
As he stood to leave, a sudden explosion erupted in the distance.
"What's happening?"
Nozomi immediately turned toward the source. Smoke billowed, and faint flames glimmered in the haze.
"This doesn't look good…"
Officer Jenny hid behind cover, her heart sinking. Today should have been a day to celebrate.
Thanks to a group of trainers, she and Officer Jenny in Pewter had managed to capture a high-profile Team Rocket trainer and uncover a spy operating within the League.
Since Pewter City needed personnel to purge the Team Rocket presence, the task of transporting the prisoner fell to them in Cerulean City. Jenny had expected the transfer to be routine, allowing her to claim a reward and enjoy a brief holiday.
Yet, the handover, which should have been flawless, had gone wrong.
A massive group of Team Rocket members suddenly appeared in Cerulean City's center, catching both her and the overseeing Pokémon Inspector off guard.
"Damn it! Why is Team Rocket here?" Jenny's face darkened. With so many Rocket grunts appearing, she had been completely unaware—they would hold her responsible.
"All I can do is try to fix this," she muttered, signaling her Arcanine. "Arcanine, Flamethrower!"
Her partner surged out from cover, spewing a torrent of fire at a creeping Arbok.
'Chapah!'
The Arbok shrieked, its scorched body filling the air with the smell of roasting meat.
Just as Jenny was about to breathe a sigh of relief, two explosions rang out nearby.
Whoosh—!
Seeing their Arbok defeated, Team Rocket wasted no words, launching two Poké Balls at Arcanine.
"No…" Jenny tensed. "Team Rocket's capture balls."
Arcanine didn't have time to dodge. The Poké Balls exploded midair, creating a large net that trapped Arcanine along with a Pidgey belonging to some officer. Both Pokémon were immobilized.
Two Arboks, acting in tandem, spat their Acid at the captured Pokémon.
"Arcanine!"
Fortunately, Arcanine remained calm from extensive training. It blasted a stream of fire at the incoming Acid.
The acid evaporated into a cloud of corrosive mist, leaving burn marks across Arcanine's once-glorious fur.
Arcanine broke free from the net and retreated behind cover, unwilling to show itself again.
Jenny had no time to worry about her partner. She glanced at the Inspector barely holding his own against a group of Team Rocket members—the situation was critical.
Calling for backup might work elsewhere, but not in Cerulean City. All city officers were already on the scene, and the Cerulean Gym trainers assigned to protect the city were powerless to fight—any reinforcements would only hinder.
Requesting aid from Pewter City would take too long to matter.
"What do I do? Am I just going to let Team Rocket escape with the prisoner?"
As Jenny panicked, a figure appeared beside her, lightly patting her shoulder.
"Miss Jenny, may I ask what's happening here?"
Startled, she turned to see a young man standing next to her, calm and poised. His black hair was tousled, a backpack hung over his shoulders, and his sharp gaze exuded quiet confidence. He had arrived almost as if from nowhere, but there was an unmistakable air of capability about him.