Chapter 109: cha Rotom
Once inside the complex, Natsu breathed easier, the air feeling much smoother.
"Phew~" he exhaled deeply.
Under the faint glow of the streetlights, trees lined both sides of the path. Warm amber lights outlined the perable walkways, while camphor tree silhouettes swayed gently.
In the distance, the artificial lake reflected a moon halo. Low-rise buildings emitted amber light from their windows, and the hum of servers mingled with insect chirps in the evening breeze.
"This place is like a completely different world," Natsu murmured.
"This isn't your typical industrial zone," Jenny, who was guiding him, said with a smile.
Natsu nodded. The complex he was in was an Alliance-funded zone for producing high-tech equipnt. Chips, instrunts, and other advanced devices were all manufactured here.
The industrial cluster here provided a complete production chain, saving transportation costs.
Soon, Natsu was led into a building. At the entrance, a security officer stopped him.
"Sir, please show your researcher ID, at least at the level of a Doctorate."
Natsu handed over the application form issued by Professor Oak.
The officer took it and typed quickly into the computer.
"You are Natsu, Oak's disciple, applying for a laboratory-level AI chip."
"Please follow this way," the staff said, gesturing forward.
Natsu walked ahead, Jenny trailing closely behind.
The procedures here were strict but necessary. Much of the advanced research equipnt was under Alliance control. Whoever mastered the technology first would lead the field.
The Alliance's true strength never lay in the Elite Four or Champion Trainers; it was in its near-monopoly over the world's scientific resources. Lab equipnt, research data, the number and quality of researchers, even the systems for training researchers—all were top-tier.
Thanks to this, research institutes under the Alliance maintained strong academic standards and a supportive environnt, which was one reason Natsu had gone straight to Professor Oak after teaching himself.
This complex in Gringey City specialized in producing high-tech experintal devices. Only researchers with doctorates, or those endorsed by one, could apply to the Alliance for access to equipnt.
Because of past incidents involving reselling Alliance equipnt, security and verification had beco much stricter. Even with Oak's endorsent, Jenny followed Natsu every step of the way.
Eventually, Jenny led Natsu to a pure-white workshop. Outside, machinery rumbled—it was clearly an air-purifying system.
The fresh air inside wasn't just due to extensive greenery; the purification equipnt played a major role. Many devices, especially in chip production, required dust-free air. Filtered air was then purified again before entering the production line.
"Please wait here, Mr. Natsu," Jenny said, holding a walkie-talkie and reporting sothing.
Soon, a staff mber in a white lab coat appeared, holding a notebook-sized white box, which he handed to Jenny.
Natsu craned his neck to look, but Jenny simply carried the box away.
"All done, Mr. Natsu. Just fill out the forms," Jenny's voice called from a distance.
By the ti Natsu finished the paperwork, dawn had arrived.
"Phew~" he exhaled again outside the complex.
"That was exhausting. Once I beco a Doctor, I'll leave this kind of work to Giselle."
He suddenly felt that Professor Oak truly treated him well—always sparing him from such tedious chores!
Even when Natsu volunteered, Professor Oak's expression would turn stern as he firmly refused.
The process had been cumberso—but worth it.
Natsu lowered his gaze, eyes shining, fixed on the white box cradled in his hands.
He carefully opened the box, revealing a massive chip nestled quietly in foam.
This chip was the key component Natsu intended to use for his Motorcycle Rotom experint.
Toy Rotom → Motorcycle Rotom → Six-in-One cha Rotom.
As a pivotal interdiate step in his plan, Rotom Motorcycle was the most critical component of Natsu's experintal design.
The chip from the toy Rotom had been installed into the Pokéball Rotom. But given the motorcycle-sized body, he needed a much more powerful chip.
Natsu had contacted this facility months before leaving Pallet Town, and today was the day to pick it up.
Since his only requirent was high performance, size didn't matter—it would fit inside the motorcycle regardless.
The request was simple, so production was quick.
Humming softly, Natsu left the complex, feeling elated.
A chip of this level wasn't available on the market; even the black market priced them in the billions, with no upper limit. Applying through the Alliance only required a trivial fee—a benefit exclusive to Alliance research facilities.
Other corporate research teams had to pay high prices. Organizations like Team Rocket, blacklisted, could only source them via the black market or shell companies.
Lost in thought about what kind of motorcycle to experint with, Natsu returned to Gringey City Pokémon Center.
"Strange… I feel like soone's following ."
Outside the center, he shrugged. Could it be Team Rocket?
Psychic energy quietly spread, and behind a wall, Natsu detected three Pokémon: a Priape, a Hypno, and a bald Zapdos.
"What are they up to?" Natsu froze.
He vaguely rembered the Priape—it was the one that tried to steal Ash's hat that day. How had they ended up together?
Suppressing a sigh, Natsu entered the Pokémon Center.
...
*Ape, ape!* The Priape, hanging from a tree on the wall, angrily punched toward Natsu's back. It wanted revenge, but it wasn't strong enough yet.
*Zappp!*
Zapdos clawed at a gap in the wall, half-hanging there, its bald head peering in, staring longingly at the Pokémon Center.
*Hypno~* Hypno yawned, looking much more relaxed. It instinctively reached into the berry basket but found it empty.
*Hypno?* All the berries are gone.
*Zap~*
*Ape...*
Zapdos and Priape shrieked and hid.
Hypno got up, confused by their reaction. Turning, it saw Natsu standing atop the wall.
*What are they doing?*
Natsu held a tray full of food, utterly bewildered.
One monkey, one Hypno, one bird—how had they all co together? What kind of new Pokémon social structure was this?
He imdiately thought of research topics but shook his head after a mont. It was probably a coincidence, and extre anomalies didn't warrant a formal study.
"Here, eat." Natsu placed the tray on top of the wall.
*Hypno*, Hypno said in thanks.
"Thank you," the telepathy rang in his mind.
Natsu glanced at it, raising an eyebrow slightly, surprised.
To be honest, Pokémon rarely thanked him.
Natsu turned and left, paying no mind to the unusual trio.
After he left, Hypno looked back, noticing the Priape and Zapdos staring at it as if it were a traitor.
*Hypno~* Using telekinesis, Hypno grabbed so food and began chewing.
In truth, it thought this human was pretty nice.
Seeing Hypno take the initiative, both Priape and Zapdos paused in surprise.
*Ape ape!* Priape gave a thumbs-up.
*Zap zap!* Zapdos nodded in approval.
*Hypno?* Hypno tilted its head, puzzled.
All along, it had felt its two companions were even stranger than that human.
You can read more (around 100 free chapters) of Natsu's adventure ad-free at [sravenarchives/book/pokemon-who-let-him-leave-pallet-town]. Bulk uploads is a ss here, so updates here might be irregular.
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