Chapter 88: Natsu's Test
**Celedon City, Pokémon Center**
"Nurse Joy, how is Midchu's condition?"
"This Pikachu's state is very strange." Nurse Joy looked troubled.
Between them, on a tray, lay a Pikachu unconscious and twitching from ti to ti.
"There are no physical injuries, but his mind is highly unstable. I've never seen anything like this."
Nurse Joy sighed. In truth, she had seen cases like this before—Pokémon suffering from psychological trauma.
If Natsu hadn't shown his researcher's credentials, she might have called Officer Jenny to take him away.
*Pika—!* Midchu suddenly cried out, flipping upright like a spring and jolting awake.
He sat dazed on the tray, unfocused eyes slowly regaining clarity.
"It woke up!" Nurse Joy brightened and called over Chansey.
"Chansey, use Heal Bell!"
*Chaaansey!*
A soothing chi filled the air, and Midchu's condition improved slightly, enough to communicate with Natsu.
*Pika pika, pikapi pika!*
Midchu gestured wildly, recounting the events of his dream.
"You're saying… you had a terrible nightmare?"
"You dread your favorite honey pancakes ca to life, whipped you with Vine Whip…?"
*Pika pika!* Midchu nodded. Natsu opened his full telepathy.
"Not just Vine Whip—they also pelted you with honey pancakes, and forced you to eat rotten, foul-tasting sludge pancakes?"
Natsu froze.
That sounded exactly like Victreebel's attacks during that one-hour battle.
From Midchu's description, it seed Victreebel's moves hadn't just dispersed…
They had been transferred directly into Midchu's dream.
What kind of ability was that?
Natsu had never heard of such a thing.
If it were recorded anywhere, he would have found so clue.
The only things that defied records like this were the powers of Legendary Pokémon and Divine Authority—mysteries of which the world only knew shards, often just nas.
Natsu narrowed his eyes and scooped Midchu into his arms.
"Nurse Joy, may I use the backyard battle arena?"
"Oh, of course."
Before long, Natsu reached the arena.
*Pika?* Midchu tilted his head at him in confusion.
There was no one around—who was he supposed to battle?
*Gengaaaaar!* A Gengar appeared opposite, chewing on mud.
*Pika?* Midchu looked back at Natsu.
*You want to fight this?*
"Activate Battle Arena!"
Natsu switched on the arena.
> Trainer Natsu sends out Pikaremon!
Rousing BGM began to play, and Midchu knew there was no backing out.
"You're definitely not just different in na alone. With such a huge share of Eternatus' shard, your body must have undergone changes."
Opposite, Gengar remained still.
Natsu had told it—this was just a *checkup* for Midchu, not a real battle.
"Midchu, just like before—go to sleep."
At his Trainer's command, Midchu burst into tears.
But he didn't hesitate—he collapsed straight into slumber.
> Pikaremon holds *Divine Authority: Realm of Eternal Sleep*.
*Divine Authority?*
Natsu froze, then a smile of joy spread across his face.
"Just as I thought. A shard of Eternatus that huge could never be just a simple na-change card!"
Tears welled up in Natsu's eyes.
"Gengar, hit him!" Natsu ordered.
*Gen-gaa!* Gengar raised its stubby hands, forming a dark purple sphere.
Boom! The Shadow Ball shot forward and struck Midchu.
> Due to Realm of Eternal Sleep, Gengar's attack was diverted!
Above Midchu's head, his HP remained unchanged.
*Pika!?* Midchu suddenly jolted awake.
> Because of weak willpower, Midchu woke up. Realm of Eternal Sleep has disappeared!
"So it's tied to willpower?" Natsu rubbed his chin.
"Midchu, try going back to sleep."
> Midchu fell asleep.
This ti, the so-called Divine Authority did not activate.
"Gengar, use Confusion!" Natsu commanded a low-power move.
*Pika!* Midchu was struck and leapt up.
His HP was left with just a sliver, and when the turn ended, there was no automatic recovery effect that Divine Authority normally provided.
"Looks the sa as last ti…" Natsu thought.
After the previous test, he had already suspected it—the shard inside Midchu wasn't like the ones inside Giant Dragonite or Giant Tentacruel, which remained active within their bodies.
Midchu had actually absorbed that shard.
The mont he realized this, Natsu wondered if Midchu might one day form his own Divine Authority.
For now, it seed to be in its earliest stage—and tied to sleep.
With a wave of his hand, Natsu ended the regulated battle.
*Ding!*
[SSS-Rank: Divine Authority Compendium]
[Subject] Divine Authority
The system's voice rang in his mind.
Natsu blinked, opened the task, and found portraits of many Legendary Pokémon.
The portraits were organized by region.
Each portrait contained a text box, waiting for him to fill in.
Natsu tapped the first one—wtwo.
**[wtwo]**
[Divine Authority: ???]
[Divine Exclusive: ???]
It was brief, but enough for Natsu to understand: any being with Divine Authority had both a unique Divine Authority and a Divine Exclusive move.
Scrolling further, he saw that while each authority differed in traits and exclusives, other functions—like an extra HP bar, damage boosts, damage resistance, and automatic recovery—were standard across all.
Soon, in a special section not belonging to any region, Natsu found Midchu's portrait.
**[Pikaremon]**
[Divine Authority: Realm of Eternal Sleep]
[Divine Exclusive: *Unlock Divine Authority*]
"Unlock Divine Authority?"
*In other words, Midchu's Divine Authority is only semi-ford.*
Natsu froze for a mont, then relaxed.
Of course—Midchu had only swallowed a shard. The fact that he had already developed a Divine Authority at all was pure luck.
Curious, Natsu opened the log to see Midchu's Divine Authority.
[Realm of Eternal Sleep:
In each battle, the first ti Pikaremon falls asleep, Realm of Eternal Sleep will activate. During its duration, all incoming attacks are converted into nightmares, while all buffs are transford into pleasant dreams.
If Pikaremon is forcibly awakened, Realm of Eternal Sleep will vanish.
Above effects confird in regulated battle tests—real battle applicability may vary.]
"Hss…" Natsu's eyelids twitched.
This trait alone… it was enough to crown Midchu as a rising star.
If a semi-ford Divine Authority was already this overwhelming—what kind of powers must the true divine Legendaries possess?
No wonder even his Pokéball Rotom—already monstrous in his eyes—was judged by the system as *rely outclassed* when facing a Legendary Pokémon.
And those Legendaries also had their own Divine Exclusive moves.
So research records described techniques only entire Legendary species could use.
But Divine Exclusives were different—they belonged solely to individual Legendaries that possessed Divine Authority.
Natsu guessed that Divine Exclusives and species-only skills were not the sa thing, and the forr were bound to be even stronger.
*Pika?* Midchu tilted his head, glancing up at Natsu.
The latter stood frozen for a long ti, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Natsu lowered his head—Midchu's fur stood on end.
Because inside his mind, an image of Natsu appeared!
"Midchu, you need to train your willpower. Understand?"
"Just yesterday I stepped into the Inner Realm. I need a sparring partner."
"From now on, every day, I'll be *dueling* your will directly. Got it?"
*Pika… pika pi…* Midchu looked utterly crushed.
He had thought that mastering the art of sleeping anyti, anywhere ant his Trainer's iron fist could no longer reach him.
But now it seed Natsu could punch straight through the brain.
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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