Pokemon: Psychic Master

"Porygon2 hasn't realized it has evolved yet. Rocket Team may have noticed something, but they haven't officially classified or named this form yet."

Johan stroked his chin as he analyzed the situation, looking at the "crashed" Porygon2.

Normally, Porygon would need to be equipped with a special upgrade item, the "Up-Grade," to evolve.

Upon evolving into Porygon2, the Pokémon is equipped with AI capabilities, allowing it to learn and grow independently. Over time, it can break free from its programmed boundaries and act autonomously, becoming a true Pokémon with self-awareness.

Porygon, while categorized as a Pokémon, is essentially just a tool, akin to a computer, lacking much in the way of emotions or self-awareness.

Yet now, Rocket Team had clearly not developed an "Up-Grade," so how had Porygon evolved?

"Judging by its behavior, could it have absorbed too much psychological and philosophical knowledge while working alongside Mewtwo?"

Johan muttered, "Does this mean the data from my conversations with Mewtwo could potentially be turned into a prototype of the 'Up-Grade'?"

His eyes lit up slightly.

Rocket Team owes me royalties for this!

"Wait a second!"

Johan's expression turned peculiar.

"If I keep questioning Porygon2 to the point of overloading its logic circuits, could I inadvertently create a 'Dubious Disc' as well?"

The "Dubious Disc" is the key item used to evolve Porygon2 into Porygon-Z.

"Although, that probably wouldn't matter much."

Porygon isn't exactly a widely used or distributed Pokémon. Even if the "Up-Grade" and "Dubious Disc" were developed, how much profit could really be made?

Walking out of the specially designed room, Johan was met by Matori, who approached him immediately.

"Johan-sensei, is it... resolved?"

She had been monitoring the entire "treatment" process through the room's surveillance system.

To be honest, even though she wasn't the patient, Matori was still left feeling a little dazed after hearing Johan's seemingly random and disjointed rapid-fire questions.

"More or less," Johan waved it off.

"If all goes well, Porygon2 should recover in a couple of days. If symptoms persist, just contact me again."

Today's session had already identified the root of Porygon2's condition. Any follow-ups could likely be handled remotely.

"Porygon2?" Matori blinked in confusion.

"By the way, where's Gengar?" Johan asked.

When he exited the room, he noticed Gengar and the others were nowhere to be seen. A foreboding sense began creeping into his mind.

"Oh, it said it wanted to watch some gym battles," Matori replied.

That's a relief.

Johan exhaled quietly.

However, stepping out of the side entrance, he saw Gengar wasn't off causing trouble or doing something reckless. Instead, it was standing still, staring blankly in a specific direction.

Even Johan was caught off guard.

"What's wrong?"

He waved his hand in front of Gengar's face, snapping it out of its trance.

"Ka-Kah! Ka-Kah!"

Gengar gestured toward a specific direction, its expression uncharacteristically serious.

It feels like something is calling me over there!

Johan followed Gengar's pointed finger to see a towering mountain in the distance.

Calling to Gengar?

Johan furrowed his brow.

Gengar had visited Viridian Gym before. Why hadn't it felt this "call" last time?

"Ka-Kah!"

I want to go check it out!

Seeing how eager Gengar was, Johan nodded.

"Alright, let's go take a look."

If Gengar was this insistent, ignoring it didn't feel like an option.

"Matori, let Giovanni know I have some business to attend to and won't be able to meet with him this time," Johan told her.

"Huh?"

Watching Johan and Gengar disappear into the distance, Matori looked baffled.

"Draaa!"

The serpentine Dragonair flew gracefully in the sky, its white ear-like fins flapping rhythmically with every glide.

On its back, Johan clung tightly, his face pale and teeth gritted.

This was his first attempt at riding Dragonair.

But truth be told, Johan hoped it would also be his last.

At least not without a proper saddle.

Dragonair's body was far too smooth. If not for Johan's decent upper body strength, he would have already fallen off.

"Kah-Kah!"

Hovering nearby, Gengar cackled at Johan's misfortune, finding his struggles endlessly amusing.

Johan shot it a glare.

"If you keep laughing, I'm moving into Professor Oak's lab and staying there for a whole week."

"Ka-Kah!?"

Gengar immediately froze, its laughter dying in its throat.

With a smug grin, Johan thought, Found your weakness, huh, you purple troublemaker?

"Draaa!"

Dragonair trilled happily, its wings flaring as it began descending toward a lakeside clearing.

"Slow down! Take it slow!" Johan's face turned green.

Below, on the opposite side of the lake, a square-faced man in a yellow T-shirt crouched by the water, gathering flat stones.

He glanced up at the descending Dragonair and Gengar, his face showing mild surprise.

Still, he didn't seem overly concerned.

Camping and training out in the wilderness weren't uncommon.

Johan, however, didn't have the luxury to care about anything else.

The moment his feet hit solid ground, he nearly collapsed to his knees in relief.

So this is what standing firmly on land feels like...

Is this the essence of Giovanni's Earth Mastery?

"Kah-Kah!"

Now that they had arrived, Gengar grew visibly more excited.

It stared intently at what seemed like a completely ordinary cliffside, as if sensing something hidden within.

Without hesitation, Gengar clenched its fist, dark energy swirling around it, and launched a powerful Shadow Punch straight at the rock wall.

Having just steadied himself, Johan looked up to see what Gengar was targeting, his expression shifting instantly.

"Wait—!"

BOOM!

Before he could stop it, Gengar's punch connected, shattering the rock face.

Behind it, an ancient altar revealed itself, its surface cluttered with mysterious golden objects adorned with red patterns.

At the altar's center was a weathered stone tablet and a peculiar contraption of three black orbs—two large, one small—that radiated an ominous aura.

"Ka-Kah!"

Seeing the black orbs, Gengar's eyes gleamed as it reached out toward them.

Johan grabbed its hand just in time.

"Wait, Gengar!"

"Ka-Kah?"

Gengar paused, turning to Johan in confusion.

Johan's expression had turned grim.

Of course, the Viridian Forest had to hide this kind of nightmare.

This wasn't just any altar.

It was the very site that, according to legends, was used to seal away the titanic forms of the ancient Pokémon—Giant Gengar, Giant Alakazam, and Giant Jigglypuff.

And now, here they were, standing right in the middle of it.

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Powerstones?

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