It wasn't until mealtime that Nathan finally walked out of the training room, drenched in sweat.
Training a Pokémon wasn't just about standing around and giving instructions.
More often than not, it required Nathan to personally demonstrate, especially for starter Pokémon like Treecko.
If he didn't explain things in detail, the Pokémon could easily head down the wrong path without even realizing it.
Take Pangoro for example—Nathan wanted it to learn Tempest Kick from the Six Styles technique.
But while Pangoro made great progress with Iron Body and Shave, it barely improved in mastering Tempest Kick.
Ironically, Treecko managed to pick it up just by watching Pangoro train—coating its Leaf Blade over its feet and slashing in the style of Tempest Kick.
…
"Wow, Nathan has a great figure too! You'd never notice it with clothes on!"
"So cool, so strong, so hot, and so young! I heard he runs a successful studio that's super popular—Mom, I'm in love!"
"Dream on. A guy like Nathan would only go for someone like me!"
...
A bunch of love-struck girls babbled on without realizing how wildly inappropriate their comments were.
Nathan, freaked out and sweating, quickly fled the scene.
After all, being surrounded by underage girls like that could easily lead to a criminal record! A disaster waiting to happen!
And compared to immature schoolgirls, wasn't Tina, Evelyn, or even Cecil more appealing?
Wasn't Lily far more attractive?
…
"You leaving already, Nathan?"
In a private room, Ethan looked surprised to see Nathan shouldering a backpack.
But he quickly understood. After all, the National Tournament finals were fast approaching.
It made perfect sense for Nathan to head to the capital early.
"Yeah. Thank you for everything these past few days, truly—it's been incredibly beneficial."
Nathan bowed sincerely.
Though Ethan had nearly been driven to despair by Nathan's relentless challenges, he had held nothing back when it came to sharing Pokémon knowledge.
And the results spoke for themselves—Zeraora's level had reached 50 after consistently battling with Ethan's Elite-level team!
Maybe that had something to do with Nathan's Viridian Power and Zeraora's perpetual challenge mode.
But if Ethan hadn't agreed to these battles, there's no way Zeraora could have gained four levels in just two or three days!
Not even during the entire Magic City sub-tournament did it gain that much experience.
Of course, this could also be attributed to Zeraora's bond evolution.
The overflowing experience bar had reset the first time it evolved through bonding.
Though that didn't happen again, its leveling pace clearly slowed down afterward.
Now, it seemed the side effects of bond evolution had completely worn off.
Once Zeraora officially broke into the Elite tier, the duration of its bond form would likely increase significantly.
Among all Pokémon levels, Gym-level to Elite-level was the first major bottleneck.
Master to Legendary was the second, a true gulf.
The first was the leap from mortal to superhuman.
The second? A transformation into godhood itself.
…
"Hahaha, not at all! Your Pokéblocks opened my eyes too.
If you ever start a real company, I'll definitely be your first customer!"
Feeling Nathan's sincerity, Ethan laughed heartily.
Though they had only spent two or three days together, Ethan truly admired Nathan's dedication.
In his eyes, Nathan might have innate talent, but his work ethic more than justified his exceptional gifts.
There was one comment Ethan now wholeheartedly agreed with:
Nathan—a born Pokémon Trainer!
…
After bidding farewell to Ethan, Nathan planned to challenge a few more Gyms.
He wanted Pangoro to reach level 52.
But the moment he boarded a bus, trouble found him.
He encountered something incredibly rare in the Divine Continent:
A kidnapping.
On Nathan's phone, a ransom message appeared.
But the victims weren't his parents, or Lily, or his close friends.
It was Camelia and Bella —the woman and child he had only met a few days ago!
At that moment, Nathan truly realized the depth of the Dark Organization's shamelessness.
They had only met once. Not even acquaintances.
And yet, these people dared to stoop so low as to kidnap them just to get to him?
…
"So, you've given up on brute force after Tina's failure, huh?"
Nathan's eyes turned cold as he instantly understood the situation.
A second message came right after.
But this one wasn't from the kidnappers—it was from Tina.
[Boss, this time it's not Chiyou. The culprits are foreign terrorists. Be careful!]
Reading the message, Nathan's expression remained unchanged, but his aura grew colder.
…
"How interesting… in this little game, where does the League stand?"
The Dark Organization, himself, the League, and now this group of terrorists…
To Nathan, it was all part of a larger chessboard.
The Dark Organization? They were in a tight spot.
Because the League, in order to stay on good terms with Nathan, had given him unprecedented protection.
Of course, this also had a lot to do with pressure from the Mist and Xue families.
But the League had their own goals too.
They were likely collecting and testing stones one by one.
At the same time, they were sitting back and watching, waiting for Nathan to ask for help—so they could maximize their gains.
So the question now was:
"Terrorists? Where do you fit into this equation?"
A faint red glow flashed in Nathan's eyes as he muttered silently.
...
Getting off the bus, Nathan didn't head to the Fighting-type Gym as planned.
Instead, he hailed a cab to a rundown, abandoned building.
Because of its lack of commercial value—and risk of collapsing during aftershocks—it had been deserted for years.
Even the most desperate homeless people avoided it, afraid of being crushed to death.
Inside the building, a group of blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners lounged around, clearly bored.
Camelia and the little girl Bella were tied up in the center, surrounded by the men.
…
"Boss, what if that kid doesn't show up?"
One of the thugs asked the white man in Saxo, his eyes filled with unease.
If that kid didn't fall for the bait and came after them later… they'd be in deep trouble.
"Don't worry. HQ said he'll definitely come.
And even if he doesn't, we've got Plan B."
Wearing a smug, controlling smile, the foreign leader exuded absolute confidence.
Camelia and little Bella didn't understand what the men were saying, but they were both silently praying that Nathan wouldn't show up.
Their tearful, innocent eyes were filled with pleading.
But no one cared.
These foreign thugs were seasoned pros, mercenaries, their cautious and disciplined methods well-respected in the criminal world.
If not for a major client hiring them, they wouldn't have even stepped foot in this country.
In short:
If it wasn't part of the mission—they didn't touch it.
If it was, then they followed through to the letter.
Their professionalism defined them.
…
Meanwhile, on his way to the building, Nathan was receiving a stream of messages from Tina.
Using the intelligence network of the Dark Organization, Chiyou, she finally dug up the kidnappers' identities:
A notorious international criminal syndicate—
Holy Angels.
Yes, they were criminals.
But they viewed themselves as "angels."
And the rest of humanity as sinners.
At the core, they were a fanatical, semi-religious cult that despised Pokémon.
To them, Pokémon were demons.
Anyone who used them was a sinner deserving of damnation.
Sound stupid?
But the reality was… many who lost loved ones in Pokémon riots worshipped them.
They never stopped to ask why Pokémon went berserk, or who was really to blame.
Seeing this gang with their clear-cut sense of "justice" gave them something to believe in.
Something to soothe the pain and helplessness in their hearts.
After reading the full report, Nathan's eyes sparkled with light.
Then he stepped into the abandoned building, his expression emotionless.
…
"So, you're Nathan?"
(End of Chapter)
(TN: English language will be called Saxo and Chinese language will be called Celestia.)