Early the next morning.
The sunlight attempted to disperse the invisible heaviness hanging over Saffron City, but it was ultimately in vain.
The protective shield in the sky resided somewhere between existence and non-existence.
When not activated, it possessed no real physical collision volume and would not cause any collision effects. However, once activated, it would materialize and thoroughly cover the entire city.
"Gulp..." A Trainer swallowed his saliva.
But he still summoned his courage and entered the Saffron Gym.
...The number of people challenging the Saffron Gym was unexpectedly low; the place was very deserted.
It made sense, after all. Not that many people were so unable to think straight that they insisted on picking the one with the highest difficulty.
And behind this Trainer, Ash, Misty, and Brock stood there, looking at the massive, extremely futuristic building before them.
The whole structure seemed to be cast from a single block of grey metal, and it was also the world's largest training base for Psychics.
In fact, compared to testing challengers, ninety percent of the Saffron Gym's institutional functions were dedicated to cultivating Psychics.
Perhaps due to her loneliness since childhood... Sabrina had a great interest in cultivating her own kind.
A gigantic Poké Ball logo hovered above the entrance, rotating slowly and emitting a cold, chilling luster.
"Reiterating one last time, Ash!" Misty took a deep breath, her face showing an unprecedented seriousness.
She even reached out and grabbed Ash's arm, as if afraid he would rush in and spout nonsense the very next second.
"After going inside, find the front desk, and tell them clearly and explicitly—we are here to challenge the Saffron Gym."
"Remember, it is a challenge to the Saffron Gym, not a challenge to Miss Sabrina!"
"These two statements are worlds apart, do you understand?" Misty still cared about Ash very much, terrified that Ash would suddenly go crazy.
Challenging the Saffron Gym meant facing the Saffron Gym Leader, Sabrina. In formal League matches, Trainers generally do not provide extra assistance to their Pokémon.
For example, Psychics won't use psychic powers, and martial artists won't step onto the field to fight alongside them.
But if you challenge the Psychic, Sabrina, then you are facing both the Pokémon and the Trainer simultaneously.
Misty always felt that the probability of Ash suddenly having a fit was actually not low... Honestly, why couldn't Ash just be a little normal?
Brock, holding Vulpix, nodded with equal solemnity.
He then added, "Miss Sabrina's power is unfathomable, and her thinking patterns are different from us normal people."
"Any words or actions that could be misunderstood as a direct provocation might trigger consequences we cannot predict."
"Maintain humility and indicate that we are merely Trainers coming to challenge in accordance with League rules. This is of vital importance."
Although Brock quite wanted to see Ash get thrashed.
But he only wanted to see Ash make a fool of himself. He didn't mean he wanted to see Ash get killed.
"..." Ash pulled down the brim of his hat, trying to cover up his own mood, which was also somewhat nervous.
He could feel Pikachu's body slightly tensing up on his shoulder, as well as the waves of unease Mengmeng was transmitting from his shadow.
Even the Charmeleon, Gyarados, and Pidgeotto inside the Poké Balls at his waist seemed to have sensed the unusual atmosphere of this place, becoming exceptionally quiet.
"I know, I know," Ash responded, trying hard to make his voice sound calm.
"I am challenging the Saffron Gym, not challenging Sabrina."
"I can almost recite this sentence by heart now."
He took a deep breath, as if to inhale the ubiquitous psychic pressure permeating the air into his lungs and then thoroughly exhale it.
Then, he took a step toward that metal gate, which was as smooth as a mirror and seemed capable of swallowing all light.
Setting off toward the abyss!
"..." Misty and Brock followed closely behind, exchanging a weird look that held both worry and a desire to watch the drama unfold.
However.
Just at the split second Ash's left foot stepped over the Gym's threshold—
A sudden anomaly occurred.
There was no warning, no sound, no light or shadow effects, not even a ripple of energy.
Ash, walking at the very front, vanished into thin air right before Misty and Brock's eyes, as if instantly erased from reality by an invisible eraser.
Where he had been standing, the air seemed to distort for a moment before returning to normal, as if no one had ever existed there.
Time seemed to freeze for a second.
"Ash?!" Misty's cry sharply pierced the silence of the Gym's antechamber, carrying incredulous panic.
"Ash!!" Brock's pupils contracted abruptly, and he subconsciously lunged forward a step.
"Pika—chu!!!" Pikachu, the most sensitive one who shared the deepest bond with Ash, was the first to completely bristle.
Pikachu was walking in front of Ash.
It turned its head almost the instant Ash disappeared.
But it was still too late.
Its golden fur stood on end like needles all over its body. The electric sacs on its cheeks erupted with berserk golden snakes of electricity uncontrollably, crackling and popping. Violent electrical arcs danced madly, almost filling the entire entrance corridor.
Pikachu circled anxiously in place, letting out angry, shrill cries laced with sobbing tones. Its small body was filled with destructive energy due to the sudden disappearance of its Trainer.
"Mis! Mis—!!!"
Almost simultaneously, the shadow Ash left behind distorted and boiled violently. Mengmeng was forced to reveal herself, screaming.
Thick, ink-like shadow energy permeated around her body.
Those large eyes were filled with extreme terror and rage. Mental power poured out uncontrollably, forming ripples of psychic waves that distorted the light.
The gloomy chill of the Ghost-type intertwined with the berserk energy of the Electric-type, causing the temperature in the antechamber to plummet abruptly, yet it also felt as if a thunderstorm was imminent.
Because of their deepest connection to Ash and the panic of suddenly losing their target, the two little ones instantly entered a state bordering on going on a rampage!
Pikachu and Mengmeng, one in front and one behind.
They had thought that by guarding Ash this way, no problems would arise.
But who could have imagined that Ash would suddenly disappear?
"Calm down! Pikachu, hurry and calm down!" Brock reacted extremely quickly, lunging forward in an attempt to get close to Pikachu, but the raging arcs of electricity made it impossible for him to approach easily.
He could only shout loudly, "Ash is fine! He is definitely fine!"
Misty also forcibly broke free from her extreme shock.
She immediately crouched down, disregarding the Ghost-type energy that stung her skin, and reached out her hands toward Mengmeng, who was darting around in the air with her mind nearly out of control.
"Mengmeng! Look at me! Listen to me! Ash wasn't attacked! He was 'invited' away by Miss Sabrina!"
"That's right!" Brock, while warily watching Pikachu who might erupt at any moment, explained at the top of his lungs:
"Teleport!"
"It was a super long-distance, precision-targeted Teleport!"
"In this city, apart from Miss Sabrina, no one can do such a thing!"
"She just brought Ash before her; this isn't an attack!"
Their speech was extremely fast, almost shouted out. They had to make Pikachu and Mengmeng understand the situation before their power went completely out of control and triggered the Gym's defense mechanisms—or worse.
"Pika...?" The violent electric arcs around Pikachu's body paused slightly.
It lifted eyes filled with anxiety and tears, looking at Brock and Misty.
"Mis...?" The shadow energy around Mengmeng also fluctuated.
Her chaotic mind caught the keywords [Sabrina] and [Invited away].
Seeing that the aggression of the two little ones had lessened slightly, Brock immediately seized the opportunity and slowed his speaking rate:
"Listen, if Miss Sabrina had malicious intent, with her power, we wouldn't even be able to enter the Gym door."
"There must be a reason she took Ash away alone. It might be... some kind of test, or she simply wants to meet him."
Brock was incomparably certain of this point.
If Sabrina had malicious intent, there was no need to transfer Ash away alone.
Taking them all away and then killing them together would be safer.
At worst, she could just modify the memories and information records of the group being seen in the city.
Misty also hurriedly chimed in, "That's right, Mengmeng, Pikachu, think about it. Miss Sabrina is a Gym Leader; she wouldn't hurt challengers for no reason."
"Ash is very likely talking face-to-face with Miss Sabrina right now!"
"If we lose control here, it might actually cause trouble for him!"
Misty couldn't guarantee if it was true or false, but at the very least, she had to calm Pikachu and Mengmeng down first.
These words had an effect.
Although Pikachu and Mengmeng remained extremely uneasy, the power on their bodies that was about to erupt finally began to slowly retract.
Pikachu cried softly, "Pika Pika," full of worry, but it no longer released electricity wantonly.
"Mis, mis..." Mengmeng also slowly descended, shrinking beside Misty's feet. Her body trembled slightly, but the madness in those big eyes gradually faded, replaced by deep worry and lingering fear.
Having soothed the two little ones who had nearly gone berserk, Brock and Misty finally had a chance to catch their breath.
Looking at each other, they both saw the same shock and a trace of powerlessness in each other's eyes.
Despite their repeated warnings and various psychological preparations, they never expected Sabrina's method of 'reception' to be so direct.
She didn't even give the chance to speak a single sentence. The moment he stepped into the Gym, she took Ash away alone.
Is this the style of the Psychic Queen?
Completely ignoring common sense, transcending rules.
It was laughable; they were thinking about not antagonizing Sabrina, and in the end, Sabrina came looking for them herself.
"Now... what should we do?" Misty looked at the empty space ahead, her voice asking somewhat dryly.
Having lost Ash, the two of them standing here seemed somewhat adrift.
After all, the one challenging the Gym was Ash, not the two of them.
Brock was silent for a moment, looking around this empty, cold antechamber that seemed devoid of any staff.
He took a deep breath, trying hard to compose himself.
"Wait."
Brock spoke in a deep voice, casting his gaze toward the depths of the Gym.
"All we can do now is believe in Ash, and wait patiently here."
"Miss Sabrina... since she 'invited' him in this manner, she will eventually give us an explanation."
Just as his voice fell, the wall on one side of the antechamber suddenly slid open silently, revealing a brightly lit corridor.
A young man wearing a crisp uniform, with eyes that looked slightly hollow, like a marionette, walked out.
He spoke in a flat, waveless tone:
"You two are the companions who came with Mr. Ash, correct?"
"Lady Sabrina is already aware of your arrival."
"Please follow me to this location."
Misty and Brock wanted to retort—you Psychics are truly spooky as hell.
And Sabrina really did know everything about them like the back of her hand.
The two suppressed the waves in their hearts, taking the still-worried Pikachu and Mengmeng, and followed the staff member who seemed to be manipulated, stepping into the depths of the Saffron Gym.
____
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