The backyard of the Psychic-type Gym was less of a garden and more of a precision outdoor training ground.
The ground was not soil or lawn, but a special, shimmering material engraved with complex star orbit patterns, as if one were stepping on the entire night sky.
Translucent spheres of energy of varying sizes floated in the air, orbiting the center of the field in a fixed, slow rhythm.
Strange-looking metal devices were scattered everywhere; some could create distorted spatial force fields, while others projected unpredictable light-and-shadow mazes.
Everything here exuded an air that combined technology with mysticism.
Liza led Ariel inside and introduced it softly: "These are all training facilities designed for Psychic-type Pokémon, which can exercise their mental power control and spatial awareness. Of course, there are also some general physical and reaction training areas."
She pointed to a gravity field generator in the distance, "Mr. Ariel, you can release your Pokémon now. The teachers here will arrange the most suitable training plans according to their individual characteristics. energy cubes are also provided in unlimited quantities."
Such generosity; it was worthy of a place recommended by Cynthia.
Ariel nodded. The focus of this training was himself, but letting the Pokémon stretch their muscles was always a good thing.
He raised his hand, and six Poké Balls opened one after another.
With a flash of red light, six figures appeared on the star orbit pattern.
The moment Krookodile appeared, it opened its maw filled with ferocious teeth and let out a low roar. Its eyes beneath its sunglasses scanned the entire field, carrying the arrogance of a street fighter.
Malamar floated in mid-air, its tentacles waving silently. The glowing organ on its head flickered, and an invisible mental interference quietly spread, causing a commotion among several Natu that were meditating nearby.
Weavile landed silently, its crimson eyes flickering in the shadows. It lightly swiped its sharp claws against the ground, actually leaving a shallow white mark on the special material.
Greninja stood with its arms crossed, standing still like a pine tree. Its water-blue body seemed out of place with the surrounding environment, yet it exuded a strangeness that suggested it could blend in at any moment.
The largest of them, Gyarados, coiled its body, its massive head raised high. Its bell-like eyes were full of violence; its mere presence made the air feel several degrees heavier.
Finally, there was Deino. The little guy was still a bit clueless; it curiously rubbed its head against Ariel's pant leg, then tried to imitate Gyarados, struggling to make a ferocious expression, only to trip over itself, looking rather comical.
Of these six Pokémon, five were Dark-type, and one was even more ferocious than a Dark-type Pokémon.
When their auras were fully released, the atmosphere of the entire battle garden changed instantly.
The Psychic-type Pokémon that had been training in their respective areas stopped their movements in unison.
An Alakazam that had been playing with a spoon using Confusion dropped its spoon onto the ground with a 'clatter'.
An elegantly floating Gardevoir subconsciously constructed a pale pink mental shield in front of itself.
Several Ralts that had been chasing and playing were so scared that they hid behind their trainer, daring only to peek out with half of their little heads.
The suppression of Psychic-type by Dark-type was engraved in their genes.
The sense of oppression brought by this team consisting purely of Dark-type Pokémon was an unprecedented experience for these Psychic-type Pokémon that were usually pampered.
"Whoa." In a corner, Tate, who had just crawled back from the depths of the Gym, was rubbing his butt. Seeing this scene, his mouth hung wide open.
He had thought Ariel was just a guy who used backdoor connections through Cynthia, but he didn't expect his strength to be so solid.
Ariel ignored the commotion around him and simply assigned tasks to his Pokémon.
Krookodile and Gyarados went to do strength and physical training, while Weavile and Greninja practiced speed and reaction.
Since Malamar also happened to be Psychic-type, it could just train the same as these Psychic-type Pokémon.
As for Deino, Ariel had a teacher take it to perform basic energy guidance.
The Pokémon dispersed, and the tense atmosphere in the garden eased slightly.
"Mr. Ariel, this way please." Liza spoke at the right moment, drawing Ariel's attention back.
She led Ariel through the garden and arrived in front of a magnificent gate. "This is the Calm Mind room."
The door slid open silently to both sides, revealing a completely different space before their eyes.
The room was a perfect circle, and the dome was a deep starry sky, with countless stars slowly rotating above, so realistic that one would think they were in the universe.
The floor was made of warm, black jade, and three cushions were placed in the center.
The air was filled with a cool, unknown fragrance that, when inhaled into the lungs, made one's chaotic thoughts calm down involuntarily.
Tate was already sitting cross-legged on one of the cushions. Seeing Ariel come in, he snorted and turned his head away, but his ears quietly pricked up.
"Please sit." Liza gestured for Ariel to sit on the middle cushion.
Ariel sat down as instructed and adjusted his breathing.
Liza sat down beside him and explained in a soft voice: "The first and most important step in learning Psychic is Calm Mind. Through Calm Mind, you perceive and control the mental energy within your body to construct your own mental world. Generally speaking, a beginner's mental world is a calm, waveless lake surface. What we need to do is throw a stone into the lake and observe and control the ripples it creates."
She paused and glanced at her brother beside her.
Tate spoke reluctantly, his tone sounding like he was reciting a book: "The more stable the mental world, the more solid the foundation of mental power, and the greater the potential for the future. Conversely, if it is surging with waves from the beginning, it means the mental power is mixed and impure, and it is difficult to achieve great success."
When he said this, he glanced sideways at Ariel, the implication being self-evident.
Ariel closed his eyes, followed the guidance, emptied his thoughts, and sank his consciousness deep into his body.
"Relax... feel your breathing... every inhalation is like absorbing the energy of the universe... every exhalation is like expelling the impurities from your body..."
Liza's voice was like a lullaby, carrying a strange guiding power.
Ariel's consciousness gradually blurred, his five senses began to detach, and he "saw" a darkness.
Then, a faint light lit up in the darkness. The light expanded rapidly, and a brand new world unfolded before him. There was no lake. Even less was there a calm lake surface. What met Ariel's eyes was an endless, deep purple ocean surging with monstrous waves!
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