Back when he was still at the academy, even the dean lived in constant fear!
"So, what kind of Whip are you?" Natsume leaned in, curiously eyeing Giselle.
"Reporting to the First President, sir—our Fourth President is the Whip of God!" someone immediately replied.
"Mm, not a bad title." Natsume nodded.
He truly hadn't expected the club culture he left behind on a whim to develop to this extent.
At that moment, Giselle's face turned as red as a ripe berry, steam practically rising off the top of her head.
"You all! Go back!"
She stiffly raised a hand, pointing toward the school building behind her.
"Why, Fourth President?"
"The First President meeting with the Fourth President must be for an important decision!"
"An important decision isn't something we should be present for…"
Voices murmured, leaving Giselle even more embarrassed. She stood frozen like a glitching machine, steam still puffing out.
Fortunately, the club members did obey their president's words. Discussing as they went, they withdrew.
"You don't seem to get along with them very well," Natsume raised an eyebrow, glancing at Giselle.
"Hmph!" She lifted her chin proudly.
"I only joined this so-called club to challenge the strongest trainers in the academy."
After all, while the members were a bit eccentric, nearly all of them were top-tier upperclassmen—acknowledged as the strongest in school.
"And one more thing!" She fixed her gaze on Natsume.
"I'll prove theory and calculation matter more than actual battle. Defeating every member of the Whip is my proof!"
*Huh?*
The truth wasn't what he expected. Natsume raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond with the angry words she had hoped for.
"Then how did you become their Fourth President?" he asked instead.
She froze, as if recalling something embarrassing, her face blazing red again.
It wasn't her choice—before she could even mock anyone, the other members had already egged her on and lifted her onto the *throne of succession*.
She had beaten the Whip today, and the news of her becoming Fourth President had spread across the academy yesterday—the previous president was also a theory-focused student.
Giselle shook her head sharply. "Enough of that! The point is, I challenge you—and I'll disband the Whip for good!"
"I object!" Ash roared.
"Everyone's so passionate, so united, and they admire you so much—how can you talk about disbanding? That's ridiculous!"
*Pika pi!*
*Pii!*
Even the ever-aloof Midchu cheered Ash on this time.
"Hmph, and what gives you the right to lecture me, you rookie with just two badges?"
She turned her head aside, completely dismissing him.
"How about this." Before she could react, Natsume gave her a pat on the head.
"You battle Ash one-on-one. If you win, I'll accept your challenge."
"Him? Really?"
Giselle glanced at Natsume, her tone sharp, almost threatening.
"You're a researcher, right? If you dare go back on your word, I'll have my dad buy out your lab!"
"Fine, no problem." Natsume nodded, already wondering if he should buy a plot of land, call it a lab, and sell it high.
"I won't lose!"
Ash shot Natsume a confident look.
Soon, the two arrived at the academy's battlefield.
"Go, Pikachu!"
With a sweep of Ash's arm, Pikachu leapt onto the field.
*Pika—!*
Sparks crackled from Pikachu's cheeks as it stared intently at Giselle.
"I really don't get what kind of person would pick a Pikachu as a starter," she muttered, giving Ash a look like he was a weirdo.
"I won't waste time. Go, Rhyperior!"
*Rhy—perior!*
A massive figure appeared, accompanied by a heavy growl and the grinding tremor of stone.
**Rhyperior, Rock/Ground type; Drill Pokémon, the evolved form of Rhydon. It stuffs rocks into the holes in its palms and launches them using the power of its muscles.**
"Ash, be careful! This Pokémon has the same type as my Onix!"
Brock shouted into the field to warn Ash.
"I got it! Go, Pikachu—use Thunderbolt!"
*Pika—chu!!*
A violent surge of lightning burst forth, pouring down on Rhyperior without reservation.
*Rhy—perior!* With just a shake, the electricity around Rhyperior dispersed instantly.
"Hmph, as clueless as ever, you little fool." Giselle raised her chin, her small hand lifting slightly.
"Rhyperior, use Earthquake!"
"Pikachu, jump into the air!"
*Pika!*
The yellow figure leapt sharply into the sky, dodging the devastating Earthquake.
"Come on, Ash, you can do it!"
Misty, for once, cheered for Ash.
"Don't lose, Gisel—ah!"
Brock hadn't finished when Misty furiously grabbed him by the collar.
"Whose side are you on?!"
"Heh." Giselle looked down with disdain.
"Only weaklings like you need the encouragement of companions."
But before she finished, a loud drumbeat and cheering broke out behind her.
*Boom boom boom!*
"Fourth President, you've got this!!"
"Kid, if you dare beat the Fourth President, you'd better be ready for a whipping today!"
"Yo yo! Kid, you're gonna lose! Yo yo!"
Somehow, the club members who had left earlier were now back, rallying wildly behind her.
Looking back—eighteen of them, blowing, drumming, strumming, even rapping on the spot.
Giselle froze, her knuckles whitening from how tightly she clenched her hand. A flush crept up her neck and spread across her face.
"Wow, looks like your bond with your club runs deep. Pikachu, we can't lose either—use Iron Tail!"
"Who's bonded with them?!"
Her battle sense was sharp; she instantly refocused.
"Rhyperior, dodge it!"
But Pikachu was far too fast. Rhyperior had no choice but to take the Iron Tail head-on.
Boom—! A violent crash resounded, dust erupting in every direction, but Giselle's expression didn't change.
"Steel-type moves may be super effective, but my Rhyperior has Solid Rock!"
"Solid Rock? What's that?" Misty turned to Brock, puzzled.
"Solid Rock reduces the damage from super effective moves."
"What? Doesn't that put Ash in danger?"
"Don't worry, Pikachu's Iron Tail has been specially strengthened by Natsume."
As they spoke, the dust cleared, revealing Pikachu and Rhyperior.
Rhyperior stood unshaken, while Pikachu's tail was stuck between the plates of rock on its shoulder.
"You should surrender. My Rhyperior still needs to conserve strength for battling Natsume." Giselle spoke, glancing at Natsume.
Well? Surely she was strong enough to challenge him now?
But to her shock, Natsume wasn't paying any attention. He stood with his head down, a Pokéball in one hand and a file in the other, working on something unknown.
*Pika!!*
Pikachu's cry snapped her out of it. Before she could issue a command, sparks burst from Pikachu's tail.
In an instant, Rhyperior felt the Iron Tail on its shoulder grow dozens of times heavier!
*Rhyperior!*
With a cry of pain, Rhyperior was forced to one knee, and Pikachu broke free, leaping back to Ash's side.
"Why can your Pikachu keep Iron Tail active?!" Giselle cried out in shock.
Only then did she realize Pikachu's tail had remained in an Iron Tail state all along.
No—that didn't look like Iron Tail.
At that moment, golden electricity flickered around Pikachu's tail, carrying countless black particles. The current wrapped around it, making Pikachu's tail appear almost twice as thick, like it was wielding a weapon.
"This is—!" Ash shouted in delight. "Pikachu, you've already mastered the Magnetic Tail that Natsume talked about!"
*Pika!*
Pikachu turned back and nodded at Ash.
*Pii…* Beside Ash, Midchu's parted hair drooped, his face conflicted.
*So cool…**But… the training is hell.*
Thinking about the training conditions Natsume had described, Midchu shook his head violently and pulled the blanket over himself.
Impossible to learn. No way in this lifetime.
He silently tucked itself into his blanket.
"Natsume?" Giselle froze. From Ash's words, it sounded like this strange change in Pikachu had something to do with him.
"I don't care what it is—type advantage is still type advantage, and level suppression is still suppression." Her tone sharpened with frustration.
"Rhyperior, use Stone Edge!"
*Rhy—perior!* Rhyperior rose to its feet, unleashing a powerful attack as countless jagged stones shot at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, use the Iron Tail Combo!"
Ash shouted out another term Giselle had never heard before.
*Pika!!*
Pikachu held his breath, unflinching before the barrage that blocked off every escape route.
In the next instant, his eyes opened, body drifting like a falling leaf, tail leading the way. It was as if Pikachu's tail was the main body, dancing gracefully through the storm of stone.
"Impossible!" Giselle's eyes widened. "Even a Pikachu that's been through speed training couldn't—"
Before she could finish, Pikachu's massive sword-tail was already above Rhyperior's head.
"Pikachu, use Magnetic Tail!!"
Ash roared.
A torrent of thunder surged into the inky-black blade of a tail.
*Pika!!* With a flawless spin, Pikachu brought the Magnetic Tail crashing down onto Rhyperior's head.
It was super effective!
In the corner of the battlefield, Natsume finally lifted his head slightly, glancing at Pikachu.
[Magnetic Tail]
[Type / Category] Electric/Steel, Physical [Power / Accuracy / PP / Priority] 150 / 90 / 10 / 0
Electric and Steel. As expected—moves could have multiple types.
In the Pokémon world, all known moves were of a single type.
But back when Natsume had watched the Contest combinations, he had imagined this—dual-typed moves.
Now, it seemed his idea was correct.
Only, achieving it required slight modification to a Pokémon's body.
That was considered taboo.
Mention Pokémon modification, and everyone instinctively felt disgust.
Researchers who dared to attempt it were often branded as scientists of evil organizations.
But Natsume didn't think that way.
Technology itself was neither good nor evil—people were.
As long as one held to their principles, technology could benefit countless people and Pokémon.
For example, some Magnemite suffering from Demagnetization Syndrome could still generate electricity. Through similar methods, Natsume could restore them to normal.
Most importantly—
Damn it, he could write another paper about this! But one person just didn't have the time or energy!
*Ahhh, my stockpile!!*
You can read more (around 50+ free chapters) of Natsume's adventure ad-free at [https ://ravenarchives .com/book/pokemon-who-let-him-leave-pallet-town]. Bulk uploads is a mess here, so updates here might be irregular.