Chapter 88: Natsume's Test
**Celedon City, Pokémon Center**
"Nurse Joy, how is Midchu's condition?"
"This Pikachu's state is very strange." Nurse Joy looked troubled.
Between them, on a tray, lay a Pikachu unconscious and twitching from time to time.
"There are no physical injuries, but his mind is highly unstable. I've never seen anything like this."
Nurse Joy sighed. In truth, she had seen cases like this before—Pokémon suffering from psychological trauma.
If Natsume hadn't shown his researcher's credentials, she might have called Officer Jenny to take him away.
*Pika—!* Midchu suddenly cried out, flipping upright like a spring and jolting awake.
He sat dazed on the tray, unfocused eyes slowly regaining clarity.
"It woke up!" Nurse Joy brightened and called over Chansey.
"Chansey, use Heal Bell!"
*Chaaansey!*
A soothing chime filled the air, and Midchu's condition improved slightly, enough to communicate with Natsume.
*Pika pika, pikapi pika!*
Midchu gestured wildly, recounting the events of his dream.
"You're saying… you had a terrible nightmare?"
"You dreamed your favorite honey pancakes came to life, whipped you with Vine Whip…?"
*Pika pika!* Midchu nodded. Natsume opened his full telepathy.
"Not just Vine Whip—they also pelted you with honey pancakes, and forced you to eat rotten, foul-tasting sludge pancakes?"
Natsume froze.
That sounded exactly like Victreebel's attacks during that one-hour battle.
From Midchu's description, it seemed Victreebel's moves hadn't just dispersed…
They had been transferred directly into Midchu's dream.
What kind of ability was that?
Natsume had never heard of such a thing.
If it were recorded anywhere, he would have found some clue.
The only things that defied records like this were the powers of Legendary Pokémon and Divine Authority—mysteries of which the world only knew shards, often just names.
Natsume narrowed his eyes and scooped Midchu into his arms.
"Nurse Joy, may I use the backyard battle arena?"
"Oh, of course."
Before long, Natsume reached the arena.
*Pika?* Midchu tilted his head at him in confusion.
There was no one around—who was he supposed to battle?
*Gengaaaaar!* A Gengar appeared opposite, chewing on mud.
*Pika?* Midchu looked back at Natsume.
*You want me to fight this?*
"Activate Battle Arena!"
Natsume switched on the arena.
> Trainer Natsume sends out Pikaremon!
Rousing BGM began to play, and Midchu knew there was no backing out.
"You're definitely not just different in name alone. With such a huge share of Eternatus' shard, your body must have undergone changes."
Opposite, Gengar remained still.
Natsume had told it—this was just a *checkup* for Midchu, not a real battle.
"Midchu, just like before—go to sleep."
At his Trainer's command, Midchu burst into tears.
But he didn't hesitate—he collapsed straight into slumber.
> Pikaremon holds *Divine Authority: Realm of Eternal Sleep*.
*Divine Authority?*
Natsume froze, then a smile of joy spread across his face.
"Just as I thought. A shard of Eternatus that huge could never be just a simple name-change card!"
Tears welled up in Natsume's eyes.
"Gengar, hit him!" Natsume ordered.
*Gen-gaa!* Gengar raised its stubby hands, forming a dark purple sphere.
Boom! The Shadow Ball shot forward and struck Midchu.
> Due to Realm of Eternal Sleep, Gengar's attack was diverted!
Above Midchu's head, his HP remained unchanged.
*Pika!?* Midchu suddenly jolted awake.
> Because of weak willpower, Midchu woke up. Realm of Eternal Sleep has disappeared!
"So it's tied to willpower?" Natsume rubbed his chin.
"Midchu, try going back to sleep."
> Midchu fell asleep.
This time, the so-called Divine Authority did not activate.
"Gengar, use Confusion!" Natsume commanded a low-power move.
*Pika!* Midchu was struck and leapt up.
His HP was left with just a sliver, and when the turn ended, there was no automatic recovery effect that Divine Authority normally provided.
"Looks the same as last time…" Natsume thought.
After the previous test, he had already suspected it—the shard inside Midchu wasn't like the ones inside Giant Dragonite or Giant Tentacruel, which remained active within their bodies.
Midchu had actually absorbed that shard.
The moment he realized this, Natsume wondered if Midchu might one day form his own Divine Authority.
For now, it seemed to be in its earliest stage—and tied to sleep.
With a wave of his hand, Natsume ended the regulated battle.
*Ding!*
[SSS-Rank: Divine Authority Compendium]
[Subject] Divine Authority
The system's voice rang in his mind.
Natsume blinked, opened the task, and found portraits of many Legendary Pokémon.
The portraits were organized by region.
Each portrait contained a text box, waiting for him to fill in.
Natsume tapped the first one—Mewtwo.
**[Mewtwo]**
[Divine Authority: ???]
[Divine Exclusive: ???]
It was brief, but enough for Natsume to understand: any being with Divine Authority had both a unique Divine Authority and a Divine Exclusive move.
Scrolling further, he saw that while each authority differed in traits and exclusives, other functions—like an extra HP bar, damage boosts, damage resistance, and automatic recovery—were standard across all.
Soon, in a special section not belonging to any region, Natsume found Midchu's portrait.
**[Pikaremon]**
[Divine Authority: Realm of Eternal Sleep]
[Divine Exclusive: *Unlock Divine Authority*]
"Unlock Divine Authority?"
*In other words, Midchu's Divine Authority is only semi-formed.*
Natsume froze for a moment, then relaxed.
Of course—Midchu had only swallowed a shard. The fact that he had already developed a Divine Authority at all was pure luck.
Curious, Natsume opened the log to see Midchu's Divine Authority.
[Realm of Eternal Sleep:
In each battle, the first time Pikaremon falls asleep, Realm of Eternal Sleep will activate. During its duration, all incoming attacks are converted into nightmares, while all buffs are transformed into pleasant dreams.
If Pikaremon is forcibly awakened, Realm of Eternal Sleep will vanish.
Above effects confirmed in regulated battle tests—real battle applicability may vary.]
"Hss…" Natsume's eyelids twitched.
This trait alone… it was enough to crown Midchu as a rising star.
If a semi-formed Divine Authority was already this overwhelming—what kind of powers must the true divine Legendaries possess?
No wonder even his Pokéball Rotom—already monstrous in his eyes—was judged by the system as *merely outclassed* when facing a Legendary Pokémon.
And those Legendaries also had their own Divine Exclusive moves.
Some research records described techniques only entire Legendary species could use.
But Divine Exclusives were different—they belonged solely to individual Legendaries that possessed Divine Authority.
Natsume guessed that Divine Exclusives and species-only skills were not the same thing, and the former were bound to be even stronger.
*Pika?* Midchu tilted his head, glancing up at Natsume.
The latter stood frozen for a long time, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Natsume lowered his head—Midchu's fur stood on end.
Because inside his mind, an image of Natsume appeared!
"Midchu, you need to train your willpower. Understand?"
"Just yesterday I stepped into the Inner Realm. I need a sparring partner."
"From now on, every day, I'll be *dueling* your will directly. Got it?"
*Pika… pika pi…* Midchu looked utterly crushed.
He had thought that mastering the art of sleeping anytime, anywhere meant his Trainer's iron fist could no longer reach him.
But now it seemed Natsume could punch straight through the brain.
You can read more (around 100+ 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.