"If I haven't guessed wrong, it's virtually certain that your twin sister stole your psychic origin. That's why she possesses such overwhelming power," Jiade Tianchen analyzed, looking at the stunned Alice.
"But stealing what doesn't belong to her came at a price. Compared to you, isn't she physically frail? Likely bedridden often, suffering from violent migraines while you possess physical strength several times that of an average person?"
"To solve her problem, the simplest way is to kill you. Once the 'original' is gone, her body will stop rejecting the stolen power."
Alice stood frozen. For years, she hadn't understood why her sister suddenly grew to loathe her, eventually treating her like a mortal enemy. Now, the pieces fit.
"This forbidden technique isn't unheard of in ancient psychic lineages," Tianchen continued, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness. "When my clan found my powers were weak, they suspected my sister, Caitlin (嘉德丽雅), had stolen them. But after years of testing, it turned out I was just born weak. I was abandoned by the family because of it."
He looked toward the darkness of the ruins. "But I found a way here. This temple was built by the Star People, followers of Jirachi. The altar here acts as a natural vacuum for celestial energy. During the Nine-Star Alignment, I can use that surge to break my bottleneck."
He turned a grave gaze toward Alice and Feng Che. "The risk is immense. Alice, if you awaken your power, your sister's condition will worsen, and she will stop at nothing to hunt you down. And Kongjian... you have the potential, but if your body can't handle the raw energy, you'll literally explode. Can you accept that?"
"I've already considered the consequences," Feng Che replied, his obsidian eyes calm and unyielding. "Our deal included the method to awaken psychic power. A promised deal is a deal—don't you dare think about bailing now. Let's move."
Tianchen sketched a map on the dusty floor. "We are in the outer layer. To reach the altar, we must pass three 'Corner Guardians.' Each holds a gem. Only with all three gems can we open the core chamber. We'll be swarmed by the temple's residents the whole time."
"Guardians are fine," Alice said, checking her gear. "But Kongjian, can we talk about your Arbok? It's been acting... erratic. Savage."
Feng Che nodded, looking at Ditto. "Tianchen, use your telepathy. Check what's going on in its mind."
Tianchen closed his eyes, extending a blue psychic thread toward Arbok-Ditto. A second later, he recoiled as if struck by lightning, his face turning ghostly pale.
"Terrifying... so much malice!" Tianchen panted. "Its consciousness is being eroded by the 'residual wills' of the Pokémon it has consumed. If this continues, it will become a mindless, bloodthirsty monster."
"The solution?" Feng Che asked.
"Keep feeding it high-grade mental potions to fortify its own soul. Once it's strong enough, it can 'digest' those memories instead of being haunted by them. Those residues might even strengthen its soul in the long run."
Feng Che handed Tianchen two more potions as compensation for the mental backlash.
"Walk with me," Tianchen said, leading them deeper. "We're out of time."
Marsh Outskirts.
Starhunt panted, his clothes dissolved in patches by the Scolipede's venom. His Xatu was gone—recalled or lost in the chaos.
"Kongjian... I've marked you," he hissed, releasing a Natu to hover beside him. "The moment you step out of those ruins, I will teleport to you and tear you apart."
Elsewhere, Lina (Poison Rose) recalled her Ariados after receiving Starhunt's emergency summons. She and Fujiro abandoned their hunt for a giant Beedrill to regroup with their leader.
The Spider's Den.
The trio reached a corridor choked with thick, white webbing. Skeletons of past intruders hung in cocoons, glistening in the torchlight.
"How do these Pokémon survive in a sealed ruins?" Alice asked, disgusted.
"Cannibalism," Tianchen answered coldly. "The weak eat the weaker. It makes them far more vicious than wild Pokémon outside."
Feng Che sprayed the group with his custom repel. The sea of Ekans parted like a receding tide, hissing in revulsion at the scent.
"This spray is incredible," Tianchen remarked. "Sell me a few bottles later?"
"If you find me the rare herbs I need after the trial, I'll provide you with all the potions and energy blocks you need," Feng Che replied with confidence.
As they walked, Linoone suddenly nudged Feng Che. He reached down and found a mossy, leaf-shaped stone in the mud—a Leaf Stone (Medium Grade).
"Linoone's 'Pickup' ability at work," Feng Che smiled.
They reached the end of the hall. The rustling above grew loud. From the center of a massive web, a two-meter-long Ariados descended, its purple eyes glowing with hunger.
The first Guardian had arrived.
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