"Nnn..."
Natsu murmured softly in front of her computer screen.
She glanced over at Taylor, who was busy examining data on his own terminal, and then at Vane, who was still studying the information on the Blu-ray disc.
Without a word, she rose from her chair and picked up her white jacket, which had several black accents stitched along the seams. She then grabbed a small coin from the desk.
"I'm going to meet up with my friends at the museum," she announced flatly.
Vane didn't look up from his data. "Take care of yourself. Don't get suspected. And definitely don't get captured like Darian."
Natsu responded with a simple nod.
She pressed the coin in her hand. In an instant, she vanished from the room.
Vane stared at the empty space where she had been. "I hope she'll be alright," he muttered.
Natsu reappeared in a narrow alley near the Pokémon Center. She glanced around cautiously.
"Okay, this seems safe," she said to herself.
A soft glow of data-like patterns shimmered around her, and her outfit began to shift and reform into her academy uniform. The uniform was primarily white, paired with a dark green academy blazer adorned with subtle purple accents.
She looked down at herself and sighed. "Just as I thought. I really don't suit this," she said in her usual monotone.
She pulled a Poké Ball from her pocket and pressed the release button. In a flash of light, her Pokémon appeared beside her.
"Puff!" chirped the Slurpuff, its fluffy body bouncing slightly.
Natsu immediately scooped up the Slurpuff and hugged it tightly, pressing her cheek against its soft, sweet-scented fur.
"Okay, Slurpuff. Let's head over there," she said, pointing toward the museum in the distance.
"Puff!" Slurpuff replied with its ever-present, cheerful smile.
She walked purposefully toward the museum grounds.
Upon arriving, she began observing her surroundings carefully. Students milled about in clusters, chatting and laughing.
*Brighton Academy... Etheria Academy... and Estria Academy,* she thought. *I might be able to handle Estria, but there's no way I can take on Brighton. I'm still far too amateur for that.*
As she continued walking, she felt a hand land gently on her right shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Allen," she said without looking back, her tone flat as ever. "How many times have I told you? Don't bother me like that."
From behind her, Ellen chuckled. "You're so cold, Natsu... And here I am, transferring out tomorrow."
Natsu finally turned to face her. "That's not my concern. Your transfer is your own business."
Ellen released her grip from Natsu's shoulder, but her thoughts began to race. *Thank goodness she's not an esper. If she were, I'm sure she'd remember that I used to be a man... Wait a minute. She's still calling me Allen, not Ellen. Don't tell me—she still remembers?*
Natsu, still hugging her Slurpuff, tilted her head slightly as she observed Ellen's subtle shifts in expression.
"What are you thinking about?" Natsu asked.
Ellen waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing! Just something unimportant."
Natsu's brow furrowed ever so slightly. Ellen recognized that expression immediately—it was Natsu's tell. She was suspicious.
Trying to change the subject, Ellen blurted out, "You still seem to enjoy hugging your Slurpuff like always."
Natsu replied in her same monotone, "I like it because it's soft."
Ellen shook her head, bemused. "Aren't you afraid of getting sticky? You know Slurpuff is covered in sugar, right?"
"I don't care," Natsu said flatly.
"Seriously?" Ellen asked, genuinely surprised.
"Besides," Natsu added, "I can make my uniform anti-stick."
Ellen sighed. "Your psychic powers really are convenient, huh?"
They walked together for a while longer, but Ellen remained puzzled. *Why is she still calling me Allen?*
---
Back at the Investigation Bureau headquarters, Xian was training in the practice area. Sweat dripped from his brow as he struggled to adapt.
"How am I supposed to use this?" he asked Allied, frustration creeping into his voice.
Allied shrugged. "I don't know either. Do you think I've ever fought against a Path User before?"
He glanced over at Aron, who was quietly sipping his coffee in the corner. "Why don't you ask Aron for help finding information about Paths? At the very least, he has the ability to extract information, doesn't he?"
Xian's eyes lit up. "That's true."
He walked over to Aron. "Okay, Aron. You already know what you need to do."
Aron set down his coffee cup. "Of course."
He focused his gaze on the symbol on Xian's hand—the mark of Thundurus. His eyes glowed faintly as he began extracting information directly from the symbol itself.
After a long moment, Aron's eyes widened. "Wait a minute... this is similar to Essence."
Xian's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean, 'similar to Essence'?"
Aron explained, "Both of them store your information, your intent, your data. They function as a record of who you are."
Xian's expression brightened slightly. "If that's the case, then this should still be similar to cultivation, right? Right?!"
Aron shook his head. "No. The way it works is completely different."
Xian's hopeful expression fell. "What do you mean?"
Aron leaned back in his chair. "The Path system is far more specific. It's directly connected to a legendary Pokémon. That means you'll find it easier to use its abilities. However, you won't have as much variety as you did when you were a cultivator. You cannot change your Path unless you return to zero."
Xian's jaw dropped. "Seriously?! I trained for so long, and now my abilities just... change? That's not fair! And what do you mean 'return to zero'? Are you saying I have to reincarnate?!"
Aron raised a calm hand. "No. Even if you reincarnated, your Path would remain the same. It's tied to your soul, your information, your memories, your identity. As long as those aspects exist, that Path will always be yours."
Xian ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Then how am I supposed to change my Path?"
Aron picked up his coffee again and took a slow sip. "I already told you. You have to return to zero. That means starting over from something completely new. You would have to lose everything—truly return to nothing. And even then, there's no guarantee you would obtain a Path. So for now, your only option is to train. That is your destiny."
Xian stood there in stunned silence for a moment. Then he clenched his fists, a determined fire reigniting in his eyes.
"It seems I don't have any other choice," he muttered. *If the system is similar to what I know, I should be able to adapt relatively quickly.*
He turned to Allied. "Okay. Let's train."