"So that's it… we cleared the Gym!?"
Red stared at the Marsh badge and the TM that had just appeared in his backpack, his mind going blank for a few seconds in disbelief.
The Saffron Gym — where even an ordinary trainer's Pokémon were over level 40, and the Gym Leader, Sabrina, commanded four Pokémon above level 45 — one of Kanto's most formidable Gyms…
And yet, he had really done it, relying solely on Robin's dual Dark and Psychic typing — completely immune to Psychic attacks while dealing double damage in return —
They'd swept through the Gym like a breeze!
If not for the time wasted solving the teleportation puzzles on the way to the leader's chamber, their total clear time might not have even reached an hour.
"It feels like a dream~"
Red murmured softly as he put away the golden badge and the TM for Calm Mind.
Suddenly—
A mysterious energy surged into his mind, forcing him to stop in place. His eyes turned unfocused and distant.
The strange sight startled Robin, who was still basking in the surge of strength from her recent level-up.
"Vice-Captain, are you alright?!" she cried in alarm.
But Red didn't respond. He stood motionless, as if deaf to her voice.
Just as Robin was about to rush forward, a familiar yet profound energy erupted from Red's body, making her eyes widen in shock.
"This is…?"
A flash of realization crossed Robin's face — shock, but also reassurance — as she saw Red's body radiating a faint pink-purple glow.
Moments later, the light slowly subsided, flowing back into Red's body.
He opened his eyes again, a ripple of psychic energy gleaming across his pupils.
"I didn't expect… the reward for the Marsh Badge to actually grant Psychic Power!?"
Red's astonishment turned into an awed smile.
Noticing Robin's worried gaze, he reassured her gently, "I'm fine, Robin. Thanks for worrying."
"Vice-Captain… that power just now — it's the same as mine?" Robin asked, confused.
Red chuckled. "Guess I just got lucky — awakened it by accident."
As he spoke, he lifted his arm. Without using Magnet Rise, a layer of energy — a fusion of psychic power and mental force — wrapped around his body.
In an instant, he floated up into the air, hair drifting weightlessly, eyes glowing with a mysterious light.
It was exactly the same as Sabrina's state earlier!
Robin could only stare, her surprise deepening.
After all, even as a Psychic-type Pokémon, she hadn't yet learned to levitate with pure telekinesis.
"How amazing! I suppose being by your side, Vice-Captain, means I'd better get used to being surprised every day~"
Robin couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Hahaha!" Red grinned. "Believe me, you'll get used to it soon enough!"
Meanwhile, inside the moving carriage, as Mr. 2 and Mr. 4 snored one after another, the agents who'd been terrified all night finally began to fall asleep.
At this point, whether they offended Ace and Red, or the Warlord Crocodile…
Either way, they were doomed.
They'd already crossed the line — there was no turning back.
At least Red had shown them divine power — and granted them new strength.
The choice had been made long ago.
Under the dim night sky,
Red and Robin suddenly opened their eyes.
A faint pink light flickered in both of their pupils.
They looked up at each other and exchanged a knowing smile, then closed their eyes again.
In that instant, a subtle psychic aura spread around Robin's body, drawing mysterious energy from the void into herself.
This was the brand-new move Red had prepared for her — Calm Mind.
A technique of inner training that not only strengthened one's mind but also boosted combat potential — its effect was much like Ancient Power.
The difference was that Calm Mind only increased psychic strength, while Ancient Power enhanced Red in every aspect.
Still…
With Calm Mind now added to her move set, Robin wouldn't be the only one on the Going Merry staying up late for training anymore!
Seeing Robin already deep in meditation, Red smiled with satisfaction and began organizing his own gains.
First, the Marsh Badge's reward—
Besides a baseline boost to his physical attributes, the badge had also awakened latent psychic power within him.
And perhaps because it had been a system-given reward, this power was extraordinarily potent.
He couldn't yet do what Sabrina could — like resizing people or turning them into dolls — but his psychic energy still granted him telekinesis, flight, teleportation, and hypnosis!
It was as though awakening one ability had given him mastery over several powerful Psychic-type moves!
Of course, compared to true Psychic-type Pokémon, Red's use of these abilities consumed far more energy and mental focus.
For example, when he used his power to fly, his speed wasn't very fast, and it exhausted him more quickly than Magnet Rise.
In short, his Psychic power wasn't yet suitable as a main combat ability—
—but its potential was limitless!
"At long last… I'm human again, system~"
Red nearly teared up in relief.
Compared to all those physical traits — hard skin, regeneration, speed bursts, endurance boosts —
Psychic power made his fighting style finally versatile and flexible.
And best of all—
Since he could shape psychic energy however he wanted, he could even use it to strike directly at the opponent's mind and soul!
Meaning that even against Logia-type users, Red — who still couldn't use Armament Haki — now had a way to hurt them!
"It's like this was tailor-made for you, Crocodile~"
A sly grin spread across his face.
Then, with a thought, he turned his focus back to the system screen.
At the center, a large wheel filled with Psychic-type moves awaited him.
"Please, give me an attack move this time!"
As he willed the wheel to spin, Red closed his eyes, praying fervently in his heart.
With Psychic power already in hand, if he could get a move that enhanced it—
He might finally shed his role as the Straw Hats' "utility guy" and step up as a true combatant!
After all, who wouldn't want to become a warrior capable of splitting seas with a single strike!?
Perhaps because of his recent good deeds—or maybe the system just pitied him—
When Red opened his eyes again, a message appeared on the screen, stunning him:
[Congratulations! You've obtained the Psychic-type move — Hyperspace Hole!]
"Hyperspace Hole!? Isn't that Hoopa's signature move!?"
Red's eyes widened in disbelief.
It was the first time he'd ever drawn a Legendary Pokémon's exclusive skill—and a Psychic-type one at that!
He immediately opened the move's details:
Move: Hyperspace Hole
Type: Psychic
Category: Physical
Power: —
Description: Consumes energy to create two spatial anchors in different dimensions, summoning a Hyperspace Hole to distort and connect them.
The description was brief — almost cryptic — but Red knew this move well from the Pokémon movie.
It was eerily similar to Doctor Strange's spatial magic.
Not only could it slice through an enemy's body as a space-rending attack…
It could also open a Hyperspace Hole beside the target — and, much like Blackbeard's Dark Vortex, draw in weapons or objects from another dimension to strike instantly.
And the most unforgettable part of the movie—
Was when Hoopa Unbound and Hoopa Confined both unleashed Hyperspace Hole simultaneously, summoning Legendaries from all over the world to do battle!
Compared to that… ordinary spatial slashes were child's play!
"So if I leave a mental mark on someone, I can summon them within range anytime…?"
"What a ridiculously useful move!!!"
Red, now fully understanding Hyperspace Hole, couldn't help but grin as he secretly placed psychic marks on every agent — and on Robin.
Then, under Robin's widening eyes, a dark-violet ring of space enveloped Red's body— and he vanished from the carriage.
"Huh!?" Robin gasped.
But in the next second, her body glowed faintly — the mark Red had just left activating.
A spatial ring appeared in front of her—
—and out tumbled Red, soaked from head to toe, crashing onto the seat with a heavy splash, seawater drenching the carriage floor.
The sudden commotion jolted all the agents awake.
They shot up in alarm—only to see—
Red sitting there, dripping wet, reeking of seawater like a man who'd just taken a bath in the ocean.
Despite his bedraggled state, his confident and exhilarated smile left no one daring to laugh.
None of them knew—
That in testing Hyperspace Hole's maximum range, Red had opened one portal too far…
…and ended up dropping straight into the sea.
(End of Chapter)