Chapter 9: Two Psychic Dojos

A Champion-Qualified Shiny Beldum!

Any single one of these qualities would make countless Trainers scramble to catch it, but together, they make Beldum exceptionally rare—a one-in-a-million find.

Beldum, a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, is already incredibly valuable. A Shiny Beldum's value is exponentially higher, a true treasure.

Aron silently recalled the information about Beldum, and suddenly felt that it was extraordinarily heavy.

Beldum is indeed a bit heavy, its cells are all Magnets, and the magnetic force emitted from its body and the magnetic force of the earth repel each other and thus float in the air.

"Chirp?"

Torchic looked up at Beldum with curious eyes, blinking in fascination.

"It's going to be our new partner from now on," Aron said with a warm smile.

"Chirp~" Torchic nodded, then opened its beak and let out a friendly burst of embers as a greeting.

"Boom!" Beldum made a soft rumbling sound, its large red eyes fixed on Torchic, as if accepting the introduction. The two Pokémon began to interact, showing signs of friendship. Meanwhile, Aron examined Beldum's stats.

"As expected of a Champion qualification," he thought.

At its current stage, Beldum's skill set was limited, but it had mastered the abilities it could access. This is the advantage of Champion-level potential: rapid and comprehensive growth, even with basic skills. However, Aron also noted the drawbacks—Beldum's current stats and abilities weren't particularly strong compared to Torchic's, and its limited moves could restrict its effectiveness in battle.

"It's a precious Beldum," a sudden voice broke his thoughts.

Aron looked up to see Lukas standing beside him.

"Your grandfather went through a lot to capture it for you."

Aron stayed silent.

Lukas chuckled, placing a hand on Aron's shoulder. "Do you know why he chose Beldum?" he asked.

Aron thought for a moment, then replied, "Because Metagross, Beldum's final form, has computing power that surpasses even a supercomputer. It's the perfect partner for a Pokémon scholar."

Aron's mind filled with images of Metagross: a Pokémon with four brains working in parallel, capable of lightning-fast calculations and possessing exceptionally high intelligence.

"Exactly," Lukas nodded. "Whether you decide to become a Pokémon scholar or a Trainer, you'll have our full support."

Aron was thoughtful, and after a moment, he asked, "How do I train my Psychic abilities?"

Lukas raised an eyebrow, surprised by Aron's interest. With a slight grin, he seemed pleased by the question.

"Before we discuss Psychic training, let me tell you about the two main Psychic schools in Easton," Lukas began, pacing thoughtfully.

"In Easton, there are two formal Psychic dojos—the Northern Dojo in the Imperial Capital and the Southern Dojo in the Magic City. Both are dedicated to cultivating powerful Psychics, but their training approaches differ, which has led to some rivalry."

"The Northern Dojo emphasizes constant practice," Lukas explained, "training day and night with techniques like object manipulation through psychic powers."

"The Southern Dojo, however, takes a different approach. They focus on connecting with nature—finding the essence of Psychic abilities by meditating in natural settings, gaining enlightenment through the environment."

Aron nodded, understanding the distinct philosophies of the two dojos.

"Your grandfather trained in both dojos and eventually developed his own methods," Lukas continued. "Our gym now uses his approach, which balances training with moments of reflection."

Aron interrupted, curious, "Won't the dojos consider that heretical?"

Lukas chuckled. "We're just a small gym focused on welcoming challengers. We don't take apprentices in the same way the dojos do, so we don't face the same scrutiny. They're more structured, following the master-student tradition rigorously, so there's no conflict between us and the dojos."

"Alright, with that context, I'll explain the basics of Psychic training," Lukas said, clapping his hands and delving into the details.

The training techniques he shared were confidential, meant only for Aron.

---

After Lukas left, Aron remained deep in thought for a long time.

Eventually, he turned toward Beldum, who was still playing with Torchic.

"Beldum," he called.

"Beldum?" Beldum turned around, its big red eyes focusing on Aron with a curious expression.

"Use Zen Headbutt on me," Aron said calmly.

"Beldum!"Hearing this, Beldum shook his round head desperately..

Aron chuckled. "It's alright. I have Psychic abilities too."

As he spoke, his eyes glowed faintly blue, and a blue light enveloped him, projecting a protective psychic barrier around his body.

"Bel..dum?" Beldum tilted its head in confusion, still hesitant.

"Come on, try Zen Headbutt," Aron encouraged.

"Beldum!" Beldum finally relented, fixing its gaze on Aron. Its red eyes shone with blue energy, and a blue light beam shone on its head, heading straight toward him.

Aron stood his ground as his psychic barrier absorbed the impact. The blue light seemed to dissolve upon contact, leaving Aron unharmed.

"Beldum?" Beldum's eyes widened in amazement.

Aron glanced at Beldum, finding its expression amusingly innocent.

"Looks like my psychic ability is still stronger than Beldum's for now," Aron thought to himself. "At least it's on par with a Normal-level Psychic-type Pokémon."

He nodded, resolute. "Alright, let's begin our training!"