In the Pokémon games, Electabuzz could learn Teleport through technical machines.
Unfortunately, when Silas had checked Hermes' collected data and compared it against information from this world, Teleport wasn't available as a TM at all.
That didn't mean it was impossible. Only that nobody had discovered the method so Silas wasn't discouraged.
If Electabuzz could learn Psychic and Calm Mind simply from absorbing psychic energy, then there was no reason to believe Teleport was completely out of reach.
The potential clearly existed. The psychic crystals had proven that. However the biggest surprise wasn't even Electabuzz, it was Silas himself.
After a week of experimenting and observation, Hermes finally confirmed his condition; Silas had become an entry-level psychic.
His powers were weak compared to genuine psychics, but they were undeniably present.
He could establish telepathic communication, sense a small area around himself, and had a limited telekinesis. This was the extent of his current abilities but Silas was perfectly satisfied.
He had never expected to awaken psychic powers at all. Now he simply needed to improve them.
More importantly, he needed to improve the rest of his team.
"Electabuzz, help me open a psychic channel."
The electric pokemon nodded as Silas sat beside him. Together they carefully expanded a psychic link.
At first it connected only the two of them, then Monferno joined, then Frogadier, then Teddiursa. Eventually even Excadrill and Rhyhorn were included.
The experience was strange. Thoughts weren't truly just words. You could feel them too.
Monferno especially benefited. The fire pokemon had always been Silas' closest partner. Now their communication felt almost seamless.
Without Hermes' enormous database and analytical abilities, Silas would've needed months to understand what he was doing.
Instead he progressed rapidly.
The following week passed quietly inside Cerulean Cave.
The underground river supplied water and the local fish supplied food. The cave itself provided countless opportunities for training.
Silas only ventured deeper when accompanied by Monferno and Electabuzz.
The stronger wild pokemon quickly taught him caution. The outer layers already contained dangerous opponents. The inner regions were likely far worse.
Every member of the team improved.
Monferno refined his Aura Sphere control.
The combination attacks involving Flame Aura became increasingly stable.
Electabuzz focused almost entirely on his new psychic powers. Watching him practice was fascinating. At first Psychic barely moved a pebble. By the end of the week, Electabuzz could reliably manipulate several stones simultaneously.
Calm Mind improved even faster. The move synergized surprisingly well with meditation.
Excadrill and Rhyhorn underwent simpler training. Silas wasn't in a rush with them.
Building a strong foundation mattered more than immediate growth.
Excadrill spent most of his time practicing Sandstorm and Swords Dance. The goal was straightforward. Silas wanted him to activate both techniques simultaneously. If successful, Excadrill would gain both increased power and increased speed with a single action. The concept was simple but execution was another story.
Excadrill struggled repeatedly. It's Sandstorm would destabilize while Swords Dance would mostly fail. Sometimes both collapsed entirely.
Still, they made real progress over time.
That was enough.
Rhyhorn focused primarily on conditioning. The armored pokemon naturally possessed tremendous physical power. Its greatest weakness was speed.
Silas therefore had it run endless laps through the cave system.
Rhyhorn hated every second. Unfortunately for Rhyhorn, nobody allowed him to give up.
Teddiursa and Froakie experienced the greatest growth since they battled daily.
Every day they improved. Teddiursa had already begun showing signs of evolution.
Several times his body glowed faintly after training. Each time Silas immediately stopped the process. His experiences on Mount Silver had fundamentally changed how he viewed evolution. Suppressing evolution created monsters.
Those insane Beedrill remained fresh in his memory. Silas was convinced one of those Beedrill could defeat four ordinary Beedrill of the same level.
The difference wasn't talent, it was foundation. The same principle would apply to Teddiursa. The bear endured the discomfort without complaint. If Silas said it was worthwhile, then it was worthwhile.
Froakie experienced similar struggles. Since reaching level twenty, evolution constantly tempted him.
The sensation wasn't pleasant. It felt like holding back a flood with a wooden dam.
Yet he trusted his trainer.
Silas had saved his life.
If Silas believed waiting was beneficial, then Froakie would wait.
That trust paid off one morning while Froakie was practicing Acrobatics. The move had become his obsession.
Again and again he launched himself toward the cave ceiling. Again and again he attempted increasingly complicated maneuvers.
Sometimes he crashed, sometimes he landed awkwardly but he never gave up. Each failure only motivated him further.
Silas watched proudly.
The sickly Froakie who could barely walk now flew through the air like a true ninja.
Hours passed.
Sweat covered Froakie's body. His breathing became ragged from fatigue but still he continued.
Finally something clicked. Froakie launched himself upward.
One leap became two.
Two became three.
He ricocheted across the cave ceiling effortlessly. Every movement flowed naturally into the next.
Then Froakie began glowing when he landed.
Silas immediately stood up.This glow was stronger than before, much stronger. He knew exactly what was happening.
Everything had accumulated. All the various experiences Froakie had recently from the psychic crystals to the intense battles in Cerulean Cave. The accumulated experience triggered evolution, the dam had been broken.
"Now."
Silas immediately produced several prepared pokeblocks and a Vitamin Pill.
Froakie consumed them eagerly. The glow intensified. Blue light flooded the cavern.
The evolution lasted far longer than in the games.
Eventually a few hours passed. Nobody moved, everyone just watched in silence during that time.
Silas watched with an air of nostalgia and pride. He remembered the tiny frog trapped inside a golden cocoon. The Froakie born with a devastating developmental defect.The Froakie who should have died.
Now that same pokemon stood at the center of the cavern undergoing evolution.
Finally the light faded.
A taller figure emerged. Frogadier was noticeably mor muscularand just overall more imposing now. He embodied a young and dangerous ninja.
Frogadier opened his eyes. The transformation was complete.
Silas scanned his newly evolved Pokemon.
Frogadier (M) — Level 32
Ability: Protean
Potential: B+
Moves: Rank B Pound, Rank B Water Gun, Rank C Toxic Spikes, Rank C Growl, Rank C Water Pulse, Rank C Quick Attack, Rank C Lick, Rank C Acrobatics, Rank C Aerial Ace, Rank C Shadow Sneak
Silas couldn't stop smiling. The increase in potential alone was incredible.
B+ potential.
That placed Frogadier among genuinely elite prospects.
The newly learned moves were even more exciting. Aerial Ace synergized perfectly with Acrobatics. Shadow Sneak interested Silas the most.
Many elite ninja trainers utilized Shadow Sneak in terrifying ways. A sufficiently skilled user could hide inside shadows.
Some could even remain concealed within their trainer's shadow. It was the ultimate bodyguard technique.
Silas already possessed training manuals for the move.
Naturally, Frogadier began practicing immediately.
The evolution marked the end of their extended stay.
There was only a week remaining until the operation began.
They needed to leave but returning through the main entrance was impossible. Silas had no desire to discover how angry the original guard's employers were.
Instead he relied on Excadrill. The mole pokemon happily dug a tunnel toward the underground river system. Its drilling ability was extraordinary.
Hours later, the group emerged near Cerulean Lake. The transition appeared completely natural. Many trainers swam with water pokemon in the area.
Nobody paid attention to a trainer emerging alongside a Frogadier. The disguise remained intact. Silas blended into the crowd and headed toward Cerulean City.
The moment he reached the city entrance, he noticed something was wrong.
Officers were everywhere. A few Arcanine stood guard.
Trainers formed long lines. Their bags were searched, IDs were verified, some trainers were even questioned.
Silas quietly joined the line.
The trainers ahead of him were discussing the situation.
"Whoever made an enemy of the Stone family is a fool."
"No kidding."
Another trainer snorted.
"I just wish they pulled this nonsense somewhere else."
The line slowly advanced. Several Arcanine sniffed trainers randomly.
Their noses were clearly searching for something specific but Silas remained calm. His most valuable possessions rested inside system storage.
The officers could search him all day and find nothing.
When his turn arrived, an officer examined Odin's identification briefly.
The disguise held perfectly.
Afterward they searched his storage backpack thoroughly.
Everything appeared normal, there was only standard items and supplies within. The officer handed the bag back.
"You can pass, kid."
Silas nodded politely and entered the city.
The first destination was naturally the Pokémon Center. Information flowed freely in places like these.
The dining hall bustled with activity. Trainers exchanged stories, battle tips, rumors, etc.
Silas ordered a Moomoo Milk milkshake and took a seat at the counter. The drink was excellent. It was cold, sweet, and refreshing.
While enjoying it, he quietly listened.
His new psychic abilities made the process absurdly easy. He didn't need to stare or move closer. Conversations naturally drifted into his awareness.
"The Stone Construction Company was robbed."
"The thieves got away with over two hundred million worth of valuables."
"I heard Axel Stone nearly lost his mind."
The next conversation proved even more interesting.
Apparently Axel Stone had gone on a rampage afterward. Several trainers claimed he traveled to Route 10 and challenged anyone he encountered. Many called it harassment.
Axel was an elite-level trainer. His Aggron and Machamp overwhelmed everyone.The situation only ended after Officer Jenny intervened.
Silas nearly laughed.
The sheer absurdity of it all amused him. A wealthy family lost an enormous amount of money. Their heir lost control and the city suffered the consequences.
The situation sounded ridiculous. Yet the frustration behind it was understandable. Two hundred million pokedollars wasn't a trivial amount.
Anyone would be furious.
Silas quietly sipped his milkshake.
Life was good.
After finishing the drink, he remained for another hour. Several trainers struck up conversations with him.
Odin's reputation had grown considerably. His understanding of move combinations impressed people. His tactical knowledge impressed them even more.
By the time he left, he had made several useful acquaintances.
Exactly as planned.
Everything he did served a purpose. Building a trustworthy reputation was part of the mission. A respected trainer attracted less suspicion.
After restocking supplies and purchasing additional healing items, Silas finally left the city.
The sun was beginning to set. A cool breeze swept across the roads south of Cerulean.
One week remained until the operation and Silas needed to be ready.