As the battles intensified, the psychic energy within Cain churned like boiling water, reaching increasingly intense levels. Only Slowking, who always remained by his side, was able to notice the strange changes in him.
Meanwhile, the other Pokémon were still immersed in a state of total excitement, almost completely losing control of themselves.
As they advanced toward Lake Verity, Cain’s wrist began to heat up, but he didn’t notice, too focused on his mission. Together, they faced and defeated every Pokémon that crossed their path.
The strength demonstrated by his team discouraged weaker Pokémon, who preferred to avoid appearing in their way.
However, something unusual was happening in Cain’s mind: fragments of symbols characteristic of the Unown began to form, slowly rearranging until they created a large symbol. When it took shape, Cain recognized it as an exclamation mark.
Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed in his mind, like a bell warning him of something imminent. The echo forced him to stop, and all his Pokémon also snapped out of the strange trance they had been in.
That was when they noticed the accumulated fatigue, as if, after a long race, they had finally reached their limit. When Cain examined his own condition, he realized that his psychic energy had reached the maximum limit allowed for a beginner-level psychic.
The sound had acted as a warning. If Cain had continued accumulating energy uncontrollably, it would have surpassed his capacity, leading him to collapse.
It was as if an automatic defense mechanism had protected him from inflating like a balloon to the point of bursting. Cain closed his eyes, focusing on redirecting and stabilizing the energy, determined to break through the barrier to the next level.
Slowking was the first to react. He clearly perceived the unusual concentration of psychic energy in Cain and called out to gather all the Pokémon around their trainer.
Slowking knew that Cain was at a critical moment and could not afford any distractions. Then, a dull noise resonated through Cain’s body, accompanied by a brief groan of pain.
Cain felt as if his mind had shattered, and for an instant, his consciousness lifted, freed from all burdens, floating in absolute lightness.
Psychic energy began swirling around Cain. Slowly, and without opening his eyes, he raised an arm and made a downward motion with his hand. Immediately, the energy concentrated at a single point, and with a snap, the air in front of him seemed to split apart.
A tiny rift formed in space, briefly revealing what appeared to be an alternate dimension. Cain opened his eyes, observing the rift with a mix of astonishment and understanding, as if the ability was something natural for him.
With a deliberate movement, he descended to the ground, looking around with unprecedented clarity, as if the world had acquired a new dimension of colors and details.
"Is this... what it means to be an intermediate psychic?" Cain murmured, inspecting his hands. When he looked at his wrist, he noticed that the three Unown that always accompanied him seemed weakened, their glow much dimmer than before.
To test his new abilities, he channeled his psychic energy into his right hand and performed a horizontal slash toward a nearby tree. A small rift appeared in space, and half a second later, the tree was cleanly split in two, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
"It’s more efficient than any blade," Cain reflected aloud. Slowking, upon hearing this, looked at him incredulously, as if he couldn’t believe Cain was comparing such an ability to something so basic.
Cain realized that he had unlocked a technique known as "Spatial Cut," an ability recorded in the manual that Sabrina had given him.
According to it, not all psychics could use it; it required a special affinity with spatial distortions. Even among advanced-level psychics, only a few could master it.
However, Cain seemed to have activated it instinctively upon reaching this new level, perhaps due to the frequent teleportations performed with Slowking or the residual power of the Unown.
Moreover, Cain suspected that his constant exposure to the system’s use in manipulating alternate dimensions had played a crucial role in developing this spatial affinity.
Although the Spatial Cut was a powerful ability, Cain noticed that it consumed a considerable amount of energy. His first use had drained a quarter of his total reserve, forcing him to use it sparingly.
"Becoming an intermediate psychic is useful, but it doesn’t feel as impactful as I expected," he commented, assessing his condition.
Although his mind was clearer and his perception of the surroundings had improved notably, Cain knew he was still far from the level of Sabrina, whose power vastly exceeded that of an average advanced-level psychic.
However, there were important improvements that he couldn’t ignore. Now he could use telepathy to direct all his Pokémon simultaneously for a full hour, something he hadn’t been able to do before.
Additionally, the Spatial Cut provided him with a strategic advantage, making him a more formidable trainer against both humans and Pokémon.
When Cain finally came back to his senses, he noticed that his Pokémon looked exhausted. Checking the time, he realized it was already sunset. They had been fighting from morning until that moment, even forgetting to eat due to the collective trance they had been immersed in.
Cain felt deep gratitude toward his team, knowing that his progress would not have been possible without them. While his Pokémon rested, Cain began planning how to reward them and prepare for the challenges that still awaited them.