Capítulo 24: ### Chapter 24: Officially Become an Apprentice of the Ecruteak Dojo
Kane had a sudden flash of inspiration, recalling the scene from yesterday when Gastly unleashed its last-ditch counterattack.
"Gastly, use Curse."
The same scene played out again, but this time, Gastly's target was the Duskull standing in front of it.
"If it were me, I would've used Curse too," Komatsu, who was standing beside Chiyama, remarked with a nod of approval.
Chiyama acknowledged his son's observation and gave a silent nod, clearly impressed by Kane's tactical thinking as well.
Gastly's eyes glowed red, its entire body trembling with intense strain. Immediately after, Duskull became surrounded by the same eerie red glow, its ghostly form looking even more distorted and unsettling.
Gastly sacrificed half of its health, and Duskull was now under the effects of the Curse, slowly losing its strength over time.
No matter how sturdy its defenses were, there was no stopping the continuous drain of Duskull's health. The Pokémon was rapidly approaching its limit.
Thunderstorm, who had earlier been so certain of his impending victory, was now staring at the scene in disbelief.
"There's still a chance! Duskull, use Shadow Sneak! You're in better condition than Gastly right now, take it out!"
Desperation edged into Thunderstorm's voice as he commanded Duskull, knowing this was his last shot. It was, in fact, the wisest move he could make. Gastly, having lost half of its health, was now visibly weakened and struggling.
Duskull's shadow stretched out from the ground, creeping toward Gastly like a living entity, ready to strike from behind.
"Gastly, move to the window," Kane ordered, keeping a calm composure.
Kane knew Gastly's condition well—it was running on fumes. His strategy now was to stall, drag things out as long as possible. The longer the battle continued, the more the Curse would take its toll on Duskull. Kane already had a counter for the Shadow Sneak in mind.
Following the command, Gastly floated toward the window, its movements sluggish, clearly pushing itself to the limit just to stay airborne.
Duskull, on the other hand, wasn't faring much better. The continuous loss of stamina was making it harder for it to maintain focus, and using a special move like Shadow Sneak only increased the strain on its body and mind.
The shadow was closing in on Gastly, just inches away from securing the hit.
"Now, dodge!"
Kane saw the opening and called out. Gastly jerked its body and darted away from the window just in time.
"Keep pursuing it!" Thunderstorm wasn't giving up yet, urging Duskull to press on. The shadow began following after Gastly again, but things didn't go as Thunderstorm hoped.
Kane had already anticipated this. As soon as Gastly moved away from the window, sunlight poured into the room, erasing Duskull's shadow entirely.
With the Shadow Sneak failed, Duskull's health had reached its limit. Its vision blurred, and its consciousness began to fade, seeing multiple overlapping images of Gastly.
Even though Thunderstorm yelled at the top of his lungs, Duskull could only hear a dull ringing in its ears. It was over.
"The battle has been decided," Chiyama declared, waving his hand. Kane and Thunderstorm both recalled their Pokémon.
"Congratulations to Kane and Thunderstorm for officially becoming apprentices of the Ecruteak Gym. You two will stay here for now; I'll explain the rules in a bit. The other two can kindly return home, and I will notify your schools to provide you with extra credit," Chiyama said.
The two other contestants left, though with clear disappointment on their faces. Still, they understood that the gap in strength had been too great to overcome.
---
**Inside the Ecruteak Gym**
Chiyama sat at the head of the room. "Kane, Thunderstorm, you both performed exceptionally well. Now that you've earned your place as apprentices, train hard and learn diligently while you're here. Senior Brother Liucheng will soon provide you with your apprentice certificates for the Ecruteak Gym. In the meantime, please familiarize yourselves with the gym's rules."
Kane and Thunderstorm were each handed a copy of the trainee handbook.
The handbook detailed five main points:
1. **Probation Period**: A three-month probation period. If performance is satisfactory, the apprentice will be promoted into a full disciple of the Gym. During this period, all apprentices will undergo closed training. Leaving the Ecruteak Gym without Chiyama's permission is prohibited, except when accompanying gym trainers for official events.
2. **Daily Schedule**: Wake up at 6 a.m. for morning exercises, followed by breakfast. Afterward, clean the main hall. Lunch is served at 11 a.m., followed by special training from noon. Dinner is at 5 p.m., and from 6 to 8 p.m., is time for studying theory and basic knowledge. Bedtime is at 10 p.m. sharp. Note: There are no rest days during the closed training period.
3. **Special Duties**: In special circumstances, gym trainers will assign specific tasks. Apprentices must be ready at any time to act as referees or handle challenger disputes.
4. **Room and Board**: The gym will provide room and board for the apprentices and their Pokémon, along with various nutritional supplements.
5. **Stipend**: Each apprentice will receive a monthly stipend of 1,500 poke dollars, with additional bonuses for defeating challengers.
After Kane and Thunderstorm finished reading, Liucheng handed them their apprentice work permits.
Chiyama asked, "Have you finished reading? If you have any objections, raise them now. I don't want to hear complaints later on."
"No objections," both replied.
"Good. Liucheng will now arrange your dormitories. Take note of anything you need for the move, and return here once you're prepared," Chiyama said.
Liucheng led Kane and Thunderstorm to the dormitory area in the backyard. There were only ten rooms, and since full disciples were allowed to come and go freely, they no longer resided in the gym. The dormitories were reserved for apprentices only.
Kane and Thunderstorm, who didn't get along well, chose rooms on opposite ends of the hall. They each had their own private thoughts and naturally preferred to keep their distance.
After assigning the rooms, Liucheng gave them the keys. Both of them needed to head back home to prepare for their stay at the Gym.
---
Back home, Kane grabbed lunch with Ditto. While Gastly, with its ability to absorb life energy, could sustain itself for a week, so there was little to worry about regarding its food.
Kane unplugged all his electrical appliances, packed the remaining food in his fridge, and disposed of anything he couldn't bring. He also took 1,000 poke dollars in cash for emergencies, closed all the windows, drew the curtains, and prepared to leave.
"See you in three months," Kane muttered as he locked the front door seemingly talking to no one.
Just as he stepped out, five well-dressed men approached him from the staircase.
Kane recognized them immediately—staff members from the orphanage. The determination on their faces told him they weren't here for a friendly chat.
"Kane, after a thorough investigation, it has been determined that the company listed on your work card is a front company involved in child labor. The police have already shut it down. This is the official report," the lead man said, holding out a stack of documents.
Without even looking at them, Kane pushed the papers aside. "So what?"
"As per the Alliance's rules, you must come with us to the orphanage, where we will oversee your living and education arrangements," the man continued.
"No need," Kane replied bluntly. He then pulled out his Ecruteak Gym apprentice card and showed it to them.
The five men froze in place. They knew exactly who Chiyama was and didn't dare provoke someone with that kind of influence.
They quickly backed down.
"Move," Kane said with a smirk, and they obediently stepped aside.
As Kane walked away, he marveled at the power Chiyama wielded as a gym leader. This world truly revolved around strength, and Kane's desire for it had never been greater.
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