บท 33: ### Chapter 33: The Mysterious Mega Gengar
The dark shadows of Burned Tower loomed ominously overhead as Kane continued his vigil, glancing around cautiously. The minutes dragged on, each passing second stretching into eternity. His nerves were beginning to fray as he watched the inky night thicken around him. The longer he waited, the more tension built up inside him.
**"Should I leave?"** Kane wondered. The thought gnawed at him, creeping into his mind with increasing urgency. **"Am I really capable of dealing with such a powerful Pokémon right now?"** The question lingered in the air, heavy and unsettling. He knew the answer. His current strength was nowhere near enough to handle something as formidable as a Mega Gengar. Yet, another thought nagged at him, refusing to let him retreat. **"If I just leave after seeing something like that, without doing anything… wouldn't that haunt me forever?"**
Just as his internal struggle reached its peak, the Mega Gengar appeared again. Kane's eyes widened as the ghostly figure emerged from the shadows, moving with an eerie grace that sent a chill down his spine. **"It really is here,"** he thought, heart racing.
But was it wild? The experience of his past life told him that the chances of that were slim—very slim. A wild Mega Gengar was almost unheard of. To reach such a state, a Pokémon would have to come into contact with an immense power source, and even then, the likelihood of that happening naturally was minimal. In this world, any energy capable of enabling a Pokémon to achieve Mega Evolution would be fiercely contested by some of the most powerful beings alive. Pokémon like Gengar wouldn't stand a chance to claim such energy unless it was given to them or carefully sought out by a skilled trainer.
**"If it were truly that powerful, wouldn't legendary Pokémon have already fought over this energy?"** Kane mused, recalling the epic battles he had witnessed in his previous life. Powerful beings like Groudon and Kyogre, two of the greatest legends in Hoenn, had waged war over such primal energy, nearly destroying the entire region in the process. Power, Kane realized, wasn't just something humans coveted. Pokémon, too, pursued strength and resources with a fervor that rivaled even the most ambitious of men. Those resources always fell into the hands of the most dominant and elite Pokémon.
**"So, does this Mega Gengar belong to a trainer?"** Kane asked himself, curiosity gnawing at his insides. **"Who in this era could have the means to command such a Pokémon?"** Even the most powerful champions of the time wouldn't be able to Mega Evolve their Pokémon yet, as Mega Evolution was still decades away from being discovered. The mystery only deepened.
Kane felt a growing need to know more. He couldn't leave without getting to the bottom of this.
His patience was finally rewarded. This time, when the Mega Gengar appeared, its speed was noticeably slower than before. Kane narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the details in the dim light. He saw dozens of other ghost-type Pokémon trailing behind it, all of them moving in a synchronized, almost trance-like manner. Their eyes glowed an unsettling red—clear evidence that they were under the hypnosis of the Mega Gengar.
Kane knew better than to act impulsively. He kept his distance, quietly following the group as they made their way around the back of Burned Tower. The gastly floated along with eerie silence, led by the imposing figure of the Mega Gengar.
They approached a secluded area, and just as Kane began to wonder what they were planning, the Mega Gengar stopped suddenly. It turned around with a speed that took Kane by surprise. He had been discovered.
There was no time to think. Without hesitation, the Mega Gengar launched a powerful **Shadow Ball** directly at Kane. The darkness of the night seemed to warp around the attack, as if the very shadows themselves were being pulled into the black sphere. Kane's heart pounded in his chest. He knew that if that attack hit, it would mean certain death.
Reacting on instinct, Kane threw himself to the ground, rolling quickly to the side. Fortunately, there was a slope nearby, and he used the terrain to his advantage, rolling further downhill to avoid the full brunt of the attack. The **Shadow Ball** whizzed past him, crashing into the ground where he had been standing just moments before. The explosion that followed sent dirt and debris flying in every direction.
Breathing heavily, Kane scrambled to his feet, scanning the area for any sign of the Mega Gengar. But it was already gone. It had vanished into the night, leaving only the destruction from its attack behind.
Kane knew that the noise from the explosion would have alerted Ryuzu and Thunderstorm. They would likely come to investigate any moment now, and Kane needed to get back to his dorm before anyone saw him. He couldn't afford to answer any questions.
Later that night, as Kane lay in his bed, sleep eluded him. His mind raced, filled with the unanswered questions swirling around the Mega Gengar. **"It doesn't make any sense,"** he thought, staring up at the ceiling. **"How could a Mega Gengar exist here? Not even Chiyama has the ability to do that. It's too suspicious."**
Kane resolved to investigate further. He couldn't let this go.
The next day, Ryuzu left for the Golden Market, saying he would be gone for at least three days. This turn of events gave Kane and Thunderstorm more freedom to act without fear of interruption.
With Ryuzu out of the way, Kane and Thunderstorm returned to Chiyama's study, continuing their search for any clues related to ghost-type Pokémon. They had already spent days combing through the books and records, but despite their efforts, the results were disappointing. Most of the information they found consisted of common, well-known breeding techniques for ghost-type Pokémon. While some of the documents contained unique methods passed down through the Chiyama family, these techniques were hardly revolutionary. None of it compared to the incredible power that Kane had witnessed in the Mega Gengar.
Even Thunderstorm, who had been eagerly poring over the books, seemed disheartened by the lack of useful information. **"This isn't what I was hoping for,"** Kane thought, watching his companion's growing frustration. **"Thunderstorm clearly knows what a powerful ghost-type should be capable of, and these methods aren't even close to what he's looking for."**
Three days passed in much the same way. They thoroughly searched every nook and cranny of Chiyama's study, but still came up empty-handed. Kane had spent two nights training in the exact spot where the Mega Gengar had vanished, hoping for another glimpse of the mysterious Pokémon, but to no avail. It was as though the Mega Gengar had simply disappeared from existence.
Despite all his efforts, Kane felt like he had reached a dead end.
Lying in bed that night, Kane tried to piece together the fragments of his past life, hoping to find some detail he might have overlooked. There was something about this situation that didn't sit right with him, as if he was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
In his previous life, Komatsu, the son of Chiyama, had conspired with Koga. As a result, Komatsu had been expelled from the Ecruteak Gym, and his father's life had spiraled into despair. Kane had taken advantage of this, seizing the opportunity to crush Chiyama's gym. But now, as Kane thought back on it, something wasn't adding up. Komatsu had always been a dedicated and serious trainer—someone fully capable of running the gym.
What could have driven him to betray his father's trust? What had Komatsu done that was so unforgivable?
Kane's thoughts finally landed on a realization. **"It must have been something that went beyond Chiyama's morals,"** he muttered to himself, sitting up suddenly. **"If it was something near his bottom-line Komatsu would have done it himself. He wouldn't have kicked his son out of the gym."**
The more Kane thought about it, the more convinced he became. Whatever Komatsu's son had been involved in; it was something that crossed chiyama morals by a landslide he must have broken his bottom line. And if that was the case, the secret Kane was looking for wouldn't be found in Chiyama's study. It had to be hidden somewhere else.
**"But where?"** Kane wondered, feeling the frustration build up once more. His head throbbed as he tried to piece everything together.
Deciding he needed some fresh air, Kane stepped outside, hoping the cool night breeze might help clear his mind. But even the weather seemed to conspire against him. The sky was pitch black, with heavy clouds blotting out the stars. The oppressive atmosphere only deepened his growing sense of unease.
Letting out a long sigh, Kane turned to head back inside. But just as he was about to step through the door, something caught his eye—a **Delibird**, circling Thunderstorm's dormitory. Kane watched as the bird pecked at Thunderstorm's door, and after a moment, Thunderstorm appeared, opening the door and allowing the bird to enter.
Kane smirked. **"So, he's hiding secrets afterall,"** he thought, feeling a spark of excitement. **"I came out at the perfect time."**
Curiosity piqued, as Kane released his Gastly out of its' Poke ball, ordering it to approach Thunderstorm's room stealthily. He crept closer, listening in as best he could.
"Thank you for your hard work, Delibird," Thunderstorm's voice floated out from the room. "I've received my grandfather's letter. Don't worry, I won't fail the family's expectations."
Kane's heart raced. "So, it's from his grandfather?" He knew exactly who Thunderstorm's grandfather was—a disgraced member of the Chiyama family. "And now he wants to make a comeback."
Kane ordered his Gastly to move into the room and use Hypnosis on Thunderstorm, making sure to remain hidden in the shadows.
A soft thud echoed from inside the room, and Kane knew his plan had worked. He slipped through the door, finding Thunderstorm slumped over in bed, fast asleep. In one hand, he clutched a letter; in the other, a lighter, no doubt ready to burn the evidence once he had finished reading it.
"Nice try," Kane chuckled softly, pulling the letter from Thunderstorm's grasp. He scanned its contents quickly: "Look for clues in the 'Crestmont Family Chronicles.' Burn this letter after reading it."
Kane's smirk deepened. "The Crestmont Family Chronicles, huh? Looks like I've found my next Clue."
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