"There is one last doubt. Is the old man a member of the League?" Aoki asked.
"The League... well, I used to be a member, but my wife and I have lived here for nearly forty years, so I can't say where we belong anymore. We're just two old folks guarding the last remnants of something." The old man said with a smile.
Aoki nodded.
He vaguely remembered a similar story—an elderly couple who guarded a sacred mountain and held two very precious orbs.
The Red Orb and the Blue Orb!
The orbs that can awaken the sleeping Groudon and Kyogre, respectively.
What Team Magma and Team Aqua have been searching for are these two orbs, but they haven't been able to find them. In fact, they aren't even sure if the orbs truly exist.
Aoki also wasn't certain if these two orbs were in the hands of this elderly couple.
After resolving the doubts in his heart, Aoki no longer hesitated.
"Haunter, go up to that platform and feel the Ghost energy," Aoki said to the Haunter beside him.
"Jie Jie!" Upon hearing Aoki's words, Haunter nodded firmly and drifted forward.
"Let my old partners help. Come out, Gengar, Dusknoir, Banette!" The old man tossed three Pokéballs, and three Ghost-type Pokémon with powerful auras appeared in the cave.
The long lifespan of Ghost-type Pokémon allows them to maintain their strength for a long time once they reach their peak.
These three Pokémon must have been the old man's long-time partners. Though he was now gray-haired, the auras of these three Pokémon showed no signs of weakening.
For Ghost-types, once they reach their peak, they remain at that level until their Trainer passes away.
Agatha, the Elite Ghost-type Trainer of Kanto, was a prime example of this.
Aoki scanned the data of the three Ghost-types with his system.
Although he was shocked, he also found it reasonable.
Pokémon: Dusknoir
Gender: Male
Level: 69
Type: Ghost
Ability: Pressure
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Mean Look, Destiny Bond, Pain Split, Parting Shot
Basic Moves: Shadow Punch, Future Sight, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Gravity, Bind, Glare, Shadow Claw, Curse, Astonish, Will-O-Wisp, Confuse Ray, Shadow Ball, Hex
Learnt Moves: Snatch, Icy Wind, Telekinesis, Focus Punch
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Water), Ice Beam, Earthquake, Double Team
Even though these three Elite-level Pokémon weren't as strong as Matsuda's team, they were still far beyond what Aoki could handle.
In this enclosed environment, where no real battles occurred, it was impressive that they had maintained such high levels of strength.
The abundance of Ghost energy here contributed to their power, but growth requires more than just absorbing energy.
The reason this Dusknoir hadn't reached level 70 yet was likely due to the lack of opponents to challenge.
Haunter had already floated onto the high platform, and the surrounding Ghost energy, as if finding an outlet, surged toward him.
Aoki's expression changed slightly—this energy was being absorbed too fast. Haunter wouldn't be able to endure it.
However, the old man, clearly anticipating this, had his three Pokémon surround Haunter in a triangle formation, blocking the excess energy and forming a controlled encirclement.
After dampening the strongest surge, wisps of dark energy—visible even to the naked eye—filtered through the Pokémon's formation and slowly flowed into Haunter's body.
This was similar to the function of the black stone pillars on Trial Island.
Haunter closed his eyes, absorbing the filtered strands of energy into his body.
One strand after another, the process continued.
"This is a place where legendary Pokémon once trained. The raw energy is too much for Haunter to handle alone, which is why my Pokémon must filter and purify it for him," the old man explained to Aoki.
"Thank you, sir!" Aoki bowed respectfully.
The old man waved his hand dismissively.
Haunter's absorption continued, clearly requiring more time to complete.
"Young man, I have a request," the old man said while waiting alongside Aoki.
Aoki was taken aback for a moment but quickly responded, "Please, tell me."
"My wife and I have lived on this mountain for nearly forty years. Seventeen years ago, our son, who was traveling abroad, sent a baby to us—her name is Phoebe. Now, at seventeen, she can no longer stay here with us. We have responsibilities, but she doesn't need to share in them."
"You're asking me to take Phoebe with me? But your son..."
"He hasn't returned since sending Phoebe here. I don't even know if he's still alive," the old man sighed.
Then he continued, "You don't have to take her yourself. I still have a few old friends who can help. All I ask is that, when you leave, you send a message for me. My son should be a high-ranking member of the League by now. I'll give you his contact information—just tell him that an old friend is waiting for him at the mountain."
Aoki nodded. This was a simple request.
He was honestly a bit worried that the old man would ask him to take Phoebe out personally—she was quite talkative, and that made Aoki uneasy.
While they spoke, Haunter continued absorbing the Ghost energy.
His form had expanded nearly twice its original size, and the once-thin wisps of gas surrounding his body had condensed into something almost solid.
The data displayed on Aoki's system showed that every one of Haunter's stats had reached its critical threshold. Just a little more, and he would evolve.
However, evolution isn't always a smooth process. If it fails, the Pokémon could suffer severe consequences.
Seeing Haunter's progress, the old man reached into his pocket and retrieved a black crystal.
Aoki noticed his movement and focused on the item in the old man's hand.
Item Name: Unidentified Strange Black Crystal
Description: A high-concentration Ghost energy crystal, suspected to have condensed from a Pokémon's spirit. It contains traces of the Pokémon's original essence.
Effect: Can aid the growth of Ghost-type Pokémon. The essence within the crystal allows Ghost-types to undergo subtle transformations, enhancing their potential.
"This is..." Aoki asked.
"This was left behind by a Pokémon long ago. It helps Ghost-types purify and refine the energy inside them. Since Haunter is evolving, this will be of great benefit to him," the old man explained.
Then, he tossed the black crystal toward Haunter. It landed on Haunter's form and merged into his gaseous body.
A bright white light enveloped Haunter.