Chapter 328: Fake Identity & Shrine Maiden

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Amidst a chorus of cheers, Sato stepped into the battle arena, Meowth trotting along beside him. This marked his third visit to this particular venue, and so far, he had only utilized two Pokémon—Nidorino and Meowth.

Currently, Sato was operating under the fabricated identity of Yamamoto Yuu, a plain-looking, square-faced young man with an unassuming demeanor.

In truth, Yamamoto Yuu had once been a real person. Sato now carried the deceased man's League ID, which had been stolen and later sold on the black market.

Aside from Yamamoto Yuu's ID, Sato possessed over a dozen other League IDs belonging to deceased civilian trainers.

These IDs were obtained from the black market at a modest price of 100,000 PokeDollars each, with sellers guaranteeing their validity for up to a year.

Yes, each year, many ambitious civilian trainers embarked on their journeys, never to return.

Their belongings, however, rarely remained forgotten in some desolate corner. Instead, such items, including their League IDs, often reentered circulation through underground markets.

League IDs, in particular, were valuable commodities on the black market. With one in hand, a new owner could adopt the original identity with minimal effort.

The only downside was that League IDs required renewal every three years at police stations in cities, where the original holder needed to appear in person. This regulation aimed to prevent imposters from exploiting deceased trainers' identities.

The IDs Sato acquired belonged to individuals close to his age, height, and build.

With the help of Ditto, a master of disguise, Sato could convincingly assume the identities of these trainers for a limited time.

If given the choice, Sato would have avoided impersonating the deceased for battling in the Battle Dome.

Unfortunately, his reputation in the Dome was too prominent. The betting odds for his battles were consistently skewed, undermining his goal of profiting from wagers.

What annoyed him even more was that anyone using Pokémon like Swampert, Bellossom, or Beautifly in battles was instantly suspected of being "Trainer. 2569."

This suspicion caused betting odds to spiral out of balance, making it nearly impossible for him to profit from battles in other venues as well.

Thus, to safeguard his identity and continue earning substantial sums, Sato resorted to using a new identity and different Pokémon in his battles.

However, after achieving two consecutive victories under the guise of Yamamoto Yuu, the betting odds for his victories had significantly decreased—from the initial 1.5 or 1.2 to just 0.72. The League's rules allowed trainers to bet only on their own victories.

On the flip side, Sato's performance—particularly his Nidorino's one-on-three victory in the second match—was gradually earning him a fan following. Many spectators were now fervently cheering him on and confidently placing bets on his success.

This time, Sato faced a striking female trainer dressed in a red-and-white kimono. Her name was Ayako.

Her outfit resembled that of a traditional Japanese shrine maiden, and her first Pokémon was a Haunter—a rare choice among trainers.

"A shrine maiden, huh? This opponent might not be simple," Sato muttered under his breath, his expression becoming serious as he observed the Haunter she had sent out.

While Sato often used Ghost-type Pokémon like Gengar as core members of his team in games, he discovered upon arriving in the real Pokémon world that very few trainers raised Ghost-types.

So far, none of the trainers Sato had encountered specialized in Ghost-types. Most seemed to deliberately avoid them.

It wasn't because Ghost-type Pokémon were weak; on the contrary, they were as powerful as Psychic and Dragon-types.

However, in the Pokémon world, Ghost-types were literal spirits of the deceased. They symbolized misfortune and death, making them unsuitable companions for the living.

Sato had learned from the Grimoire of Dark Spirits that Ghost-types primarily fed on life energy, its deathly counterpart, and negative emotions. This made them natural enemies of living beings.

Though the Pokémon anime depicted Ghost-types consuming human-made Pokémon food, Sato understood that such Pokémon were essentially useless. They would never achieve true strength.

After all, Ghost-types weren't corporeal beings; their method of absorbing sustenance was entirely different. Feeding them like regular Pokémon and expecting them to grow strong was impossible.

To nurture a Ghost-type properly, trainers needed to engage in morally questionable acts, often taking lives to provide the necessary sustenance.

As Ghost-types grew stronger, their dietary demands increased dramatically. Over time, even a well-meaning trainer would find their life force unknowingly drained by their Pokémon, shortening their lifespan.

It was common knowledge that Ghost-type specialists lived short lives. Despite their remarkable achievements, their legacies often left behind significant troubles.

Ghost-types' lifespans remained a mystery. Many outlived their trainers by a considerable margin, and without a trainer's guidance, their inherently malevolent nature could lead them to cause chaos.

Wild Ghost-types were, in fact, the most dangerous Pokémon in the wild. Unbound by human morals, they viewed humans as just another delicacy—and the most delicious one at that.

The League had heavily publicized these dangers, discouraging trainers from raising Ghost-types. Even Sato, who hailed from a rural village, was aware of their perils.

In Sato's opinion, only one type of person was truly suited to train Ghost-types.

In ancient times, such individuals were known as spiritualists, powerful beings who could command spirits.