Chapter 203: Beneath the Haunted House?

Chapter 203: Beneath the Haunted House?

"...Alright."

Hikaru did not refuse Emma's suggestion.

The three of them were here to challenge at the same time, so even if he didn't agree, they would still run into each other later.

So whether he agreed or not didn't really matter.

Hearing his response, the two siblings summoned their Pidgeots and followed along...

---

The Haunted House...

Once they arrived, the three of them withdrew their Pokémon.

Hikaru's eyes lit up.

This gym was actually a round tower?

From the outside, the first floor didn't seem much different from an ordinary gym.

It had a reception area and a training space for Pokémon.

Looking further up, however...

A black tower pierced straight into the clouds, resembling a sword thrust into the ground as if suppressing something beneath it.

As they stepped inside, Hikaru froze in place.

"What's wrong?"

Emma, noticing his pause, asked curiously.

"Nothing..."

Hikaru shook his head, dismissing the thought.

The gym interior was eerily quiet.

There wasn't a single person training, only two individuals sitting idly at the reception desk near the entrance.

A young man and a young woman, both appearing to be around twenty-three or twenty-four years old.

They looked like fresh university graduates, casually scrolling through their phones with a leisurely demeanor.

When they noticed the three entering, the two staff members finally looked up and approached.

After briefly glancing at them, the female receptionist spoke first:

"You two are here to challenge the gym?"

"Mm."

Emma and her brother, Leo, nodded in response.

Hikaru, however, stood still, slightly taken aback.

Wait... why did she only say two?

The female staff member smoothly put on a professional smile.

"You two must be from the Damnson clan. Do you need me to explain the rules to you?"

"No need, but maybe you should explain them to the challenger you just overlooked."

Emma chuckled as she glanced at Hikaru, who looked somewhat exasperated.

So, even the title of High School League Champion didn't carry much weight here?

"Huh? This kid is challenging too?"

Under the effect of the Chameleon Mask, even these young receptionists didn't recognize Hikaru at first.

They both looked at him with surprise.

A high schooler?

Since when did high school students start challenging national-level gyms?

The woman hesitated before explaining the requirements.

"Kid, even if you want to challenge the Ghost-type Gym, you need to pay a fifty-thousand-dollar registration fee, and you must at least be an Advanced-Level Professional Trainer."

"Cough cough..."

Hikaru casually brushed his fingers over his face, deactivating the Chameleon Mask and revealing his true appearance.

Then, he pulled out his Advanced Professional Trainer ID.

As soon as he revealed his face, the two receptionists immediately felt something was off.

Wait a minute...

Why does he look so familiar?

When they took the ID and checked it, realization dawned on them.

"You're this year's High School League Champion!?"

As soon as she blurted it out, she immediately felt that she had spoken too loudly.

Hurriedly, she apologized: "Sorry, sorry, I just didn't recognize you right away."

At the same time, she was puzzled.

Why didn't I recognize him? I watched the High School League matches...

"It's fine," Hikaru waved it off casually. "Can you explain the challenge rules?"

"Of course."

The woman nodded and began her explanation.

"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Li Min, and I'm a receptionist at the Ghost-type Gym. This is my colleague—Han Liuke."

"The main challenge requirement is that challengers must stay in Phantom Town for three days. Later, I will arrange accommodations for you."

"During these three days, you are free to move around town during the daytime, but you are not allowed to leave."

"But at night, you must stay inside your assigned rooms."

"I will give each of you a Spirit Stone—a special treasure infused with Ghost-type energy that Ghost Pokémon are naturally drawn to. Your goal is to protect the Spirit Stone and maintain its energy levels."

"If you can preserve more than 50% of its energy by the end of the third night, you will pass the challenge. After that, I will report your results to the Gym Matron, and you will be eligible to officially challenge the gym."

"Is there anything else you need clarification on?"

She finished in one breath and glanced at Hikaru, still processing the rules.

"So, as long as we keep the Spirit Stone safe, we can use any method to do so, correct?" Hikaru asked.

The male receptionist quickly responded.

"In theory, yes. However, there is an unspoken rule—you are not allowed to severely harm the invading Ghost Pokémon."

Hikaru nodded. "Got it."

"Alright then, please wait here for a moment."

The two receptionists gestured for them to stay put before heading deeper into the gym.

While they waited, Hikaru took the opportunity to observe his surroundings.

From the outside, the gym looked imposing, but the interior was rather old-fashioned.

The walls were dark and muted.

The high ceiling—about seven or eight meters up—held hanging fluorescent lights, but perhaps due to age or the eerie atmosphere of this town, their glow was faint and dim.

As he studied the environment, a voice suddenly spoke beside him.

"Do you know why the Ghost-type Gym is called the Haunted House?"

Hikaru turned to see that it was Leo who had spoken.

He shook his head. "No idea."

How would he know something like that?

A cool, composed voice followed up.

It was Emma.

Seeing the curiosity on Hikaru's face, she decided to explain.

"Phantom Town used to be a flourishing settlement before Pokémon Secret Realms descended."

"At that time, this place was a thriving town."

"But when the Phantom Secret Realm appeared, it brought many Ghost-type Pokémon."

"Some of them were just mischievous and liked to play tricks on humans..."

"But others were far more sinister, draining life energy from humans to sustain themselves. While it wasn't immediately fatal, it could leave people severely ill or permanently weakened."

"As a result, fear spread, and most residents abandoned the town."

"This Haunted House stands at the location where the first Ghost-type Pokémon was sighted, which is why it earned its name."

After hearing the story, Hikaru nodded.

"Mm..."

Even today, there were still conflicts between humans and Pokémon.

Let alone back then, when people and Pokémon were just beginning to interact.

At that time, major conflicts between the two sides erupted.

It was only due to the intervention of a Legendary Pokémon that the situation was brought under control.

However, which Legendary Pokémon it was remained a mystery, as the authorities had kept it classified.

Still, something about this Haunted House felt off.

Ever since he stepped inside, he had the nagging feeling that someone—or something—was watching him.

Yet, even after using his Aura Sense to scan the area multiple times...

He couldn't detect anything.

Could it be...

Underneath the building?

Hikaru expanded his Aura Sense, directing it downward...

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