Chapter 17: Get Gengar!

Despite the fluctuations in the hip-hop man's aura, the energy of thought gradually faded and disappeared, signaling a return to normalcy. Yet Pete didn't escalate the situation. Instead, he used a strategy akin to flying a kite, gradually pushing the hip-hop man to his limits, bit by bit.

The bespectacled man, who had been standing back and observing, took this opportunity to approach the leather-clad woman. He began performing basic first aid on her, trying to stabilize her condition as best as he could.

Ronnie couldn't help but reflect on how fast the battlefield was changing. The situation could flip in the blink of an eye. Just moments ago, the three siblings seemed to have the upper hand, but now, they were struggling to hold on.

The root cause of this sudden shift? Intelligence—or rather, the lack of it.

If the leather-clad woman had known the true strength of Pete's B-level abilities, like Ronnie did, she wouldn't have been so reckless. She might have realized that a direct confrontation with Pete was not the best course of action. Instead, she could have allowed the hip-hop man to take on Pete, with the bespectacled man assisting her in dealing with the two bodyguards.

While Pete's strength was indeed slightly superior to that of an ordinary hip-hop man, his Nen swarm was not particularly lethal. The swarm's primary advantage was its overwhelming numbers and its ability to absorb the thoughts of those it killed. However, the disadvantage was clear—Pete lacked high-explosive attacks or devastating finishing moves.

On the other hand, the hip-hop man could easily absorb the effects of the insect swarm. His unique Nen ability allowed him to convert the damage caused by the bugs into nourishment, strengthening himself as he was attacked. Once sufficiently empowered, he could then close the gap and engage Pete directly.

With the hip-hop man fighting Pete, the Zaisan siblings could focus on eliminating the bodyguards, who were nowhere near as powerful. Unfortunately, a lack of foresight and combat experience had reduced what could have been a decisive advantage into a desperate struggle for survival.

In a corner of the battlefield, far from the action and under the isolated altar, a large cluster of black gaseous objects began to stir, as if sensing something. They began to move, their intentions unclear.

Suddenly, Ronnie heard a faint ding sound in his mind.

"Ding! The Pokémon is conceived!"

Ronnie's eyes widened in surprise. His attention immediately shifted from the battlefield as he saw the progress bar on his internal system finally fill up. A new Pokémon had been created, and Ronnie eagerly awaited the results.

The anticipation was thick in the air.

A large group of purple "gummy candies" appeared in his mind, representing the newly conceived Pokémon. Ronnie's lips parted as he stared at the formation.

It was Gengar. The one and only Gengar!

"Gengar?!"

Ronnie couldn't believe it. If he were to rank his favorite Pokémon, Gardevoir and Gengar would surely take the top two spots. Who wouldn't be charmed by a mischievous ghost that loved making funny faces? But beyond its playful nature, Gengar was an immensely powerful Pokémon with a lot to offer.

Looking at the details, Ronnie saw the following:

Name: Gengar

Features: (Cannot be viewed)

Properties: (Cannot be viewed)

Strength: B-

Skill: Tongue Licking (the rest cannot be viewed)

Although the details were limited, Ronnie's excitement grew. He was thrilled to have Gengar, a Pokémon with strong special attack capabilities. In battle, Gengar could serve as a mobile turret, much like Gardevoir. But Gengar had an edge over Gardevoir in some ways—its ability to inflict numerous status conditions on its opponents.

The real world wasn't restricted like the games. Gengar's diverse skills meant it could apply multiple debuffs on an enemy at once. Skills like Will-O-Wisp, Curse, Confuse Ray, and Hypnosis could be used in rapid succession, stacking debuffs on enemies and creating a nightmare for anyone caught in its grip.

Ronnie imagined the chaos Gengar could cause in battle. As Gardevoir teleported around, Gengar could remain behind, using its powers to inflict a barrage of debilitating conditions. The enemies would be overwhelmed by poison, confusion, paralysis, and sleep. It would be the ultimate display of misfortune and despair as Gengar wore them down, bit by bit, until they could do nothing but succumb to the torment.

But that wasn't all. Gengar also had utility outside of combat. It could act as a backpack, swallowing items and storing them inside its ghostly body. This made Gengar the perfect companion, as Ronnie wouldn't have to worry about carrying supplies. He could summon Gengar whenever he needed something and let it act as a mobile storage unit.

Even more intriguing was Gengar's ability to hide in shadows. Ronnie could have Gengar linger in his own shadow, ready to leap out at a moment's notice to protect him. While Ronnie's Gardevoir could teleport to escape danger, Gengar could silently lurk, using abilities like Guard to protect him from harm. In essence, Gengar was the perfect backup, ensuring Ronnie's survival in dangerous situations.

The only flaw in this perfect plan? Gengar's strength was a bit lacking for the time being. However, that wasn't a major issue. Ronnie had restrictions and oaths in place, which would allow Gengar's power to rise rapidly. As the top Pokémon in Ronnie's mind, Gengar's potential was limitless. Ronnie knew it would only be a matter of time before Gengar reached its full power.

As the one-minute timer began to count down, Ronnie smiled. He had unlocked something truly special.

The timer hit zero, and the following information appeared before Ronnie:

Name: Gengar

Traits: Cursed Body

Attributes: Ghost, Poison

Strength: A-

Skills: Shadow Ball, Will-O-Wisp, Poison, and more.

With Gengar's strength now boosted to A- rank, it was on par with Ronnie's other top Pokémon, like Gardevoir. Now, Ronnie had two A-level Pokémon, each capable of turning the tide of battle in his favor.

Just as Ronnie marveled at his newly acquired power, the battlefield took a sudden, strange turn.

The air grew tense as the battle escalated in unexpected ways. While Ronnie's thoughts were momentarily consumed with the newfound strength of his Pokémon, the situation around him was far from settled. With Gengar on his side and Gardevoir at the ready, the stakes had never been higher. Would this new strength be enough to turn the tide of battle? Only time would tell.