Shiro quickly went over the details of building the research institute, while Dale took out a notebook and wrote down the key points.
"Two research facilities, a top-tier ecological park... Don't worry, I'll record every expense!"
"Alright, I'll leave it to you," Shiro said.
Dale nodded heavily, looking a bit excited. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something and added, "Oh right, Professor Corviknight. Professor Sycamore's assistant told me he's looking for you."
"I understand." Shiro nodded slightly as he watched him jog away.
Dale followed the instructions to find Professor Oak and arrange the trip to Hoenn. Two researchers assigned by Oak would go with him.
As for Sycamore, the evolution stone for Gengar had probably arrived.
Gengar... right...
There was also Haunter.
Shiro turned to look at Lorelei, who was trying to quietly slip away.
She stiffened, unsure what to do.
"Take me to see Grandma Agatha."
* * *
Outside a house in the north of Pallet Town.
Lorelei called out, "Grandma! Shiro is here!"
After about ten seconds, the door opened.
Agatha slowly walked out with her cane, stepping down the doorway and stairs at an unhurried pace. It made one worry she might trip at any moment.
She looked even older now, her hunched body resembling that of a frail seventy or eighty-year-old.
'Maybe it's a side effect of staying around Ghost-type Pokémon for so long?' Shiro thought to himself.
"Here for your Haunter?" Agatha's voice was especially hoarse. Her eyes were cloudy, yet still sharp.
"Yes," Shiro replied.
She gave a heavy grunt. "Mm... come out!"
As soon as she spoke, the shadow at her feet began to wriggle. A round black head with curious red eyes popped out and floated into the air.
Shiro froze for a moment.
This chubby black figure was a Gengar!
Looking closer, he realized it was not his Haunter.
A false alarm.
But the shadow at Agatha's feet had not stopped moving, and soon Haunter's head also emerged.
"Haun..."
After a few seconds, it still could not pull itself out of the shadow.
It seemed to have gotten a lot fatter.
Haunter had a triangular ghostly body, with its head being the largest part. Now, its head was a bit stuck.
It eats that well?
Shiro's expression turned complicated.
Haunter gave an awkward laugh, then turned its body into a shadow and slipped out.
It really had gained quite a bit of weight.
At first glance, Shiro almost did not recognize it.
What used to be a well-shaped Haunter had now turned into a round ball, its size almost comparable to the Gengar beside it.
Agatha coughed lightly and said, "Your Haunter chose to specialize in Ghost-type abilities. Its control over energy is strong. You must have trained it well, and its moves are very proficient. But its diet and energy usage... are lacking."
So it just ate itself into a chubby ghost?
"Haun! Haun!" Haunter nodded repeatedly, its whole body wobbling. It was impossible to even tell where its waist was anymore.
Shiro had nothing to say.
Can it even slim down?
He subconsciously used his psychic ability to quickly check Haunter's data.
[Name: Haunter
Type: Ghost/Poison
Level: 50 (Gym)
Ability: Levitate
Held Item: Wide Lens
Moves: Shadow Punch, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Lick, Mean Look, Payback, Spite, Curse, Hex, Night Shade, Sucker Punch…
Status: About to break through]
Its level had increased quite a bit, now on par with Corviknight.
But Haunter was showing signs of an imminent breakthrough, and it now had a held item as well, a Wide Lens.
"Haunter's move accuracy is a bit low, so I gave it an item to improve that..."
Agatha coughed a couple of times, then continued in a low voice, "After it breaks through, it should gain a few more levels. That's all built up through resources, but it still needs high-intensity training. I suggest waiting until it reaches peak Elite-level before attempting evolution. That will greatly increase its chances of breaking into the Champion-level."
Shiro frowned slightly. "So it's not guaranteed to reach Champion-level?"
Evolution had always been a reliable way to break past current limits. From Advanced-level to Elite-level, it worked very well.
"Of course it's not guaranteed."
Agatha explained calmly, "Below Champion-level, it's mostly about simple energy accumulation. As long as the resources are sufficient and the Pokémon can absorb well, it can improve quickly. But beyond Champion-level, a Pokémon must focus on the essence of its own type energy… bringing that energy closer to the origin of the world."
Shiro immediately thought of something. "Him?"
Agatha nodded slowly, then went on to explain several key points about the Champion-level.
Both Shiro and Lorelei listened carefully, afraid of missing even a single word.
About half an hour later, Agatha waved her hand. "Alright, that's everything. Just remember to come back before the Indigo Plateau Conference begins."
Shiro nodded, then asked for the exact timing.
Thinking for a moment, the old woman replied, "About a year. I'll inform you before that."
"Alright." After agreeing, Shiro said his goodbyes and left.
As Agatha watched his back disappear toward Oak Research Institute, her expression suddenly grew much more tired.
"Grandma..." Lorelei looked worried and quickly stepped forward to support her.
Agatha shook her head slightly, but her gaze toward the laboratory carried a trace of resentment and faint anger.
"That Oak..."
What exactly is he doing?
Ignoring even the most important matters, staying shut inside the lab every day doing research. What kind of research?
* * *
South of Pallet Town, by the sea, a medium-sized cruise ship swayed gently with the waves.
After leaving Agatha, Shiro rushed straight toward Sycamore without stopping.
According to some researchers at Oak Research Institute, Sycamore's ship had already arrived today, and they would be leaving by sea.
This made Shiro anxious, so he rode Growlithe toward the southern coast at full speed.
At the port, Sycamore stood with one hand in his pocket, his white lab coat fluttering like a trench coat and adding a carefree charm to his already handsome presence.
Not far away, a Growlithe ran over at high speed.
Shiro jumped off and recalled it with a Poké Ball in one smooth motion, then came to a steady stop right in front of Sycamore.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
While speaking, Shiro glanced at the ship ahead, which had clearly been waiting for some time.
All the researchers from Sycamore's lab had already boarded. Only Sycamore remained, as if he had been certain Shiro would arrive on time.
"I didn't wait long. You came just in time."
Sycamore handed over a delicate dark red box.
"This is what you wanted."
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