Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 63: A Haunter from a Hundred Years Ago

"Defeated by a Wailmer..."

"Mhm... very professional."

"..."

The bronze-skinned young man was left speechless. He suddenly wished he could call that Wailmer back. Maybe... it would be better if you just killed me. Being rescued felt worse than not being rescued at all.

Ten minutes later, the two returned to the hotel. The owner was watching a news report about the storm at the Whirl Islands.

"How did you two come back together?" She was surprised to see them arriving together, then looked enlightened. "I’m guessing one of you ran into trouble and the other rescued them."

Though she said that, her gaze locked onto Rio, clearly indicating she thought he was the one who needed rescuing.

Rio didn’t say much—just gave the bronze-skinned young man a knowing, amused look.

"Uh..." The young man stared at the floor, his toes curling with embarrassment.

"This..."

"That..."

"Actually..."

"Ashō, what’s wrong with you? You’re being so wishy-washy—that’s not like you at all," the owner said, confused. Just earlier, he had been brimming with confidence, going on and on about being a professional. Now he was acting like a shy schoolgirl.

"Owner... I was the one who got rescued. He’s the one who saved me." Ashō mustered his courage, blurted it out in one breath, then sprinted up the stairs as if being chased by a monster.

The owner’s eyes went wide. She covered her mouth with her hand, watching Ashō flee in panic, then turned in disbelief to the calm, smiling Rio.

"That’s how it is," Rio shrugged, then headed up the stairs as well.

Unlike Ashō’s frantic dash, Rio walked slowly, savoring the owner’s stunned and incredulous gaze. If you said that didn’t feel good... you’d be lying.

Back in his room, Rio flopped onto the bed immediately. It had been ages since he’d slept in a real bed, and the feeling was... incredible.

After resting for a while, he smiled and took out the Silver Wing again, admiring it for a few minutes. It’s done. Lugia’s line is secured—I’ll definitely get to meet it in the future. Imagining himself soaring on Lugia’s back, Rio couldn’t help but grin widely.

After the fantasy, he put away the smile and took out the ancient Poké Ball.

"Is there really a Pokémon inside?" he muttered. Then he pulled out another Poké Ball from his belt.

"Ka~" With a flash of light, Munchlax appeared.

"Munchlax, if anything dangerous comes out of this ball, you’ve got my back, alright?" Rio instructed seriously.

"Ka~" Munchlax puffed out its chest with a look that said, Don’t worry—I’ve got this.

Rio nodded approvingly. He’d thought about releasing Charizard, but the room was too small. As for Primeape... please, don’t bother the rage-monkey with every little thing. If a fight broke out, one punch would blow a hole through the wall—or worse, collapse the whole building. He’d be paying for repairs forever.

"Creak, creak..."

Rio turned the ancient Poké Ball’s switch. Unlike modern Poké Balls, which release a Pokémon with a single button press, ancient Poké Balls worked like a faucet—you had to twist it open to release the Pokémon, then twist it shut to recall it. If a trainer died while the Pokémon was inside, it could be trapped forever.

"Hm?"

When the switch reached a certain point, a wisp of pale purple smoke curled out of the ball.

"There really is a Pokémon inside!" Rio’s eyes widened. A Pokémon that had survived for that long? What could it be—a Ghost-type?

Then, for some reason, the room’s temperature plummeted, accompanied by an eerie, chilling laughter.

"Ee-hee-hee-hee-hee~"

Rio instinctively shuffled behind Munchlax. Two seconds later, the wisp of purple smoke coalesced into a Pokémon before him.

Just as he’d thought—a Ghost-type. A Haunter. And to top it off, it was a shiny.

[Pokémon: Haunter (Shiny)]

[Level: 60 (Lonely for too long, has lost all sense of power. Leveling halted.)]

[Talent: Champion]

[Friendship: -30]

[Ability: Levitate]

[Gender: Male]

[Moves: Hypnosis (85%), Confuse Ray (85%), Mean Look (85%), Reflect Type (85%), Payback (85%), Grudge (85%), Skill Swap (83%), Curse (84%), Nightmare (83%), Night Shade (84%), Dark Pulse (84%), Shadow Ball (84%), Destiny Bond (---), Dream Eater (83%), Psychic (80%)]

[Description: This Pokémon was forgotten for over a hundred years. Separated from its trainer in an accident a century ago, it endured an eternity of loneliness. It misses its trainer dearly.

Looking at the stats, Rio’s nervous expression instantly melted into excitement.

Level 60! Shiny! Champion talent! This was the first Champion-tier Pokémon he’d ever encountered—and it was inside that ancient ball? He wondered if there was a lottery nearby; he’d definitely buy a ticket today.

But the excitement was short-lived.

Because the moment Haunter looked at him, he began to feel drowsy.

"Damn... spoke too soon." His eyes fluttered and, with those last words, he fell unconscious.

"Ka~" Seeing Rio collapse, Munchlax panicked and was about to use Metronome.

"Ghos~" Haunter glanced at it. Munchlax’s raised paws dropped, and it too slumped over, fast asleep.