"What are you? You have the sa ability as ?" Phoebe said in a daze.
Grandparents had told her that very few people possessed abilities like theirs. She hadn't expected that on a random outing, she would et soone who shared their unique gift—the ability to communicate with Ghost-type Pokémon.
"You an this? Isn't this psychic power? The way you communicate with Pokémon is a form of using psychic power—telepathy." Aoki waved his hand, revealing a faint layer of psychic energy surrounding it.
"Psychic power? Telepathy?" This was the first ti Phoebe had heard those terms.
She had been isolated from the outside world for so long that she had never learned such nas. To her and her grandparents, it had always been called the power of the Ghost.
But now, all three of them had this energy, so it didn't seem strange.
Yet, her grandparents had told her that outsiders rarely possessed this kind of ability.
Was "psychic power" simply what people outside called this?
Still, Aoki noticed subtle differences between the energy fluctuations in Phoebe and himself.
He couldn't pinpoint the exact difference, but it was clear that because of it, Phoebe couldn't fully sense the psychic power within her.
If it couldn't be figured out, there was no use dwelling on it.
Phoebe led Aoki through the stone passage.
Upon entering the interior of Mt. Pyre, an unusual sight unfolded before them—a small, enclosed space filled with flowers, trees, flowing water, and a gentle breeze.
But there was no sun in the sky. Everything was enveloped in a gray, muted light.
The illumination ca from glowing stones and moss clinging to the mountain walls.
It wasn't much darker than the outside world.
"Is this the inside of Mt. Pyre? Or so kind of pocket dinsion?" Aoki wondered.
There were many such spaces in the Pokémon world, created by Pokémon with strange abilities.
For example, the Haunter lurking in Aoki's shadow—
In reality, Haunter wasn't rging into the shadow but had opened a small pocket dinsion within it, where Larvitar's incubator was stored.
Similarly, Banette's secret stash functioned as another such space, used to hoard unusual objects. It might even contain so high-quality Dusk Stones.
But the exact nature of this place was still a mystery.
One thing was clear—the Ghost energy here was extrely dense.
Was this the rumored inner sanctum of Mt. Pyre? No ordinary person could survive here for long.
After extended exposure, they would surely be overwheld by the pervasive Ghost energy.
It was no surprise that only those with psychic powers could enter. Without a protective aura of their own, humans wouldn't last.
"Let's keep going, Aoki. The Ghost energy surrounding you… you can't afford to let your guard down. Otherwise, it will invade your body. I was planning to use my own power to shield you, but I see now that you have it yourself," Phoebe remarked as she led the way forward.
The Dusclops that had accompanied them earlier disappeared into the mist—this was its true ho.
Aoki quickly realized that many Ghost-type Pokémon lived here, and they were stronger and of higher aptitude than those outside.
Given the imnse concentration of Ghost energy in the area, it made sense.
Haunter thrived in this environnt. It felt completely at ho, inhaling the Ghost energy with every breath.
If a battle took place here, Haunter's endurance and recovery rate would skyrocket.
The power of its moves would be amplified, and its injuries would heal rapidly.
It was truly a paradise for Ghost Pokémon.
Phoebe was intimately familiar with this place—not just the terrain and environnt but also the Pokémon living here.
She had even given nas to every Pokémon, whether they liked it or not. Whenever she called them, they instinctively nodded.
The Dusclops that had guided them earlier was only of average strength in this domain.
If all the Ghost Pokémon here were to form a united force, they could easily overwhelm entire towns.
Not just Verdanturf Town—even Fortree City wouldn't stand a chance.
Perhaps only the combined underground factions of Saffron City could resist such an onslaught, highlighting the sheer magnitude of this hidden Ghost Pokémon colony.
As they walked, Aoki's system constantly scanned the surrounding Pokémon, analyzing their data. Occasionally, he ca across Ghost-types with dark-green aptitude. With proper training, they could easily reach a light-cyan rating.
But strangely, he hadn't yet encountered any with a blue aptitude.
Given the sheer intensity of the Ghost energy here, that didn't seem right.
After following Phoebe for twenty minutes, they arrived at a peaceful clearing with a stream running under a small bridge.
Despite the lack of sunlight, the place had an oddly tranquil atmosphere.
An old-fashioned house stood there, sowhat out of place in this eerie domain.
In front of the house, two elderly people sat. The grandmother was knitting, while the grandfather lounged in a chair with a cup of tea beside him. His relaxed deanor was enviable.
This place was a sanctuary—aside from its eerie atmosphere and lack of sunlight, it was the perfect retreat.
Upon seeing her grandparents, Phoebe ran forward and called out, "Grandpa! Grandma! I brought soone with !"
Hearing her voice, both elders set aside what they were doing and looked up at Aoki.
They imdiately noticed the psychic aura surrounding him.
They saw the Haunter floating beside him.
And they saw the relaxed Mismagius nearby.
At the sight of Mismagius, their expressions subtly changed, their eyes eting in silent understanding.
But it was a fleeting reaction.
By the ti Phoebe reached them, both elders wore warm, welcoming smiles.
Their wrinkled faces crinkled further as they grinned happily.
Phoebe threw herself into her grandmother's arms, indulging in her usual affectionate routine.
Aoki crossed the small bridge at a slow, respectful pace, stopping before the elderly couple.
He bowed politely and remained silent, waiting patiently.
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