Everyone knew that when exploring a haunted house, the most frightening thing was not furniture flying through the air.
It was when that flying furniture suddenly stopped.
The moment Grey finished speaking, every piece of furniture froze in place, almost as though they were terrified that he might throw a punch and smash them to pieces.
"Grey, you're so wonderful. Hehe..."
Caitlin was deeply moved by his answer.
For her sake, if she became trapped in a nightmare, he would actually hunt down Darkrai and beat it up.
"You're impossible. Who else would I treat well if not you?"
Grey affectionately pinched Caitlin's nose, wrapped an arm around her waist, and led her outside.
After ascending the staircase on the right, Grey discovered that the room's layout had changed dramatically.
"Grey, upstairs."
Caitlin pointed toward the second floor. Grey called Volcarona over and had it scout ahead.
"Volca!"
Volcarona flew directly upstairs. Nothing obstructed its path, and it safely reached the second floor.
"Volca!" it called. "There's nothing wrong. You can come up!"
Only then did Grey and Caitlin climb the stairs to the second floor.
At first, there was nothing unusual.
Everything appeared perfectly normal.
However, they had taken only a few steps when the air in front of them suddenly began to distort.
A young girl wearing a short dress stood with her back to them, muttering to herself.
"A dark dream that will never end..."
"Mom, Dad... Abra... Where are you?"
As soon as the girl finished speaking, she stiffly turned around and stared at Grey and Caitlin.
"Did Mom and Dad send you here to keep me company?"
"Then please... stay with me through this endless dark dream!"
"Volca..."
A chilling wind swept through the room, and the light above them flickered.
In that instant, Grey sensed a wave of cold descending from above his head.
"Volcarona, Hurricane!"
Grey immediately issued an order.
"Volca!"
Volcarona beat its wings, generating a violent gale that seemed powerful enough to tear the entire Strange House from its foundations.
Although the surrounding furniture looked ready to collapse, none of it was affected in the slightest.
"Chande..."
A mournful cry descended from overhead.
Scattered wisps of ghostly fire fell from above. The moment they collided with Hurricane, they formed a terrifying tornado of flames.
Eerie light flickered within the vortex.
Grey looked up and saw a chandelier-like Pokémon floating down. A distinctly human smile appeared in its orange-yellow eyes.
[Pokémon: Chandelure]
[Type: Ghost, Fire]
[Level: 70]
[Ability: Infiltrator]
[Moves: Omitted]
It was a Champion-level Chandelure!
This creature was clearly no harmless opponent.
Volcarona only possessed Elite Four-level strength, so it was definitely no match for the Chandelure before them.
"Volcarona, protect Caitlin. Heatran, I choose you!"
Considering the situation, Grey decided to send out the sub-Legendary Pokémon he had only just caught, Heatran.
The instant Heatran emerged, Grey felt that something was strange.
Nearly everything around Reversal Mountain seemed connected to Sinnoh.
Heatran lived inside Reversal Mountain, while the Strange House outside contained a Lunar Wing. Even Caitlin, who had accompanied Grey here, was officially registered as a resident of Sinnoh.
Everything appeared to point toward Sinnoh.
Grey could not help wondering whether Darkrai was genuinely connected to what had happened here.
For now, however, he needed to deal with Chandelure.
Upon seeing Heatran, whose presence far surpassed its own, Chandelure let out a low cry toward the ghost girl.
Another Poké Ball appeared beside her.
A yellow, fox-faced Pokémon holding two spoons opened its eyes and stared at Grey and Caitlin.
The situation was not over yet.
"Chandelure, Alakazam... entertain our two visitors to their hearts' content."
"You have to win..."
"Otherwise, you'll really have to remain with me forever."
"For the rest of your lives, you'll accompany me through this endless dark dream!"
"Damn, Darkrai really is a menace. It turned a perfectly normal girl into this..."
Grey's eyebrows twitched. He sent out Annihilape, finally balancing the strength of both sides.
What happened next genuinely opened Grey's eyes.
"Chandelure, Alakazam, Mega Evolve!"
Two Key Stones appeared, one on each of the ghost girl's index fingers. Both released brilliant light that flowed into Chandelure and Alakazam.
She was Mega Evolving two Pokémon at the same time!
Theoretically, such a thing was possible.
As long as someone possessed several Key Stones and the corresponding Mega Stones, it could be accomplished.
Most Trainers, however, considered owning even one enough.
Someone who owned two...
Damn rich people!
Grey silently complained before shouting, "Heatran, use Earth Power on Chandelure! Annihilape, use Rage Fist on Alakazam!"
"Anni!"
Annihilape leaped into the air. Its arm bent sharply as endless Ghost-type energy poured from its wildly swaying fur and gathered inside its fist.
The force surrounding its punch raged uncontrollably.
Even though Annihilape had not yet suffered any damage during this battle, the fury contained in its attack far exceeded anything it had displayed in the past.
Its strength had clearly reached an incredibly frightening level.
Most weaker Champion-level sub-Legendary Pokémon would not dare take this attack head-on.
"Alaka!"
Just as Annihilape was about to strike Alakazam, the light of Mega Evolution faded.
Annihilape felt its fist touch something, only to become completely frozen in midair, unable to advance another inch.
Mega Alakazam floated before it with its legs crossed.
Compared to its normal form, the armored sections of its body now resembled purple robes. A red crystal had appeared in the center of its forehead, sharp horns extended from its head, and its long yellow mustache had transformed into an enormous white beard.
That was not all.
The number of spoons it possessed had increased to five. Instead of holding them in its hands, Mega Alakazam kept them floating through the air with its psychic powers.
It was Mega Alakazam!
The reason Annihilape had been immobilized was immediately apparent.
Mega Alakazam was lightly touching Annihilape's fist with one of its spoons and channeling psychic power through it, producing the effect that had frozen Annihilape in place.
"Hea!"
During the few seconds in which Annihilape and Mega Alakazam confronted each other, Heatran's attack had already surged toward Chandelure.
Boom!
The wooden floor shattered. Ground-type energy continuously erupted through the opening, sending thick streams of lava splashing upward.
However, the attack struck nothing.
Grey raised an eyebrow when Chandelure's Aura suddenly disappeared.
He immediately realized it had used Phantom Force and ordered Heatran to keep a close watch on Annihilape's surroundings.
Just as Grey had anticipated, Chandelure and Mega Alakazam intended to concentrate their attacks on the immobilized Annihilape and eliminate it first.
Grey unleashed his Aura to its fullest extent and maintained the highest possible level of vigilance.
Not far behind Annihilape, space began to ripple ever so slightly.
Under ordinary circumstances, no one would have noticed such a minor disturbance.
However, Grey possessed Aura. To him, that tiny fluctuation might as well have been loudly announcing, "Here I come!"
"Heatran, use Earth Power again on the empty space behind Annihilape!"
"Hea!"
Heatran did not hesitate or question him. It immediately used Earth Power in the direction Grey indicated.
Boom!
This time, Earth Power struck Chandelure squarely.
"Chande!"
A mournful cry rang out as the Mega-Evolved Chandelure finally appeared before Grey and Caitlin.
"Wow! It looks just like the huge chandelier in my house!"
Caitlin was pressed against Grey's back. The instant she saw Mega Chandelure, she wondered whether the massive chandelier in her family's mansion had somehow come to life.
Mega Chandelure fell silent.
Technically, she was not wrong...
But why did her words feel so strangely offensive?
A sudden wave of outrage surged through Mega Chandelure, as if Caitlin had slapped it twice.
Damn rich people!
They turned one of my relatives into a giant chandelier and hung it from the ceiling!
Mega Chandelure immediately used Shadow Ball on Heatran. An irregular sphere of dark energy shot forward and exploded against Heatran's body.
"Hea!"
The blast sent Heatran skidding several yards backward.
Mega Chandelure's power was truly terrifying.
That was perfectly normal.
Mega Chandelure had a base Special Attack stat of 175.
Heatran was not holding an Assault Vest, and its base Special Defense was nothing exceptional. After taking an attack like that, the most that could be said was that it would survive for a while.
"Anni!"
Annihilape was hurled aside at the same time.
The number of injuries covering its body had clearly increased.
Seeing this, Mega Chandelure attempted to finish it with another Shadow Ball.
Fortunately, Annihilape reacted in time. It unleashed Rage Fist once again and collided directly with Shadow Ball.
Boom!
Shadow Ball exploded against Annihilape's fist. The resulting shock wave sent it flying backward until it slammed into a wall.
"If we were outside, your strength would certainly be enough to make you renowned experts. To put it more directly, you're approximately at Champion level."
The ghost girl's voice echoed through the room.
"Unfortunately, you encountered me. If this is all the strength you possess, then accompany me through..."
"Stop, stop, stop. Don't start talking about your endless dark dream again. I've heard it so many times my ears are about to develop calluses."
Grey pulled a cotton swab from his pocket and casually cleaned one ear while grinning at the ghost girl.
"You don't actually think I enjoy standing here and taking a beating, do you? What normal Champion-level Trainer reaches that level by doing nothing but absorbing attacks?"
At that exact moment, the ghost girl suddenly realized something was wrong.
Boom!
Magma Storm erupted without warning, trapping Mega Chandelure in place.
"Anni!"
Annihilape planted one foot against the wall and pushed off with explosive force, launching itself straight toward Mega Chandelure.
At the same time, it transformed all the damage it had suffered into fury and poured every last bit of it into its fist.
With a ferocious expression, Annihilape slammed its punch into Mega Chandelure.
A vast amount of Ghost-type energy erupted.
Mega Chandelure's first instinct was to retreat, but Heatran's Magma Storm had trapped it inside the circle. It could move as far as the edge, but it had no way to escape the attack's range.
Annihilape had already leaped inside.
It drove punch after punch into Mega Chandelure's head.
The flames burning across Mega Chandelure's body gradually weakened. Upon seeing this, Mega Alakazam attempted to use a move to rescue it.
Unfortunately, Heatran noticed.
Before Mega Alakazam could fully release its psychic power, Heatran opened its mouth, charged forward with Crunch, and bit down hard.
Mega Alakazam cried out in pain, and the psychic power it had gathered immediately dispersed.
Seeing the battle suddenly become completely one-sided, Grey looked at the ghost girl and twitched the corner of his mouth.
"Ma'am, don't tell me your Pokémon possess nothing but raw power and never learned the fundamentals."
The ghost girl remained silent after hearing his question.
Sometimes, refusing to answer was the clearest possible answer.
Grey had thought he had encountered an extremely formidable opponent.
Instead, she was merely an inexperienced rookie.
Worse still, she was a rookie who only understood aggressive tactics.
To be fair, Mega Chandelure and Mega Alakazam's offensive power was genuinely undeniable.
Both possessed a base Special Attack stat of 175, and neither was particularly slow. Against most other Trainers, they could probably focus their attacks and defeat one opposing Pokémon within moments.
Unfortunately for them, the Trainer commanding them was only moderately capable.
At best, she was average.
Once Annihilape defeated Mega Chandelure, the remaining Mega Alakazam was no longer a threat.
It did not take long for both Pokémon to lose consciousness and revert to their normal forms.
They even dropped loot.
The items were their corresponding Mega Stones, Chandelurite and Alakazite.
The ghost girl did not personally pick them up. Instead, she lifted them through the air with an unseen force and tossed them toward Grey.
"You possess strength..."
"These items... are more suitable for you."
The ghost girl murmured quietly.
Grey accepted both Mega Stones without the slightest hesitation.
He could give Alakazite to Sabrina.
As for Chandelurite, he could either give it to Shauntal or find somewhere to sell it later.
After putting away the Mega Stones, Grey looked at the ghost girl, curious about what she would say or do next.
"Within the dark nightmare..."
"I heard my father's whispers..."
"The Lunar Wing..."
"It is inside."
The ghost girl suddenly faded away.
Chandelure and Alakazam vanished with her.
"The Lunar Wing is inside?"
Grey looked toward the bedroom on the second floor, directly opposite the main entrance.
Judging by its location, it appeared to be the master bedroom.
"Grey, are we going inside?"
Caitlin had both arms locked around Grey's waist. She rubbed her head against his back, using his familiar warmth to calm herself before quietly asking the question.
"Let's go. She said the Lunar Wing is inside, so she probably wasn't lying. Besides, I suspect she needed something from us and used that battle to determine whether we were qualified."
The ghost girl had previously claimed that they would have to stay with her if they failed to defeat her.
Even so, Grey had not sensed any genuine malice from her.
If this truly had something to do with Darkrai, Grey suspected that the ghost girl was afraid they would be unable to defeat it, so she had arranged this trial.
By defeating Mega Chandelure and Mega Alakazam, Grey had proven that he possessed the necessary strength.
With that thought, Grey turned around, lifted Caitlin into a bridal carry, and walked into the bedroom.
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