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Sato slipped on a Ditto-crafted human-skin mask and merged into the crowd. With a few quick steps, his face now plain and unremarkable, he successfully blended in with the bustling throng around him.
"Looks like those guys gave up the chase. What a mess... I just went out for a casual stroll and ended up targeted in an assassination attempt. I'm really sorry, Lusamine, but I'm not strong enough to get involved in your mess right now."
Once the piercing sensation on his back—like needles pressing against his skin—finally faded, Sato let out a silent sigh of relief as he stood before a drink stand, flirting with a pretty waitress while asking for a cup of hot coffee.
All around him, dark-skinned Alolan locals filled the streets with smiles on their faces. But to Sato, a few of those smiles held a more sinister undertone.
There wasn't just one killer. Several of them were mixed into the crowd, and each was exceptionally skilled. Sato had felt their gazes burning into his back during the whole walk.
He was sure that if he had stopped earlier to speak with Lusamine, he would've been dragged into her mess without question.
There was no doubt about it—these were organized and fanatical killers. They wouldn't hesitate to kill even uninvolved bystanders if it furthered their goal. Sato knew this kind of ruthlessness all too well.
Fortunately, his strong survival instincts—and his clear refusal to get involved—combined with his own impressive strength, had been enough to convince the assassins to give up on this powerful but unintended passerby.
"Sir! That'll be 400 PokeDollars for the premium coffee you ordered."
The slightly annoyed voice pulled Sato's drifting gaze back to reality. In front of him stood a girl in an adorable maid outfit, her lips pouting in clear displeasure.
This "ordinary" man had not only flirted with her just now, but then ignored her for a full ten seconds afterward. She was definitely pissed.
Seeing her expression, Sato chuckled. To her astonishment, he took off his Ditto-crafted disguise and placed a 500 PokeDollar bill on the counter.
"No need for change," he said casually, grabbing his premium coffee and donning a black League cap crafted by Ditto as he turned and left.
Roughly ten minutes later, Sato arrived in a secluded alley within the Alolan District of Cinnabar City. There, he stopped before a bizarrely decorated shop. Compared to the other nearby stores that still saw the occasional customer, this place was dead silent.
Aside from Sato himself, not a single soul stood near the open doorway. Business was absolutely terrible.
He figured it had to do with the store's creepy aesthetic. Most people, upon seeing it, would instinctively steer clear.
The outer walls were made of black brick and covered in bloody, gruesome illustrations. Two skeletons stood at the entrance as if welcoming guests, but their skulls were replaced with glowing red Duskull heads that radiated an eerie, soul-piercing light.
The inside was pitch black—no lighting at all. Standing outside and looking in, Sato felt as if the shop was a black hole, radiating an ominous aura that seemed to swallow all light.
"Ghost House. This should be the place," he muttered, reading the plaque above the doorway with a frown. Even with his nerves of steel, a chill crawled up his spine.
The reason Sato had come to the Alola District of Cinnabar tonight was precisely to find this creepy-looking shop. Only upon arriving did he realize this wasn't somewhere ordinary people could just wander into.
The shop, named Ghost House, had been recommended to him by Joe Kondo. After hearing that Sato was searching for a high-potential Ghost-type Pokémon, Joe had casually told him about this place in Cinnabar.
Yes, this shop specialized in selling Ghost-type Pokémon. Its owner was a Pokémon hunter and only operated at night. Right now was one of the rare times it was open.
According to Joe, the place had been around for decades—its history as long as Cinnabar itself. So it was probably reliable.
Ghost-type Pokémon were vastly different from those of other types. That much was clear even from their dietary needs—life energy, not normal food.
If a Ghost-type Pokémon couldn't feed regularly, it would weaken significantly and start resenting its trainer. They were like ticking time bombs—one wrong move, and boom.
Moreover, they were masters of stealth and utterly dangerous. Encountering an ancient specter could leave most people dead before they even realized what had happened.
Because of that, most sensible Pokémon hunters wouldn't go near Ghost-types.
Still, wherever there's demand—and the price is right—there will always be people willing to risk their lives for high-reward opportunities.
Pokémon hunters were already outlaws, constantly hunted by the Pokémon League. Capture meant death. Yet the sheer profit of the underground market kept them coming.
While trading Ghost-types wasn't quite as lucrative as selling pseudo-legendary Pokémon—where a single deal could fund you for years—it still paid several times more than dealing with average Pokémon.
And so, a special group of hunters emerged, focused solely on capturing Ghost-types.
These individuals roamed wildernesses and haunted locations. In fact, many of the famous ruins and ancient tombs known in the Pokémon world had been discovered by them.
Yes, they often doubled as treasure hunters—and sometimes even tomb raiders.
Strangely enough, though the League disliked them as much as any other hunter, their crackdown on these Ghost-hunters was less intense.
After all, the Pokémon League didn't have warm feelings for Ghost-types either. Many of them ranked humans among their preferred prey. In a way, these specialized hunters were doing society a favor.
Ever since Sato had obtained a jade pendant worth 770 million PokeDollars—a mid-grade life energy collector—and a complete copy of The Grimoire of Dark Spirits, he had wanted to raise a high-quality Ghost-type Pokémon.
Unfortunately, he'd been constantly on the move, with no time to hunt one down. And Ghost-types weren't exactly easy to stumble across in the first place—much less capture.
So far, that wish remained unfulfilled, which left him constantly frustrated.
After all, something worth 770 million sitting around unused? That felt like a crime to Sato.
"Hopefully this place will help me make it happen," he murmured.
Though still a bit uneasy, Sato didn't hesitate long. After a brief pause at the door, he stepped inside without flinching.
Of course, he brought two powerful bodyguards with him—Swampert and Crobat.