Although Edward and Jim had successfully struck a private deal to shoot The Truman Show, Edward still had Ju-On: The Grudge weighing on his hands. Because of that, he explained the situation to Jim, asking him to wait a little longer.
Unexpectedly, after reading the script for The Truman Show, Jim developed an interest in Ju-On: The Grudge. He even asked Edward if he could have a role in that movie as well.
"The Grudge?" Edward looked at Jim in front of him and fell into thought.
It wasn't Jim's acting that concerned him—his acting skills were undeniably excellent. The real issue was his persona.
After all, Jim had starred in countless successful comedies, which made his screen presence feel somewhat like that of Mr. Bean in Edward's past life. The moment he appeared on screen, audiences instinctively felt the film was a comedy—or at least had comedic elements.
"At present, the lead roles are already set. Only supporting roles remain." Edward considered carefully, then decided to let Jim give it a try. His acting ability was top-notch, and besides, Edward genuinely admired him.
"Of course, I don't mind at all," Jim replied with a cheerful grin. Seeing this, Edward reached a verbal agreement with him. Jim only needed to visit Ghost Films the next day to sign an official contract with the legal department.
Securing an outstanding awards while also bringing in such an actor—Edward was quite satisfied. This year's film festival was shaping up to be immensely profitable for him. As for another festival later in the year, Edward wasn't overly concerned. After all, he already held the title of "Best Director" from the League Film Awards. The only thing left was "Best Picture."
Still, out of courtesy, Edward planned to attend. That festival was scheduled for the year's end, which left him with ample time to film Ju-On: The Grudge. While the movie was frightening, horror productions usually didn't take too long to shoot.
…
That night, Edward stood in his hotel room, gazing out the window. His room faced directly toward the Bell Tower, the most famous landmark of Ecruteak, and indeed one of Johto's most famous landmarks overall. The reason was simple—someone had once captured Ho-Oh's appearance there.
"The Bell Tower… I seem to remember it has a special storyline?" Edward muttered to himself as he looked into the distance. In his memory, Ho-Oh had indeed appeared there, and Raikou, Entei, and Suicune had also manifested. Still, Edward doubted he'd encounter them.
These legendary beasts were elusive by nature, glimpsed only on rare occasions. Even though he carried Groudon at his waist, its situation was unusual. Most of the time, Groudon slumbered deeply without stirring, so much so that Edward often forgot he even had it with him.
"Kyu~" Q climbed onto Edward's shoulder, happily rubbing against him. Edward chuckled, stroking its head before pulling it into his arms. Beside him, Dusclops floated silently, staring out of the window as if lost in thought.
"Q, you've been sticking to me more and more lately, haven't you?" Edward teased, ruffling its head before lifting it up and playing its favorite game—tossing it gently into the air and catching it again.
Q squealed joyfully, laughing as Edward played with it for a while. When it grew drowsy, Edward set it down to rest, while Dusclops continued to hover silently, still staring outside.
Curious, Edward glanced out as well. The hotel was one of the tallest buildings in Ecruteak, and thanks to its location, no nearby high-rises obstructed the view. The sightlines were vast and open. Yet Edward couldn't tell what exactly Dusclops was watching.
"Void, what are you looking at?" he finally asked.
The moment Dusclops heard him, it floated suddenly upward, then drifted down behind him. Without warning, it slipped straight into Edward's body. He froze for a moment.
No—that wasn't quite right. It didn't enter his body. Rather, it had overlapped with him. Edward didn't feel any discomfort, but now, through Dusclops's eyes, he could see the ghostly fire flickering.
And then he froze again.
Because standing outside his window was a woman in white. She stood there quietly, watching him.
Edward's heart jolted. He was certain she hadn't been there before. Yet now she was—meaning this was what Dusclops had been watching.
He took a step forward, breaking free from Dusclops's vision, and instantly the woman disappeared. When he stepped back, she reappeared—still gazing at him silently. Then, noticing he could see her, she gave him a faint smile and waved gently… before vanishing entirely.
Edward was left stunned.
"What on earth was that?" He frowned in confusion. It had to have been a ghost. But in this world, encountering ghosts wasn't unusual at all. Ghosts existed here as naturally as Pokémon did.
Dusclops, for example, could sense people nearing death, guiding their souls into the spirit world.
"But why would a ghost be watching me?" Edward pondered. Countless horror tropes flashed through his mind: ghosts asking the living to avenge them, or tragic tales of lingering love between humans and spirits. But in most stories, ghosts simply killed relentlessly. Still, that was fiction.
In the Pokémon world, such things had never been documented. The only reports were of Pokémon attacking humans—not true ghosts. Whenever rumors of ghost attacks spread, investigations inevitably revealed that Ghost-type Pokémon were responsible, not actual spirits.
So, Edward wasn't worried about a horror-movie-style curse unfolding.
After thinking it over with no clear answer, and since Dusclops soon drifted off to sleep, Edward gave up dwelling on it. He lay down and quickly fell asleep himself.
…
The next morning, he didn't bother revisiting the strange encounter with the woman in white. Instead, he packed up with Zoroark and returned to Hoenn. With two months before the next film festival, his plan was simple—finish shooting Ju-On.
"Boss, aren't we making movies a little too fast?" Zoroark asked while delivering documents.
"Perhaps," Edward admitted calmly. "But by the time Ju-On is filmed, edited, and approved, Alien will already be off theaters."
Indeed, Alien had already been showing for some time. When Ju-On: The Grudge released, it would ride the lingering heat. Besides, their genres were different.
Edward's adaptation of Alien had kept the original horror but added more gruesome death scenes, pushing it firmly into splatter-film territory. Ju-On: The Grudge, by contrast, leaned into psychological terror and creeping dread. The styles were distinct enough that audiences wouldn't tire of them.
And even if filming wrapped quickly, Edward could delay its release. After all, many films weren't screened immediately upon completion. Some waited years before release, while others strategically avoided competing blockbusters. And in rare cases, finished films simply vanished into obscurity, unable to secure distribution slots.
"Is the new film really called Ju-On: The Grudge?" Zoroark asked curiously. Edward had a knack for naming films—Dead Silence, One Missed Call, Sherlock Holmes. But this title sounded a bit strange.
"Yes, Ju-On: The Grudge." Edward's smile carried a deeper meaning.
This horror classic, brought to life through masterful cinematography—what kind of reaction would it stir in audiences? Edward was eager to find out. At minimum, it would surely be rated for adults only.
Zoroark glanced at him uneasily. That smile of his was unsettling, almost eerie. What exactly was their boss thinking?
Edward then turned to the document Zoroark had delivered. It contained a list of companies applying to rent the new Youth Edition cameras, along with their offered prices. Practically every major studio with money had rented one. A handful of wealthy companies had even outright purchased them.
"After deducting costs… profits already exceed one billion?" Edward's eyes widened slightly. That was astonishing. Even after subtracting R&D expenses, the net income was astronomical. A single revolutionary invention truly was a gold mine.
In a monopoly, he held complete control over pricing. And this was only the beginning. As films using the new cameras entered the market, traditional filmmaking would face an icy winter. Studios either adapted—or perished.
"Keep 500 million. Donate the other five hundred to the charity fund," Edward instructed, setting the file aside. Ghost Films would soon be earning enormous sums regardless. Unless competitors developed similar technology, revenue would remain steady for years. And even if some companies purchased cameras outright, that would still mean a massive one-time profit.
Not every studio could afford to buy one immediately anyway. Most would continue renting, giving Edward time to build wealth. With the remaining 500 million, he planned to reinvest into expanding his company.
At present, Ghost Films lacked talent. Aside from himself, only Ada and Monica had a bit of fame. That wasn't sustainable. He didn't want Ghost Films to be seen merely as his film factory. Director Kirk's emergence had made him realize expansion was essential.
And he already had a plan—consult professionals. While Edward wasn't well-versed in corporate growth, others were.
Thus, he sought out Kennedy, who readily accepted the responsibility of drafting a professional development plan. Meanwhile, Edward tasked Zoroark with assisting Kennedy, while he personally led the studio's film crew to begin shooting Ju-On.
The chosen location was already secured— Lilycove City in Hoenn. The area suited his vision perfectly. He had even purchased a house there specifically for the production. It wasn't as though he lacked money.
"Are the actors in place?" Edward asked, looking at the house before him. Its design and slightly decrepit state matched the eerie aesthetic of Ju-On: The Grudge flawlessly.
"Director, I'm here," Takako raised her hand, having already accompanied the team. Beside her, George smiled as well—he had come along too, since the judging for the competition was finished.
"George, may I ask who won this time's grand prize?" Edward inquired curiously. The Sci-Fi Film Competition's prize money wasn't enormous, but it was still substantial. If he won, he could donate the funds as well.
George chuckled and pointed at him.
Edward understood immediately—it was him.
Though Alien was a horror film, it wore the skin of science fiction. Its depiction of space travel, cryo chambers, and interstellar settings carried heavy sci-fi elements. So, Edward wasn't surprised he had won.
(End of Chapter)