"Gengar!!"
Gengar's scarlet-shot eyes bulged wide, sending chills down the spine. Its voice was rasping, shrill, almost grating.
That merciless maw stretched open, drawing in coils of eerie vapor.
It devoured every last trace of the dispersed "Ai," swallowing it whole without wasting even the faintest wisp.
At the same time, the experience bar within the [Nen System] for Gengar suddenly leapt forward by a great margin. Gardevoir's bar also advanced, though far less dramatically in comparison.
That was precisely why Linck had been so astonished by Gengar's earlier explanation—this Pokémon could absorb both death auras and the fog-like "Ai," converting them into experience to fuel its own growth.
So this must be what the [Nen System] referred to when it described certain Pokémon as possessing special leveling abilities!
As for why Gengar's attacks were particularly effective against "Ai"… perhaps "Ai" could also be classified as a ghost-type entity? Could it be nothing more than ghost battling ghost—type advantage at its purest?
"Burrrp~"
Having devoured its fill, Gengar let out a hearty hiccup. It rubbed its belly with glee, bouncing about like it had just finished the most satisfying meal of its life.
Until the "Ai" and its two monstrous constructs were utterly erased, the bespectacled man and Pete remained frozen in dumbstruck silence.
From what they had just witnessed, any of Linck's summoned Nen-beasts could have dispatched them with ease.
They had truly believed Linck was a mere support, without the power to attack…
How laughably narrow their vision had been!
With the "Ai" and all the death aura in the cavern cleansed by Gengar, the hip-hop guy who had been consumed by wrathful emotion collapsed like a punctured balloon.
His bloated frame shrank rapidly, returning to its usual size, before crashing stiffly to the ground in a puff of stale, decaying dust.
Surveying the wreckage of the cavern, Linck rubbed his temples with a sigh. A strange hollowness welled up within him, it had all ended too quickly…
Who would have thought that one of the Five Calamities, dreaded by all Hunters, would fall before him without so much as a single proper exchange?
Of course, Gardevoir and Gengar's formidable strength played a part.
But the main reason was that Gengar's unique ability perfectly countered "Ai."
It was nothing less than a complete type-crush by the Pokémon system itself!
"Ai" had never been known for raw offense.
Its true danger lay in its capacity to erode the mind, driving victims into madness, and spawning emotional monstrosities to attack them.
One must never underestimate it for that. As one of the Five Calamities, its threat was undeniable.
Against anyone else, be it even a veteran Nen user of A-rank strength, or stronger still, without a special counter, the odds of dying an inglorious death were frighteningly high.
Had it been any Pokémon other than Gengar birthed here today, Linck would likely have had no choice but to execute his original plan
Escape instantly with teleportation!
This victory belonged entirely to Gengar.
Still, a thought stirred within Linck: perhaps the Pokémon that manifested was deeply tied to the place of its birth.
Here, in these despair-drenched ruins, a ghost-type like Gengar had been born.
Moreover, one of "Ai's" alternate names was the Gas Lifeform, perfectly matching Gengar's gaseous nature.
It could be said that no Pokémon was more fitting to appear here than Gengar.
After triple-checking with Gengar that no second "Ai" lurked in these ruins, Linck actually felt a pang of regret.
If there had been just one more, Gengar might have leapt straight to A-rank.
But with the threat eliminated, it was time for the harvest!
At Linck's command, Gengar began swallowing heaps of treasure into its cavernous body.
Unlike the death aura it had just consumed, Gengar would never touch these valuables unless ordered.
Though many treasures had been damaged in the chaos of battle, the survivors still amounted to a fortune no one could dismiss.
Having saved everyone's lives, Linck felt no qualms in claiming it all.
The bespectacled man understood well enough. His eyes flickered with only mild regret, but mostly with gratitude toward Linck.
Pete, however, was seething with envy and spite.
From his perspective, after all his struggles, a large share of that treasure should rightfully have been his.
Neither of them knew that Gardevoir, being a psychic-type Pokémon, was exquisitely sensitive to the fluctuations of human emotions. Their every inner shift was relayed straight to Linck.
So when Gengar tucked away the last great pearl, Linck turned to Pete, whose face feigned gratitude but whose heart festered with resentment.
"You're jealous of me, aren't you? Jealous of my strength? Resentful that I claimed treasure you think should've been yours?"
Linck's smile didn't reach his eyes as he spoke, his tone laced with mocking edge.
Pete's heart lurched violently. Shock overwhelmed him, and his carefully worn mask cracked wide open, his expression all but screamed How did you know?!
"Oh? The old actor's still trying to put on a show? Aren't you supposed to be good at this?"
Gengar let out a spine-chilling, grotesque laugh. Three searing balls of ghostly fire burst forth, howling as they streaked toward Pete.
The will-o'-the-wisps clung to him like maggots to bone, and in an instant the tiny flames roared into a blazing inferno across his body.
Pete's tortured screams echoed only briefly.
For before long, he had already gone to join the Fire-and-Wind duo…