The haze dissipated into the ground, and the brilliant white light receded like a retreating tide. From the shadow, a pair of pointed ears gradually emerged.
A deep purple, round body emerged, adorned with two sharp claws, short legs, and a thorn-like projection on its back. Gengar's short tail swayed gently. The transition from Haunter to Gengar was complete.
Gengar sported a wide, mischievous grin that reached the base of his tongue. His red eyes sparkled with excitement, and his neatly aligned white teeth could easily serve as a black toothpaste advertisement. This smile exposed Gengar's sinister and eerie expression, requiring no special makeup for a horror movie cameo.
"jie jie~! (๑`▽´๑)۶," Gengar looked down and raised its small fist with enthusiasm. It was growing stronger once more. Well done, Gengar!
Due to Gengar's unique endothermic nature, the temperature in the surroundings dropped by 5℃. Bill seemed a bit timid, shivering while clutching his shoulders. His face appeared pallid as he commented, "Gengar's appearance... it's truly terrifying..."
Luke rubbed his chin and grinned, saying, "Well... terrifying? I find it adorable!"
"jie jie~!" Gengar laughed and playfully stuck out its scarlet tongue, licking Luke.
Luke smiled and didn't flinch. The 30% paralysis rate didn't seem to affect him. Let the wet tongue playfully lick his neck. However, after this action, Luke became stiff. Teacher Luke was "paralyzed"!
Silver, with his famously expressionless face, exhibited a hint of concern. "Isn't this a problem?"
"Just a... minor issue!" Luke replied, waving his hand as usual. Despite the tingling sensation in his tongue, he managed to reach for a Cheri Berry in his pocket and nervously popped it into his mouth.
Silver and Bill were left dumbfounded. How could Luke be so quick and skillful in handling such a situation?
"jie jie~!" Gengar triumphantly placed his hands on his hips and grinned, baring his teeth.
With his mobility restored, Luke patted Gengar's head and scanned him with the Pokédex. Gengar, a Ghost and Poison-type Pokémon, possessed the Ability "Cursed Body." His move set included Shadow Ball, Hypnosis, Night Shade, and Shadow Punch. After evolving, Gengar hadn't learned any new moves, which was a relief for Teacher Luke. However, Gengar's mixed move set included Ice Punch and Scary Face, demonstrating his diligent training.
Luke contemplated and deduced that Gengar must have learned Scary Face during his Haunter phase, probably while gazing at his reflection in the mirror.
Regarding his Ability, although Gengar had transitioned from "Levitate" to "Cursed Body" in theory, thereby losing his ability to float, there were still alternative methods for Gengar to achieve flight, as seen in the new special chapter. Even Gengar, whom Ash had captured, could find a way to soar.
After deactivating the Pokédex, Luke examined Gengar closely, stroking his chin. Teacher Luke had a deep appreciation for Gengar, a Pokémon he had been fond of even before crossing to this world. Although the eighth generation introduced Dragapult as a formidable Ghost-type Pokémon, Gengar remained his go-to choice.
With a warm smile, Luke extended his palm to Gengar. "Gengar," he said, "please take care of me from now on!"
"jie jie~ !(≧∇≦)ﾉ," Gengar gleefully accepted the handshake, and his short legs bounced off the ground. He patted Luke's palm with a satisfying "pop."
Luke couldn't help but wonder, "Hey, can't you still float?" To be honest, having Haunter floating beside him had become a habit that Teacher Luke had grown quite accustomed to.
Observing Gengar bouncing on the ground now...
Um... it's rather cute.
Bill cleared his throat and began to explain, "Though Gengar has the ability to fly, it has lost the 'Levitate' Ability, and flying now requires Gengar to expend energy. Since it has just evolved, it naturally needs some time to adapt."
"jie jie~..." Gengar scratched his head, looking a bit frustrated.
Luke suddenly grasped the concept. It was as though Passive Ability had transformed into Active Ability. Gengar could now fly but at the cost of energy.
Silver, who had been observing silently, eventually spoke up, "You can use Ghost energy to simulate Levitate."
Gengar looked at Luke, received a nod of approval, and then attempted to Levitate repeatedly. After a few initial failures, Gengar finally utilized haze to levitate and spun joyfully in the air.
"Truly... incredible innate talent," Bill mumbled.
Silver, on the other hand, frowned and remarked, "This is just temporary flying... To achieve Levitation freely like Haunter, Gengar would need the assistance of Confusion again."
Luke paused for a moment, surprised, just like when he learned about Anticipation. Gengar could only learn "Psychic energy" for Confusion, a secret move known to be simple in nature. However, the cost of training using the methods of Sabrina or Cynthia was expected to be astronomical!
"I wonder if I can endure the expenses for the next month's game revenue..." Luke mumbled.
"jie jie~? (⊙ˍ⊙)," Gengar inquired.
At that moment, Gengar fell to the ground once more, scratching his head in confusion. Luke, who was watching, furrowed his brows. He couldn't bear to see Gengar falling repeatedly like this; it seemed to cause the Pokémon genuine discomfort.
Gazing at the little hand on Gengar's short leg while it sat on the ground, Luke sighed and made a resolute decision, "This money must be spent!"
In the following period, Luke remained at Bill's house, analyzing the data following Gengar's evolution. The metrics were all within normal ranges, with the exception of a notable difference in digestive abilities and significantly enhanced arm strength compared to a typical Gengar.
Gengar stared at the wall and floated up to it, moving his fists with lightning speed. Silver, meanwhile, pondered the scene.
What kind of unique training method is this?
Suddenly, Silver's eyes lit up.
He called upon his Pokémon and said solemnly, "Weavile, pay close attention to your usage of Ice Punch."
Weavile, a specialist in Ice Type moves, nodded with dedication.
On the other side, Bill produced a report and said, "Gengar's levitate now lasts for 20 to 30 minutes. When combined with Psychic, the energy expenditure during flight can be significantly reduced, almost equivalent to recovery..."
Luke had an odd look on his face and responded, "I'm getting prepared, don't worry."
Teacher Luke was already in the group, asking Sabrina about the training methods for "Psychic." Even though Sabrina had yet to reply, Luke was ready to spend in-game currency.
"Thankfully..." Luke reassured himself, "Exchanging millions for Gengar's levitate is entirely worth it!"
Bill interjected, "Right. Gengar has just evolved, but we can gather additional resources for consolidation and improvement."
Luke hesitated and cast a quick glance at Gengar.
"jie jie~! (๑´ㅂ`๑)" Gengar raised its head, grinning happily.
Teacher Luke suddenly felt a tear forming at the corner of his eye.
Why do I often find myself teary-eyed?
It's because of my deep affection for Pokémon!