Accepting Ging's invitation to come here was turning out to be one of Larry's best decisions.
First, he managed to breed the rare Grass-Steel type Pokémon, Ferrothorn. Then came the horde of Gildrosia that provided a huge wave of experience for his team. And up next was the rare "Hope" vanilla that would serve as a valuable resource. But most importantly, the ruins were overflowing with death energy, just enough for Gengar to make the final leap to S-class.
That alone was a massive gain.
On top of that, they had just stumbled upon a major discovery, the key to Pokémon's mega evolution seemed to lie in their strength growth. Larry's hunch had been right all along.
There were still remnants of death aura lingering in the ancient ruins, so he figured it was the perfect time to see what Gengar looked like in its new evolved state. Just as Ging stepped toward the stone wall, ready to pluck the vanilla herb, he paused mid-step, his expression shifting. He turned his head sharply, his eyes narrowing at Gengar, who now emitted a completely different kind of aura. Something unnatural was happening.
Gengar, who'd just been floating calmly and gulping down death energy like it was soup, suddenly stopped. Its aura flickered and surged wildly, climbing higher and higher with every second.
Ging stared at Gengar, now wrapped in a cocoon of shifting white light, and his expression changed again. His sharp eyes betrayed a flicker of surprise. This wasn't just a powerful nen beast. This was something else entirely.
Ging couldn't help but cast a glance at Larry, eyes narrowed. 'Just how much are you hiding?' he thought, silently grinding his teeth.
"Is this... transformation?" Pyon blinked in disbelief, watching the glowing silhouette that was constantly shifting in shape. Her voice trembled slightly from the pressure Gengar was releasing.
Then, as the white light burst and scattered like mist, the evolved form revealed itself. A horrifying new presence erupted from the transformation, blasting the dust into the air once more. It was no longer just Gengar. It was Mega Gengar.
Its body was now far larger than before. Spikes lined its back like jagged armor, and its stubby hands had transformed into massive, spiked hammer-like limbs. But the most striking feature was the golden symbol etched on its forehead, glowing faintly with an eerie light.
"Ge...ngar." Mega Gengar let out its first roar post-evolution. The sound was deep, resonating with a low, haunting echo that made everyone's hair stand on end. It was far more menacing than its previous voice, like something ancient had awakened.
Without even needing to open its mouth, death aura from the surrounding area began pouring into it automatically.
The dark, eerie mist of death thoughts was drawn to Mega Gengar like moths to flame. As soon as they touched its glowing form, they vanished instantly, melted away like frost in sunlight. They were absorbed completely, becoming part of Gengar's power.
The range of its absorption was insane. It spanned almost the entire ancient labyrinth city. Even the death aura trapped inside buildings and buried deep in stone was being dragged out and devoured.
***
Species: Gengar (Mega Evolution)
Type: Ghost / Poison
Ability: Shadow Tag
Strength Rank: S
Known Moves: Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse, Sludge Wave, Hypnosis, Misfortune Strikes in Pairs...
Description: Mega Gengar embodies pure malevolence, locking enemies in with Shadow Tag and striking from all sides. Its presence distorts the air around it, and legends say it can drag souls into the shadows.
***
Gengar had fully entered its mega evolution form. Not only was it an S-rank Pokémon now, but its super form pushed its strength to the upper limits of that tier. Even its ability had changed, from Cursed Body to Shadow Tag, a powerful trait that prevented opponents from fleeing battle.
The already intense aura surrounding Gengar surged dramatically after its transformation. Ging, whose eyelids had been twitching uncontrollably from the pressure, suddenly had a terrifying realization.
'What if every one of Larry's nen beasts had the ability to transform like this?' His stomach dropped. 'Absolutely can't fight Larry,' Ging decided firmly in his heart.
Gengar's mega evolution had once again shaken both of the onlookers beside him. To them, Larry was like a bottomless pit, a black hole that only got deeper the more you tried to understand it. Every time he showed a glimpse of what he was capable of, it felt like there were still layers of secrets buried behind the curtain, waiting to be revealed.
Once the transformation ended, Gengar swept up the last remnants of death energy in the ruins, leaving not a single trace behind. Every drop of aura had been converted into fuel, pushing Gengar's strength even higher. As the absorption continued, Gengar's body became denser in color, and its presence turned heavy and strange, like it had become a living abyss.
If any of the older Hunters, like Chairman Netero, were here to witness this, they'd probably assume it was some creature from the Dark Continent.
Eventually, once all the death aura had been drained, Larry recalled Mega Gengar. According to Gengar's own explanation, the more its strength increased, the longer it could maintain its mega evolution form. If that trend continued, then maybe one day in the future, Gengar would be able to stay in that form permanently.
At last, the terrifying energy vanished. The air, which had felt suffocating moments ago, finally cleared. The battlefield, battered and dust-covered like weathered ruins, slowly settled back into silence.
With the danger gone, the three of them made their way toward the stone wall to check out their spoils. The earlier clash had left a fine layer of dust clinging to the dense tangle of plants. Once vibrant emerald green, they now looked dulled and earthy.
Yet even in the middle of all that, the legendary "Hope" vanilla remained untouched. Still firmly rooted, swaying gently in the breeze, it stood resilient, like no storm could ever tear it away.
The closer they got, the stronger the scent became. It wasn't just fragrant, it was refreshing, brimming with life. A calming, natural aroma that seemed to soothe the heart with just a whiff.
Compared to this vanilla, even the glowing apple had eaten earlier seemed completely forgettable.
There weren't too many plants growing, but the amount was more than enough for the three of them. Feeling that he hadn't contributed enough during the battle, Pyon voluntarily took a smaller portion. The rest was divided evenly between Larry and Ging, and even then, each person ended up with several whole plants.
To think, this herb was so valuable that even a sliver of a leaf could fetch a fortune. This haul alone was enough to make all the risks they took along the way completely worth it.
Ging carefully placed his share into a small cloth pouch to keep it preserved. No one could say for sure whether the herb would start losing its effects the moment it was picked, but storing it properly was a precaution worth taking.