The final steps were different.
They didn't creak.
They didn't complain beneath his weight.
It was as if the tower already knew he was leaving.
Ren moved forward without haste. The air was thicker now, heavy with spiritual energy. The presences weren't hostile, but they were attentive. Watching. Measuring. Judging.
Gastly floated a little closer than before.
Not out of fear.
By choice.
On the next floor, two mediums were waiting for him. They didn't seem surprised to see him.
—You've descended too quickly —said one, his voice deep—. Many lose themselves before reaching this point.
—Others should never have climbed at all —added the second, releasing his Pokémon.
A Haunter emerged, its body twisting as it wore a crooked smile.
Ren didn't stop.
—Let's go —he said quietly.
Gastly surged forward at once.
The battle was more intense than the previous ones. The Haunter attacked with unpredictable movements, phasing through walls, emerging from the floor, the ceiling, from nowhere at all. For a moment, the entire tower seemed to warp.
Ren closed his eyes.
He listened.
Not with his ears, but with something deeper.
He felt the flow of the fight, as if he could anticipate every appearance, every malicious shadow. His body moved before his mind could form clear commands.
—From the left… now.
Gastly obeyed without hesitation. Its mist expanded, wrapping around the Haunter, cutting off its retreat. A dark pulse rippled across the floor, and the opposing Pokémon was drawn back into its Poké Ball.
The mediums exchanged glances.
—You're not guiding your Pokémon —said one—. You're fighting alongside it.
Ren didn't answer. He kept descending.
On the last floors, the battles followed one after another. More aggressive Ghost-type Pokémon. More experienced trainers. Each confrontation demanded more, and still, Ren never stepped back.
The fatigue was there, but it didn't control him.
It was the same feeling he used to have after a long fight, years ago. The body ached, the muscles burned… but the spirit remained firm.
On the second-to-last floor, a different presence stopped him.
There was no trainer.
Only a spirit.
It had no defined shape. It was a soft silhouette, almost human, wrapped in a pale light. It didn't convey sadness, but rather… relief.
Ren stood still.
So did Gastly.
The presence inclined slightly, like a silent bow, and then faded away, leaving behind a sense of peace the tower hadn't known before.
Ren exhaled.
—I guess… that was a "thank you."
The final stretch was short.
The exit of the Pokémon Tower appeared before him, with the light of sunset filtering through the doorway. The contrast was brutal. Warmth. Clean air. Life.
Ren stopped just before crossing.
He looked back one last time.
The tower was still there, imposing, full of stories that didn't belong to him… but that he had respected.
—We're leaving —he murmured.
Gastly spun in the air, letting out a cheerful sound, and moved to his side.
Ren took the final step.
The door closed behind him with a sharp thud.
Outside, Lavender Town continued its routine. People walking. Wind moving through the trees. Nothing seemed to have changed.
But something had.
A ten-year-old boy, with no known name, had entered the Pokémon Tower alone… and had come out with a companion he never intended to abandon.
Ren lifted his gaze to the orange sky.
—Well… —he said—. I guess now it really begins.
Gastly laughed softly.
And together, they walked away from the tower.