NOVEL NEXT Chapter 169: 169. Burned Tower
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Chris, standing in Fallarbor Town, pondered the intricacies of breeding Ghost Pokémon. The documented targets were Mismagius, Froslass, and Gengar.
Each of these Pokémon came with specific breeding tips and skills essential for strengthening them.
Mismagius, for instance, is notable for its rare move "Phantom Force," an ability uncommon even among Ghost Pokémon. According to legend, "Shadow Force," the signature move of the legendary Giratina, is an elevated version of Phantom Force. This connection made Phantom Force a coveted skill for any Ghost Pokémon, and Chris was determined to include it in his breeding repertoire.
Speaking of Ghost Pokémon, Chris knew his first target had to be Gengar. He initially considered Zoroark , but Zoroark was only found in a place Chris couldn't access. That left Gengar or Drakloak as viable options. Gengar stood out due to its availability—Gastly, its pre-evolution, was fairly common in most regions, unlike Doron Bartto, which required a trip to the distant Galar Region.
Morty's breeding advice on Gengar further solidified Chris's choice. Gengar was known for two exceptional moves: Shadow Ball and Night Shade. Shadow Ball's utility was well-documented, showcasing Gengar's mastery with its powerful double Shadow Ball attacks.
However, Morty's Gengar brought an innovative twist to Night Shade. Typically, Night Shade summoned a terrifying entity from the spirit world, dealing level-based damage by horrifying the opponent. Morty, though, trained his Gengar to use Night Shade to devour the summoned entity, temporarily strengthening itself. If the devouring process continued for an extended period, it could even lead to permanent enhancement. This technique pushed the boundaries of what Night Shade could achieve, making it both risky and potentially groundbreaking.
Chris found this technique fascinating but understood its dangers. A Ghost Pokémon must be exceptionally powerful to attempt it. Otherwise, the summoner risked becoming prey to the spirit world's terrifying entities instead.
"The spirit world, huh?" Chris murmured. He recalled various tales and depictions of the mysterious realm. While some theorized it was a world of destruction tied to Giratina, others believed it to be where Pokémon like Litwick led unwary humans. Clearly, it wasn't a place for the faint of heart—or for humans, period. Chris resolved to leave this exploration for another day, perhaps when he had Giratina by his side.
Morty's innovative use of Night Shade showed immense potential. With a few more years of development, Chris imagined Morty might even rival Agatha, a member of the Elite Four of Kanto, a Ghost Pokémon trainer.
Finally, Morty's tips turned to Froslass…
Froslass's offensive strategy is built on Ice and Ghost moves, with "Shadow Sneak" being its signature move. Interestingly, even non-Ghost Pokémon like Greninja can learn Shadow Sneak, enhancing its utility and versatility in battle.
After closing Morty's Breeder tips, Chris powered on his handheld device once more. Today's mission was not just to defeat Morty but also to explore the Burned Tower and Bell Tower.
Chris guided the protagonist to leave the Gym and head to the Pokémon Center for healing. Once prepared, the protagonist ventured towards the Burned Tower. With its shorter height compared to the Bell Tower, it seemed like an easier starting point for exploration.
As Chris stepped into the Burned Tower, he noticed someone following him—Morty had arrived.
Chris initiated a conversation.
[Morty: The legendary Pokémon will come to a Trainer with true strength. I have always believed in this beautiful legend.]
[Morty: So I wanted to see if you could attract the attention of the legendary Pokémon.]
[Morty: It seems that this person is not you!]
With that, Morty turned and left, leaving Chris bewildered.
"What was that about?" Chris muttered to himself, raising an eyebrow. "Did he come all this way just to mock me?"
Unable to make sense of Morty's words, Chris decided to focus on exploring.
The abandoned Burned Tower was now a haven for wild Pokémon, including those typically found in caves, like Zubat and Koffing. Occasionally, rarer Pokémon appeared, such as the duck-billed Fire-type Pokémon, Magmar. However, Chris wasn't interested in catching a Magmar and chose to move on.
The fire that had consumed the Burned Tower seemed to have been no ordinary blaze. Even after hundreds of years, the blackened ruins remained untouched by rain, still faintly smelling of charred wood. Perhaps this strange phenomenon explained why Magmar lingered here.
Curious, Chris pulled out the Dowsing Machine, hoping to uncover hidden items. Despite a thorough search, he found nothing extraordinary.
The Burned Tower was divided into three levels: the first floor, the second floor, and the basement. Over the course of his exploration, Chris collected various items like tree berries, potions, and other supplies. The most notable find was a TM for the move "Taunt."
Chris decided to teach Taunt to his Wobbuffet to make its battle strategy even more frustrating for opponents. It was time for Wobbuffet to shine on the main battlefield. Recently, Chris's primary Pokémon team had started to slow down, prompting him to equip his Wobbuffet, Lairon, and Tyrunt with Exp. Share to strengthen his junior Pokémon.
Satisfied that he had thoroughly searched the Burned Tower, Chris left and returned to the Pokémon Center to heal his team. Once prepared, he made his way to the Bell Tower, ready for the next challenge.
Just as Chris was about to enter, a prompt appeared before him:
[If you don't carry the target item, you cannot access the tenth floor.]
[Would you like to challenge the Bell Tower (9th floor)? Note: This is a special quest that will disappear after completing the corresponding story. Rewards for each floor can only be claimed once.]