Even as fellow Ghost-type Pokémon, most won't dare get too close to Litwick. Its ability to absorb souls and life force affect host-types too.

  Julia a bit nervous now. Just moments ago, he thought he erfectly safe, but it seemed he'd uimated the situation.

  Even ae-level Pokémon would experience a gradual drain of its soul and life force when near a Advanced-level Litwick. The process is so slow that it's barely noticeable, yet Litwick could quietly drain its oppo until it's lifeless.

  This draining is almost impossible to detect, and the victim wouldn't feel any pain.

  Among all Ghost-type Pokémon, Litwick ranks among the top three in terms of danger, and they are retively rare.

  Besides these characteristics, there's no denying its strength. Its final evolution, delure, is a powerful Ghost-type Pokémon, rumored to have the ability to unicate with the spirit world.

  However, to trol one safely without backsh, a Trainer's own strength must be formidable.

  After all, human souls and life force are highly nutritious to Litwick.

  The fmes atop these two Litwick flickered. If you kept staring at their fme, you'd be unknowingly drawn iually losing your life. At least it wouldn't be a painful end.

  Julian had turned off his fshlight. In this Dark Forest, it was like a bea, stantly alerting the surrounding Ghost-type Pokémon of a fresh human and a delicious soul nearby.

  "Metagross, Dragonite, hahem."

  With dozens of ghostly eyes fixed on him like he was a meal, Julia a chill a Lucario close to guard him against any sneak attacks.

  'What are you looking at, Gengar?'

  Julian thought, catg the mischievous Pokémon's stare.

  The wandering ghosts were no matetagross and Dragohe two Pokémon swiftly cleared them out, though the Ghost-types' elusive movements made them tricky oppos.

  Some didn't even have physical bodies, making them immuo physical attacks.

  Julian sehe surrounding temperature dropping rapidly, and an Aura filled with malice radiated from his left.

  "Luca!~"

  Lucario, his bodyguard, swung a Fire Punto the empty space beside Julian. With a thud, a Gengar appeared, its face abs the Fire Punch.

  After dealing with the dozens of Ghost-types, including the two Litwick, Julian quickly moved on with his Pokémon.

  They headed east, guided by his Dowsing Mae, where a rge red dot appeared on the dispy, hinting that the treasure might be quite valuable.

  Though the Shadowed Forest lies underground, it still has a vast stretch of trees. But uhose on the surface, these trees have no leaves, only bare branches.

  And soft green light glowed from the branches.

  It's said that this glow es from the essence of Ghost-type Pokémon that perished in the Shadowed Forest.

  "This kind of wood would be perfeaking beads"

  Julian mused as he snapped off a branch. The inside of the branch was a dark yellow, ced with a hint of gold—a prime material for bead-making.

  In fact, beads crafted from the trees of Shadowed Forest were sold on the market at premium prices, affordable only to a select few.

  Nearby, a Trevenant had camoufged itself as a rge tree, lying in wait for unsuspeg prey—only to be knocked out by Metagross's Bullet Punch.

  Julian walked over and gave it a kick, sending the Trevenant flying due to his own impressive strength.

  "'t even py your part right," he muttered.

  All the trees here were bare, yet this one had fotten to blend in and added some green on its head. What kind of dead wood are y to pull here?

  And the spot where the Trevenant had stood happeo be where the red dot was marked on his Dowsing Mae.

  A few mier, Metagross flew back, holding a marble-sized bead.

  "A Shadow Orb—not bad"

  Julian remarked as he took the orb.

  The Shadow Orb could be carried as a held item to enhance Ghost-type moves, particurly boosting the power of Shadow Punch by 30%.

  It could also be grounded into powder and bined with redients to create potions that strengthen a Ghost-type Pokémon's potential.

  Of course, if you were riough, you could even wear it as an accessory. It had a natural cooling effect, perfect for summer—like carrying a portable air ditioner around with you.

  "Alright, let's move to the —whoa!"

  Julian's words were cut off as his Dowsing Mae suddenly dispyed a red dot c nearly a third of the s.

  For text, even the Fire Crystal, the ultimate treasure of the realm he'd found iermediate-level secret realm, only took up a quarter of the dispy.

  This new dot's size suggested something even more valuable than the Fire Crystal.

  "Strange"

  Julian recalled cheg the Dowsing Mae earlier, and this red dot hadn't been there. It was as if the treasure had just appeared out of nowhere.

  "What the—it's gone!"

  Just as he prepared to set out, the rge red dot vanished.

  Metagross watched his Trainer's surprised reas, sighing slightly. When would he be able to keep his cool in the face of anything, like Metagross could?

  "Dragonite, head this way!"

  Julian wasted no time, hopping ontonite.

  "Metagross, stop dawdling and follow!"

  As Metagross snapped out of its daze, Julian and Dragonite had already taken off.

  onite's back, Julian wore a look of ption. The sudden appearand disappearance of the red dot couldn't mean his Dowsing Mae was malfuning.

  Most likely, the treasure had already been cimed by a Pokémon.

  So this red dot would move along with the Pokémon carrying it.

  For something that takes up a third of the Dowsing Mae's s, even if it wasn't the Ultimate treasure of this Advanced-level secret realm, it must be araordinary treasure of some type.

  Si appeared in the Shadowed Forest, it was highly likely to be a Ghost-type treasure.

  Fortunately, Julian had memorized its dire before it disappeared. A few minutes intonite's flight, he noticed the red dot reappear on his Dowsing Mae, firming the treasure was indeed moving, though not too quickly.

  At Dragonite's speed, they'd be able to catch up in a few minutes.

  "It stopped"

  Julian's expression shifted slightly as he realized the red dot had halted ierritory of the Elite-level Gengar.

  Could the treasure actually be with that Elite-level Gengar?

  The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

  Sure enough, that Gyarados was dirt poor, just look at the trast—that Gyarados barely had anythier than a top-grade Water Stone. But here's a Gengar, potentially holding something as valuable as a realm's Ultimate treasure.

  How could there be such a big differeween two Elite-level Pokémon?

  Julian didn't dwell on why the treasure hadn't been snatched by other Trainers who had previously explored the forest.

  There were several possible reasons: Gengar was a Ghost-type, and if it really wao hide, only a skilled Trainer would have any ce of finding it.

  Or perhaps Gengar had only retly acquired the treasure, and Julian just happeo stumble upon it at the perfect time.