Pokémon, Inkaros, my starter Pokémon

"Thank you so much, Master Shidou."

Xiaoxia and Xiaogang also breathed a sigh of relief. Having this powerful museum owner with them undoubtedly gave them peace of mind.

"You're welcome."

With that, Tokito turned to Bulbasaur, who was tidying up the equipment, and instructed him, "Bulbasaur, I'm going out tonight, so the gym is in your hands. If there are any challengers, you'll be in charge of receiving them."

Bu Miao patted his chest confidently and promised, "Don't worry, senior brother! Leave it to me, no problem!"

Having decided on the itinerary, Xiaoxia looked at the gradually darkening sky outside the window, a hint of fear on her face. She suggested softly, "Um... Shall we go to Lavender Town now? I heard it's... a place where Ghost Pokémon gather... It sounds so scary. Or... should we set off tomorrow morning?"

Ash immediately retorted, "What are you talking about, Misty? Ghosts only come out at night! How could you possibly find them during the day!"

"That's right..."

Xiaoxia paused for a moment, realizing that Xiaozhi's words made sense, but the fear on her face did not subside.

Seeing this, Shi Dou gently reassured her, "Xiaoxia, don't worry too much. With me here, there won't be any danger."

"Yes! If Mr. Dou is around, there won't be any problems!"

Hearing Shi Dou say that, Xiaoxia immediately gained a lot of courage and nodded vigorously.

Without further ado, Shidou drove out of the black sedan provided by the Fighting Gym, carrying Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock, and drove out of Saffron City.

Just as Tokito had said, Shion Town was located to the east of Goldenrod City, not far away. The car drove along the flat road, and the scenery outside the window gradually transitioned from the bright lights of the city to the quiet, dim suburbs.

By the time they arrived in Lavender Town, night had completely fallen.

At this moment, Ziyuan Town seemed to be shrouded in an invisible silence. There were few pedestrians on the streets, and only a few old streetlights emitted a dim and weak yellow glow, barely dispelling a small patch of darkness.

The buildings here are mostly low and old, exuding a sense of age and tranquility. The air is filled with an indescribable coolness and serenity, which contrasts sharply with the hustle and bustle of Golden City not far away.

However, none of these sights could compare to the visual and psychological impact of the magnificent building at the northernmost edge of town—

It was a towering, colossal tower that reached into the clouds. Even in the pitch-black night, its silent, massive silhouette was clearly visible, like a giant guarding the peaceful rest of the dead, standing quietly at the edge of the town. The tower appeared to be constructed of dark stone, weathered and ancient. There were almost no lights there, only the top of the tower gleaming coldly in the hazy moonlight.

That is the famous Pokémon Tower in the Kanto region, the final resting place of countless lost Pokémon, and the most famous gathering place for wild Ghost-type Pokémon.

Just gazing at it from afar, a feeling mixed with solemnity, sorrow, and a faint, eerie atmosphere quietly lingers in everyone's heart.

Xiaoxia unconsciously moved closer to Xiaogang, Xiaozhi also subconsciously swallowed, and even Pikachu became unusually quiet, vigilantly observing its surroundings.

"We've arrived. This is the Pokémon Tower, the iconic building of Lavender Town."

Shi Dou parked the car and turned his gaze to the huge shadow.

All funeral and mourning ceremonies in Lavender Town are held at the Pokémon Tower in town. According to local legend, the ghosts in the tower are the souls of Pokémon that have died or been killed. In the games, the Pokémon that was killed may refer to Marowak's mother, who died at the hands of Team Rocket.

Although the protagonist can encounter ghost Pokémon in the tower, they cannot see the true form of the Pokémon or catch them until they obtain the Silph Mirror.

Gazing at the Pokémon Tower in the distance, standing like a giant tombstone in the night, a chilling aura seemed to materialize into a tangible, biting wind. Misty's face paled, and she instinctively gripped Tokito's arm, her voice trembling slightly.

"I...do we really have to go in? What if there's...that inside...?"

"Xiaoxia, what are you afraid of! I'm going to become a Pokémon Master, how could I be afraid! I'm not afraid at all..."

Although Xiao Zhi was also very nervous, he refused to admit defeat and forced himself to speak.

Incorrect.

At this moment, Ash's legs were trembling slightly, revealing his inner tension.

As he spoke, Ash seemed to be seeking courage from his closest companion, looking down at Pikachu on his shoulder and saying, "Pikachu, you... you'll always be with me, right?"

However, Pikachu's performance at this moment was absolutely devastating.

Its little head shook like a rattle, and then with lightning speed, it darted into Ash's backpack. After a few rustling sounds, it pulled out a small blanket with a cute lightning bolt tail pattern, then returned to the ground, wrapped itself up tightly, leaving only its closed eyes and slightly trembling ears exposed, and pretended to be dead and fell asleep on the spot.

"Pikachu!!!"

Seeing this, Ash was both angry and amused. His feigned composure crumbled instantly, and he frantically tried to pull the deserter electric mouse out of the bed.

Shi Dou watched this classic interaction from the early episodes, and couldn't help but smile, his heart filled with emotion.

How interesting! This is the familiar recipe.

Since the end of Pokémon Journeys, Ash has gradually disappeared from the screen.

That so-called new game, Pokémon Horizon...

Sigh, without Ash and Pikachu, the Pokémon anime just feels soulless. I have absolutely no interest in watching it.

Looking at the group of boys and girls who, despite their fear, still chose to move forward, along with a Pikachu that was pretending to be dead, Tokito knew he needed to give them a real sense of security.

"Everyone, don't be too nervous. Come out, Hilda."

A flash of white light, and Hilda, with her sickle-like arms, cold eyes, and a dangerous aura of a hunter, appeared silently, standing beside Tokito.

"Don't worry, with Hilda here, she will protect our safety."

"It's that praying mantis!"

"It can even defeat Team Rocket executives!"

"That's great! Sometimes when Mr. Dou has it, he feels much more at ease!"

When Ash, Misty, and Brock saw Hilda, their eyes lit up, and most of the fear on their faces vanished instantly.

They had witnessed Hilda's terrifying power firsthand. With her around, the gloomy Pokémon Tower was no longer so scary. Even Pikachu in the backpack secretly lifted a crack in the blanket, and after seeing Hilda, it seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and peeked its little head out a bit.

Meanwhile, at the very top of the Pokémon Tower...

Chapter 66 The Plan of Mewtwo, the Strongest Pokémon in History? (1.2 words)

Meanwhile, at the very top of the Pokémon Tower.

The atmosphere here is completely different from the "lively" atmosphere below the tower; it is only deathly still and oppressive.

An elderly man with gray hair, wearing a white lab coat, was tightly bound with ropes and leaned against a cold wall. Although he was in a sorry state, his eyes were full of anger and defiance.

Standing in front of the old man was a tall woman with fiery red hair.

She was stunningly beautiful, yet carried a dangerous air of menace, and was wearing the black "R" uniform of a high-ranking member of Team Rocket.

"Dr. Fuji, why are you doing this?" The organization has never mistreated you, providing you with the best research conditions and resources. Why would you betray us? If you are willing to repent and return to Team Rocket, continuing to serve Boss Giovanni, I, as a senior member, guarantee that we can forgive and forget what happened before.

The red-haired woman spoke, her voice carrying a feigned regret.

The old man, known as Dr. Fuji, suddenly raised his head, his cloudy but determined eyes glaring fiercely at Athena, his voice hoarse with excitement:

"Give up, Athena. Stop trying to seduce me with sweet words. I've seen through Team Rocket's true nature. Using Pokémon's lives and souls for those cruel experiments is something I absolutely cannot tolerate. Even if I die, I will never return to that evil place!"

Athena, one of Team Rocket's senior executives, has followed Giovanni since his early days and is extremely loyal to him. Even after Team Rocket disbanded, she continued to plot Apollo's revival. Her status is slightly lower than Apollo's.

Her signature is a head of fiery red hair; she is beautiful but carries a dangerous, venomous aura.

Ruthless, efficient, and willing to do anything to achieve their goals.

Unlike Lance, who is outwardly polite but inwardly cruel, Athena's threat is more direct and overt; she is extremely confident in her abilities and Team Rocket's technological prowess.

His area of ​​expertise is overseeing Team Rocket's many cutting-edge and inhumane research projects, including Pokémon genetic engineering and energy extraction technology.

Upon hearing Dr. Fuji's resolute reply, the feigned regret on Athena's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold smile.

"Alright, alright, very good. Since you're so stubborn, then for now, we'll temporarily exclude you from the plan regarding the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town, which involves using the 'Soul Extraction Device' to extract the soul energy of these dormant Pokémon to create 'Dark Balls' that can forcibly control wild Pokémon."

But Athena wasn't so kind. She abruptly changed the subject, her scarlet fingernails lightly tapping the control panel, her gaze fixed on the elderly Fuji like a venomous snake, and continued:

"But, regarding that Pokémon... you're one of the most crucial designers. Without your data, we still haven't been able to overcome many core issues."

Upon hearing "that Pokémon," the old man Fuji trembled violently, his eyes flashing with endless regret and pain, and he roared in a hoarse voice:

"That was the most regrettable thing I've ever done in my life! I listened to your instigation and participated in creating that... that monster that should never have existed!"

Dr. Fuji once had a beloved daughter named Ai, who tragically died young. Overwhelmed by grief, he lost his mind and, in his quest to revive her, joined Team Rocket, risking everything.

He first participated in the project to replicate the original partners of the Kanto region, namely Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Then, he used Mew's eyelash fossil to lead the creation of an artificial Pokémon codenamed Mewtwo. Later, he even tried to transplant his daughter Ai's consciousness into a new life form, but ultimately failed.

After Mewtwo was born, it became extremely confused and angry about the meaning of its own existence. Under Team Rocket's brainwashing, it eventually became Team Rocket's terrifying weapon of war.

After learning of this and realizing he could not change it, Professor Fuji disappeared with endless regret until Athena found him at the Pokémon Tower.

Seeing the old man Fuji's intense reaction, Athena's patience finally ran out. The feigned calm on her face completely crumbled, revealing a ruthless expression. She said:

"Old man, you won't take the toast we offer, you insist on drinking the penalty shot! Do you think we can't do anything if you don't cooperate?"

Athena suddenly waved her hand and ordered her subordinates, "Search! Even if you have to turn this tower upside down, find all the research materials he has hidden!"

The old man glared at her angrily: "You...you're truly despicable!"

Athena sneered and ignored him, turning her attention to a complex machine that was constantly flashing with an eerie light beside her—the core of the soul extraction device.

Athena glared at the Rockets' subordinates and said sternly:

"Don't stop the device! Keep increasing the power to extract energy! I need more soul power to perfect the 'Dark Sphere,' and the undead in this tower are the best nourishment!"

Meanwhile, at the entrance to the first floor of the Pokémon Tower.

Shidou and his group pushed open the heavy and ancient door, and a smell mixed with dust, old wood and some strange, cold energy rushed towards them.

The interior of the tower appears more spacious and deep than it does from the outside.

The light was extremely dim, with only a few old oil lamps hanging on the wall casting flickering, weak light that stretched the shadows of the people into varying lengths, twisting and deforming them as if they were alive, dancing on the wall.

A faint sobbing sound seemed to echo in the air, indistinguishable from the wind or something else.

Looking up, the spiraling staircase disappears into the deeper darkness, like a path leading to an unknown abyss.

This tower has seven floors.

"We...we're in."

Ash took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice from trembling too much. Pikachu had also completely crawled out of bed, gripping Ash's shoulders tightly, with occasional nervous sparks flashing from the electric sacs on its cheeks.

Xiaoxia was practically pressed against Shidou's back, not daring to open her eyes completely.

Hilda walked silently at the front, her scythe-like forelimbs hanging slightly, her cold compound eyes constantly scanning the surrounding shadows, not escaping her perception of any slight movement.

Shi Dou frowned slightly as he sensed the unusual energy flow within the tower.

This energy... doesn't seem like a simple ghostly aura. Instead, it carries a painful feeling of being forcibly extracted and distorted... It seems that something bad is happening inside this tower.

"Stay close to me," Shi Tou whispered to the others.

Seeing the serious and even solemn expression on Tokito's face, Ash, Misty, and Brock immediately realized that the situation might not be simple. They all put away their previous playfulness and fear, and their expressions also became serious as they followed closely behind Tokito and Hilda.

In the original Pokémon Tower, the main threat was the Gengar family's illusionary pranks and tricks. However, the energy flow within the tower is now abnormally chaotic, carrying a painful feeling of being forcibly drained, indicating that it's not simply a matter of wild Ghost-type Pokémon...

Just to be on the safe side, Tokito secretly released Cain from the spirit capsule. As soon as Cain appeared, he silently slipped into the nearby shadows and disappeared from everyone's sight.

With Cain lurking in the shadows, his shadow shield can protect everyone immediately should any sudden danger arise.

The group carefully climbed the ancient wooden stairs. The tower was eerily quiet; only the soft sounds of their footsteps and breathing echoed in the empty space, adding to the mystery.

The eerie chill that permeated the surroundings seemed to seep into one's bones, and the flickering lamplight on the walls resembled menacing ghosts, often eliciting suppressed gasps from Misty. Ash and Pikachu also nervously looked around.

In addition, there were various subtle, strange noises of unknown origin.

It sounded like a whisper, a sob, and the wind.

It keeps drilling into the ears, challenging everyone's nerves.

"Everyone, stay quiet and stay close."

Shi Dou lowered his voice and reminded them again, making the trio barely suppress their fear, hold their breath, and climb upwards step by step.

One floor... two floors...

Aside from the somewhat terrifying atmosphere, the first three floors did not present any substantial obstacles. There were only some low-level, strangely shaped things floating in the corners, which were frightened into shrinking back into the shadows at Hilda's cold gaze.

As they stepped onto the stairs leading to the fourth floor, Tokito suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. His keen hearing had caught a faint sound emanating from the upper floors, a sound completely different from the natural sounds within the tower—

Those are the sounds of human conversation!

The higher you go, the clearer the sound becomes.

As they approached the stair landing between the sixth and seventh floors, the content of their conversation became faintly discernible:

"Old man, hand over the core data now... Your hometown is Ziyuan Town, right? If you don't hand it over, don't blame us for going after your good friends and family."

"Despicable! I... will never... cooperate with your Team Rocket again!"

Ash and the others stared wide-eyed, exchanging bewildered glances that conveyed shock and confusion.

How come there's someone here?