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Sato had only ever heard of ghost ships from old sailors' tales. The legends said that those who encountered one at sea would be cursed by the ocean itself — even if they escaped its pursuit, they would soon fall ill and die a miserable death.
The sailors aboard clearly knew at least fragments of these stories. When they heard the panicked fisherman shouting about a ghost ship, their faces turned grim, some even showing raw terror in their eyes.
The unknown always breeds fear — especially when it comes to sinister, incomprehensible things like a ghost ship.
Sato, however, managed to keep his composure. With his current experience, such a thing didn't frighten him.
In his view, a "ghost ship" was nothing more than a derelict vessel swarming with Ghost-type Pokémon. As for the so-called ocean's curse, that was simply the move Curse, which nearly all Ghost-types could use.
Still, he was uneasy. At the moment, he only had Lanturn, Tentacruel, and an untrained Shellder. In the battle ahead, he might not play a decisive role — survival itself could be difficult.
"Ghost-types… the absolute worst."
He muttered to himself while moving toward the brightest lights on deck, releasing Lanturn, Tentacruel, and Shellder beside him.
In the bridge, the crew had already ordered the engine room to push the cruise ship to maximum speed after spotting traces of the ghost ship. But for a vessel this massive, even "maximum" wasn't nearly enough.
Soon, they were overtaken — not by the ghost ship itself, but by a pirate vessel fleeing desperately from it. The pirates had no intention of fighting the cruise ship; they merely crossed its path, clearly planning to "divert disaster eastward," before vanishing into the night.
The ghostly sea fog that had been chasing the pirates quickly abandoned them and drifted toward the cruise ship instead.
In the captain's cabin, an elderly man with snow-white hair stared grimly out the window at the approaching fog. This was Reggie, the ship's captain.
A veteran of countless voyages, Reggie knew ghost ships well — he had encountered them more than once. He understood just how vicious the Ghost-type Pokémon aboard could be.
If they didn't mount a fierce resistance, not a single living being might remain on the ship. These Pokémon were born from the souls of the drowned — vengeful spirits harboring only malice.
"Everyone, listen up! I am Captain Reggie. Do not panic. A so-called ghost ship is nothing more than a wreck controlled by Ghost-type Pokémon. What we face are just wild Pokémon.
"But the sailors alone cannot withstand them. I order every Trainer aboard to step forward. This is not a request — it's a command. If you want to live, you'd better find your courage. These sea-wraiths will not spare a single life.
"That said, there is hope. It's now 5:23 a.m. The sun will rise in about an hour. If we can endure until then, the ghosts will retreat.
"So all Trainers, report to the deck immediately. Don't cower like dogs!"
He glanced at his watch, relief flickering across his face, then barked the order into the intercom. His harsh voice blasted through speakers all across the ship.
Many Trainers understood the logic: if the ship sank, none of them would survive. Though fear gnawed at them, they left their cabins and rushed for the deck.
The captain's cabin doors swung open, and Reggie emerged flanked by two Pokémon radiating power.
The sight of him bolstered the crew's spirits. Some sailors even raised their axes and shouted, morale surging back.
"Of course — when the sky falls, a tall man holds it up. Captain Reggie's no ordinary sailor. In his youth, he must've been Elite-Four level. How else could he command a ship this size?"
Sato's eyes lit up at the sight of Reggie and his Pokémon. His anxious heart steadied.
Using his system's detection ability, he confirmed that Reggie's Feraligatr and Crawdaunt were both level 69 — just a single step short of Elite-Four level. Their diminished strength was likely due to old age. At their peak, Sato guessed, both had been true Elite-Four tier powerhouses.
Even weakened, they still far outclassed typical pseudo-Elite-Four tier Pokémon — and with full effort, they might well reach Elite-Four power again, if only briefly.
Not long after Reggie appeared, the thick, eerie fog engulfed the cruise ship. In the glow of the deck lights, a decrepit vessel emerged from the mist.
From within came chilling wails, and flickering blue flames began to appear across the deck.
"Ahhh!"
A sailor near the railing screamed. A Gastly materialized in front of him, immediately lashing out its tongue to wrap around his body.
Terrified of ghosts to begin with, the man shrieked in horror.
That scream seemed to trigger the attack. Hidden Ghost-types dropped their invisibility, swarming the deck to assault every living being.
Many sailors and Trainers froze in fear and were quickly overwhelmed, collapsing unconscious.
But some responded swiftly. Reggie's Feraligatr and Crawdaunt tore apart several Ghost-types before they could even strike.
Sato, aided by his telepathic sensing, saw through the fog as if it were clear air. Under his psychic guidance, Lanturn and Tentacruel struck true.
Tentacruel's primary role was to shield Sato, while also using Acid Bomb to weaken foes' special defense for Lanturn's follow-ups. When needed, it used Water-type moves on Lanturn to trigger its Water Absorb and heal it.
Lanturn was the main attacker. Under Sato's commands, it quickly used Agility three times, maxing its speed. Then, combining Soak and Electro Ball, it devastated the enemy. Any Ghost-type hit by both Soak and Tentacruel's Acid Bomb couldn't withstand even a single Electro Ball.
Within moments, more than a dozen Ghost-types, levels ranging from 25 to 35, lay defeated around him.
The sight reinvigorated the sailors and Trainers nearby — their morale soared.