LightReader

Chapter 134 - The Hero of the Haunted Tower

After the storm came a clear sky. The heavy, suffocating atmosphere that had long oppressed Lavender Town finally began to disperse.

Humans are deeply sensitive to their surroundings. For the residents of Lavender Town, being forced to live under such an oppressive silence—unable even to speak freely with strangers—was a constant source of inner pain. But on this day, that invisible weight lifted.

After his indirect victory over Agatha, Logan reported the events to Lavender Town's council. Lavender was small, without its own Gym; governance was handled by an elected committee of townsfolk.

Logan didn't reveal that Agatha, one of the Elite Four, had been behind everything. Such truth would only spark panic. Instead, he told them it was the work of a sinister trainer—but that trainer had been defeated and driven off.

Soon, children's laughter returned to the town famed for its graves and mourning rites. To the residents, Logan became a hero. Reporters came sniffing for interviews, but he declined them all. Trainers who had once been controlled by Agatha's schemes personally thanked him for saving them.

Still, tragedy lingered. Agatha's experiments had lasted for two months. Many trainers and their Pokémon had not survived long enough for Logan to arrive. Their graves were placed right there in the haunted tower itself—a grim reminder of lives cut short.

As for the prayer tower, badly damaged above its fourth floor, Lavender's council took charge of repairs. Logan had no need to involve himself further.

🏨 Inside a Lavender Town inn—

"You haven't eaten in days. Just stick to porridge and water for now," Logan said, frowning at the boy hunched over the table.

Blue Oak looked up at him briefly before obeying. Slowly, steadily, he spooned porridge into his mouth, easing the gnawing hunger that had tormented him for days.

"This time… I really owe you."

Blue Oak's voice was hoarse, the after-effect of dehydration. But his sincerity was clear. Though proud and often arrogant, Blue Oak wasn't incapable of humility.

"It's nothing. We're friends, after all. When Professor Oak told me you'd gone missing, I came right away. Luckily, I wasn't too late—any later, and you'd have ended up like the corpses in that tower."

Blue Oak closed his eyes, recounting the events that had led him here.

"After leaving Vermilion, I went to Celadon. When I heard about Lavender's… uniqueness, I came here. I met an old man named Mr. Fuji. He told me about the tower, and when I heard the Ghost Pokémon had all vanished, I went to investigate. But… I fell right into the trap. Nearly died inside."

Logan fell silent, deep in thought.

The Fighting Pokémon of Mt. Moon—gone. The Ghost Pokémon of Lavender Tower—gone. Coincidence? Impossible. Among the Elite Four, one specialized in Fighting… another in Ghosts. This had Agatha's fingerprints all over it.

"Don't forget to tell your grandfather you're safe," Logan reminded him.

"Yeah… I really worried him this time," Blue Oak sighed.

Logan rolled his eyes. Your grandfather? Worried? Please. When he told me you were missing, he was still happily slurping ramen.

Just then—knock, knock.

Logan rose and opened the door. After a brief exchange with the person outside, he returned holding a parcel.

"A delivery… from Saffron City."

The words made Logan pause. He already knew who it was. Who else from Saffron would send something, knowing exactly where he was? Sabrina.

He tore the package open. Inside was a neatly ribbon-tied gift box. Logan blinked in surprise. The cold, elegant woman… had such a delicate side?

Inside lay two neatly placed badges—the Soul Badges of Fuchsia Gym, taken from Koga.

"So this is our war prize," Logan smiled, picking them up.

"That's your prize, not mine," Blue Oak muttered, wiping his mouth with a napkin after finishing his porridge.

"What, you don't want one?"

"Koga wasn't defeated by me."

"Who cares? They gave it to you, you might as well accept."

Logan shook his head in disbelief. A man being this stubbornly tsundere… really?

"No. I'll defeat Koga myself. Only then will I take a badge from him."

Blue Oak's voice was firm, his head shaking stubbornly.

"…Fine, suit yourself."

Logan casually tossed one badge into the trash. After all, they were just symbols. Their material was special, but only the original Gym Leader's badges truly held mysterious power.

He clipped the other badge to his bracelet, joining the badges of Pewter, Cerulean, Vermilion, Saffron, and now Fuchsia. Five in total. Only Celadon, Cinnabar, and Viridian remained.

Truthfully, four badges were all that was required to qualify for the Indigo League. It was never necessary to collect all eight. Gym Leaders often took leaves of absence, and some Gyms were closed for years—like Giovanni's in Viridian.

The rule gave trainers flexibility. They could choose which Gyms to challenge, often avoiding the most brutal. For example, Sabrina—few ever passed her trial, so few even attempted.

For Logan, the badges were no longer about eligibility. They had become a collection—a mark of his journey.

"You should rest here in Lavender a few more days," Logan advised. "Recover before heading out again."

"That's my plan. Where are you going next?"

"Celadon City. According to plan."

Logan sat at a desk, opening his portable computer. He inserted the USB drive Sabrina had given him.

There was only a single document inside. Massive in size, clearly containing hundreds of thousands of words.

The title alone froze him in place:

—"The Eevee Modification Project."

--------------------

T/N:

Check out my Patreon

[email protected]/FictionalRealms784 - (Replace '@' with 'a')

for 5 Advanced Chapters absolutely FREE—or unlock 35 Advanced Chapters

--------------------

More Chapters