Ethan's arrival did not cause any commotion, because he had Lucario's aura power completely cover the entire Sandslash Secret Kingdom.
The Sandslash Secret Kingdom was only a micro-sized Secret Kingdom, so for Lucario's current aura power, it was very easy to encompass it entirely.
Under the aura's inspection, the entire situation of the Secret Kingdom was clearly exposed before him. Ethan recorded all of it and then left the Secret Kingdom.
Next, his eyes swept across the quarry until they quickly fixed on the area where he had been attacked by Dusknoir long ago.
"Come out, Dusknoir."
Immediately, Ethan took out the Poké Balls of his two Dusknoir.
With a flash of white light, both figures appeared at the same time.
One of the Dusknoir, upon coming out, clearly showed a look of confusion in its eyes.
That Dusknoir was precisely the first one Ethan had captured.
At first, that Dusknoir had not accepted Ethan at all, so he had kept it confined for a very long time.
Now, however, Ethan's strength already completely surpassed and even crushed Dusknoir's, so it had no choice but to become obedient.
"Dusknoir, this place feels very familiar to you, doesn't it?"
Ethan smiled faintly and spoke while looking at the first Dusknoir.
After teaching the children of the village in the quarry and returning along the way back, it was right there that he had suffered Dusknoir's attack.
For that reason, Ethan suspected that the entrance to the Spirit World was very likely nearby.
However, what intrigued him most was that he had already come several times to investigate that same place, and yet he had never found anything.
Perhaps today, in his own hands, that mystery could finally be solved.
"Lucario, prepare to Mega Evolve."
Ethan took out the Key Stone and spoke to Lucario, who was beside him.
Lucario nodded, released the power of aura, and while connecting their mental energies, the Key Stone and the Mega Stone radiated a white light.
Immediately afterward, Lucario completed its Mega Evolution within that light and transformed into Mega Lucario.
In an instant, an incredibly strong aura power expanded and covered all of Stonefield Town.
"Begin. Use the power of aura to detect the waves of the Spirit World."
Under Ethan's order, Mega Lucario closed its eyes and began to perceive.
The power of aura infiltrated everywhere, enveloping both heaven and earth alike.
Suddenly, Mega Lucario felt a familiar presence through the aura.
After carefully investigating it, Lucario finally managed to capture that faint trace of the waves of the Spirit World.
In the next instant, the two Dusknoir, alerted by Mega Lucario, moved at the same time. Their bodies suddenly floated toward the sky.
Then, joining their forces, the two Dusknoir managed to open a true gate to the Spirit World in the air!
"We did it! The gate to the Spirit World! And this time, it really is an authentic aura of the Spirit World!"
Gazing at the gate suspended in the sky, Ethan's eyes filled with joy.
"ROOOAAARRR!"
But just as Ethan was thinking of continuing to explore that Secret Kingdom, a roar abruptly resounded from the other side of the Spirit World, and in an instant the entire gate shattered.
The two Dusknoir trembled at the same time and fell directly from the sky, collapsing onto the ground and losing the ability to battle.
With only the force of a roar, both Dusknoir were seriously injured, displaying the terrifying power of the being on the other side of the Spirit World!
And not only the Dusknoir: under that roar, even Mega Lucario's body shook involuntarily, forced to interrupt the use of aura power.
"What the hell was that?"
Seeing that, Ethan's face changed drastically.
Observing Mega Lucario's grave expression, it was evident that the existence inhabiting the Spirit World might be even more powerful than him.
"Could it possibly be a legendary Pokémon?"
"Spirit World, legendary Pokémon, place of transmigration... Could my arrival here also be related to that Pokémon?"
Ethan massaged his temples, feeling that perhaps none of this was a simple coincidence.
But, if it was a Ghost-type legendary Pokémon... which one could it be?
"Stonefield Town could become the place of my transmigration; clearly, it holds quite a few secrets."
"Choosing to establish the research center in Stonefield Town really was a very wise decision!" Ethan thought to himself, further reinforcing his idea.
In a moment, he would go to the Pokémon Researchers Guild to personally discuss this matter with President Beckett.
Tap, tap, tap.
While Ethan was reflecting, he saw the Pokémon hunter guarding the area running over from afar.
Evidently, he had also noticed the anomaly in that place and had come to check what was happening.
Fortunately, the opening of the entrance to the Spirit World had only lasted for an instant, so the Pokémon Hunters Guild had not noticed what had happened.
Otherwise, he would have had to give a whole explanation.
So Ethan simply told the hunter that it had been caused by his Pokémon's training.
The Pokémon hunter looked at Lucario, which had already exited Mega Evolution, and then at the other Pokémon, all radiating a terrifying aura, and nodded.
Ethan was now a Pokémon Professor, and the hunter knew that there were certain matters in which it was not his place to intervene, so he smiled politely and withdrew.
After resolving what had happened there, Ethan left the quarry with all his Pokémon.
Although a legendary Pokémon might exist in that Spirit World, it seemed that the gate to the Spirit World was very difficult to open, which made Ethan feel a little more at ease.
Afterward, he returned home to notify his parents. After leaving Cacturne, Slowking, and Litwick there, he recalled the other Pokémon and mounted Charizard to head to the headquarters of the Pokémon Researchers Guild.
Upon arriving at the Secret Kingdom of the sky, President Beckett soon received the news of Ethan's visit.
Facing the youngest Pokémon Professor in the academic world, President Beckett showed a broad smile.
He had watched Ethan grow step by step, so upon seeing his achievements, he felt enormous satisfaction.
In addition, Ethan had represented the Pokémon Researchers Guild in the World Championship and, on top of that, won the title, which had made the guild look very good.
After that, even in the Daleron League, a profession called "researcher trainer" began to become popular. Broadly speaking, it consisted of combining the career of researcher with that of trainer.
But, unlike traditional researchers, these new researchers mainly dedicated themselves to studying Pokémon moves and strategies, with the goal of serving Pokémon training, which had greatly increased the number of scholars.
After all, knowledge is power!
It could be said that Ethan's existence had opened a completely new path.
(End of chapter)