So many Ghost-type Pokémon, not just the ones from the Hoenn Region, but also from several other regions.
Natsuhiko looked at Furong with some surprise.
Normally, who would carry so many Ghost-type Pokémon around?
Except for that crazy woman, Agatha.
But she is the Ghost-type Elite of the Kanto Region!
And what about this young girl in front of him?
'Wait a minute.'
Natsuhiko suddenly paused, scanning the girl's appearance and skin color again, as well as all those Ghost-type Pokémon...
'Could she be... the future Ghost-type Elite of Hoenn?'
The image that flashed in Natsuhiko's mind was of Furong, the future Ghost-type Elite of the Hoenn Region!
She had grandparents living at Divine Departure Mountain, and a special ability akin to psychic Telepathy, allowing her to communicate with Ghost-type Pokémon.
And Divine Departure Mountain is a well-known burial ground for Pokémon in the Hoenn Region, where many Trainers bury their deceased Pokémon. Over time, this became an unspoken tradition.
A place with so many gathered deceased Pokémon, Divine Departure Mountain has become a favorite spot for many Ghost-type Pokémon.
Moreover, besides acting as a burial site for Pokémon, it has also become a place where many Trainers attempt to capture Ghost-type Pokémon.
Natsuhiko had more guesses and insights about the identity of the girl in front of him.
Even though her clothes weren't what he remembered, he was ninety percent sure of her identity.
'The Ghost-type Pokémon of the future Ghost-type Elite Four shouldn't be too shabby, right?'
He had always thought of the Ghost-type Pokémon as an unnecessary extra.
But now it seemed like...
That spoon might be the extra?
He found it amusing, this thought that had surfaced in his mind.
However, Natsuhiko also put away his disdain and began to carefully observe these Pokémon.
To be honest.
He wasn't very knowledgeable about Ghost-type Pokémon.
Because very few books describe Ghost-type Pokémon, his understanding came mostly from games, anime, and comics of the past.
However, as a half-baked Breeder, he had some ability to judge whether a Pokémon was excellent.
These Ghost-type Pokémon seemed pretty good.
"How about Little Ghost? It's lively and, besides being a bit mischievous, it doesn't have any major flaws. It can stay in your shadow or go anywhere it wants."
Furong began recommending her "little companions."
They were all Pokémon raised by her grandparents at Divine Departure Mountain, and upon hearing she was coming out, they had followed her.
They were curious about the outside world, so Furong promised them she would find some Trainers for them.
And that was one of the reasons for considering a Ghost-type Pokémon as an "extra."
"Gastly?"
Natsuhiko nodded in agreement.
It was indeed a good choice, possibly even the best choice.
Whether now or in the future, the final evolution of Gastly, Gengar, has always held an important position among all Ghost-type Pokémon.
Especially after the advent of Super Evolution, Gengar that could mega evolve became even more significant.
Additionally, Natsuhiko knew many strategies and sneaky tactics regarding Gengar.
Choosing Gastly could indeed maximize its capacity and potential.
However, looking at this mischievous Gastly, he thought about how he already had a Togetic in his team, and if he added another similar one, he feared the whole team atmosphere might be affected.
But Gastly was indeed tempting, so Natsuhiko regarded it as his first alternative, to choose if he couldn't find a better one.
Seeing Natsuhiko not expressing himself, Furong continued: "How about Little Night? It can freely enter and exit the Spirit Realm. Oh, the Spirit Realm is..."
"I know."
Natsuhiko interrupted her.
Duskull and its evolutions are probably the Ghost-type Pokémon most compatible with the Spirit Realm, and its final evolution, Dusknoir, is even known as the "Spirit Realm Gatekeeper."
However, this Dusknoir evolution had not yet been discovered or announced.
He did have a Spirit Realm Cloth that could evolve Dusclops into Dusknoir, making it a good thesis topic for publishing a few papers.
And the ability to freely enter and exit the Spirit Realm means accessing Spirit Realm resources, which, although risky, can be very rewarding.
This is also a good choice.
"And what about Shuppet? Although she doesn't like to talk much, when she does, she is very powerful."
Shuppet's evolution, Banette, is also a Pokémon capable of mega evolving.
However, this Pokémon is relatively unique.
Because they have an infatuation with grudges and have an almost obsessive love for them. Grudges are one of their sources of power.
But compared to Gastly and Duskull, Shuppet had a much lower priority in Natsuhiko's book.
Furong enthusiastically introduced these Ghost-type Pokémon to Natsuhiko, almost like a salesperson.
After guessing her identity, Natsuhiko gave it enough attention.
His gaze constantly swept over these Pokémon, observing their conditions and personalities.
Finally, his gaze landed on a Pokémon that wasn't very active, sitting silently like a cold sword against the wall.
"What about that one?"
Honedge.
Following his line of sight, Furong said, "Oh, Little Sword! Little Sword is also strong, but it has fewer companions, so it's a bit introverted and doesn't like to show off."
Registered as a Ghost-type Pokémon in the Kalos Region, Honedge evolves into Doublade, and with a Dark Stone, it can become an Aegislash.
Aegislash is special, with unique traits, allowing it two completely different forms: one as a powerful sword, and the other as a highly defensive shield.
Aegislash also has the rare ability to manipulate human or Pokémon minds.
Thus, in the Kalos Region, there are many legendary tales about this Pokémon.
If Natsuhiko had kept his Dark Stone, it could have been an option, but he had just given the Dark Stone away...
Moreover, like Chandelure and Lampent, Honedge has a penchant for absorbing life from others or Pokémon. If this problem couldn't be resolved, it could be a significant hassle.
Besides these, there are Crying Masks, Drifloon, and other Ghost-type Pokémon.
But Natsuhiko wasn't very interested in them.
'So, in the end, it's a choice between Gastly and Duskull?'
Natsuhiko fell into contemplation.
But then he thought of something else.
"Have these Pokémon been trained?"
This was crucial.
If they had been trained by someone, they were bound to have that person's imprint and habits, making it troublesome for him to train them if he wanted to.
Especially if their personalities and habits had already formed, if they didn't fit with him, it would delay not only himself but also these Pokémon.
"Oh, they are all raised by my grand... by that seller, but don't worry, they haven't been captured, they are still pure Wild Pokémon, though not weak..."
Then Furong remembered, "Oh, Little Sword is not like that, it plays alone, so its personality is a bit aloof, and its strength might be relatively weaker."
"I understand."
Natsuhiko nodded.
He roughly made his choice.
After a slight pause, he asked, "Can I interact with them?"