The match on the third day was a Triple Battle.
This time, it was also the longest stay Kurusaki Sō had ever spent on the island, and he and Raven took the opportunity to properly reminisce about old times~
For this battle, Tetsuya had also formulated some tactics. The Pokémon chosen to battle were Golett, Beedrill, and Gengar.
Piloswine's power was simply too great. Battles of this scale were not worth having it take action. Moreover, whenever this fellow used its moves… it literally caused natural disasters!
Piloswine's power was far too eye-catching, so it absolutely had to restrain itself. No matter how strong he became, as long as it remained below the level of the Shadow Team members, naturally nobody would care.
However, once his strength surpassed that of the Shadows, someone would definitely target him. The [Shadow Contract] was the key, and it absolutely could not be discovered by anyone!
The opponent in the third battle was an extra.
Tetsuya's Pokémon each fought independently and easily defeated the opponent. To put it bluntly, opponents like these were not even comparable to wilde Pokémon clans. This clans usually possessed their own offensive and defensive systems in order to deal with external enemies, whereas these battles practically had nothing at all.
After the battle ended, Raven and Sō deliberately delayed things for an extra day before finally announcing the rankings on the fourth day. Tetsuya and several others had achieved complete victories in the three battles, accumulating twelve points.
After this elimination round ended, only twenty people remained on the island. Although it was the height of summer, everyone still could not help feeling a chill run down their spines…
---◓---
That same day, Tetsuya directly exchanged for food, Poké Balls, and medicine. With the thirteen Pokémon, the food this time was enough to last three months.
The summer solstice was drawing closer and closer. Alone, Tetsuya headed toward the mountain hollow where Alakazam had once been.
At this moment, Kanta followed after him and said, "Tetsuya, let's go together this time~"
"No."
Tetsuya spoke coldly, leaving Kanta standing in place gnashing his teeth…
This time, Tetsuya absolutely would not allow anyone nearby. Throughout the journey, he continuously stopped to check whether anyone was in the vicinity.
After walking for four days, he finally arrived at the mountain hollow. There was still one week remaining before the summer solstice, and Tetsuya began to make some preparations.
At that time, Golett and Houndoom would guard the outermost entrance, namely the place once guarded by Exeggutor. The moment anyone approached, they would attack.
Beedrill would guard the Berry tree, while Ditto would Transform into a Water-type Pokémon and remain within the lake. If Golett and Houndoom's defensive line were breached, then Beedrill and Ditto would guard this second defensive line.
The final defensive line would be guarded by Piloswine, namely the location where Hypno had once been. With all of his Pokémon deployed, there should not be any problems. As long as the Shadow Team members did not mobilize, then against merely the other nineteen people on the island, even if five arrived at once, Tetsuya still would not need to worry at all.
After completing all the arrangements, Tetsuya conducted continuous drills for an entire week, ensuring that nothing could go wrong, while waiting only for tomorrow's summer solstice to arrive.
---◓---
Finally, the moment to establish the [Shadow Contract] with Gengar had arrived…
Tetsuya had already explained the advantages and disadvantages involved very clearly to Gengar, while Gengar itself was even more resolute and unwavering.
Although a trace of floating clouds appeared in the sky, Houndoom used Sunny Day, causing the sunlight to become even more intense.
Time slowly passed by…
Noon gradually approached, while the sunlight became increasingly intense, and the position of the sun gradually formed direct overhead exposure.
At this moment, Gengar had already taken its position.
'So… it was finally about to happen, huh.' Such an experience was almost unbelievable, and Tetsuya could not help becoming nervous in his heart.
The time had arrived!
Tetsuya gritted his teeth, steadied his mind, and said, "Gengar… begin!"
Gengar let out a long whisper, spread both arms wide, and faced the sunlight. At the moment when the strongest sunlight of the entire year shone down, the supreme positive light illuminated Gengar's body.
Gengar's entire body seemed as though it were being purified. Its body unconsciously shrank toward Tetsuya's own body.
'Cold…'
Tetsuya only felt waves of bone-piercing cold invading his entire body. One had to know that this was the middle of a summer noon.
The entire process needed to continue until there was not a trace of coldness remaining within his body. Only then would it mean that Gengar had completely merged with his shadow.
Gengar's body slowly seeped into Tetsuya's own body until it completely "entered", yet the process still had not ended…
At this moment, Gengar was moving throughout his body, sensing Tetsuya's body and spirit. Tetsuya's body trembled nonstop. Matsuba's records had also mentioned such reactions, so Tetsuya could only grit his teeth and endure it.
Just as he tightly clenched his fists, a voice suddenly sounded within his mind. "Tetsuya… ama… hold on… It will… over soon…"
'This... was Gengar's voice?'
He could already clearly sense(?) Gengar's thoughts now. The mind of Tetsuya and Gengar was establishing a connection.
"Ahhhhh…!"
Just as Tetsuya felt the coldness fading from his body and prepared to open his eyes, he suddenly felt as though his head were splitting apart.
He violently collapsed!
Tetsuya used one hand to support himself against the rocky ground.
Suddenly, he heard a cry… of alarm?
"T-Tetsuya!? Your shadow… your face! W-What happened to you!?"
'N-Not good, who broke in?'
Tetsuya immediately sensed that the situation had become extremely bad. This was also what he had feared the most!
Matsuba IV's records had explained very clearly that during the three days after establishing the [Shadow Contract], the body would become the same color as Gengar, and only after three days would it gradually fade away.
He had clearly established layer upon layer of obstacles, so how could someone still have entered!?
Tetsuya raised his eyes to look…
It was Kanta, together with a… Gardevoir!?
Seeing Tetsuya's darkened skin and blood-red eyes, Kanta was so frightened that he collapsed onto the ground. "M-Monster… you're a monster!"
In truth, ever since Tetsuya rejected teaming up with him last time, Kanta had felt that his self-esteem had been greatly trampled upon, so he had continuously followed behind Tetsuya.
However, Tetsuya had been cautious and vigilant the entire way, leaving Kanta with no opportunity to approach. Yet this only deepened Kanta's suspicions further. 'Tetsuya definitely had some sort of scheme'.
Therefore, he had his newly caught Gardevoir observe Tetsuya's movements from afar.
When Tetsuya made all those "defensive" preparations, Kanta became certain that Tetsuya was definitely preparing for something extremely important, which further intensified his suspicions.
However, every one of Tetsuya's Pokémon was exceptionally powerful. It was absolutely impossible for him to forcefully break through, so he had Gardevoir use Teleport to enter instead.
Unexpectedly, this Gardevoir was extraordinarily familiar with this place, and a single Teleport brought it directly to Tetsuya's location.
After witnessing Tetsuya in such a monstrous state, Kanta was naturally so frightened that he collapsed onto the ground.
At this moment, Tetsuya's eyes were blood-red. 'Since you have already seen it, then sorry… or not', Killing intent had already begun rising within Tetsuya's heart.
Kanta also realized that he had seen something he should never have seen. At this moment, he truly regretted allowing his suspicions to become so heavy.
'Run!'
Kanta sensed the killing aura coming from Tetsuya and continuously shrank backward.
"G-Gardevoir, T-Teleport. Quickly use Teleport!"
Kanta was completely panicked and flustered, to the point that even his commands became stuttered.