Meanwhile, deep within the misty expanse of the Ghost World.
Countless pale blue screens of light flickered to life without warning, casting an eerie glow across that deathly silent realm.
Ordinary trainers scavenging for supplies, bounty hunters lurking in the shadows waiting to ambush their prey, even the fully armed League garrison squads; every single person's field of vision was suddenly overtaken by these semi-transparent windows that had appeared out of nowhere.
[Ghost World Regional Crisis Alert Detected. Emergency Rescue Protocol Activated.]
[Ghost World Game Download Access Now Open to All Trainers and Personnel in the Area.]
[Welcome to: Ghost World Hunter: GO!]
[Join the Game?]
These cold, clinical words floated before their eyes, and the already tense crowd instantly erupted into chaos.
"What the hell is this thing?"
"A game?"
One trainer, a backpack slung over his shoulders, nearly flung his Poke Ball out of sheer fright. He stared in terror at the luminous screen cutting right through the fog, instinctively waving his hand at it, only to find his hand passed straight through.
"A holographic projection? That can't be right. How could there be technology like that out here in the Ghost World?"
"Is this an illusion? Did that Gengar hit us with Hypnosis?"
Voices full of doubt and unease rippled through the crowd.
In a place as treacherous as this, even the slightest disturbance could cost you your life, let alone some bizarre window projecting directly onto your retinas.
Most people hesitated. Some were so on edge that they clutched the Poke Balls at their hips even tighter, fearing something terrible was about to happen. Yet amidst all the chaos and suspicion, three figures stood out as remarkably composed.
They were the three bounty hunters who had crossed paths with Kairos near the entrance: Rex, Lena, and Barton.
Rex looked at the familiar interface before him. After a brief moment of stunned silence, realization clicked into place.
"Holy crap, I knew he wasn't lying to me!"
"But what even is this game?"
Whatever. It doesn't matter.
If it came from him, it's probably legit.
He muttered under his breath, then without a second thought, jabbed the "Join" button with conviction.
Lena and Barton exchanged a glance. Their hearts were still pounding with uncertainty, but since Rex had already committed, neither of them hesitated any further.
"Join."
The moment all three confirmed, the screen transformed instantly.
[Congratulations, Player! Registration Successful. Distributing Starter Gift Pack...]
Three streaks of light shot out from the screen and landed directly in their hands.
"They're actually giving stuff out??"
Rex was holding a crystal radiating a deep crimson glow. The instant it touched his palm, a fierce and blazing surge of energy coursed through his entire body.
It was a top-tier Fighting-type resource: a Crimson Battle Aura Crystal.
This kind of item was virtually impossible to find on the open market, a coveted rarity used to cultivate the core strength of Fighting-type Pokemon. Its effects were dozens of times more potent than your average energy block.
In Lena's hands was a peculiar violet plant. Its leaves were adorned with glistening dewdrops and gave off a dizzying, sickly-sweet fragrance. A premium Poison-type material: Violet Grass.
For her Nidoqueen, this was nothing short of a supreme delicacy. A single dose would boost the power of Poison-type moves by at least twenty percent.
Barton was grinning from ear to ear. Cradled in his hands was a hefty chunk of dark brown ore, a Ground-type exclusive enhancement item: the Heavy Rock Plate.
Not only did it boost defensive capability, it also dramatically amplified the destructive power of Ground-type moves. It was the kind of treasure countless Ground-type trainers could only dream of.
All three of them stared at what they were holding, their breathing growing rapid and shallow.
This was absolutely insane.
Sending rewards through the air like that??
And starter gifts this good?
Any one of these items, sold on the black market, would fetch enough money to live comfortably for years.
Lena's hands were trembling with excitement. She instinctively turned toward Rex, lips parting to say something.
Rex was faster. He immediately raised a single finger to his lips in a sharp, silent shushing gesture.
Lena froze, then caught on. She clamped her mouth shut.
There were still so many people around them. If word of this got out, it would draw attention in a heartbeat.
A shrewd light gleamed in Rex's eyes.
His meaning was crystal clear: say nothing. Get rich quietly.
Inwardly, of course, his mind was a storm of disbelief.
That guy really wasn't lying after all.
No, wait. That's not right.
He really wasn't lying, that absolute legend.
Either way, now that he'd latched onto this golden opportunity, there was no letting go.
But then, in the very next moment, the three rewards vanished as suddenly as they had appeared, replaced by a single line of text.
[To Claim Your Starter Rewards, Please Complete the Starter Quest!]
[Quest Assignment in Progress.]
Rex reacted the fastest.
Right. Nothing in this world is ever truly free.
But this quest...
He scanned the information on the panel.
[Starter Quest: Defeat one Gym Leader Mid-Tier Chandelure]
[Location: Southern Outer Ring of Ghost World, Near the Third Defensive Line]
[Alert: A team has been detected in your party. A team quest may be issued upon completion of the Starter Quest. Do you accept?]
He glanced over at Lena and Barton, who were still processing everything.
"What are your quests?"
Lena spoke quietly.
"Mine says defeat a Gym Leader Entry-Level Mismagius. Location is near the Third Defensive Line."
Barton chimed in.
"Mine's an Entry-Level opponent as well. Same location, Third Defensive Line."
Rex made the call immediately.
"Alright. Let's go complete the quests."
With that, he turned and walked off without looking back.
Lena and Barton quickly stashed their treasures away and hurried after him.
At that moment, a few people who had noticed the trio's departing figures couldn't help but speak up.
"Are those three insane? They're just going to accept something that shady?"
"Who knows. Probably some virus a hacker cooked up as a prank."
"I'm not so sure. The quality on that screen is too refined. I don't think today's tech can produce something like that."
"Wait, I think I..."
Murmurs and speculation overlapped one another, and the majority of people remained in a wait-and-see stance. In this world, anything that seemed too good to be true almost always came with a trap, and no one was willing to gamble their life to find out.
Then, in that very instant, everyone's game panel flickered and switched automatically.
[Now Streaming: The First Player's Current Progress and Reward Showcase...]
What followed was a replay of Will's earlier battle, visible to all eyes.
This time, it wasn't just the upper echelons inside the Ghost World's main tower watching; every single person present in the Ghost World bore witness to the entire sequence: Will accepting the quest, following the clues, fighting through the battle, and finally, those jaw-dropping premium rewards at the end.
Full Restore. Dark Berry. Cursed Seal.
Each item that appeared was met with a chorus of sharp, audible gasps.
"Holy crap, is that a Full Restore?? Am I seeing things?!"
"That black fruit... I think that's a Dark Berry? I saw it in the Pokedex once. Apparently a single one is worth enough to buy an entire house!"
"Seriously?? You can get stuff like that just from playing a game?"
"It has to be real. That's Will we're talking about!"
The crowd, previously riddled with skepticism, erupted in an instant.
This wasn't a game. This was a money printer.
And not just any amount of money, either.
The very next second, the Ghost World filled with the frantic sight of countless fingers hammering at invisible screens.
"I accept!"
"I want in too!"
"Save me a spot!"
Every last trace of suspicion about illusions or traps was obliterated in that moment.
Faced with temptation of this magnitude, even the most cautious among them felt their hearts betray them with an involuntary surge of excitement.
Within just a few minutes, the previously desolate Ghost World had transformed into something almost festive. Trainers who had been pinned down behind cover suddenly moved with wild, energized purpose, diving headfirst into their quests. Since quest difficulty was automatically calibrated to each individual's strength, both the powerful and the weak alike found something suited to their abilities.
"Done! Quest complete!"
"I finished mine too! The points actually came through!"
As the first wave of starter quests reached completion, an icon on the game interface that had previously been dim suddenly lit up.
[Forum Feature Unlocked.]
Players who had been itching with impatience clicked in immediately.
In an instant, a torrent of messages came flooding in.
"Holy hell, guys, did you all see those rewards from earlier? Was Will's Dark Berry actually real?"
"I saw it too! That's absolutely insane! What is this game, seriously?"
"I just finished a quest and got a Power Band. Can't compare to that Dark Berry, but it's still worth serious money!"
"Stop showing off, I only got five Full Restores. But hey, it's better than nothing."
"Five Full Restores and you're complaining?? Those are expensive! Give them to me if you don't want them!"
"Does anyone know what the points are for? There's a ton of good stuff in the shop!"
"Hey... is anyone looking to party up? I saw a co-op quest posted on the forum, something about taking down an Elite-tier Haunter. The rewards are doubled!"
"Party up, plus one! I've got Poison-types!"
"Plus one, I'm running Ground-type!"
The forum was alive with energy as players eagerly swapped tips and discussed rewards.
Just moments ago, the trainers scattered throughout the Ghost World had been operating in an almost entirely passive, guarded state.
It wasn't just the Ghost-type Pokemon they were wary of; given the different factions present, many had been keeping a suspicious eye on each other as well.
But right now, that had all changed.
Everyone's reaction was, remarkably, identical.
This game had to be connected to that "Emerald" app that had taken the outside world by storm.
The old "Emerald" had been wildly popular, sure, but the reward cycle was slow, only once a week, and it required climbing the leaderboard on top of that. But "Ghost World Hunter: GO" was something else entirely.
Its rewards were richer, and far more direct.
Better yet, tasks were issued and rewards delivered in real-time, right here in the physical world, with immediate feedback.
This wasn't playing a game.
This was picking up free money off the ground.
۞۞۞۞
https://p-atreon.com/lost_magus
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)