The weakened Fourth Floor

If Qingliu had known Candice believed he could clear the fourth and fifth floors, or even rival Cynthia, he would have been happy to have her trust.

But he knew nothing of that now, nor did he have time to think about it.

"Agumon, have you noticed anything strange?"

Qingliu stood in a blind spot outside the surveillance cameras' view, in the passage from the Third Floor to the Fourth Floor, and asked Agumon, who had just emerged from his Poké Ball.

Agumon closed his eyes and took several deep sniffs before replying, "Other than something in the air that feels unpleasant, I haven't noticed anything."

"The same result..."

Qingliu frowned at the virtual panel before him.

Neither his own impressions nor the information revealed by the panel differed much from what Agumon had said.

Aside from the strange presence in the air, the Fourth Floor was no different from the three floors they had already cleared.

It had the same chilling graveyard atmosphere, the same poor lighting, and the same handful of Pokémon standing guard.

But the sounds earlier had definitely come down from the Fourth Floor. At such close range, he shouldn't have misheard them.

If he couldn't sense anything wrong, then what was wrong?

No one could answer that question.

But besides humans, there were also... Pokémon here.

Qingliu turned his gaze toward the three Pokémon guarding the Fourth Floor in the shadows of a corner.

Their information immediately appeared on the panel.

[Species] Misdreavus/Misdreavus

[Category] Screech Pokémon

[Type] Ghost/Ghost

[Ability] Levitate/Levitate (floats above the ground, granting immunity to Ground-type moves)

[Level] 19/19

[Exclusive moves] None

[Known moves] Confusion, Astonish, Confuse Ray, Night Shade, Endure/Confusion, Astonish, Mean Look, Endure

[Base stat total] 435 (HP 60, Attack 60, Defense 60, Special Attack 85, Special Defense 85, Speed 85)

[Friendship] 0 (indifferent toward you) ×2

[Status] Afraid (extremely weakened-recovering) ×2

[Summary] XXXXXXX

[Species] Golbat

[Category] Bat Pokémon

[Type] Poison, Flying

[Ability] Infiltrator (can attack through an opponent's barriers or Substitute)

[Level] 20

[Exclusive moves] None

[Known moves] Screech, Absorb, Astonish, Mean Look, Quick Guard, Poison Fang, Venom Drench

[Base stat total] 455 (HP 75, Attack 80, Defense 70, Special Attack 65, Special Defense 75, Speed 90)

[Friendship] 0 (indifferent toward you)

[Status] Afraid (extremely weakened-recovering)

[Summary] Its mouth is enormous, and its teeth are sharp enough to bite through tough skin. They evolved specifically for drinking blood.

It actively attacks humans and Pokémon at night. Sometimes, rather than flying, it uses its small, agile legs to approach its target quickly.

Extremely weakened?

Qingliu quickly scanned all the information on the panel, finally stopping at the status fields that listed both Misdreavus and the Golbat as "extremely weakened."

Had something happened to leave them in this state?

Or had someone beaten them this badly?

"I haven't heard of any trainers reaching the Fourth Floor besides Cynthia and me."

Besides, people were always stationed outside to watch over and protect the Lost Tower. It should have been impossible for someone to skip the first three floors, run straight to the Fourth Floor, and beat up its guardian Pokémon.

Wouldn't someone capable of that be better off fighting their way up from the first floor?

Yet the Pokémon on the first three floors had all been in normal condition, while those on the Fourth Floor were terribly weak.

Qingliu increasingly felt that the sounds he had heard on the Third Floor were the cause of all this.

But I haven't found a single clue since coming up here. Could "it" have already gone upstairs?

Qingliu looked up at the ceiling.

Just then, loud noises rang out overhead again...

Thud!

Bang!!

Screech!!!

"The sounds are even louder and clearer than what I heard on the third floor. And unless I'm mistaken, there are Pokémon roars mixed in."

Qingliu waited quietly for a few seconds, and the noises gradually faded once more.

But that was enough. At least he could be certain that whoever was making those strange noises was on the fifth floor.

Although he didn't know how "it" had gotten inside, there was no sixth floor beyond the Fifth Floor. It couldn't leave without making a sound, either.

In other words, he only needed to go up one more floor to learn who it was.

But for now, there might be a better way.

Apart from witnessing something firsthand, the best way to get the full picture was to ask those involved.

"Agumon, you could understand all the Pokémon we met on the three floors below, right?"

"Yes."

"Then please go over and ask them what happened just now. Sorry for the trouble. It would be even better if you could find out exactly who was responsible."

Qingliu pointed at the three weakened Pokémon hiding in the shadows opposite them.

If he could learn what had happened from these three witnesses and victims, and find out whether the culprit was a human or a Pokémon, he could avoid the danger of heading upstairs and potentially running straight into them, making things as safe as possible.

Agumon understood and immediately ran over to question them one by one.

Perhaps they lacked the strength, or perhaps they could tell Agumon had no intention of fighting. Golbat and the two other Pokémon didn't attack. They simply stayed where they were without moving, never even opening their mouths.

Naturally, they didn't answer Agumon's questions, either.

Only when Agumon asked about the culprit did the three Pokémon begin trembling uncontrollably, as though reminded of something terrifying. In the end, Agumon was rebuffed by all three.

"Qingliu, they seem pretty frightened."

"Forget it. It was only worth a try. We'll just have to rely on ourselves."

With that, Qingliu headed toward the passage leading to the Fifth Floor with Agumon.

To his great surprise, however, their way was soon blocked.

Looking at Golbat and the two Misdreavus blocking their path, Qingliu frowned. "I know guarding the passage is your job, but you can barely fight in your current condition. Is there really any need to battle us?"

Golbat and the Misdreavus said nothing. They simply stood before Qingliu and Agumon with determined gazes, showing no intention of stepping aside.

Seeing that persuasion was useless, Qingliu had no choice but to let Agumon fight.