### Chapter 34: The tomb

Kane rubbed his forehead, deep in thought, reflecting on the unexpected developments that had unfolded. "I've really been quite careless lately. I never anticipated that there would be such a connection... Some of these breeding methods might actually have been passed down from the ancestors of the Chiyama family that includes the side branch of the family. If that's the case, then there's bound to be something valuable recorded in the *Crestmont family chronicle *," he mused aloud, his mind now clearer than it had been in days.

With a new direction firmly in his heart, Kane was finally able to rest. For the first time in a while, he slept peacefully, his mind unburdened by the nagging uncertainties that had plagued him.

Four days had already passed since Chiyama had left the city. He could return at any moment now, and Kane knew he was racing against the clock. He needed to act quickly and decisively before time ran out.

Early next morning, Kane found himself standing outside Chiyama's study, his breath visible in the chilly air. The sun had barely risen, casting a soft glow across the sky. The study's heavy wooden door creaked slightly as he entered. The *Crestmont family chronicle*, a chronicle of the Chiyama family's history, was securely locked in one of the desk drawers, but Kane still remembered the trick Ditto had used to unlock it last time.

As his fingers traced over the drawer's edges, the lock clicked open, and he slowly pulled out the worn, leather-bound *Crestmont family chronicle*. The ancient tome seemed to weigh more heavily in his hands than it had before, as if the weight of centuries of secrets were pressing down on him. With a deep breath, Kane began flipping through its thick pages, eager to find anything that might give him the answers he sought.

Time seemed to stretch as Kane immersed himself in the book. Minutes turned into an hour, but Kane remained completely focused, his eyes scanning each word carefully.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Thunderstorm, looking disheveled and groggy, stumbled into the room. He was rubbing his temples, his face twisted in confusion as if he was trying to make sense of something. "What happened yesterday?" he muttered to himself; his voice low. "I feel like I've been exhausted lately... Overslept again this morning. This has been happening too much lately."

His bleary eyes finally registered Kane sitting comfortably in Chiyama's chair, flipping through the pages of the *Crestmont family chronicle*. Thunderstorm blinked, clearly surprised to see Kane there. "Why are you still hanging around here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought we agreed there were no clues left to find."

Without bothering to look up from the book, Kane simply replied in a calm, detached tone, "I'm interested."

Thunderstorm frowned in confusion. "Interested? You mean to tell me you're actually interested in something that's not directly related to your goal? That's... unexpected." He sounded skeptical, as if he couldn't quite believe Kane would care about anything beyond his immediate mission. Curiosity piqued, he moved closer, craning his neck to get a look at what Kane was so engrossed in. "Let me see what you're reading," he said, his voice a little more demanding now.

As soon as Thunderstorm's eyes landed on the text Kane had been studying, his expression changed drastically. A wave of emotion washed over him, and his face turned various shades of blue and purple. His thoughts raced wildly, as if his mind was trying to process what he was seeing. *Was this just a coincidence? * He wondered, his heart pounding. *Or has Kane been planning this all along?*

Kane, still completely engrossed in the book, didn't need to look up to know how rattled Thunderstorm must be feeling. He could practically sense the tension radiating off him.

Forcing a shaky smile, Thunderstorm spoke again, this time with an air of forced camaraderie. "It's rare for us to share the same interests, Kane. Why don't we sit read this together?" His tone was friendly enough, but it was clear that he was trying to mask his unease.

Kane's response was brief and dismissive. "Wait until I'm finished," he said, not bothering to look up.

The idea of man huddled with him, reading a book in dead silence, was utterly ridiculous to Kane. It wasn't something he could even entertain as a possibility. Thunderstorm, however, wasn't deterred by the rejection. His frustration was bubbling under the surface, but he knew better than to let it show. He swallowed his pride and sat down nearby, his eyes fixed on Kane, watching him as he continued to read at a slow, deliberate pace, as if taking a leisurely stroll through the pages.

The *Crestmont family chronicle*, while ancient and full of history, was mostly a collection of mundane details. It documented the lives and events of each generation of the Chiyama family, often in the form of long-winded accounts that offered little of interest. To the untrained eye, it would seem like little more than a boring diary. But Kane knew better. There were key pieces of information buried within, and he was determined to find them.

As he read, Kane's mind latched onto several pieces of valuable information. These details, though scattered, began to form a picture in his mind.

About 500 years ago, the prototype for what would later become Pokémon gyms had emerged. Back then, a gym was a symbol of strength—a way for the strongest in the city to assert their dominance.

By chance the first Crestmont, stumbled upon an ancient book and a peculiar stone, both of which detailed methods for training ghost-type Pokémon. After years of rigorous practice, he succeeded in raising a powerful Gengar. But this wasn't just any ordinary Gengar. The strange stone had transformed its body, enhancing its strength to unimaginable levels—into what would later be known as *Mega Gengar*.

With his Mega Gengar by his side, that ancestor rose to power, dominating Ecruteak City. He established a gym and even constructed a grand underground tomb near Burned Tower, intending it to be his resting place after death.

After his death, the Mega Gengar and the ancient book were passed down to his son, who continued to rule Ecruteak City.

However, there was a peculiar gap in the records. The documents contained no significant information about Chiyama III, which left Kane wondering why his deeds had gone unrecorded.

Chiyama IV, on the other hand, was a figure of great renown. He was hailed as a young prodigy, traveling across various regions and subduing powerful Pokémon. In time, he even defeated his own father to become a hero in Ecruteak City—without relying on the power of the Mega Gengar left behind by his ancestors.

Upon his death, Chiyama IV sealed the tomb and left behind several of his most powerful Pokémon to guard it. The ancient book and the Mega Gengar disappeared with him, hidden away in the sealed tomb.

Chiyama IV also used his extensive travels and battles to compile a set of techniques for training ghost-type Pokémon. Even though the family's influence began to decline after his death, these techniques allowed the Chiyama family to maintain a strong foothold in Ecruteak City for years to come.

Having absorbed all this information, Kane closed the book with a soft thud and handed it over to Thunderstorm, who was watching him intently. Kane knew he couldn't hide anything from Thunderstorm now, and, frankly, there was no point in keeping the *Crestmont family chronicle* to himself as he no longer needed it.

From what Kane had gathered, it seemed that the ancient book and the Mega Gengar were sealed inside the tomb by Chiyama IV. But this revelation only led to more questions—questions that seemed insurmountable at the moment.

Three major problems now stood in Kane's way. First, the exact location of the tomb was still unclear. The direction near Burned Tower was vague, and without a precise location, searching for it would be futile. Second, even if he found the tomb, it had been sealed by Chiyama IV. Breaking into it would be no simple task. And lastly, the tomb was guarded by Chiyama IV's strongest Pokémon. Even if he somehow managed to enter, he would be outmatched by those powerful guardians.

Each of these obstacles felt like an insurmountable mountain, and Kane found himself wondering how Komatsu's son had been able to enter the tomb and retrieve the ancient book.

Another mystery nagged at him—the absence of records about Chiyama III. Why had his deeds gone unrecorded? And what had Chiyama IV accomplished that had earned him the title of a "great hero" in Ecruteak City?

Thunderstorm, having finished reading the *Crestmont family chronicle* as well, let out a long, heavy sigh. His face was full of frustration, and he seemed to be deep in thought.

"It's all in the tomb palace," Thunderstorm finally said, his voice laced with resignation.

"We are too weak break in yet," Kane responded matter of fact. He wasn't one to sugarcoat the truth.

Thunderstorm's shoulders slumped as he let out another sigh. "We finally have a clue, and you're just going to sit on it?"

Kane smirked knowingly. After spending so much time with Thunderstorm, he understood the boy's impatience. But Kane also knew that rushing into this was a surefire way to get killed.

"The most important thing right now is to put everything backin order and get out of here before anyone notices," Kane replied, handing the Crestmont family chronicle back to Thunderstorm. He carefully placed the book in the drawer and made sure everything was as it had been before.

After locking the study, the two of them stepped out into the crisp morning air.

Thunderstorm glanced at Kane with a raised eyebrow. "So, what's the plan now? Are we just going to wait?"

Kane thought for a moment before responding. "You need to find the tomb's exact location. That's our first step."

Without another word, Kane turned and began walking away, his mind already working on his next move.

"Kane! Aren't you coming with me?" Thunderstorm called out, trying to hide the uncertainty in his voice. The idea of exploring a tomb palace alone filled him with dread.

Without slowing down, Kane simply said, "We don't even know where the tomb is yet. go find out where the tomb is."

Thunderstorm hesitated, a mix of fear and frustration gnawing at him. He hated feeling so powerless, but he knew he couldn't go off alone. "I'm just... worried you'll try something behind my back. Don't forget, we're in this together."

Kane's smirk widened as he continued to walk away, leaving Thunderstorm standing alone. It was clear that this was just the beginning of their journey, and neither of them could afford to let their guard down.