Pokemon Lord of Fear

[When it comes to scaring people, I personally recommend you try psychological horror. And you should also have contingency plans in place to prevent counterattacks from Pokémon. Ideally, you'd find a way to neutralize their attacks entirely.] Edward gave Mewtwo a few pointers on the art of frightening people.

Ever since he began filming horror movies, Edward's mind had constantly been revisiting those classic horror films from his previous life. After analyzing and reanalyzing them, he came to the conclusion that psychological horror was by far the most effective. Of course, excellent makeup and costuming were also critical components.

For instance, the iconic scene in the classic horror movie The Grudge, where Kayako, her face smeared with blood, crawled down the stairs, had become the source of countless childhood nightmares.

But if you replaced Kayako with a beautiful girl with a perfectly normal appearance and expression, the scare factor would plummet dramatically.

That said, if someone really wanted to overcome fear, Edward had a secret ultimate technique hidden up his sleeve: the legendary "As long as you're bold enough, even a female ghost will go on maternity leave." If you could reach the point in a dream scenario where the ghost becomes the female lead, that's when you've truly achieved mastery.

"Boss, the trailer's finished. Want to take a look?" Zoroark pushed open the door and walked in. Edward, now curious, glanced at his phone. Mewtwo hadn't messaged back yet, so he put the device away and followed Zoroark out to view the trailer.

The trailer had been crafted by the company's copywriting and planning departments, and Edward found it fairly satisfactory. It effectively showcased the key elements of suspense and detective drama, while also following Edward's instructions to avoid revealing any jump scares or horrifying scenes.

This way, when the actual drama aired, it would still be able to deliver the intended shock and fear to the audience.

"Release it, then. Also, good job, everyone. Once it passes review, I'll hand out bonuses." Edward nodded in approval, adding a cheerful comment that instantly boosted morale throughout the company.

Having once been a wage slave himself, Edward knew very well how to motivate employees. The best method? Cold hard cash. Dreams and big promises might have worked in the past, but not anymore.

And so, with the Sherlock Holmes trailer officially released on Ghost Film Pictures' official website and their video platform accounts, a fresh wave of discussion began to surge across the internet.

"Hello everyone, I'm your favorite film reviewer, Detective Pikachu! Today we're going to take a look at the latest updates from several production companies." On the PoképokéTV Network, a man speaking in a thick Alolan accent smiled brightly as he held his Pikachu close and addressed the camera.

Bullet comments shot across the screen in rapid succession, creating a dazzling flurry of viewer messages. But with 3.7 million followers under his belt, Detective Pikachu was more than used to this sort of chaotic attention.

"Let's start with the Alola Film Company's updates. The good news is, they have a new series scheduled to air soon. The bad news? Well, it looks like yet another workplace romance drama just begging to be roasted." Detective Pikachu tapped on the poster displayed on the official website, his expression helpless as he poked Pikachu's cheek.

A zap of electricity shot through his fingers, making Detective Pikachu shudder from head to toe.

[Here it comes—Detective Pikachu confirmed to be into electric-type alphabet soup!]

[I want to know how many volts that little Pikachu used this time.]

[Shock me, Pikachu! Mommy loves you!]

[No male mommies, please.]

As the comments streamed across the screen, Detective Pikachu chuckled and continued voicing his thoughts.

"Folks, have you noticed this trend in modern urban dramas and movies? It seems like nothing can get made anymore unless it involves romantic entanglements. Take this one, for example—supposedly a legal workplace drama, but it already screams 'forced romance between male and female leads.' And don't get me started on the title, Defending After OX. What kind of tacky nonsense is that?" Detective Pikachu criticized without mercy.

He had long been known for his acerbic tongue in the film review community, and quite a few fans were drawn to that persona.

"...And then there's Cold Winter. That poster makes no sense at all! I attended the media screening last year, and let me tell you, it was confusing, aimless, and utterly pointless. I wanted to die from boredom. Please, just skip it."

"Oh, and this one: Letter from the Vengeful Ghost. You can tell at a glance that it's a blatant imitation of Director Edward's One Missed Call. Personally, I don't hold out much hope for it. In the current Pokémon League's film industry, there are very few who can match Director Edward's skill when it comes to horror films."

[Detective Pikachu, Ghost Film Pictures just dropped a new trailer. Can you review it?]

One bullet comment immediately grabbed Detective Pikachu' attention, sparking his interest.

Ghost Film Pictures—now there was a company that used to be completely unknown in the film review scene. Only a few critics had ever taken their promotional deals, and that was quite a while ago.

"Of course I can. Speaking of Ghost Film Pictures, I actually know a few inside scoops about them." Detective Pikachu began typing at lightning speed, searching for Ghost Film Pictures' name while chatting in his livestream.

"This company used to be just another one of those no-name studios that pop up and vanish without a trace. Back then, their only works were online releases like Heroic Trainer and The Trainer Who Started with Ho-Oh." Detective Pikachu quickly found Ghost Film Pictures' account and clicked on it.

He had already followed them, but with so many studios on his list, it was easier to search directly than scroll forever.

[Ho-Oh one? I remember that. It had a tiny bit of buzz, but that fake Ho-Oh looked terrible.]

[Yeah, it even won the Golden Tomato Award for Worst Drama of the Year.]

[Worst of the year? Still made a ton of cash though.]

Detective Pikachu, of course, saw his viewers' comments flying across the screen.

"Hey, don't be so quick to dismiss them. Sure, that show was awful, but compared to some studios that never even get a release or disappear without a trace, they're actually doing okay. And ever since Director Edward became their boss, Ghost Film Pictures has finally entered a golden age." Detective Pikachu spotted the trailer posted just ten minutes ago.

The title was simple and direct:

[Director Edward's New Series: Sherlock Holmes – Trailer]

"Huh? A television series?" Detective Pikachu frowned slightly. A director known for big-screen horror films making a TV show? Was this really going to work?

Still, he clicked play.

The trailer wasn't very long—about two minutes—but when it finished, Detective Pikachu had a contemplative look on his face.

"Guys… I don't really get it, I'll be honest." He smacked his lips together, still puzzled.

The trailer ended on a scene where an older man looked directly at the screen and asked a single question.

That question alone had piqued Detective Pikachu' curiosity.

(End of Chapter)