"Of course, this is for my grandson," Samuel Oak said firmly. "This time, Skye Draconis and I came here because there is something very important we need to tell you."
Lt. Surge frowned. As an old friend, he immediately understood Samuel's serious tone and ordered, "Clear the room. Don't let anyone near the meeting hall."
The guards and attendants withdrew at once. Everyone present knew that if Samuel Oak himself was speaking so gravely, it wasn't something ordinary.
"Go on," Blitz urged after the room was secured.
"Let us show you something first," Samuel said with a slight smile, nodding to Skye Draconis.
Ignatius Blaze leaned forward. "What is that smell? It's… rich."
Agatha's eyes narrowed. "Strange… just the scent alone feels warm in my body."
At that, Skye Draconis opened a small jade box. Instantly, a powerful medicinal fragrance filled the chamber. The gathered elders inhaled sharply, the weight of its aura washing over them.
Blitz and Agatha, their bodies already weakened with age, felt the effect most keenly. Their eyes turned instinctively to Samuel Oak, silently demanding an explanation.
"This," Samuel said with no small pride, "is called the Full Restore Capsule. It's the latest potion refined by my grandson, Ash. And let me make this clear—it is effective not only for Pokémon, but for humans as well."
Cynthia of the Glacienne family leaned forward. "A Full Restore Capsule?"
Kenjiro of the Mugino family asked bluntly, "What exactly does it do?"
Samuel's smile widened.
"You already sense part of its power from the fragrance alone. It can fully restore any severely injured being—Pokémon or human—without leaving scars or hidden ailments. And if taken at the brink of death, it can extend life by five to ten years."
The chamber erupted in stunned silence. The idea of lengthening life itself by a decade was beyond belief.
"Samuel, you can't be serious," Agatha said sharply. "Five to ten years of life? Even with this fragrance, that's too hard to believe."
"Which is why we came prepared," Skye Draconis said, producing a set of documents and tossing them onto the table.
Agatha picked them up. Her eyes widened as she read. "This…"
"Yes," Skye confirmed with satisfaction.
"We tested a small fragment of the capsule on an elderly Raticate. Its body not only recovered completely, but it has shown stable vitality for over a year now. See here—this missing sliver from the capsule itself is from that experiment."
The room fell silent again, the weight of proof undeniable.
"Tell us, Samuel. What do you want?" Agatha finally asked, her usual iron composure cracked by urgency.
She was old, and her health was failing. If she could secure even one capsule, she might have a few more years to hold her family together.
The other families didn't argue.
They all understood that Agatha truly needed it more than anyone else. No one present wanted to see the Blackstone family collapse—and besides, relations among the great families of Kanto had long remained stable.
"Agatha, don't misunderstand," Skye Draconis said with a hint of amusement.
"Whoever gets one of these capsules will depend on luck and resources. Nothing more."
Samuel Oak nodded.
"Ash himself said that after the Indigo League, what he needs is not Pokédollars, but an island. A small one is enough, but its resources must be rich. At minimum, it must be able to support the construction of a gym."
An island? The elders exchanged looks, caught off guard.
"That's right," Samuel continued.
"Ash left a capsule with Caesar for safekeeping and asked him to send it back once negotiations began. In exchange, he requested an island. He intends to build a gym—an ecological one, far from the bustle of the cities."
It was an unexpected demand, but one that made sense. Ash was already carving a future for himself, one that would elevate both his name and the prestige of Kanto itself.
Ash had already investigated thoroughly before making his decision. In Dark City, the local gym had long since fallen into ruin. After the death of its former Gym Leader, his two sons split apart and constantly fought for control of the territory.
Because of their conflict, the people of Dark City barely dared to go out during the day. Eventually, the League revoked the gym's certification altogether.
That left Kanto with one fewer official badge. Ash now intended to seize that opportunity and claim the vacant position for himself.
"So he plans to establish a gym?" Lt. Surge muttered, surprise flashing across his face. After a pause, he nodded approvingly.
"Given his strength, it makes sense. The Dark City Gym has no Leader, and the two heirs are useless brawlers. Better to let your grandson take the spot and build something new."
Everyone present could see the logic.
Each region was, in practice, a competitor—even under the umbrella of the League. Just like nations in a past world, they vied for resources and territory.
Kanto had the largest population and the strongest foundation, but its resources were stretched thin across the sea. It was difficult to expand into other regions, just as it was difficult for other regions to pry resources away from Kanto.
"Very well," Agatha said after a long silence.
"Skye Draconis, I'll check whether there are any suitable islands within your family's holdings. If there are, we'll see that your grandson gets one." With that, she rose from her seat, intent on returning to her clan to begin the search.
...
TN:
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