As the one directly involved, Cain had no idea about any of this.
He boarded the private jet, bound for Leafy Town.
In a month, he would face Steven in battle. Unlike Steven, Cain outwardly claimed he wasn't interested, but deep down he was being completely honest with himself: the position of Elite Four had always been his goal and the focus of all his efforts. To him, it represented a very important turning point.
So, there were many things he needed to prepare. After those days of relentless fighting, his Pokémon also needed time to absorb everything.
Against Steven, Cain had to define his strategy precisely.
In addition, several of his Pokémon were already at the point where they could evolve.
On the plane, a small blue-and-black dog rested on Cain's lap, while a green-haired girl floated in the air, swinging her legs carefreely.
They were none other than Riolu and Kirlia, who hadn't appeared in quite some time.
Whenever Cain had a free moment, he would bring these two little ones out to play. He also made sure they were well-fed and cared for, so their growth had been excellent. Kirlia was practically ready to evolve.
As for Riolu, even though his level kept increasing, he still showed no signs of evolution. Cain had decided to keep him by his side from now on.
Lucario would be the final piece of the puzzle for his Sandstorm Team.
In Cain's ideal plan, Tyranitar, Aggron, Blaziken, Salamence, Diancie, and Lucario would form the foundation of that team. He could also rotate or add Swampert, Drapion, Florges, or Magearna at any time—each of them strong options.
As for his Rain Team, due to Cain's current circumstances, its development was progressing more slowly than the Sandstorm Team's, though it was almost complete.
However, while preparing both teams, Cain had come up with new ideas: sometimes a team's composition shouldn't be limited to just one lineup.
At dawn the next day, the plane landed in Leafy Town.
This time, his return wasn't secret—nor could it be. The town's mayor, accompanied by a large crowd of residents, greeted him warmly in the plaza.
Leafy Town's current prosperity was entirely thanks to Cain.
And now, Cain had become a celebrated and sought-after figure in the Hoenn region. His strength, reputation, and influence were all at the highest level.
Reaching this point from humble beginnings didn't make him a burden—it only made him more valuable.
If he wanted to establish his own small family, no one would question it; in fact, everyone would try to approach him, because anyone could see his potential and how far he could still grow.
Moreover, Cain had already fulfilled part of that potential, which greatly reduced the risks for anyone who associated with him.
If he managed to become a member of the Elite Four, even huge families like the Joy and Jenny clans—present in every region of the Pokémon world—wouldn't restrict his freedom or his path. They would open all their resources to him, as long as he continued developing his strength.
For any family, that represented thirty to forty years of guaranteed stability.
Nothing was more important than ensuring a lineage's continuity. The only difference was that great families had more support, while smaller ones had less.
As the true Gym Leader of Leafy Town, Cain gave a short speech in the plaza.
Even so, he received a warm round of applause from the townsfolk.
Although Cain wasn't particularly striking in appearance—he could even be considered quite ordinary—once a man achieved such extraordinary success, looks stopped mattering so much.
Well... actually, they still did matter a bit. If one had to point out a flaw in Cain, it would only be his face.
Prolonged use of a human-skin mask wasn't good for anyone.
At the time, he had no choice—he'd needed two identities to stay hidden. But now, with his psychic powers, that was no longer necessary.
Cain had already come up with a method to fix it. He just needed a bit of time, and soon he'd be able to show his true face to everyone.
After finishing his speech and amid the applause, he returned to his own backyard.
It had been a long time since he'd last come back.
Thanks to the care of several Pokémon, everything in the yard was still in good order.
Today, as a special day of rest, Cain released all of his Pokémon.
There would be no battles or training. He strictly ordered that everyone had to relax.
Even Shelgon, the most hardworking of them all, was forced to stop.
There was no escape: the Pokémon could only obey and enjoy this rare moment of peace.
Slowking, Drapion, Swampert, and Shelgon lay lazily on the grass, basking in the sunlight.
Honchkrow, Weavile, Gengar, and Mismagius gathered together to discuss techniques and move strategies.
They couldn't train, but there was no reason they couldn't talk.
Florges, Diancie, Magearna, and Kirlia, four Fairy-type Pokémon, played together in a field of flowers among the butterflies. The happiness of girls was truly that simple.
Tyranitar, Aggron, and Blaziken competed to see who could eat more. Tyranitar and Aggron devoured gemstones, while Blaziken enjoyed the Pokéblocks specially prepared by Cain—blocks that contained a rich amount of Moltres blood.
The energy content of their meals was practically equivalent.
Politoed and Seadra swam happily in the backyard pond, joined by many of Politoed's relatives.
Riolu, on the other hand, rested obediently on Cain's lap as he carefully brushed its fur.
Riolu's attachment to Cain was even greater than Kirlia's.
Although the exact moment of its evolution hadn't yet arrived, it seemed to be very close.
As for Vigoroth, he was so full of energy that not even Cain could stop him; he had already run off into the back mountain to assert his dominance.
Cain had a special breeding plan for him. His customized Pokéblocks would be ready the next day, which would greatly help him evolve into Slaking.
Meanwhile, Kommo-o slept alone in a corner of the yard.
Ever since he found out Cain had deceived him a little, he hadn't been very friendly toward him.
But after Cain promised that he would soon find his pack, Kommo-o's attitude had improved considerably.
Four battles still remained unfinished.
Thinking about it, it really had been too much.
Humans are cunning.
(End of Chapter)