Then, Steven, Glacia, and Sidney pushed Cain toward the main seat of the Elite Four.
Although Cain wanted to refuse out of respect, no one present could confidently claim they could defeat him.
In the end, he took the position of the first member of the Hoenn Elite Four.
But this was only a minor detail.
What truly mattered was Mega Evolution.
Although before that, there was another issue.
Cain, who had supposedly been trapped in the Space-Time Continent, had reappeared after more than a month, which naturally aroused great curiosity.
"Cain, what exactly happened? Not even the League's transport system could bring you back, nor did your spatial stone respond," Juan asked directly.
Cain reflected for a moment before answering: "It happened like this... during the expedition, the appearance of that organization is something you already know. By chance, I obtained something they needed, so they began pursuing me..."
He omitted details that Steven had already mentioned and focused on the unknown parts.
After hearing him, everyone showed surprise.
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Juan spoke: "So, thanks to Dialga and Palkia, you managed to escape, but ended up trapped inside the barrier, which prevented the League from retrieving you?"
Cain nodded.
"More or less. Then, with the help of the Unown, I managed to get out, although quite some time had already passed..."
It was a mixture of truth and omissions.
He was not lying, only... not telling everything.
He simply concealed the most important parts.
Only then did everyone understand how incredibly fortunate Cain had been to return safely. As for the Unown he mentioned, there was nothing to hide: he showed his wrist to everyone and, incidentally, demonstrated a powerful spatial ability.
Everyone present knew he was a psychic, but with such powerful mental strength and even greater spatial ability, even Cain himself was no longer someone an ordinary Pokémon could easily approach.
After everyone had processed this information, the most crucial part finally arrived: Mega Evolution.
Thinking about it carefully, from the special evolutions of Slowking and Politoed, to the appearance of the Fairy type, and now Mega Evolution... all of these things were surprisingly connected to Cain!
Because of this, although Cain came from a humble background, his achievements were impossible to replicate. However, many people only saw his origins and overlooked all the extraordinary opportunities he had encountered.
That was the true reason he had surpassed so many trainers from powerful families, even prodigies like Steven.
"Ahem... Cain, now let's talk about that Mega Evolution," Drake said.
As Cain's mentor, he was the most appropriate person to ask that question. If someone else had asked, it might have seemed as though they had ulterior motives.
Here it comes!
Upon hearing the question, everyone straightened in their seats, waiting to see how Cain would respond: whether he would explain directly or wait three days as he had announced.
A faint smile appeared on Cain's face.
He knew this was the key point of the meeting, and he had already prepared everything for this moment.
He removed a Poké Ball from his waist and released his Pokémon inside the room.
Fortunately, the room was large enough to accommodate it.
The Pokémon that appeared was one of his main partners: Salamence. A pseudo-legendary Pokémon of Hoenn that everyone recognized, especially Drake, who immediately noticed that it was the Shelgon Cain had once brought to Dragon Valley.
But no matter how one looked at it, this Salamence had undergone a radical transformation: not only in strength, but also in potential and presence.
Everyone remembered the imposing appearance it had shown when Cain arrived, as well as its overwhelming power.
Then, Cain turned his hand and a brightly colored stone appeared.
"This stone is called a Key Stone. It is the key used to activate Mega Evolution."
Many memorized its appearance, already thinking of searching for it by any means once they returned.
Cain continued smiling.
"The so-called Mega Evolution consists of certain Pokémon, after reaching their evolutionary limit, using a special energy —Mega Evolution energy— to temporarily enhance themselves without side effects, allowing them to evolve once again for a short period of time and greatly increase their power."
"The Sacred Church's special evolution —what they call divine infusion— can also be considered a form of Mega Evolution, but it is an abnormal method that severely damages the Pokémon. Repeated use can even reduce their potential and strength."
"In contrast, my method has no side effects... or rather, if there are any, they fall on the trainer."
"Only certain Pokémon? It's temporary? What is the side effect that affects the trainer?" Juan asked with doubt.
Cain could not help but admire him internally. As president, he had immediately grasped the key points.
He nodded.
"That's right. Not all Pokémon can Mega Evolve. At least, so far, there are many that cannot... although it could also be that I have simply not yet discovered their corresponding form or their Mega Stone."
Mega Stone?
No one interrupted; everyone decided to listen until the end.
"As for the duration, it depends on the trainer. Mega Evolution is, essentially, a complete synchronization between trainer and Pokémon, where the bond between the two empowers the Pokémon."
"During this process, both share thoughts and will. For a strong Pokémon, this does not pose much burden, but for the human body, it creates great pressure. That is where the side effects come from."
"Furthermore, not everyone can maintain two or more Mega-Evolved Pokémon at the same time. If they overload themselves, they may suffer anything from dizziness to loss of consciousness... or even serious mental damage."
"In this regard, Steven has experience."
Cain smiled with a hint of teasing.
Everyone looked at Steven, who appeared somewhat uncomfortable.
"Ahem... yes, trying with more than one can cause fainting," he admitted.
But what surprised them even more was something else: Steven could also Mega Evolve!
"Take this as a warning," Cain continued. "I can do it with multiple Pokémon because I am a psychic. Do not try to imitate me recklessly, or you will suffer the consequences."
"..."
Everyone was left speechless.
Even though it did not seem like it, they felt that he was showing off.
Even Drake clenched his fist, as if he could no longer tolerate it.
But the most important part was still yet to come.
"Ahem... Cain, and what exactly is a Mega Stone?" Juan asked.
(End of Chapter)