News of Giovanni's bid to enter the Master Class spread like wildfire, shaking the entire competitive world.
Since the start of the World Championships, this was the first time a Great Ball–ranked Trainer was challenging for a spot on the Master Class leaderboard.
Put another way — the head of Kanto's Elite Four was challenging Unova's Champion. That alone was headline material.
Of course, Dylan thought the outcome was obvious.
The only question was how badly Giovanni would beat Iris.
Still, the online discussions were endless and intense. Though Iris had been utterly crushed by Leon before, she was, after all, Unova's Champion.
And even though Raihan had been destroyed by Giovanni, he was only a Gym Leader — many dismissed him as overhyped.
Sure, Red and Green had beaten former Champions Cynthia and Wallace, but those two were former champions.
And Unova fans were quick to argue — Iris wasn't the same as those two!
The internet was on fire.
That was the magic of the World Championships — for the first time, it united regions that had once been completely separate.
Dylan, however, wasn't all that interested in watching. To him, the result was already set in stone.
After resting one night at Rota Gym, Dylan summoned Hoopa Confined, and the group set off once more for Unova.
Using Dark Mewtwo's psychic resonance, Dylan located Rainbow Cyrus at Team Galactic's base.
As it turned out, this version of Cyrus had secretly imprisoned the native one and taken his place — ruling over Unova's Team Galactic in disguise.
It was almost funny. The two looked identical, and not a single person had noticed the switch.
But Dylan didn't care. He stormed in, and with Dark Mewtwo's Mega Evolution — Dark Mewtwo Y — crushed Rainbow Cyrus's Palkia with ease.
Without the ability to enter Origin Forme, Palkia didn't even have a chance to fight back. One blast of Dark Mewtwo Y's ultimate move, Dark Nova, and it was over.
Unlike Hoopa Unbound's energy-devouring rings, Palkia had no counter.
The last loose end of Team Rainbow Rocket — captured.
After sending Rainbow Cyrus to "the big house" to share a cell with Rainbow Lysandre and the others, Dylan and his team made their way to Unova.
Their destination: Vertress City, home of the Unova Pokémon League.
It was also where the annual Unova League Conference was held.
He remembered clearly — this was where Ash once got 5v6'd in the anime.
Dylan, Lillie, Leaf, and Ilene were wandering through a bustling shopping district in Vertress City.
With the Giovanni vs. Iris match only two days away, the city was packed with people who had come early to watch it live.
"Mr. Dylan!!"
While Lillie and Ilene went inside a boutique to look at clothes, Dylan stood outside, idly people-watching — until a familiar, cheerful voice called out behind him.
"Lacey?"
He raised an eyebrow, turning to see a cute girl with pink hair jogging up to him.
It really was her — the girl he'd met several times before.
"I knew it was you, Mr. Dylan! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me!"
Lacey beamed as she ran up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Her joy was genuine and unfiltered.
"Seems we keep running into each other, Miss Lacey. Are you here for the match as well?"
Dylan glanced past her at the tall, elegant woman standing behind her — a striking black-haired beauty he immediately recognized as Elesa, the "Shining Beauty" and a famous Unovan model.
"Uh-huh! Since Mr. Giovanni's challenging our region's Champion, I had to come see it!" Lacey said brightly.
"Oh, right! Let me introduce you — this is Miss Elesa, the Gym Leader from Nimbasa City!"
"Miss Elesa, and this is…"
Lacey trailed off, realizing she didn't need to explain further.
"I know," Elesa said with a soft smile. "The Kanto Champion — currently ranked No.1 in the World Championships. I doubt there's anyone who doesn't recognize him."
"Mhm! Mr. Dylan is super strong and really handsome too!" Lacey added enthusiastically, eyes full of admiration.
Leaf rolled her eyes — she knew Lacey, and she had no doubt the girl was a total Dylan fangirl.
"You flatter me," Dylan replied modestly, though he couldn't help noticing that Elesa's legs were incredibly long — the mark of a professional model indeed.
"So, out shopping too, Miss Lacey?"
"Yup! I ran into Miss Elesa, and since she's such a fashion expert, I asked her to come shopping with me!"
Lacey may have been a dedicated Trainer, but she was still a girl — and fashion always held some appeal.
Thanks to her father, Drayden, she knew most of the Gym Leaders in Unova.
And to her credit, she wasn't just famous by name. Though she hadn't yet graduated from Blueberry Academy, she was already strong enough to surpass her father — easily Elite-level now.
"Oh, right! Mr. Dylan, Kieran and Dayue are in Vertress too!" Lacey said suddenly.
"Oh? They came as well?" Dylan wasn't surprised.
"Yeah! Can you believe it? Kieran's really the Alola Champion now — that's amazing!"
There was a hint of envy in her voice. At Blueberry Academy, she had actually been Kieran's senior.
But now, he was a regional Champion.
"Kieran's talented, disciplined, and hardworking. His success was only a matter of time," Dylan said with a smile — though privately, he thought the boy was still a bit green.
Even with Kieran as Champion, Alola's foundation was still too shallow.
Of the nine regions, Alola was undoubtedly the weakest.
As of yesterday, Kieran was ranked fourteenth among the Great Ball tier competitors.
"That's true! Oh — he invited me to Alola after graduation," Lacey added, her eyes gleaming. "He wants me to join as one of the Elite Four!"
She looked both happy and conflicted — she and the Kieran siblings were close, but leaving her home region was no small decision.
Elesa's eyes widened briefly but she quickly fell silent again. This was Lacey's choice to make.
"Follow your own heart," Dylan said kindly. "Alola's beautiful — warm climate, stunning scenery. Whether for life or career, it's a good place to be."
He wasn't wrong. The new Alola League needed capable Trainers more than ever.
"Right? I think so too! Drayton's already agreed to join him!"
Lacey's tone grew excited.
Drayton — another of Blueberry Academy's Four — had become its new Champion after Kieran's departure.
Unlike the original story, Kieran hadn't turned arrogant here, so he and Drayton remained good friends. When Kieran invited him to Alola, Drayton accepted almost instantly.
"Everyone's growing," Dylan said with a gentle smile, feeling genuinely pleased.
Kieran was doing his part for Alola — and recommending him there had clearly been the right call.
Two days later, the Vertress Stadium was packed to the brim.
Any match between top-ranked Great Ball or Master Class Trainers guaranteed a sold-out crowd.
Dylan and his companions sat in the eastern stands.
He preferred the live atmosphere — watching from a viewing room just didn't have the same energy.
"Let's hope Iris puts up a decent fight," said Alder worriedly, practically wearing a sign that said Please don't get swept.
This was Unova's home turf, after all — they had to save face somehow.
"Come on, old man, at least try to have some faith," Rosa teased. "She's not that hopeless!"
"I wish I could!" Alder groaned.
"It will be tough," N admitted quietly. "Giovanni's stronger than both Red and Green — that much we know. But how strong, exactly, is still unknown."
"Rumor has it Giovanni can hold his own against Johto's Champion, Lance," Hilda added.
No one knew if that was true — but given that Raihan, the so-called "almost Champion," had been obliterated by Giovanni, it didn't sound far-fetched.
"And they say Champion Lance is on par with Leon," Hilda continued thoughtfully.
The logic followed easily: if Giovanni = Lance, and Lance = Leon… then Giovanni = Leon.
And since Iris had been demolished by Leon before…
The group fell silent.
"Maybe it's just a rumor?" Rosa offered weakly.
"Let's hope so," Alder sighed.
On the field—
As the announcer's voice echoed, Giovanni stepped forward in his signature black suit, one hand in his pocket. He wasn't conventionally handsome, but his calm confidence gave him undeniable charisma — earning him plenty of female fans.
On the opposite side, Iris appeared to roaring cheers.
This was her home stage, after all.
The two faced each other as the referee explained the rules.
"Hey, old man! Becoming Master Class isn't that easy, you know!" Iris said, grinning fiercely as she raised a Poké Ball. Her sharp eyes gleamed like a dragon's.
"My dragons are really strong!"
"Oh?"
Giovanni's hand paused mid-motion, his smile deepening slightly.
"Little girl, I'm rather sensitive to the word 'dragon.' Tell me—"
"Are your dragons truly strong?"
(End of Chapter)