"Yes, Mr. N. Could we talk somewhere private?"
Giovanni smiled as he addressed N.
To be honest, the two of them were technically rivals, but Giovanni didn't want to trouble Dylan for this. Still, finding that Pokémon in Unova on his own would be difficult.
Since N was the Hero of Ideals and partner of Zekrom, he might know something.
"Of course." N nodded without hesitation.
The two moved to a quiet corner.
"Go ahead, Mr. Giovanni. I'm guessing the Pokémon you're looking for… is a legendary one, right?" N asked curiously, already guessing why Giovanni had avoided Alder and the others.
"Indeed. To be frank, I'm after Landorus," Giovanni replied.
Dylan had mentioned Landorus to him once, and Giovanni had made sure to remember the name, researching it afterward.
Landorus — one of the so-called Forces of Nature in Unovan legend.
Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, and Enamorus — four deities of myth.
Tornadus and Thundurus were known for their destructive tempers, bringing storms and floods wherever they went, ruining harvests. Enamorus, on the other hand, was called the "Goddess of Spring," blessing the land with new life and punishing those who defiled it.
And Landorus — the "Guardian of the Fields," said to appear whenever the other two wreaked havoc, restoring balance.
Giovanni was interested only in Landorus. According to both the legends and Dylan's words, Landorus was a Ground-type deity.
If he could capture and train it properly, it would be a perfect addition to his team — if not his ace, then at least a force to be reckoned with.
"The Forces of Nature, huh…"
N fell silent, sifting through the knowledge he had.
"Zekrom, do you know where Landorus might be?" he asked telepathically.
Zekrom: "…"
The black dragon sounded almost exasperated. Really? You're helping a human who might use that Pokémon to beat us later?
Still, Zekrom knew N's nature — gentle, kind, unable to refuse someone's sincere request. To N, the World Championship wasn't a battle of ego, but a celebration of trainers working for a better world.
A short while later—
"Sorry, Mr. Giovanni. Zekrom doesn't know where Landorus is," N said apologetically.
"No problem. I'm already grateful you were willing to ask." Giovanni smiled faintly. It wasn't the answer he wanted, but N's kindness exceeded his expectations.
"However," N added, "Zekrom did say that if you can find an artifact called the Reveal Glass, you could use it to summon the Forces of Nature."
Giovanni's eyes gleamed. "The Reveal Glass…?"
"And," N continued, "there's also a shrine — the Shrine of Abundance. Landorus may sometimes appear there."
N relayed everything Zekrom had told him.
"The Reveal Glass and the Shrine of Abundance…" Giovanni murmured thoughtfully.
"The Reveal Glass is said to be a sacred treasure of the Forces of Nature. The forms we see today are illusions; the glass reveals their true selves. But once it's found, all four might come for it — they'll fight over it."
N explained everything he knew — the legend had been passed down through generations, though few still remembered it clearly.
"Thank you, Mr. N. This information is invaluable." Giovanni gave a respectful nod.
"No need to thank me. We're all colleagues, after all." N's gentle smile was warm and sincere.
What a kind man, Giovanni thought, feeling an odd sense of admiration. Even he couldn't muster any hostility toward someone like N.
How far N had come — Giovanni still remembered their first meeting, back when N's eyes were hollow, devoid of light. He had been a tool of Ghetsis then.
Giovanni clicked his tongue inwardly. That bastard really twisted a pure soul.
"If you ever need anything, Mr. N, don't hesitate to contact me. I'll help however I can," Giovanni said, exchanging contact info with him.
Even if he hadn't found Landorus yet, the clues he'd gained were valuable.
"The Reveal Glass and the Shrine of Abundance… the glass is definitely the safer lead."
Back with Blue and Red, Giovanni pondered.
The shrine was only a resting place — unreliable. But the Reveal Glass could directly summon them. The better bet was obvious.
Still, both should be investigated.
He decided that once he returned, he'd send Lambda and a team to search Unova for the Reveal Glass. As for the possibility of attracting all the Forces of Nature at once…
Giovanni didn't care. They were just wild legends — not divine beings like Zekrom.
And if necessary, he could always bring help.
After all, he mused, "Gods of Spring" and "Guardians of Fields" did sound a bit intimidating.
His gaze drifted to the stadium screen, where Leaf's radiant smile shone. Then to the two men beside him — Red and Blue.
"Why are you looking at us like that, old man?" Blue muttered, rubbing his arm with a grimace. Giovanni's expression made his skin crawl.
Giovanni's lips twitched. "I've received news of some legendary Pokémon. If things go well, the four of us should go together. There are four in total — one each."
"For real? There are still legendaries in Kanto?" Blue blinked in surprise.
"Not Kanto — Unova. The Forces of Nature," Giovanni corrected.
Red's eyes narrowed. The Forces of Nature, huh?
"I'm in!" Blue declared immediately, excitement flashing in his eyes. "It's about time I got my own legendary!"
Giovanni smiled faintly. "There are four of us — and four of them. Perfect."
…
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
The world hadn't quieted down since. The World Championship had ignited a global fever for competition — but the most talked-about topic was still the shifting Master Class rankings.
Currently, they stood as follows:
No.1 — Dylan
No.2 — Leon
No.3 — Lance
No.4 — Giovanni
No.5 — Cynthia
No.6 — Red
No.7 — Steven
No.8 — Leaf
Elesa had completely dropped out of the Master Class. Red had recently defeated Steven to climb up a rank.
And Leaf's rise? She had taken it right from under Blue — literally defeating him to claim her place.
Blue had nearly turned green from shock. He never imagined that the youngest of Kanto's Elite Four would surpass him so soon.
After Leon rose to second place, many wondered if he would challenge Dylan again — a chance to avenge his crushing defeat.
But clearly, Leon had no such intention.
Neither did Lance. Despite rumors, the Dragon Master gave no response. He was still focused on finding his Dragonite's Mega Stone and strengthening his team — perhaps waiting until he was absolutely certain of victory.
Giovanni, however, had made his move.
He launched an assault on Lance.
It was a battle for the ages — one of the most evenly matched and breathtaking fights in the World Championship's history.
Mega Kangaskhan performed brilliantly, but in the end, Lance's Tera Dragonite prevailed.
The fight was so spectacular that even Leon flushed with excitement watching it — eager for a worthy challenge. Unfortunately, Lance wasn't interested in him.
(According to reporter Leaf's exclusive scoop, Leon had privately reached out to Lance, pleading for a friendly match. Since second place can't challenge third officially. But Lance, the cold-hearted "bird," never replied. Poor Leon.)
Also from Leaf's report: after losing to Lance, Giovanni secluded himself for three days — and then set off with the other three members of the Kanto Elite Four to a mysterious island in Unova known as Tri-Isle.
They stayed two days.
When they returned, all four looked delighted — apparently having achieved exactly what they wanted.
Leaf's headline read: Giovanni Vows Revenge — "Lance's Reign Won't Last Much Longer!"
Lance, upon hearing that, simply sent a "?" as a response.
The Master Class had stabilized, but the Ultra Ball rankings were far more dynamic.
Many new names had surged into the top 20 — fresh faces from every region.
Among them:
Kanto's Yellow, Hoenn's May, Sinnoh's Dawn, Unova's Hilda and Rosa, Galar's Chloe, and Paldea's Nemona.
Alongside veterans like Serena and Lacey, the list had become dominated by the new generation.
Almost the entire top 20 were rising young stars.
What kind of era was this becoming?
That afternoon, Dylan was relaxing under the sun, dozing off on his beloved sister's lap pillow.
Ring ring ring~
"Hello?"
"Dylan! Bad news — Arceus is about to awaken!"
P.S. Don't ask why all the protagonists are girls — I always pick the female trainer when I play Pokémon. (smirks)
(End of Chapter)