The meeting ended quickly.
Everything others had been endlessly arguing about was resolved immediately once Juan appeared and dictated the results without even giving them the chance to participate in the discussion.
This alone made it clear that his authority remained absolutely solid.
Staying in the position of Champion and President until now wasn't just due to his complete dedication to the Hoenn League, but also to his overwhelming power and decisive nature.
In key moments, what he says—goes.
That Cain's master, Matsuda Takashi, would temporarily take on the position of Elite Four was something Cain hadn't expected.
However, after thinking it over, he realized it was a brilliant move that instantly dissolved half of the internal conflicts within the Hoenn League.
First, Old Matsuda was strong enough—on par with Wattson—so his appointment was more than reasonable.
Second, he hadn't been in the Hoenn League for long. Although he was connected to Juan, he wasn't affiliated with any faction or powerful family, which minimized his political impact.
Lastly, Old Matsuda was no longer young; in three to five years, he'd likely retire. By then, Cain and the others would have matured, and a new Elite Four could be selected among them with far fewer disputes, since no other candidate could compare.
This appointment clearly showed Juan had a solid vision: to pave the way for the region's four promising young trainers—one of the reasons he trusted Cain so much.
This meeting had revealed many things, some of which could only be understood upon careful reflection.
As for the investigation of the traitor, a one-month deadline had been set. Whatever the outcome, after that period, the matter would no longer be addressed in high-level meetings. It would be investigated in secret.
Perhaps when Wattson awoke—or when Steven and Phoebe returned—they could directly identify the traitor.
An internal crisis within the League had been resolved with absolute determination by Juan.
Now, within the Hoenn League, everyone was eager to confront their enemies with force and restore the organization's prestige.
...
After the meeting, Juan asked only the Elite Four and the heads of major families to remain.
These people were deeply tied to the fate of the League. If they ever betrayed it, their own wealth and power would be more than halved.
Only Drake, the Dragon-type Elite Four, did not stay.
Because he had already left with Cain for the mysterious cave.
The fact that Drake was handling the matter brought reassurance to most.
At that moment, Cain and Drake were flying together through the sky.
To save time, both rode on Drake's Salamence.
Cain was somewhat familiar with Salamence. Under normal circumstances, these Pokémon wouldn't allow anyone other than their trainer to ride them.
But Drake's knowledge of Dragon-type Pokémon was something Cain couldn't match. After a few calming words, Salamence accepted his presence.
And so, the two flew over the sea.
"Mr. Drake, where exactly is that mysterious cave? What's so important there that Mr. Wattson himself led the expedition?" Cain asked from behind.
Drake, standing on Salamence's back, gazed into the distant sea.
"To be honest, I don't fully know. I've only heard that the cave is extremely important and could affect Hoenn's future development. That's why Juan sent Wattson, who had fewer responsibilities, to investigate. Actually, maritime matters used to be mine, but that day I just couldn't get away," he replied with a hint of regret.
If he had gone, maybe Wattson wouldn't have gotten hurt.
"Don't take it so hard. Maybe this is an opportunity for Mr. Wattson. He'd been wanting to retire for some time now," Cain tried to comfort him.
Upon hearing this, Drake's expression softened a bit and he gave a slight smile.
"You're right. That old man used to fear nothing and talked nonstop about retiring..."
"Now he finally can, in peace."
"But... Steven, Phoebe, and the others who went with him—we have to bring them back. They're the future of the League!"
"We, of our generation, didn't work this hard just to leave Hoenn to a bunch of losers."
As he spoke, Drake's face grew more serious.
One reason Juan sent him was precisely because Drake had always cared about the League's young talent.
Especially Cain, to whom he'd even passed down knowledge of training Dragon-type Pokémon.
Drake gently stroked Salamence's neck and murmured, "Let's go, old friend. This mission is urgent."
"Rooaar!"
Salamence let out a mighty roar in the air.
Its crimson wings began flapping more powerfully, increasing their flight speed by 30%.
It was now flying at full strength.
This was one of the reasons Drake had allowed Cain to travel with him. None of Cain's Pokémon—neither Flygon nor Altaria—could match Salamence.
Cain placed his hand on Salamence's back, feeling the hardness of its dragon scales, while commanding the system to scan its data.
This was one of the main Pokémon of Hoenn's strongest Elite Four member.
Though Cain didn't know if it was Drake's most powerful one.
Unlike others, Drake had several Salamence—a species many trainers could only dream of acquiring.
Pokémon: Salamence (Purple)
Gender: Male
Level: 82
Types: Dragon + Flying
Ability: Intimidate
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Hydro Pump, Dragon Rage, Dragon Dance, Dragon Rush
Basic Moves: Fly, Protect, Dragon Tail, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Rage, Ember, Leer, Bite, Dragon Breath, Headbutt, Focus Energy, Crunch, Dragon Claw, Zen Headbutt, Scary Face, Flamethrower, Double-Edge
Learned Moves: Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Aqua Tail, Outrage, Tailwind, Hyper Voice, Defog
TM Moves: Hyper Beam, Roost, Earthquake, Double Team, Fire Blast, Rock Tomb, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Giga Impact, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
Upon seeing all this data, Cain understood why everyone trusted Drake so much.
Whether or not this was his strongest Salamence, its power was already tremendous.
At level 82, this was already within the Champion-level range.
Strictly speaking, having more than three Pokémon at Champion level meant a trainer could be considered a true Champion-level trainer—someone fit to lead a region.
Of course, that was only in theory.
With the League's evolution, being Elite Four-level was no longer enough to be Elite Four. These days, a true Elite Four had to surpass that category.
As for whether someone reached Champion-level—it depended on the overall power of the region.
To be a real Champion, simply reaching that level wasn't enough.
But getting to this point already meant there weren't many rules left about who could hold which position.
(End of Chapter)