When Cain finished speaking, Juan's eyes lit up instantly.
Although, given his age, he already knew he probably wouldn't live long enough to see Latios reach a new level of power, Latios still had a very long life ahead. As a Dragon-type Pokémon—and a legendary one at that—his lifespan far surpassed that of any human.
If they could help Latios recover completely, he might have a chance to break through his limits and reach divine status, a crucial step for those beings considered "demigods."
And as a pure trainer, Juan wholeheartedly wished to see his winged partner return to his full glory.
"Do you need me to provide anything?" he asked hopefully.
Cain lowered his head, thoughtful. His expression was a mix of concentration and caution.
After a long silence, he slowly shook his head.
"The matter is complicated... and too much time has passed. I can't be entirely sure yet, but give me some time; I need to think and plan it carefully."
His system did, in fact, display a possible method of repair. The procedure was theoretically simple—but in practice, incredibly difficult. And certain parts involved secrets that Cain couldn't yet reveal.
At least, not for now.
Fortunately, neither Juan nor Latios were in a hurry. They could wait.
Juan understood that his impatience was natural, but simply knowing there was a chance was enough to put him at ease.
"In any case," Cain added, "I can prepare a special kind of Pokéblock. If he uses it over time, it will help stabilize his vital energy and ease, even partially repair, his wounds. But for a full recovery... something much stronger will be needed."
Juan nodded without hesitation.
"As long as there's hope, that's enough for me."
At his side, Drake spoke in a calm voice: "Then it's settled." He stood up slowly. "In the coming days, I'll be disappearing for a while with Salamence."
"He's found the moment to break through his limit, and I have to accompany him back to the Dragon Space to attempt the final evolution."
Drake placed a hand on Cain's shoulder, a gesture of confidence and trust.
The Hoenn region was finally stable. Now it was the League's job to manage it calmly and rebuild. And that... wasn't exactly the specialty of a warrior like him.
"Go ahead," said Juan with a smile. "Cain will handle the affairs of the Research Department while you're away. He can manage it on his own now—his position as a member of the Elite Four is already well-established."
Drake gave Cain another pat on the shoulder, said nothing more, then summoned his Salamence. The dragon spread its wings and soared into the sky, vanishing among the clouds.
Juan sighed and turned to Cain.
"Well, get ready, because busy days are ahead. Don't think that with the fall of Team Magma and Team Aqua everything's over. We still haven't located all their remaining bases or captured their leaders. I need you to stay sharp and work on that."
His tone grew more serious.
"Sidney and Glacia don't have your experience in real operations, so you'll have to take on more responsibility. Drake trusts you—don't let him down."
Cain could only sigh. He had the distinct feeling he'd fallen into a carefully laid trap. He'd dreamed of traveling the world as a free and relaxed Elite Four... but it seemed that privilege wasn't meant for him.
"Oh, by the way," said Juan, interrupting his thoughts, "I have no use for this anymore, so it's yours."
He tossed a Poké Ball. Cain caught it effortlessly using his psychic powers. When he looked closely, his eyes widened.
"A Master Ball?"
Juan smiled but said nothing.
Cain turned the sphere in his hand and couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Quite the reward... not bad at all.
...
Over the next few days, Cain threw himself completely into work.
Fortunately, his Pokémon were disciplined. Every morning, after Cain assigned their tasks, by nightfall they had completed everything flawlessly.
If he had more time, he thought, he'd like to thoroughly review each of his Pokémon and adjust their training. But before that, there were many matters to put in order.
The first was the Research Department, which, for some reason, had ended up under his command after Drake's departure.
His first act as head was to promote Steven to Chief Researcher, skipping the usual procedures entirely. He entrusted him with the oldest and most difficult missions that had piled up over the past few months.
That's the privilege of power: even if the tasks were originally yours, you could delegate them.
And Steven couldn't refuse. After all, he had been promoted; and the reasons Cain gave him sounded perfectly reasonable: "You need more field experience. Facing strong opponents will help you strengthen your team."
In truth, it was the same excuse Juan and Drake had once used on him. Cain simply passed it along... with a smile.
But Steven was too honest, lacking Cain's sharp fangs. He didn't understand the real intent behind those words. So he devoted himself to completing one mission after another, lightening much of Cain's workload.
And Cain... couldn't have been more satisfied. It was pure pleasure sending a wealthy, elegant, Elite Four–level young man to handle problems in his place.
Not bad, he thought. Not bad at all.
...
Under Cain's command, the Research Department mobilized.
Their objective: to capture or dismantle the remnants of the underground groups that had stirred chaos throughout the region during the recent incidents.
In that landscape, even Team Heaven—once merely a name—was about to become the new dominant force in Hoenn's underworld.
With the other major groups destroyed, their position grew stronger by the day.
They recruited people, seized territories, and expanded quietly.
Cain wasn't surprised that Rose and the others wanted to take advantage of the moment to expand—but he stopped them in time.
"The first bird to sing... is the first to be shot," he told them.
The Hoenn region, after the war, was like a giant golden cake. But the first group to take a bite would draw all the attention... and all the fire.
So Team Heaven had to remain in the shadows—grow stronger, wait patiently. And when the real competitor showed itself, that would be the perfect moment to strike.
(End of chapter)