Cain watched from the sidelines as Blaziken and Slaking fought.
It was a purely physical battle—muscle against muscle, bone against bone. The sound of their clashes echoed loudly, and even the Pokémon who were still training stopped what they were doing to watch.
Slaking had truly achieved what once seemed impossible: during his bursts of power, he was completely unaffected by his Truant ability. Once he had adapted to his new body, he could even use the techniques he had mastered as a Vigoroth.
At level 65, Slaking, when unleashing his full power, could match a level 70 Blaziken in hand-to-hand combat. And although neither of them used special moves, Slaking seemed to have a slight advantage. For Cain, that was more than enough.
As the two clashed fiercely, a small blue-and-black Pokémon, barely reaching Cain's knee, watched with eyes full of admiration—Riolu.
The little one was in a phase of rapid growth.
Cain had placed him under Blaziken's guidance, and his progress in such a short time had been remarkable. Riolu longed to one day fight with the same strength and determination as Blaziken and Slaking.
Noticing his gaze, Cain crouched down, patted him on the head, and gently ruffled his fur with a soft laugh.
"Don't worry," he said. "One day, you'll fight like them too. But first, you have to grow properly and strengthen your foundation. Only then, when you evolve, will you be able to reach their level."
Riolu nodded firmly. He had learned many techniques from Blaziken, who was the perfect mentor given his similar physique—both current and future.
After letting Blaziken and Slaking continue their battle as they wished, Cain quietly walked away. He had other important matters to attend to.
He advanced on foot through the dense forest, yet no Pokémon dared attack him.
On this island, Cain was the absolute ruler: every Pokémon knew his power, and none dared challenge him.
He walked until he reached a lush area filled with vegetation, where Bulbasaur and Ivysaur thrived in abundance.
It was the territory Cain had designated for that species within the island, a place for them to grow and reproduce freely.
However, his goal today was a specific one—the Shiny Bulbasaur he had captured some time ago.
Since capturing her, Cain had hardly interfered with her growth, but now that he finally had time, he had come to see her.
As for her parents—two powerful Venusaur—Cain had already convinced them long ago. Seeing how much his strength had grown, they willingly allowed their child to follow her path.
Of course, it pained them to part with her, but no parent wishes to stop their child from surpassing their limits and becoming stronger.
Even Altaria, after much thought, had finally agreed to let Cain train her two children, the little Swablu.
That was why, now that he had three new "little ones" under his care, Cain decided he wouldn't capture any more Pokémon for quite some time.
Once he trained them all, his overall strength would multiply, allowing him to build teams with far more diverse combinations.
Half an hour later, Cain left the Bulbasaur forest. In his arms was the Shiny Bulbasaur, who kept glancing back at her parents with teary eyes as they said their goodbyes.
Even so, she no longer seemed as afraid of Cain as before; rather, she looked at him with curiosity and respect, influenced by the trust her parents showed toward the trainer.
Perched on Cain's shoulders were the two little Swablu, overflowing with excitement. They knew Cain was here to train them and couldn't wait to begin.
If it hadn't been for their mother, they probably would've joined the training program long ago.
The saying "too much love weakens children" wasn't wrong.
No matter how great a mother's love is, her eyes will always see her children as beings who need protection.
Altaria had cared for them too much—it was time they learned what the outside world was truly like.
Cain's life remained busy.
He had just finished handling matters with the League, but instead of relaxing, he seemed busier than ever.
Still, this time, his work brought him joy. Nothing made him happier than training his Pokémon and growing alongside them.
That small island was the only place where he could shed all his masks and live peacefully with his Pokémon.
That was why he valued it so deeply.
Once he left the island, he would have to put back on the masks of a politician, a strategist, a man surviving in a world full of intrigue. The island was, in a sense, his perfect refuge.
There began a life that was busy but never monotonous—only training, growth, and the occasional call to check on the progress of the missions he had delegated to the League.
From time to time, he also remotely oversaw the development of Team Heaven, as well as Team Flare and Alva in the distant Kalos region.
President Juan knew that Cain was in an intensive training phase, so he took it upon himself to handle many of the tasks that originally fell to Cain.
Although at times Juan and Drake seemed to find excuses to "test him," they actually did it because they had great hopes for him.
They wanted Cain to grow until he had no weaknesses whatsoever.
Cain fully understood their intentions, so every time they "pushed" him with more responsibilities, he simply responded with a wry smile, without complaint.
He accepted their trials as a disciple receives the teachings of his elders.
For the first time, Cain truly felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.
That was exactly what Juan and Drake wanted him to learn to bear.
When Juan learned that Cain was undergoing intensive training, not only did he stop pressuring him to fulfill his Elite Four duties, but he even helped lighten part of his load.
Everyone knew Cain was the great candidate for the future. And though most admired him, there were also those who envied him.
Some, blinded by jealousy, began spreading rumors about him—questioning his strength, his position, his past... even his character. They were blatant lies, but the ignorant public didn't know that.
It only took a few messages touching on a sensitive topic for some people to impulsively join the crowd of critics.
Of course, all those "brave" ones only dared to attack from behind a screen.
Cain's career was so flawless, so clean, that many simply couldn't believe it—and they used a single phrase to justify their envy: "Water that's too pure has no fish."
In other words, they said that someone so spotless must be hiding something.
Fortunately, Cain had no time to waste on such people. If he had bothered to respond, the troublemakers would have only become more vocal.
Besides, for every detractor, Cain had hundreds of true supporters. His fanbase was enormous—of all ages and genders—though, naturally, women made up the majority.
So whenever rumors surfaced, his fans crushed them within hours.
After all, it only proved one thing: the more people admire you, the more will appear to hate you.
The only thing left to uncover was who was truly behind those "haters."
(End of Chapter)