Initially, the negotiations seemed to progress smoothly, but as they continued, things began to take a troubling turn. Not just Kalia, but everyone present sensed the growing unease.
Standing beside Kalia, Lian also detected something amiss. Being more perceptive than her, he recognized the accent of the glasses-wearing young man—it was from the Allen Continent!
In the Dream World, Lian had spent considerable time interacting with people from the Allen Continent, making him familiar with their distinct dialect. The accent of the glasses-wearing young man strikingly matched that of individuals from the Allen Continent.
"People from the Allen Continent have already arrived," Lian thought, deeply shocked. However, this wasn't the most concerning part; what alarmed him was how deeply infiltrated the Allen Continent's influence must be, allowing them to represent the Sebas region in negotiations.
Lian started suspecting the intentions of the glasses-wearing young man. It was possible that his purpose was to deliberately provoke tensions between the two regions, potentially even instigating recent conflicts.
The extent of the Allen Continent's presence remained unclear to Lian, but the mere fact that they had discovered the Sebas region was alarming. This could potentially escalate into a full-blown war.
As Lian had anticipated, the negotiations failed miserably. The glasses-wearing young man infuriated the Ellie Region's negotiators, leading them to storm off indignantly.
"What just happened?!"
"This is disastrous."
After the negotiation breakdown, the glasses-wearing young man swiftly departed, leaving everyone enraged. This was a critical matter involving two regions; how could it end in failure? Clearly, the blame lay with the glasses-wearing young man.
"I remember now," Kalia suddenly realized. She finally identified the accent of the glasses-wearing young man-it distinctly resembled that of the Allen Continent, a powerful and mysterious land.
Kalia's expression shifted rapidly, and she hastily guided Lian away from Ruby City towards Rhine City.
The appearance of someone from the Allen Continent was undoubtedly significant, but as a mere individual with little influence, even if she spoke up, no one would believe her.
However, Professor Evergreen held a different social standing. As a renowned Pokemon Professor, his words carried substantial weight, capable of garnering attention from the Pokemon League itself.
Thus, with Lian carrying her, Kalia embarked for Rhine City, while Julian, though unsure of the situation, followed closely behind.
"Kalia, what happened?" Julian asked urgently, sensing something amiss as well. The failed negotiations indicated that Kalia likely knew more details.
"You didn't notice the accent of that person's speech? It closely resembles those we encountered in the Dream World," Kalia explained gravely. "The one wearing glasses is very likely from the Allen Continent."
If the existence of the Allen Continent were true, it would be an overwhelming force for both regions. With over two thousand high-level Trainers, not counting the countless mid to low-tier Trainers, such power was insurmountable by any region alone.
While the Trainers from the Allen Continent might not necessarily unite, even gathering a fraction of their strength would prove unbeatable for these two regions.
"Now that you mention it, they do sound remarkably similar!" Julian paled with shock. He hadn't paid much attention earlier, but after Kalia's reminder, he vividly recalled the glasses-wearing man's accent, which strikingly matched that of Karl from the Dream World.
Shortly thereafter, the duo arrived in Rhine City.
As they entered the research institute, Kalia didn't even bother greeting anyone and directly walked into the laboratory, coincidentally bumping into Professor Evergreen.
"Kalia, what brings you here? Oh right, I've nearly perfected the Mega Evolution technology," Professor Evergreen exclaimed, clearly elated as he had made significant progress with Mega Evolution.
The Mega Evolution Stones, Mega Rings, and Key Stones had already been developed, albeit only in limited quantities due to the scarcity of Meteorite Shards and the small amount of extractable elements from them.
However, the Pokemon League had recently discovered a new batch of meteorites, which would soon be delivered. With these, more Evolution Stones could be produced, enabling distribution to Elite Four members, Champions, and high-level Trainers. This would significantly enhance the top-tier combat capabilities across the Sebas region.
"Professor, I have something important to discuss with you." Contrary to Professor Evergreen's excitement, Kalia appeared somber as she stepped into the laboratory.
"What is it?" Realizing that Kalia never joked about such matters, Professor Evergreen's radiant smile, born from his breakthrough with Mega Evolution, gradually softened.
"If I heard correctly, people from the Allen Continent may have arrived." Kalia recounted today's negotiation details, highlighting several suspicious points.
Professor Evergreen frowned slightly, listened attentively, and then nodded, saying, "There indeed seems to be an issue here. Based on your account, if individuals from the Allen Continent have discovered Sebas and are actively stirring conflict between our regions, their intentions cannot be benign."
The worst-case scenario unfolded; if the Allen Continent's representatives were provoking tensions, it likely meant their motives were not noble. They might aim to exploit the chaos of war between the two regions for their own gain.
"I understand. I will inform the Pokemon League about this matter so they can take it seriously," Professor Evergreen stated. Previously, when Kalia discovered the Allen Continent, he had reported it to the Pokemon League. The League elders seemed aware of its existence, possibly due to ancient records mentioning it.
At that time, despite acknowledging the discovery, the Pokemon League did not consider it significant. This was because the Allen Continent lay extremely far away, with the journey across the ocean estimated in years rather than days or months.
If individuals from the Allen Continent wished to travel here, disregarding the dangers of the deep sea, even with the fastest Pokemon, it would still take at least a year to reach the Sebas region.
However, things have changed now. The people from the Allen Continent have already arrived in the Sebas region, indicating they are aware of both regions' existence.
This poses significant risk to Sebas. If Trainers from the Allen Continent unite and head towards Sebas, their combined strength would be virtually unstoppable.
"I'll immediately notify the Pokemon League, hoping we can identify all individuals from the Allen Continent," Professor Evergreen stated. However, despite his intentions, locating them might prove challenging as these individuals operated covertly, with little known about their true extent or motives.
"We must find these people; otherwise, if they continue sowing discord, relations between the two regions will deteriorate further," Kalia emphasized without dwelling on potential complexities. Her immediate priority was to halt this interference. A full-scale war between the regions would only result in mutual devastation, allowing those from the Allen Continent to benefit from the chaos, undoubtedly laughing behind closed doors.