🎄 Christmas Special Discount 🎄
From December 23 to December 25, there will be a public 50% discount on the following tiers:
Intermediate Trainers, Advanced Trainers, Elite Trainers, Elite Four Trainers, Champion Trainers, and Legendary Trainers.
🎆 New Year Discount 🎆
There will also be a 50% discount, but it won't be public. On December 31, the discount code will be published inside the chapters, so stay tuned 👀✨
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After leaving Giovanni's office, Cain departed immediately.
Wasting no time, he boarded a private jet bound for the Hoenn region.
During the month and a half he had been missing, he had received numerous messages on his communicator.
Although he had notified people beforehand, everyone was still somewhat concerned about his prolonged absence.
This time, the flight was headed directly to the Hoenn League Headquarters.
The most recent message from old Matsuda instructed him to go straight there upon his return.
Besides old Matsuda, many others had sent him messages.
Steven and Phoebe were asking if he had returned yet.
Cain called them back directly.
Then there was the other communicator, where Skye and Rose were sending him periodic reports on the Heaven team's situation.
At this point, the team was already running at full capacity.
With the two Elite-level Pokémon Cain had given to Rose for support, Team Heaven had nothing to envy from other organizations in terms of high-level strength.
They had also established themselves on the battle platforms and were receiving the profits they were due.
Moreover, with Wattson out of the picture due to injury, no one could stop the underworld's growth in Mauville City anymore.
Rose informed him that if Cain returned to lead personally, she was confident they could completely take over Mauville City's underworld.
Rose, who had previously been a wasted talent, had revealed her full potential after taking on this role.
Her relationship with the members of Team Heaven was quite harmonious, with no major conflicts.
And thanks to her power, she had gradually become the main leader of Team Heaven in Mauville City.
Cain, for now, had no time to deal with them. First, he needed to go to the League Headquarters and find out what had happened recently.
In the message sent by old Matsuda, it sounded like something urgent.
After spending an entire day on the plane, Cain finally arrived at the Hoenn League Headquarters.
As he stepped off the plane, he was already wearing the official uniform of a Chief-level Investigator.
Everyone he passed along the way, upon seeing the badge on his chest, stopped to greet him respectfully.
A Chief-level Investigator was a truly high-ranking position within the League's headquarters.
Encountering no obstacles, he went straight to Juan's office.
Old Matsuda had already called to notify him to go directly there.
"Master. President." Cain greeted the two people in the office.
Only Juan and old Matsuda were present.
Juan nodded and gestured for him to sit.
Cain took a seat next to old Matsuda.
"Cain, where have you been all this time?" asked Juan, without showing much emotion.
Cain was slightly surprised; he noticed Juan's attitude seemed to have shifted slightly.
Still, he replied honestly, "I entered an alternate space. That's why I was out of contact for a month and a half."
His master, Takashi Matsuda, also wore a serious expression.
Seeing the tension on both their faces, Cain's heart gave a slight jolt, and his expression grew increasingly grave.
"Did something happen?" he asked in a low tone.
Juan and old Matsuda exchanged glances, and finally Juan spoke: "Elite Four Drake was injured."
The news deeply shocked Cain.
Elite Four Drake!
The strongest Dragon-type Pokémon trainer in the Hoenn region... injured!?
From the start, their behavior had already been somewhat strange.
Cain began forming some hypotheses.
But his face reflected genuine surprise and concern.
For someone to injure Drake, there had to be a clear numerical advantage... or it had been a surprise attack.
A surprise attack?
Cain stared at Juan in disbelief.
"President? Are you suspecting me?"
"Correct!" answered a voice before Juan could speak, as the office door swung open.
A middle-aged man, already in his forties, strode in with long steps.
Bang!
Upon seeing who it was, Juan slammed the table in fury.
"Ergas! This is the Hoenn League, not Kanto's! If you burst into my office like this again, I swear I'll resign as president just to go to the Kanto Council and demand an explanation!"
The man, named Ergas, was a member of the Kanto League — that is, the main Pokémon League Headquarters.
Cain squinted at the newcomer, who kept his eyes fixed on him with a slight smile on his face.
An attitude of total confidence.
"Ah, my deepest apologies, President Juan. I'll submit a report later. But this matter is important — the headquarters considers it a priority..." said Ergas, in a slightly forced tone.
Juan's face darkened further.
"I already told you this is an internal Hoenn matter. And you have no proof! You think a mere suspicion gives you the right to act?"
Seeing that Juan was genuinely angry, Ergas immediately toned down his attitude.
Despite being from headquarters, he knew Juan was a champion and war hero, as well as a regional president.
If Juan decided to teach him a lesson, not even headquarters would lift a finger in his defense.
Becoming a regional president is no easy feat.
Apart from the League's Supreme Council, no one could question his authority or appointment.
"Please, President Juan, calm down. We only came to talk to Mr. Cain, all in accordance with protocol," said Ergas, now much more respectful.
Juan's expression softened slightly, though his anger hadn't completely faded.
Old Matsuda, sitting beside Cain, had been in a foul mood ever since this man entered.
Cain also eyed the newcomer thoughtfully.
If he wasn't mistaken, this man had to be a Chief-level Investigator from Kanto HQ, in charge — just like Cain — of investigating traitors within the League.
A Chief-level Investigator... investigating another Chief-level Investigator?
How absurd.
"Could you explain how all this started?" Cain asked, still seated.
The three of them turned their eyes toward him.
Ergas smiled.
"So you're the famous Cain, one of the Twin Stars of the Hoenn League, right? A pleasure. I'm..."
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ergas," Cain replied with a smile, standing up and shaking his hand.
Ergas seemed slightly surprised by Cain's calm and courteous attitude.
It was the first time someone reacted so naturally when being directly interrogated.
"I see Mr. Cain is as composed as ever. Then allow me to explain in detail what happened," said Ergas.
Juan and old Matsuda's faces remained tense.
Clearly, the matter was serious.
No wonder Giovanni had told him that protecting himself was the most important thing.
At the very least, they could have given him a heads-up!
With how abrupt all this had been, it was only natural he was completely caught off guard!
(End of chapter)