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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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"A month and a half ago, the Hoenn League officially launched an offensive against the Hunter Guild. The Guild's main power in this region wasn't very strong, so it was quickly annihilated. The one who led that operation was the Dragon-type Elite Four, Drake."
Ergas began recounting the origin and development of the events.
Cain remained silently seated, listening attentively.
Did all of this happen during the month and a half he was away?
In theory, none of it had anything to do with him. Only a few people knew he had gone to Ho-Oh's space.
But it was true that no one could prove where he had been.
"It was at the last base where they encountered the most resistance. In theory, Mr. Drake shouldn't have had any trouble handling it. But the enemies had great skill in escaping. They fled directly to the Kanto region, and Mr. Drake pursued them relentlessly until he arrived there."
"To support him, we from Kanto sent our best agents. However, since the Hunter Guild maintained close ties with Team Rocket, we were unable to achieve a decisive victory."
"Initially, everything pointed to a prolonged war. But after an ambush, Mr. Drake was injured, and the mission had to be suspended."
After hearing everything, Cain raised his voice: "And what does that have to do with me?"
"We've tracked your movements," Ergas replied. "A month and a half ago, you arrived in Saffron City, in Kanto. But then you disappeared."
"Your Slowking probably used the move Teleport, didn't it? Could you tell us where you went?"
Cain nodded naturally.
"I already informed President Juan. I entered a mysterious space. I was there for a month and a half, and I just returned."
"Is there anyone who can testify to this?" asked Ergas.
Cain didn't hesitate for a second and shook his head: "No. I entered that space alone. No one else knows."
"I'm glad to see your honesty, Cain. But since you don't have a verifiable alibi, you're still one of the suspects," replied Ergas, clapping lightly.
For some time now, he and his team had already taken notice of Cain.
Back then, his position wasn't relevant, so they paid him no attention. In fact, during a raid against a Team Rocket base, the information came directly from Cain, so they dismissed any prejudice against him.
If it weren't for this new incident, no one would have thought of him again.
Upon hearing this, Cain let out a light laugh: "So anyone without an alibi becomes a suspect to you?"
"No, no, we're not that arbitrary. Since I took this post, I've never made a mistake. Let me continue, please."
"Before Mr. Drake was injured, we had already initiated the confrontation with Team Rocket. In one of those operations, we captured a high-ranking member."
"He was the one who mentioned your name, Cain. And considering that very few people have access to Mr. Drake, your profile stood out to us."
"But most importantly: in the office where Mr. Drake was ambushed, we detected traces of psychic energy. And as far as we know, you're also a psychic, correct?"
Cain nodded again and again: "Seems like I really am a prime suspect."
But inside, his mood grew darker and darker.
Someone was setting him up. Probably someone from Team Rocket.
Did they use a high-ranking officer as bait just for this?
That was a very risky move.
Though it could also be a coincidence...
But the odds of that were minimal.
"Where was Mr. Drake injured? Who were the Kanto agents that assisted him? And he still hasn't woken up?" Cain asked one question after another.
If he didn't understand all of this clearly, he himself would start to doubt.
He had arrived in Kanto, then disappeared in Saffron City, had the ability to approach Drake, psychic energy was detected at the scene... and on top of that, a Team Rocket officer had named him.
It was no wonder that, upon entering the office, Juan and old Matsuda looked at him with such gravity.
Still, Cain wasn't really worried. He had ways to prove his story.
What he wanted to know was who was behind this, with what objective, or if it truly was a coincidence.
"The place was Fuchsia City," answered Ergas. "We from Kanto sent the Ghost-type Elite Four, Agatha, and the local Gym Leader, Koga."
"Although he's just a Gym Leader, Koga is as strong as an Elite Four. That's why he was able to capture a high-ranking member of Team Rocket."
Ergas said this with a touch of pride.
After all, the Kanto region is the most powerful of all. Many Gym Leaders from Kanto could be Elite Four in other regions.
"Mr. Drake is still unconscious. His body was poisoned by an unknown substance. If it weren't for Master Matsuda's help, he probably would've already died..."
Cain narrowed his eyes.
Koga?
Did the Hunter Guild pay him to attack Drake?
Or did he act on his own initiative?
He already had a clearer idea.
Of one thing he was certain: the attacker was Koga.
When it came to assassinations, Cain wouldn't hesitate to place him as number one in the entire Pokémon world.
And why leave traces of psychic energy instead of poison?
Probably to mask the poison-type signature. Psychic energy counters poison, and it also causes confusion.
Where did they get that psychic energy from?
Let's not forget that Sabrina is a much stronger psychic than Cain.
And that captured Team Rocket officer surely spilled everything during the first interrogation.
Fortunately, old Matsuda saved Drake's life.
Was it really a coincidence?
The Hoenn League can't catch a break: Wattson just woke up and resigned as Elite Four, and now the strongest of all, Drake, ends up seriously injured.
Juan must be desperate.
Cain frowned.
"Where is Mr. Drake now? Maybe I can help eliminate the poison. That's precisely my deepest field of study. I'm convinced that if he wakes up, all suspicion against me will disappear."
Ergas, however, shook his head: "I'm sorry. To guarantee Mr. Drake's safety, only Master Matsuda and President Juan are allowed near him. That includes you too, Cain. Your suspicion has not yet been ruled out."
Cain smiled in disbelief: "Mr. Ergas, you're not a psychic, so I understand. But isn't there a single psychic among the investigators? Any psychic knows that each person emits a unique energy. Even the way that energy manifests varies. The simplest example: the color."
Saying this, he generated a sphere of psychic energy in his hand.
"This is mine. You can analyze it. And also, even if frequencies can be imitated, that doesn't serve as definitive proof."
"If I had been the one responsible, do you think I wouldn't have the ability to erase all traces of psychic energy from the scene? Is the trap this obvious, and you still don't see it?"
"Lastly, even though no one can testify that I was in that space, I can prove it. And the proof... is something only I possess in this world."
Saying this, Cain pulled a golden feather from his storage space.
It was a feather from Ho-Oh.
Even though it no longer retained its original energy, its mystique remained intact.
One look was enough to know it wasn't just any feather.
"That's...?" Juan and old Matsuda stood up in shock, their eyes fixed on the feather Cain held.
(End of Chapter)