🎆 Happy New Year! 🎆
Thank you all for the amazing support throughout this year. 💙To celebrate the arrival of the new year, here is a special New Year code:
🎁 Code:NewYear: F3B16
📅 Code validity:
Start: December 30, 2025 at 11:55 p.m.
End: January 2, 2026 at 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy it and let's start this new year strong. 🚀✨Here's to an amazing 2026! 🎉
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Lance became one of the Elite Four!
A long season of duties awaits him.
He needs to gradually get familiar with the responsibilities and powers of an Elite Four, and he still has much to learn.
Once he's more or less adapted, according to the League's style, they'll surely send him on a tour of all the regions under the nice title of "friendly exchange."
In reality, it's nothing more than a way to show off.
So, if anyone wishes to challenge Lance at that time, right now they'll have to work very hard.
Lance's investiture ceremony officially came to an end.
As he stepped down from the stage, a medal exclusive to the Elite Four already hung on his chest.
His Pokémon were Dragon-type, so the medal was shaped like a fierce dragon's head.
This had been designed by the League long beforehand.
Lance approached Cain's group.
Even his stride looked imposing, full of vigor.
"Congratulations, Lance... ah, no! My mistake, now I should say: Sir Lance, the great Dragon-type Elite Four," Cain joked.
"Yes, yes, the Dragon-type Elite Four!"
"Sounds really good..."
"..."
Seeing Cain set the tone, everyone started laughing and joking.
Everyone knew Lance would choose Dragon-type, and that he really had no other option. But in private, making such jokes wasn't a problem.
Deep down, they were all aware of the debate whether he should be called Dragon-type Elite Four or Flying-type Elite Four.
At those jests, Lance showed a slightly helpless expression.
Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to choose Dragon-type, since he really only had a handful of such Pokémon.
But there was no choice: it was a decision made in advance by the Drako family.
That was the responsibility he had to bear as a descendant of a great family.
The same went for Steven: half of his Pokémon were Steel-type, the other half Rock-type, but in the end he could only choose Steel-type.
Because Steel-type represented the Stone family.
In the same way, Dragon-type represented the Drako family.
While everyone congratulated Lance in a joking tone...
The improvised stage in the arena hadn't been dismantled yet, and instead another group of people appeared, dressed differently.
At the front was an old man with completely white hair and beard.
Cough, cough... I hope you don't mind. The Breeders Guild will temporarily occupy this space. Consider it as us riding the favorable wind of our new Elite Four, to do something important, said the old man with a kindly smile.
Seeing him, those who were about to leave stopped in their tracks.
Those with some rank knew that man was the current vice-president of the Breeders Guild: old Eizan.
His real name, almost no one knew.
The lower ranks called him "Old Eizan," while his peers simply called him "Eizan."
Noticing everyone sit back down, the old man smiled even more satisfied.
Good, everyone gave him face.
The Breeders Guild, if nothing else, carried prestige; they had to be treated like Kings.
"Although with this we steal a bit of spotlight from Elite Four Lance, we must still proceed."
"Because... very soon, we will be holding right here an Advanced-level Breeder evaluation!" announced Old Eizan, grinning from ear to ear.
At the mention of "Advanced-level Breeder," everyone present immediately became interested.
Every Advanced-level Breeder was a true treasure for the League.
However, occupying an entire stadium and keeping so many people just to evaluate one person seemed a bit excessive.
No one spoke, waiting for the explanation.
As expected, Old Eizan continued: "Heh, heh, it just so happens this candidate is quite special. That's why we decided to do it this way, with everyone as witnesses."
"Because... this Advanced-level Breeder candidate is only... seventeen years old!"
"What?!"
At once, the entire stadium burst into exclamations.
The crowd began murmuring.
Those who knew who the examinee would be turned their eyes toward Cain.
He was completely stunned.
Originally, after Lance's ceremony, he had thought he'd quietly go to the Breeders Guild to take the exam. Yes, there would be an audience, but mostly internal members.
Who would have thought they'd turn it into something like this?
The moment he saw the insignias the newcomers wore, he already felt a bad premonition.
They had tricked him!
Could it have been his own master who dragged him into this?
So, when everyone looked at him, Cain was left speechless.
Did it really have to be this ostentatious?
"Advanced-level Breeder?! Seventeen years old!! That can only be Brother Cain!" suddenly shouted a voice, snapping him out of his daze.
It was Ash, who had stood up and was pointing exaggeratedly at Cain.
Gary, next to him, covered his face with his hand.
He didn't want to sit next to someone with such slow reflexes.
Very soon, the rumor spread like wildfire, and the entire audience focused on Cain.
Those who knew something about him began recounting his feats:
The youngest to become an Intermediate-level Breeder, the new rising star of the Breeders Guild, a genius that appears only once in a century...
And deeper details also leaked: semifinalist in the Sinnoh Tournament, Gym Leader of Leafy Town, Chief-level researcher of the Hoenn League...
Almost everyone present had some degree of connection to the League.
Of course, there were exceptions.
But investigating Cain's public records was very easy.
Right away, his entire background came to light.
What surprised people most was: he was a civilian!
Aside from being a disciple of Matsuda Takashi, he had no other major backing.
He only kept good relations with heirs of powerful families like Steven of the Stone family or Lance of the Drako family.
Precisely because he was a civilian, many present became even more interested.
The improvised stage was once again modified by the Breeders Guild to accommodate the evaluation.
At the center, ten chairs were placed: one facing the other nine, which would be where the examinee sat.
In the others, the judges took their seats: all veteran Advanced-level Breeders of great prestige.
Cain's master, Matsuda Takashi, sat in the chair at the far right.
At the center presided an elderly woman with silver hair: the president of the Guild.
To her left sat Old Eizan, and to her right another slightly younger old man.
The remaining seats were filled by other old experts of the Guild.
A whole row of white-haired figures.
Matsuda Takashi blended in perfectly among them.
"Cain! Come take the evaluation!" Old Eizan beckoned him with his hand.
Again, all eyes fell upon him.
It was the feeling of being in the absolute center of attention.
With a face full of helplessness, Cain looked at his master, who gave him a slight nod in return.
To gather such an imposing panel of judges, he had made promises and signed disadvantageous agreements.
All with one goal: to make the ceremony as loud as possible, and for Cain to become a name known to all.
With so much spotlight on him, who would dare lay a hand on him?
(End of chapter)