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The weekend battle had attracted widespread attention across the region. Even Nina, who rarely browsed the internet, had heard about the upcoming confrontation. The news had spread like wildfire through social media and Pokemon forums, creating a buzz that reached trainers from all walks of life.
The battle involved two secret realms, which made the stakes incredibly high. Nina understood the gravity of the situation perfectly. Without saying a word about her concerns, she took action the very next day. She acquired a disposable Sword Dance TM specifically for Jacob's Sceptile to learn. The technical machine contained the precise data needed to teach the powerful move, and Nina knew it could make all the difference in the upcoming battle.
Nina's decision came from her natural hope that Jacob wouldn't bring shame to the Capital Dragon Secret Realm during this crucial confrontation. The reputation of their secret realm hung in the balance, and she wanted to ensure Jacob had every possible advantage when facing his opponent.
While everyone prepared intensively for the weekend battle, Jacob received two important pieces of news. One brought him incredible joy, while the other filled him with disappointment and concern.
The good news arrived like a beacon of hope after weeks of uncertainty. After countless days of deliberation, the Pokemon Association had finally issued an official announcement that would change Jacob's life forever. They decided to give Jacob a Dragon-type Pokemon as recognition for his heroic actions during the Dawn Society's attack on the Dragon Secret Realm. Even more importantly, they confirmed they would not cancel Jacob's national selection quota, something he had feared losing due to the circumstances surrounding recent events.
This fantastic news made Jacob so excited that he wondered if he might be dreaming. His heart raced as he read the announcement multiple times, hardly believing what his eyes were telling him. This marked the first time in recent memory that the Pokemon Association had shown such remarkable generosity toward a young trainer. The decision was equivalent to directly rewarding him with a Bagon, something that would have been absolutely impossible under normal circumstances. The association typically maintained strict policies about distributing rare Pokemon, making this gesture truly extraordinary.
What Jacob didn't realize was the intense political maneuvering that had taken place behind closed doors. During the Pokemon Association meeting, the organization's top leadership had originally intended to cancel Jacob's national selection quota entirely. However, due to a complex series of events, heated debates, and strategic alliances formed during the discussion, Jacob managed to obtain this precious Dragon-type Pokemon completely free of charge.
The meeting had been filled with tension and disagreement from the very beginning.
"Regarding the reward for Jacob," Ruben announced to the assembled officials, his voice carrying the weight of authority, "we propose to give the hatched Bagon to Jacob as recognition for his actions. However, this reward should offset Jacob's national selection quota. We believe this represents a fair exchange for his contribution during the crisis."
"I strongly object to this proposal!" Aris suddenly stood up from his seat, straightening his formal clothes with deliberate precision. He looked directly at the group of King-level trainers seated before him, his eyes blazing with determination as he prepared to advocate fiercely for Jacob. "Jacob successfully saved two pseudo-legendary Pokemon during this protection mission of the secret realm. Furthermore, he managed to delay Anthony, who is a King-level trainer with decades of experience. This represents a tremendous achievement that deserves proper recognition."
Aris paused for dramatic effect, allowing his words to sink in before continuing his passionate defense. "We should reward him greatly for these accomplishments, instead of taking away his original benefits while giving him new ones. I firmly believe Jacob's exceptional performance during this crisis is more than enough to earn him a pseudo-legendary Pokemon without any strings attached."
After listening carefully to Aris's impassioned words, Ruben also rose from his chair and prepared to argue the opposing viewpoint. "Aris, we must look at this situation objectively," he said with calculated calmness. "Jacob only managed to delay Anthony temporarily. He did not capture or eliminate Anthony, and Anthony successfully escaped with one of our pseudo-legendary Pokemon. Given these facts, I believe giving that precious Bagon to Jacob while offsetting his national selection quota already represents an extremely generous reward that exceeds what we would normally offer."
Ruben spoke with measured composure, but his next words carried a sharp edge as he glanced pointedly at Aris. "Comrade Aris, you need to carefully consider your position in this matter. Although Jacob is your nephew, you serve as the vice president of the Capital Pokemon Association. We must ensure that personal relationships don't cloud our professional judgment."
Ruben's words carried harsh implications, suggesting that Aris might be abusing his power for personal gain. The accusation hung heavy in the air, creating an uncomfortable tension throughout the meeting room.
Aris and Ruben had maintained a contentious relationship for many years, with their philosophical differences creating friction in numerous past decisions. Hearing Ruben's sarcastic and pointed remarks, Aris responded with a cold sneer that reflected years of accumulated frustration. "Jacob is indeed my nephew, but I have no intention of avoiding this discussion simply because I know someone involved. I want to ask a simple question: how many people could stand up to Anthony the way Jacob did, especially someone with only Lord-level strength? Shouldn't such extraordinary courage and skill be properly rewarded?"
Aris's voice grew more passionate as he continued his argument. "Establishing a heroic image and recognizing true heroism is far more important than petty politics or bureaucratic procedures. Ruben, do you really want to create a situation where brave individuals sweat, bleed, and cry for our cause, only to force everyone else to stand by and watch coldly when similar situations arise in the future? What kind of message does that send to young trainers?"
Faced with the substantial criticism that Aris had directed toward him, Ruben naturally couldn't accept such accusations without defending his position. "I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't give Jacob any reward whatsoever," he replied with controlled irritation. "However, we must carefully consider whether this particular reward represents an appropriate response. We must maintain proper standards and grasp the correct degree of recognition. Aris, you need to examine this problem from an objective and fair standpoint, setting aside personal considerations."
"Really?" Aris responded with a knowing smile that suggested he had been expecting this exact response. "I have been completely objective and fair throughout this entire discussion. Vice President Ruben, if your son could demonstrate the same level of bravery and skill that Jacob showed, I would agree to reward him with a pseudo-legendary Pokemon without any hesitation whatsoever."
"Aris, you're crossing a line..."
"That's enough! Stop this arguing immediately." A dignified and authoritative voice suddenly interrupted the heated conversation between the two officials. The commanding tone brought immediate silence to the room. "Both of you need to sit down right now. If anyone else has opinions they wish to express, they can speak up at the appropriate time. Let's proceed to vote on this matter. Those who agree to retain Jacob's place in the national selection, please raise your hands."
As this person's voice echoed through the meeting room, only a handful of people throughout the entire venue raised their hands in support. Aris naturally voted in favor without any hesitation, his hand shooting up immediately as he maintained his unwavering support for his nephew.
"Allow me to say a few words before we conclude," Mason suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention toward him. His reputation as a respected trainer and analyst gave his words significant weight. "I have already documented everything very clearly in the detailed report I submitted to this committee. Jacob demonstrates remarkable sharpness in battle and possesses an exceptionally high level of quality as a Pokemon trainer. He can command Pokemon that he's unfamiliar with extremely well, even when making split-second decisions under intense pressure."
Mason paused to ensure everyone was listening carefully before continuing. "At least in my professional opinion, if it had been someone else in Jacob's position, there would have been absolutely no way they could have held Anthony back under those particular circumstances. We should commend Jacob as a genuine hero, and his natural talent as a trainer is also worthy of our strongest recognition. This is especially true when we consider that he shows even greater talent in Pokemon research. Therefore, I agree wholeheartedly to keep Jacob's place in the national selection."
After Mason finished delivering his compelling speech, he raised his hand high to express his clear opinion on the matter. Following his lead, several other King-level trainers who maintained good relationships with Mason also raised their hands to show their support. The number of officials who supported allowing Jacob to retain his national selection quota had now reached approximately one-third of those present.
With one-third of the votes cast in favor, Aris felt genuinely satisfied with the result, despite not achieving his primary goal. Although the objective of retaining Jacob's place in the national selection hadn't been fully accomplished, Aris could see clearly from this voting pattern who stood firmly on the side of his family and Nina's family. Anyone who had raised their hands to vote represented either an existing ally or a potential future ally of the two influential families.
On the surface, this entire matter appeared to focus on deciding whether to retain Jacob's national selection quota. However, the underlying truth was far more complex than it seemed. What these officials truly cared about was never the quota itself, but rather understanding the political positions and allegiances of everyone present in the room.
When Mason stood up to support Jacob publicly, Aris no longer worried about the final outcome. Gaining such a powerful and respected ally like Mason was far more valuable and important than securing a single place in the national selection competition.
"I agree with this proposal as well," declared a lazy yet charming voice that suddenly rang out among the crowd. Everyone turned their heads to see Raya, who was wearing an elegant fur coat and a stylish hip-hugging long skirt. She raised her perfectly manicured white hand with graceful confidence. Her beautiful face carried a fascinating charm that commanded attention, and she opened her red lips to speak clearly. "Heroes emerge among the young, and I truly admire talented young trainers like Jacob. Besides, I still owe him a significant favor from when I designed the corresponding movements for the Z-moves last time. It's only appropriate that I support him now."
As Raya finished speaking her piece, many of the King-level trainers who had previously received favors from Jacob found themselves in an uncomfortable position. They felt compelled to raise their hands and vote in support, even though they had hoped to remain neutral. If Raya hadn't specifically mentioned the debt of gratitude, they could have stayed out of the political maneuvering and remained safely neutral. However, after Raya brought up this point so publicly, all of the trainers who had received help from Jacob felt obligated to show their support or risk appearing ungrateful.
Seeing that the votes were approaching the critical two-thirds majority needed for the decision, a majestic and final voice announced the conclusion: "In this case, the meeting has voted to give the Bagon to Jacob as proper encouragement for his heroic actions, and to retain Jacob's place in the national selection competition."
After discussing the wonderful good news that had lifted Jacob's spirits, it was time to address the disappointing bad news that had arrived alongside it.
The bad news centered around international negotiations that had been ongoing for several months. After extensive discussions and diplomatic efforts, the Chinese Pokemon Association and the European Pokemon Association had finally reached a comprehensive agreement. However, China had not obtained the highly coveted Duraladon that they had originally hoped to acquire through these negotiations.
Instead of the Duraladon, China received four valuable opportunities to select Pokemon directly from European territories, along with a series of other significant compensations. These terms had caused the European Pokemon Association to make substantial concessions that represented a considerable loss for their organization.
The four selection opportunities included access to some Pokemon species that were unique to European regions. These rare Pokemon included species like Rillaboom, Coalossal, Cinderace and Feraligatr, among others. The Chinese Pokemon Association had gained the right to send representatives directly to European secret realms to make their selections from these exclusive populations.
Jacob had earned one of these precious selection opportunities, along with an additional reward for his heroic actions. However, due to serious concerns about Jacob's safety during international travel, he would not be permitted to go abroad personally to make his selection. Instead, he would need to entrust someone else to travel to Europe and help him choose a Pokemon on his behalf.
The timeline created additional pressure for Jacob's decision-making process. The selected representative would need to leave tomorrow, which was Friday, and return by Sunday. This tight schedule meant Jacob had very little time to decide who should undertake this important mission on his behalf.
The time constraints made Jacob feel genuinely anxious about this crucial decision. He needed to carefully consider who he should ask to travel to Europe and help him select a Pokemon that could potentially change his entire future as a trainer. The choice of representative would be critical, as they would need to understand his preferences, training style, and long-term goals to make the best possible selection.