"I'm still far from there. Your Dragonite is on another level—I'm just relying on a bit of cleverness." Cain gently shook his head as he approached his Slowking to tend to a few injuries.
Both of them had completed their missions. Lance was about to leave, but before that, he proposed a head-on battle with Cain.
Their signature Pokémon: Dragonite versus Slowking.
The final winner was Dragonite, though not without taking some hits.
And Slowking was just short of losing the ability to keep fighting.
The result was clear.
It didn't surprise either of them, but Lance came to value Cain even more.
With that kind of strength, even he hadn't been that strong at Cain's age.
After all, Lance was three years older, and that three-year gap wasn't easy to close.
However, it was fair to say that Cain, following in the footsteps of Lance and Steven, had already nearly caught up. While he might still be a little behind, he wasn't far off.
With a little more time, surpassing them wouldn't be impossible.
Through this battle with Lance, Cain also came to understand where he stood among the younger generation of the League.
"That's not just cleverness. It's strategy—and that's also a kind of strength. I'm sending this battle to the Hoenn League. They can't afford to waste talent like yours."
Lance smiled as he pulled out a camera and showed it to Cain.
He had started recording—with permission—at the beginning of the battle, initially just as a keepsake.
But now, it clearly served a bigger purpose.
Cain smiled with a hint of resignation, saying nothing more. This was exactly what he had expected. No need to fake humility.
It would help his career within the League. Showing off his talent would bring more resources.
After tending briefly to Slowking, he left him in Nurse Joy's care, along with Lance's Dragonite.
"I have to head back soon—what about you?" Lance asked from the waiting room.
"I'll be leaving shortly too. Just one last matter to take care of. Once that's done, I'll return," Cain replied.
Lance nodded. "Not sure when we'll meet again, but Hoenn's not far from Kanto. Come visit anytime."
Lance was returning to Kanto to deliver the final report from this long mission, while Cain would return to Hoenn.
There was a flicker of something unknown in Cain's downcast eyes. "I don't think it'll be long. I'll probably head to Kanto soon."
As for the reason, Cain didn't say, and Lance didn't ask.
Before long, both of their Pokémon had made a full recovery.
"I'm off," Lance said casually, giving Cain a pat on the shoulder. With a flick of his cape, he walked out of the Pokémon Center.
He called out Dragonite and flew straight to the airport.
Flying over Lumiose City—very much his style.
Cain didn't say anything as he watched him leave.
Once back, Lance would likely take on the role of Chief-Level Investigator of the Kanto League—rising even further in its hierarchy.
"I wonder when Kanto will split..." Cain mused silently as he, too, left the Pokémon Center.
The division of Kanto would be a major opportunity. There would be many possible moves to make.
After leaving Lumiose City, Cain didn't stop and headed straight north.
Once outside the city, he avoided any wild battles. He mounted Flygon and flew toward the northernmost city in Kalos: Laverre City.
Laverre City had a certain level of fame in the Kalos region.
As everyone knows, the people of Kalos love their coffee. Every city has numerous cafés.
But in reality, coffee is just a side product. What's truly central to Kalosian life is Incense.
The use of Incense is so deeply integrated into Kalosian daily life that it often goes unnoticed.
Yet the amount of Incense consumed annually is so high, even Kalosians would be shocked to learn it.
Cain's purpose in Laverre City was simple: to obtain Incense recipes and production methods.
What is familiar in Kalos might be an eye-catching novelty in other regions.
Cain figured that if he opened an Incense shop in Leafy Town, he'd probably make a fortune.
After all, he could cultivate all the required ingredients on his private island—virtually at no cost.
And Incense products are expensive, yet very popular—especially among the wealthy.
What truly gives Incense its value is the formula and the production process—somewhat like Pokéblocks.
Different Incense types have different effects; some can even benefit Pokémon.
But outside of Kalos, few people know these processes.
Cain absolutely had the capability to monopolize Incense production in Hoenn. As long as he kept the key formulas secret, he could establish a chain of stores across the region.
That would greatly accelerate his income stream.
Obtaining these Incense recipes was Cain's final goal in Kalos.
He had intervened in the formation of Team Flare, influenced Lysandre's growth, and fulfilled his objectives thoroughly.
Currently, Laverre City still didn't have an official gym.
But based on its future development, it would become the site of the first-ever Fairy-type gym in the Pokémon world.
It would be built with support from the Kalos League.
...
Three days later, at Hoenn Airport.
Cain stepped out of the terminal.
It had only taken him a day to obtain the Incense recipes he wanted in Laverre City.
Due to how developed the industry was in Kalos, those formulas weren't considered especially valuable, so Cain acquired them with little trouble.
He even bought a large supply for testing purposes.
With this visit to Kalos, he had fulfilled all his objectives. His Pokémon had grown significantly stronger, and Cain had crossed the Elite threshold—officially becoming a prominent Elite-level Trainer.
That achievement alone was something to be proud of.
In addition, he had obtained three Mega Stones and twenty Key Stones.
He had even managed to fool Lysandre. Although not completely deceived, Cain now held full control over all Team Flare operations.
From strategic goals to minor missions, Cain knew everything.
Just as he exited the airport, his communicator buzzed.
"Juan? The president?" Cain's expression turned serious upon seeing the name on the screen.
He hadn't expected Juan to contact him right after stepping off the plane.
Without hesitation, he answered the call.
"Mr. President, do you need me?"
"Hahaha, Cain! Do you have a moment? Come to the League HQ," Juan said with a smile.
"..."
"I should've just bought a direct ticket to Mauville City in the first place," Cain thought with resignation.
(End of chapter)