Having secured the Rising Badge, the Ranch Uncle headed south and soon arrived at the seventh city on his circuit: Violet City.
Driven by a clear goal, he challenged the Gym without a moment's hesitation. As a representative of the younger generation of Trainers who inherited a Gym from his father, Falkner proved his excellence—yet there was still a noticeable gap between him and the grizzled veterans the Uncle had faced in his youth.
Even at the seven-badge difficulty setting, the Uncle passed on his first attempt. His battle techniques had matured through three separate special training sessions, and his [Three-Word Truth] talent provided the necessary edge.
Falkner, who had claimed before the match that Electric-type attacks meant nothing to Flying-types, was left looking rather embarrassed.
[You defeated Violet Gym Leader Falkner and earned the Zephyr Badge.]
[You learned from Falkner that his father is away traveling, leaving the Gym in his care. You felt a twinge of envy.]
Envy? Kashiwagi stared at the screen, speechless. Envy for what? That your daughter isn't old enough to inherit your ranch yet? Didn't you just say you wanted her to pursue her own dreams?!
Accompanied by tranquil background music, the Ranch Uncle arrived at the final town on his list: Azalea Town.
The Gym Leader here was Bugsy, a boy with feminine features and the youngest of all the Leaders. A dedicated researcher of Bug-types with aspirations of becoming a Pokémon Professor, he was actually the one who discovered and named the move Fury Cutter.
In the Gym battle, Bugsy's Scizor fully demonstrated the prowess of an eight-badge level opponent. Its Sword Dance was so fast it created a defensive vortex that repelled long-range Fire-type attacks.
"Spinning around can block flames? For real?" Kashiwagi muttered, skeptical. He suspected there was a deeper technique at play here—something akin to a Counter Shield. If Steelix and Mawile learned that, they could do some serious work... if I went to Azalea Town, would Bugsy teach me? He went into deep thought.
On the screen, seeing that ranged fire was ineffective, the Uncle quickly shifted tactics. He switched to close-quarters Fire moves and, at a critical juncture, used "Hang in there!" to allow Rapidash's Flare Blitz to break through Scizor's defenses.
The Azalea Gym fell.
[You defeated Azalea Gym Leader Bugsy and earned the Hive Badge.]
The thirty-seven-year-old veteran had officially qualified for the League Conference. Overwhelmed with joy, the Uncle immediately video-called his wife and daughter back at the ranch to share the news. Then, he rushed home.
Upon his arrival, he found that the news of his entry into the Silver Conference had spread through the entire town. Almost every resident came out to celebrate and wish him luck, promising to watch the broadcast or even attend in person. This left the Uncle feeling both embarrassed and deeply pressured.
Originally, he just wanted to help his daughter hold her head high and fulfill a youthful dream. Now, things had become complicated.
Looking into his daughter's expectant eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say that "just making it to the prelims is a victory."
After much thought, he headed to Cianwood City to seek help from Chuck once more.
And so, the fourth special training session began. Such diligent and focused training was rare in Kashiwagi's previous simulations. Perhaps recognizing that his natural talent and battle experience couldn't compare to the hungry, rising youth, the Uncle chose to make up for his shortcomings with sheer hard work.
The most absurd part, however, was that while the Pokémon were training, the Uncle himself was getting progressively more buff. Previously, he could only slap a Tauros into submission; now, he could grab one by its two horns and push it backward step by step—a magnificent feat of two legs beating four.
Riding on his Rapidash, he began to exude the aura of an ancient general. If you gave him a suit of armor and a halberd, he could probably cosplay as Lu Bu.
By the time Piloswine evolved into Mamoswine, the sight of the Uncle riding it gave off a "barbarian invading civilization" vibe from a fantasy novel.
He even arm-wrestled Ambipom—the Pokémon used both tails, while he used one hand.
It was terrifying. Kashiwagi wanted to reach into the screen and remind him: Trainers aren't allowed to fight in the matches!
-----
The training continued until a few days before the Silver Conference. The Uncle felt he had pushed himself to the limit; if he failed now, he'd have no regrets. His talent as a Breeder ensured his Pokémon had healthy, powerful physiques, while his hard work as a Trainer gave his team ample battle experience. As for the [Three-Word Truth], it seemed less like magic and more like the ultimate manifestation of their bond.
Success or failure would be decided now.
The screen flashed to the opening day of the Silver Conference. True to their word, the townspeople arrived to watch. Initially, the Uncle felt immense pressure, standing among teenagers and feeling wildly out of place. But he soon discovered several other contestants around his age.
[You realized you aren't the only veteran in the tournament, which allowed you to relax significantly.]
With his confidence restored, he waved to his daughter in the stands and faced his first match. The battle was unexpectedly smooth; he won before he even had a chance to use his talents. The second match went similarly—a five-minute victory.
He grew more confident with every win but remained humble. He knew "there is always a higher mountain," and the reason his Pokémon had won so many "best of breed" awards was due to his modesty and effort.
Just as he broke through the preliminary rounds, he encountered a powerful young Trainer. This opponent forced the Uncle into a bitter struggle. His daughter watched anxiously from the stands, speech bubbles of worry popping up over her head.
Fortunately, the Three-Word Truth kicked in. The opponent was strong, but they underestimated the tenacity of a veteran. Many of the Uncle's Pokémon were getting on in years; they weren't the immortal type, and their bodies were subject to time. This Conference was likely the final stage where they could burn their last light. They didn't want to leave.
The Uncle's dream was never just his own; it was the dream of Rapidash, Tauros, and the others who had been by his side since his youth.
An old steed in the stable still aims to run a thousand miles.
Carrying the weight of their collective will, they advanced step by step.
Top 64... Top 32... Top 16... Top 8...
The Victory Tournament!
They had finally reached the end. The Uncle could hardly believe he had come this far; his pixel sprite was trembling with excitement. Outside the screen, Kashiwagi felt a sense of peace from the background music, though he was dying to know the final result... would the Uncle actually become the Champion?
It all depended on whether a "dark horse" was waiting in the wings.