Pokemon: Gym Leader

After the battle, both Dylan and Lillie didn't leave immediately. Instead, they stayed for a while longer at Clay's invitation.

In the guest room:

Lacey was holding the beautiful and delicate Rota Badge, admiring it from every angle with great joy, perfectly embodying what it means to be "blissfully silly."

She couldn't help it—this was a badge she earned from Gym Leader Dylan! It was the result of enduring a 'beating.'

Moreover, this was only the second newly-issued Rota Badge, meaning only two people in the world had one, including her!

Lacey was beyond thrilled! Once she got back, she planned to make it into a bracelet to wear every day.

"Dylan, have you really not considered switching regions?" Alder enthusiastically approached again, sitting down beside Dylan.

He couldn't help it; he was really drawn to Dylan.

"As long as you're willing to come to Unova, I'll talk to the chairman tomorrow and hand over the Champion title to you! You can be Unova's Champion!" Alder offered without hesitation.

"Our Unova isn't inferior to Kanto at all. We have the Elite Four, and the Unova Gym Leaders are top-notch in strength. Not to mention, we have the Blueberry Academy, which nurtures excellent elites."

"Also, I can tell you, this year I've encountered quite a few promising Champion-level talents! Iris from the Village of Dragons has been improving rapidly, and she's likely to reach Champion-level soon."

"I also met two talented rookie girls during my travels, and their potential is exceptional. They're future Champions for sure."

"As long as you come and lead Unova's Trainers, surpassing other regions is absolutely possible!"

Alder spoke with great enthusiasm, and he wasn't exaggerating.

The competitive training at Blueberry Academy was indeed outstanding, with Lacey being a prime example.

"I deeply appreciate your offer, Champion Alder, but I'll need to think it over. For now, I haven't really considered changing regions. But if I ever do, I'll definitely reach out to you," Dylan politely declined.

Lillie covered her mouth, giggling. Look at her brother's charm—Unova's Champion was practically begging to give up his title!

"Ah, alright then. But Dylan, development is development, no matter where you are, right? And Unova is a land of talented people! Plus, you've already captured Reshiram and Kyurem. What does that tell you?"

"It means you're destined to be connected to Unova! It's fate!" Alder said passionately, trying to emphasize Dylan's potential link to Unova.

"Maybe so," Dylan replied tactfully, going along with Alder's sentiment.

After all, Alder meant well—he was only thinking about Unova.

"By the way, Lacey, I heard Blueberry Academy and Orange Academy are planning joint events?" Dylan asked, trying to steer the conversation away from Alder's "sales pitch."

"Emm... yes. Almost every year, Blueberry Academy and Orange Academy co-organize a summer camp in Northfields," Lacey answered after thinking for a moment, knowing this from her time at Blueberry Academy.

"The summer camp should be happening soon. Gym Leader Dylan, are you interested?" Lacey asked curiously.

"To be honest, when I first became interested in becoming a Trainer, I also attended a Pokémon school for a while," Dylan said with a smile.

"But then my dad suddenly decided to take my mom on a honeymoon trip and left the gym to me, even though I had only been in school for a short time."

"It was a bit like being thrown into the deep end, but fortunately, it seems I had some talent as a Trainer," Dylan continued, humbly downplaying his rapid rise.

Alder and Clay couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. "Some talent?" Really?

"Gym Leader Dylan is amazing!" Lacey couldn't help but feel genuine admiration. From student to Gym Leader in such a short time, and now Rota Gym was one of the most famous gyms in Kanto—all in less than four months.

"I guess I've just been lucky," Dylan said modestly. Luck, and the help of a system that provided too many advantages.

Without it, even if he could maintain the Rota Gym, he wouldn't have achieved this level of success so quickly. Not to mention, without the system, he wouldn't have been able to rise this fast.

After chatting a bit longer with Alder, Clay, and Lacey, Dylan and Lillie finally left the Driftveil Gym and returned to their hotel to rest.

"Goodnight, brother!"

"Goodnight."

In the hotel suite, after exchanging goodnights with Lillie, Dylan headed to his room, freshened up, and got ready for bed.

"Northfields... I really should prepare for that," Dylan thought. He'd need to make time to visit the place. After all, lonely widows are quite adorable.

And if he could capture Pecharunt, that would be ideal.

As long as Necrozma could suppress Pecharunt, everything would be fine.

As for the Three Treasures, Dylan couldn't help but click his tongue at the thought of them bullying Pecharunt when they first revived in the game.

Honestly, these three are such nasty characters. Dylan figured they were better off staying underground, 'sleeping' for a while longer.

Another night passed in the growth simulation.

The next morning at 8 a.m., Dylan woke up on time. Now that the Alola region was cleared, he had to choose the next region to challenge.

Speaking of the most suitable region, it would have to be Galar from the eighth generation.

Because in the eighth generation, Pecharunt could be captured during the first playthrough. But Dylan was still undecided.

Now that he had Ultra Necrozma and Kyurem, he was already practically invincible. His need for Pecharunt wasn't particularly urgent.

He was more inclined to complete the fourth generation's Sinnoh region, which was undoubtedly the most special among all generations.

Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Arceus!

The creator god, Arceus, aside, even the three Sinnoh legends were special.

There are very few Pokémon that are truly referred to as 'gods,' but the fourth generation was different. It was the only one where the official lore explicitly confirmed the existence of true gods!

That is, Arceus and the Sinnoh trio it created.

'Before the universe was born, only it existed, breathing alone.'

'Where the universe began, so too did it.'

'When the universe was born, its shards became the Plates.'

These are the inscriptions on the Stone Plates—the Odd Keystone, Insect Plate, and Earth Plate. But the most striking is the inscription on the Mythic Plate:

'It watches over Pokémon and people in all universes.'

The one true god of the Pokémon world: Arceus!

Dylan wasn't sure if clearing the Sinnoh region would allow him to obtain Arceus, but even if he couldn't, capturing the Sinnoh trio would be just as great.

"In comparison to Pecharunt, the Sinnoh trio definitely feels more appealing," Dylan mused while brushing his teeth.

Pecharunt could still be captured in reality, so he wasn't in a rush. But the Sinnoh trio was different.

In reality, the Sinnoh trio governed time, space, and the Distortion World. Forcibly capturing them could impact the world.

Even if he did capture them, it wouldn't make sense to keep them with him, as they were needed to maintain the balance of time and space. It was much safer and more practical to bring them out from the growth simulation.

"Completing the Sinnoh region might also unlock information about Hisui."

Hisui was the ancient version of the Sinnoh region, and Dylan was certain that Hisui was connected to Sinnoh. Perhaps completing Sinnoh would unlock the Hisui region as well.

Once the Hisui region was unlocked, Dylan would have a chance to fulfill the preconditions for capturing Arceus.

At least, that's how it worked in the game, though Dylan wasn't entirely sure if it would work the same way in the growth simulation. Still, choosing the Sinnoh region felt like the right decision.

Alright, the third region will be Sinnoh! Dylan made up his mind.

Dylan and Lillie, who had also gotten up, finished freshening up and went to have breakfast. Today, they were preparing to return to the Kanto region.

When they stepped outside the hotel, the sky was still dark, but there was a faint glimmer of light.

Outside Driftveil City, Dylan threw out Reshiram's Pokéball.

While Kyurem could also be ridden, Kyurem's body was too rigid, and sitting on it for a long time made your butt hurt. Plus, the cold it emitted wasn't good for one's health after prolonged exposure.

Riding the White Dragon was much more comfortable, and its feathers were soft enough.

Dylan and Lillie mounted the White Dragon and flew towards Mistralton City, where their plane was booked.

"Whew~ The past few days felt like a dream," Lillie said, sitting in front of Dylan, looking down at the faintly illuminated city below. It all seemed a bit surreal to her.

This trip to Unova had been too thrilling for her.

Her brother had captured Reshiram, then challenged Kyurem and was relentlessly pursued by it. Afterward, Necrozma absorbed all the light from the Unova region, transforming into Ultra Necrozma, and finally, her brother captured Kyurem.

Could a young lady from the Aether Foundation like her have ever imagined experiencing such things?

"Then keep this experience deep in your heart," Dylan said with a smile. "Maybe when you look back on it in the future, you'll savor it."

"Mm-hmm~ Big brother, you're amazing~!" Lillie replied, nodding adorably. Her sweet voice was full of admiration.

Yes, right now, Lillie really, really admired her big brother!

"I'll gladly accept Lillie's praise, but for now... we've got guests coming."

Dylan glanced at the dark sky and the gathering storm clouds ahead, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

Lillie blinked in surprise and followed his gaze. The sky was already gray, so it was hard to make out the large dark cloud ahead. However, the flickering blue lightning arcs within the cloud were something she could easily recognize.

That peculiar cloud made Lillie instantly think of Zekrom!

"Dylan, it's the aura of the Black Dragon, just up ahead," Reshiram's ethereal telepathic voice echoed in both Dylan and Lillie's minds, brimming with excitement and anticipation.

"They've come quicker than I expected. It looks like Ghetsis is in a hurry," Dylan scoffed, giving Reshiram a pat.

"Take us down; they're probably waiting for us."

Reshiram understood, quickly descending and landing on the ground.

Dylan and Lillie dismounted from Reshiram and looked ahead.

Ghetsis, dressed in his ornate outfit, stood before them, accompanied by N. Behind them stood Colress, wearing his signature white coat.

At the same time, Plasma Team members began emerging from all directions, surrounding Dylan, Lillie, and Reshiram.

These were Plasma Team's elite forces.

"Tch~ Three generations of Plasma Team leaders. Quite the grand entrance," Dylan muttered in amazement. After all, these three individuals had each taken the role of Plasma Team's leader at different points in both the Black and White timelines.

"Kid, I didn't expect you to be the hero of the Legendary Dragon of Truth. But this works out just fine. Once I take you down, no one will stand in the way of our ideals," Ghetsis growled, his expression dark as he eyed the White Dragon, Reshiram, beside Dylan.

"Hah? It seems like the prison food in Icirrus messed with your head, Ghetsis. I never thought you'd be this foolish," Dylan smirked, his mocking tone causing Ghetsis's expression to darken further.

"If it were just N and his Zekrom, I'm sorry to say, but you guys might want to start preparing yourselves for the fine cuisine at the Unova League prison."

Dylan took out a crimson Premier Ball, toying with it as he spoke.

"You insolent brat! Still so arrogant!" Ghetsis exploded with rage. This guy had been just as cocky last time, and now, even surrounded by Plasma Team, he was still acting this way!

"Arrogant? Ha~" Dylan chuckled as if he'd just heard a great joke.

"Ghetsis, how arrogant must you be to come seeking revenge without even understanding who you're dealing with, rushing here with your men?"

Ghetsis froze for a moment, while N furrowed his brow, remaining silent.

Colress's expression flickered slightly. He glanced at Dylan, then at Ghetsis and N, and discreetly took a few steps away from them.

"What do you mean by that?"

For the first time, Ghetsis felt something was wrong. It had been the same back in Icirrus City. This guy had been equally overconfident back then.

And the result? Ghetsis had been easily defeated by Dylan and handed over to Officer Jenny. But this time, he had N with him!

"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to show you all something impressive," Dylan grinned, his teeth flashing sinisterly in the dim light. The unsettling atmosphere made even the Plasma Team members feel a bit nervous.

With that, Dylan hurled the Premier Ball high into the sky.

Roar~!

A deafening dragon's roar shattered the silence of the sky, and a massive gray dragon landed heavily behind Dylan, exuding an overwhelming and savage aura.

N's pupils contracted, and the blue lightning in the storm cloud ahead suddenly ceased.

"This... this is..." Ghetsis stammered in disbelief, while Colress's eyes twitched violently, causing him to step even further away from Ghetsis and N.

In the dim light, the black-clad youth stood with a serene smile. The Dragon of Truth stood proudly at his right, while the strongest dragon on land loomed behind him.

What an awe-inspiring sight!

"Well then, I'll ask one more time. Will you kindly drop your Pokéballs, put your hands on your heads, and squat down quietly?" Dylan's mocking tone cut through the tension as he glanced around at the stunned Plasma Team members, finally focusing on Ghetsis's grim face.

"Or... do you intend to resist someone who possesses both Kyurem and Reshiram?"

(End of chapter)

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