Time rewinds back to the morning.
Indigo Plateau is the most sacred place in the Kanto region because the Pokémon League Headquarters, the highest Pokémon institution, is located here.
Yes, the Pokémon League Headquarters!
The Pokémon League is the supreme authority in this world, undeniably the world's overlord.
Currently, the flags of the League cover all eight regions except for the Alola region, which, for special reasons, has not yet established its own league.
Why doesn't the Alola region have a Pokémon League? It's due to certain special reasons, not because the people of Alola don't want a league, but because the League itself doesn't want it! Professor Kukui from the Alola region has visited Kanto multiple times to apply for the establishment of an Alola League but has been repeatedly denied.
Why are there eight regions? Logically, there should be nine, but currently, Kanto and Johto are governed together.
There is no Johto League at present; the Kanto League actually includes the Johto region.
In the original game, both the Johto and Kanto League Headquarters are located at Indigo Plateau. The reason for the different Elite Four in two generations is because of the years between the two generations, during which there were changes in the Elite Four. Red gave up his champion position to Lance, who became the champion.
During these years, Koga and Agatha retired, and Will, Karen, and Bruno took their places, forming the new Kanto (Johto) Elite Four and Champion.
Because Johto and Kanto are connected, they share the same league and the same Elite Four.
However, the Kanto League has always felt that governing both Kanto and Johto is quite troublesome and has been preparing to separate Johto into its own region.
But establishing a Johto League is not easy, especially when it comes to finding Elite Four members. President Goodshow has always been troubled by this, as the Kanto League itself is missing one member of the Elite Four, let alone splitting off Johto.
Of course, that's something to consider later. The current focus is...
"You've heard about what happened on the S.S. Anne, right?"
In the Elite Four meeting room, the short, white-haired, and white-bearded President Goodshow sat on the sofa, his gaze sweeping around the room.
A strong man with a bare upper body was silently doing one-arm push-ups in the corner; this is Bruno, the third member of the Elite Four!
A cold, glamorous woman with red hair and glasses, wearing a fitted black uniform, had a smirk of icy coldness on her lips. She is Lorelei, the fourth member of the Elite Four.
An old woman with a gaunt and somewhat eerie face, dressed in a purple gown, was playing with a giant cobra. She is Agatha, the second member of the Elite Four.
By the floor-to-ceiling window stood a man with a black cape, blood-red hair standing up wildly, and a handsome, stern face with a dragon-like majestic aura.
This is Lance, the first member of the Kanto Elite Four and the current Kanto Champion!
"Heh, Team Rocket, President, I've said it before, trash like Team Rocket should be completely cleaned up."
Lorelei adjusted her glasses, her calm and indifferent voice as cold as ice.
She detests Team Rocket, and this hatred comes from the very core of her being!
"Team Rocket has indeed gone too far this time."
Agatha's deep, hoarse voice matched her eerie appearance.
"The S.S. Anne is a world-renowned cruise ship, and Team Rocket dared to blatantly hijack and coerce all the passengers on board. This is simply disregarding our Kanto League!"
Lorelei's cold voice seemed to lower the temperature of the entire Elite Four meeting room.
Bruno, silently doing push-ups in the corner, remained like an invisible man, still silent.
"President, order a search of Team Rocket's bases. Every single one, I'll turn them all into ice sculptures."
Lorelei's tone remained calm and logical, her beautiful face serene, but her words were not.
"Lorelei, in the last operation against Team Rocket, you froze fourteen members, eight of whom were left with severe aftereffects."
President Goodshow looked at Lorelei, frowning as he reminded her.
The Pokémon League is a humanitarian organization, established to ensure harmony between humans and Pokémon.
Thus, people around the world deeply trust the Pokémon League, both trainers and ordinary people, and it has been this way for a century.
President Goodshow is a kind-hearted man. The League doesn't impose the death penalty, even on Team Rocket members, who, if willing to reform, can have a second chance.
"The councilors have warned you, Lorelei, you can't keep doing this," President Goodshow sighed.
Lorelei's fair, delicate face turned sullen and ugly at his words.
The atmosphere grew tense, Agatha continued playing with her Arbok, Bruno stopped his push-ups and looked at Lorelei.
Lance remained silent, gazing out the window.
"Heh~"
After a long while, Lorelei let out a cold laugh but said nothing, the sarcasm in her laugh evident.
Those useless councilors, they've long forgotten why they joined the League. Was it because she injured a few Team Rocket members that they warned her?
Of course not, it's because the cold-hearted Lorelei never fawns over those councilors, which is why they target her.
Or rather, it's not just her, but the entire Kanto Elite Four.
The Kanto Elite Four stands out from the Kanto League's high-ranking officials.
Lorelei understands this well, which is why she despises those useless people even more.
"Lorelei, some in Team Rocket are heinous criminals, but not all. They should have the chance to reform."
"President."
Lorelei looked up, directly at the elderly man she once deeply respected, without backing down.
"Team Rocket is Team Rocket! A Rocket today is still a Rocket tomorrow!!"
She once saw a little Seel almost die in polluted water, a result of environmental destruction. The sad look in the dying Seel's eyes is something she'll never forget.
She joined the Pokémon League for the Pokémon, and she saw even greater evil after joining!
Those Pokémon suffering on lab tables, their pitiful forms, were like cold daggers stabbing her heart.
And more and more evidence showed that anyone in Team Rocket is trash that needs to be dealt with!
The Ice-type Elite Four member's cold voice made President Goodshow purse his lips, his eyes trembling slightly.
When did it start?
President Goodshow didn't know either. The Kanto Elite Four is considered the world's strongest Elite Four; everyone thinks so.
Dragon Master Lance, Ghost-type Agatha, Fighting-type Bruno, and Ice-type Lorelei!
These four form the strongest Kanto Elite Four, standing at the top of Kanto. No one has been able to defeat them so far.
Why hasn't the Kanto Elite Four been completed? Because since these four formed the Kanto Elite Four, no one has earned their recognition to join them.
But outsiders don't know, the Kanto Elite Four has subtly changed over time.
The Elite Four meeting room fell silent again.
"The S.S. Anne incident was led by Archer, and Archer was defeated by two children."
President Goodshow rubbed his temples, his tired voice sounding.
"One of them is a new trainer who started this year, and the other is a recently graduated new Gym Leader."
"As promising newcomers, the League should reward them."
Agatha spoke with a kind smile, though her face still appeared quite eerie even when smiling.
"Yes, and that new Gym Leader is just like you, Lance."
President Goodshow nodded.
"Also born with the power of Viridian."
The Pokémon world is inherently semi-supernatural, not just because of the Pokémon themselves, but also because of the humans.
In this world, strange abilities aren't very common but not exceedingly rare either, especially psychic powers, which can even be trained.
But the blessing of Viridian is one of the rarest abilities.
Lance turned his head slightly, his dragon-like sharp eyes flickering.
Blessed by the Viridian, just like him?
A smile slowly appeared on Lance's lips. A junior like him, he wondered how capable this junior was.
"Perhaps it won't be long before the Kanto Elite Four is complete," President Goodshow smiled.
As the President of the League, he naturally welcomed the rise of promising newcomers, especially now, with the increasing tension between the Kanto Elite Four and the League's higher-ups.
"As a reward for the S.S. Anne incident, that child requested a highly talented Pokémon. But according to the information, he seems to specialize in Poison types."
President Goodshow's white eyebrows furrowed slightly. Specializing in Poison types... that is indeed rare.
Whoosh~
A Poké Ball flew towards President Goodshow.
He caught the Poké Ball, looking at Lance in confusion.
Lance's expression remained cold and indifferent as he turned back to the window, speaking only one calm sentence.
"Let him raise dragons."
A junior with the blessing of Viridian Forest, playing with Poison??
(End of Chapter)