Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom-Chapter 424 - 423: Proposal to Establish a Gym

Hearing Cain's words, old Matsuda looked visibly surprised.

Until now, there hadn't been many people who directly expressed concern for his health in such a way.

He immediately burst out laughing. "Well, well, now this kid is lecturing me."

He didn't show any sign of being upset. On the contrary, the tense expression on his face gradually relaxed.

Suddenly, he started to feel genuinely tired.

After all, he wasn't young anymore; he couldn't go several days without sleep to work on experiments like he used to.

Cain also smiled at this.

Since he wanted to maintain his status within the League, there were moments when he had to fully embrace that role.

"All right, tell me, what do you need?" asked old Matsuda, taking a sip of tea and sitting in his chair.

"It's like this, Master. I suppose you already know that I'm now in the Hoenn region, right?" Cain began.

"Hoenn? You went to the Hoenn region?" Old Matsuda asked unexpectedly, creating an awkward moment.

Cain had assumed that old Matsuda was aware of his whereabouts, so after traveling to Hoenn, he thought the man would know.

However, clearly, things weren't as he had imagined.

"Well, now I know—you're in the Hoenn region. Go on," said old Matsuda after an awkward cough.

Cain also felt a little embarrassed.

"The thing is, since I arrived in the Hoenn region, I've realized it's quite a good place. I'm thinking of developing myself here."

"Recently, while exploring the region, I came across a small town with a great location and environment. I bought a house there with the intention of settling down."

"After going around the town a few times, I discovered that its facilities and development are quite behind, so I'd like to contribute to its growth. After thinking about it for a while, I believe the best way to help would be by establishing a gym in this place. So..."

Before he could finish, old Matsuda interrupted him.

"Wait a moment, are you saying you want to open a gym in a small, underdeveloped town in the Hoenn region? Are you sure?" Old Matsuda almost spat out his tea in surprise.

"Yes," Cain replied with a nod.

"If you want to open a gym in the Hoenn region, why not enter an official League tournament? Those who place in the top three can open gyms and choose their region. Besides, security in Hoenn is somewhat unstable, and the League wants to strengthen its control," old Matsuda suggested.

"..."

"If I could open a gym by participating in a tournament, I wouldn't be asking you for this," Cain thought.

Although Cain was confident he could secure a spot among the top three, the problem was that there weren't any tournaments at the moment, and the next one was scheduled for three months later.

Cain had returned to the world just three months ago, and waiting another three simply wasn't an option.

"Master, what I mean is that I don't want to wait that long. The next Hoenn region tournament is at least three months away, and in that time, I could make significant progress."

Old Matsuda observed Cain's earnest expression and appeared deep in thought.

He knew Cain had great potential, and wasting so much time waiting didn't seem right given his age.

In truth, the Hoenn region, having been integrated into the League later, held tournaments to establish gyms. In Kanto or Johto, the gyms were already complete, and opening one wasn't as straightforward.

In the major cities of Hoenn, the gyms were also occupied, but in some small towns, there were still no gyms, which is why these tournaments were still held, albeit less frequently.

"Why do you want to open a gym in Hoenn? While you can do so there, the League has been heavily regulating things lately. If you were to go to the Unova or Sinnoh regions, I could talk to some contacts, and you could open a gym directly," old Matsuda suggested with some concern.

Cain knew old Matsuda was right, but Hoenn was Team Rocket's primary target, and the Unova and Sinnoh regions were too far away to receive support. Even if he established a base there, it would be difficult to expand from such a distance.

"I have some friends in Hoenn. If I move to another region, I'd probably be alone," Cain explained.

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Hearing this, old Matsuda suddenly remembered Steven, Cain's friend.

His eyes lit up, and he said, "If you can rely on Steven's help, it might be easier. Could you persuade him?"

Persuade Steven?

Cain knew that just by mentioning it, Steven would agree. But he didn't want to take advantage of their friendship like that.

Although he appreciated Steven's help, he preferred for both of them to benefit from Leafy Town's development so they could gain something in return for their past cooperation.

However, regarding the gym's construction, he didn't want to bother Steven further.

Cain sighed internally. Although old Matsuda had some status within the League, he wasn't part of the administration and couldn't intervene much. He would have to look for other friends who could help, but that would mean owing them favors.

"Master, if I make a significant contribution to the League and you support me, could you help me open a gym quickly?" Cain asked, taking a deep breath.

Old Matsuda also reflected on the possibility of helping Cain with this matter.

Although it wouldn't be impossible, the price would be high. He might have to donate some of his experimental advances to the League, which would be a great sacrifice.

Hearing Cain's proposal, old Matsuda said, "Oh? What kind of contribution could you make?"

He was curious about what Cain might offer the League.

However, he had already made a decision in his mind. If Cain couldn't find another way, he'd be willing to sacrifice one or two of his advancements and, with a bit of shamelessness, ask some old friends for help.

After all, Cain was his first disciple—and likely the last. If this was the first time Cain was asking him for something, he wanted to help him.

Finally, Cain responded after a brief silence, "What if I discover a new evolution method for a Pokémon?"

(End of Chapter)