Now that even, Lance had betrayed the League, the Kanto and Johto region had lost all of its Elite Four in a single night.
"It's time to go meet Lucas. Otherwise…"
Rose's eyes flickered. Indigo was at its weakest moment. And although Rose would never kick Indigo while it was down…
If Indigo wanted to stand again, the best method—no, the only method—was to win over Lucas.
But Rose would never allow Indigo to snatch Lucas away first!
…
'I will save land and Pokémon in my own way! Those filthy things are not what this world needs!'
'Chairman, please watch carefully. I will return everything… everything… to what it should have been!'
'The League has already rotted.'
Blood stained the tall walls of the highest and most sacred council chamber of Indigo Plateau. Corpses lay scattered across the marble floor. The young man with blood-red hair stood amidst the fallen, his eyes veiled in darkness, speaking flatly to the trembling old man before him.
The old man pressed his lips tightly together and shut his eyes in sorrow.
"Chairman?"
"Chairman Loki?"
Worried voices echoed beside Loki's ears, finally pulling him away from that nightmare-like night of despair.
His vision slowly cleared. Before him stood Chief Officer Jenny, Head Nurse Joy, and the only two surviving council members.
Yes—out of the vast Indigo League, even counting himself, only five members of the leadership still remained…
Loki gave a bitter laugh and shook his head. What a tragedy… what a sin.
"Chairman, please stop blaming yourself. None of this… is your fault."
Jenny Zero hesitated for a moment as she tried to comfort him, seeing the aged sorrow on his face.
She understood his thoughts—this old man blamed everything on himself.
"No, it is my fault," Loki sighed deeply.
"I knew long ago that many within the League had already changed, yet I kept believing they would turn back… that they would repent."
"And I knew Lance's mentality had been growing more and more extreme. I should have guided him more. If I had done that, he wouldn't have made such a disastrous mistake."
Loki's voice trembled with pain. Power and greed can corrupt even the purest of hearts. When he first sensed something was wrong, he should have stopped those growing shadows.
But as he aged, he grew hesitant, burdened by too many concerns…
And now, this horrifying tragedy had unfolded.
Lance—once the strongest Champion in League history might soon become the League's most terrifying enemy.
"It's not your fault, Chairman. Those fools went too far—that's what pushed Lance to this point. Ah…"
The middle-aged councilman, one of the survivors, spoke seriously, only to curse under his breath moments later.
As for Lance slaughtering the council… everyone here had their own judgment of right and wrong.
But the middle-aged councilman did not believe Lance was wrong. Those council members already consumed by corruption and greed—erasing them was a good thing. Otherwise, the Indigo League would have eventually collapsed under their rot.
Yet at the same time, Lance was now considered a dangerous extremist. And Agatha, Lorelei, and Bruno had followed him.
Combined with the year's Team Rocket disaster, the Indigo League had fallen into the most fragile state in its history.
Of the eight official Gym Leaders, four seats were still vacant. The entire Elite Four had defected and could even become enemies.
"Chairman, what matters now is calming the public. And… we cannot let the Elite Four remain empty for long."
Head Nurse Joy's gentle face carried a worried crease between her brows.
The truth about Lance and the others could never be revealed to the public. Not now.
"…Tell them that during the recent battle against Team Rocket, they were injured and needed to temporarily step down," Loki said after rubbing his forehead in exhaustion.
"As for the new Elite Four, do you have any recommendations?"
He looked at the four of them, weary. The Elite Four formed the foundation of a region's stability. Without them, Indigo would crumble.
And the Johto's Team Rockets had not been eradicated. Their leader remained hidden. Even Lance could not defeat the Team Rocket Boss—Team Rocket remained a grave threat.
And then there was Lance…
His final words before leaving made Loki deeply uneasy.
What would a freed Lance do next?
"I recall two children who performed remarkably well during the Saffron incident. Red and Blue, both Professor Oak's protégés."
The middle-aged councilman suggested cautiously.
"Samuel… I'll contact him myself," Loki nodded.
He too had heard of Red and Blue. After all, Agatha had specifically praised their talents after the Saffron City war.
"Then there's Caitlin, rumored to be from a prestigious psychic family in Sinnoh. She's traveling in Kanto now. She's ranked 27th on the World Tournament's Ultra Class Rankings, and she's assisted us several times this year."
Jenny offered her suggestion next.
Indeed, this girl had repeatedly captured Team Rocket executives and assisted the League multiple times.
Reports indicated that months ago, she already had the strength to suppress Archer, one of Team Rocket's top executives.
Her talent wasn't as monstrous as Red and Blue's, but she was undeniably a prodigy.
"There's also a child named Yellow. Quite impressive—I remember her too."
Nurse Joy recalled.
"Lucas Blackthorn."
Suddenly, the other older councilman, silent until now—spoke.
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Had they forgotten Lucas? No. They deliberately avoided mentioning him.
After all, Lucas had been a Team Rocket officer.
And he was Lance's cousin. With Lance having just defected… who knew where Lucas stood?
"Chairman, I believe we should at least test Lucas's stance. Indigo needs a Champion with overwhelming strength and presence."
The councilman spoke firmly. With Lance gone and Team Rocket lurking, Indigo needed a deterrent someone powerful enough to stabilize the entire the two regions.
"I understand. I will personally visit the Blackthorn clan."
Loki inhaled deeply.
…
Time passed quickly. To the general public, nothing had changed. They had no idea what catastrophes had truly unfolded in the League's highest chambers.
"Indigo's Elite Four…?"
Blue, currently training a new partner, froze when his grandfather called.
This—
His goal was to become the Champion, but he hadn't even started challenging yet. And they already wanted him to become an Elite Four?
"Professor Oak, did something happen?"
Red frowned upon receiving his call as well.
The Elite Four were all alive as far as he knew. Why were replacements suddenly needed?
…
"The Elite Four…"
On Cinnabar Island, Caitlin stood in her elegant pink dress, her long golden hair cascading to her ankles, her beautiful face lifted toward the sky.
She had just been asked if she would accept the role of Indigo Elite Four.
She neither accepted nor refused—instead she contacted her family for information.
Because this was far too suspicious.
Moments later…
The truth of the Indigo Plateau massacre reached her.
"All four defected… and Lance committed slaughter…"
Caitlin's expression clouded.
Just as Lucas warned her earlier this year—it had come true.
She had sensed the growing extremism among Agatha and Lance during her travels, but she never expected things to escalate so horribly.
"The Indigo Elite Four, huh?"
She glanced at her Gardevoir, which she had acquired upon arriving in Kanto and recently finished training.
"Garde~?"
The Pokémon tilted its head.
"We're heading to Indigo Plateau. I didn't expect things to come to this."
She smiled lightly—her decision already made.
… Indigo
Back at the Blackthorn residence…
"Luuu~!"
In the pond, a white bird-like Pokémon happily flapped its wings, splashing water onto a tiny pink cat-like creature beside it…
…accidentally smacking the poor Mew straight into the pond.
The drenched Mew floated back up, staring resentfully at the sheepish Lugia.
Having a big body makes you amazing, huh?
"This kid is growing so fast."
Green laughed, clicking her tongue in amazement.
Yes—this was the baby Lugia entrusted to Lucas months ago.
And in just a few months, it had grown from barely a meter long to over three meters!
Its strength had skyrocketed, now already Champion-level!
Even Green's main partners could no longer defeat it.
"Such is the blessing of a top-tier legendary species," Marnie said calmly as she prepared Pokéblocks, though her eyes kept drifting toward the pavilion nearby…
Where Lucas sat across from none other than League Chairman Loki.
…
"Such a peaceful paradise… even an old man like me is jealous,"
Loki said, gazing at Lugia and Mew.
These were literal legends of Kanto.
"Chairman, don't joke with me. You're the head of the League."
Lucas smiled and poured fresh tea.
"What brings you here today? I've been very obedient lately—I haven't even left Blackthorn City."
Loki stroked his long beard.
"I was an old friend of your grandfather. Just call me 'Chairman.'"
"You should already know why I'm here. So, I won't beat around the bush."
"Lucas—Indigo's Elite Four have all defected. Their positions must be filled immediately."
"And I want you to become the Champion of the Elite Four."
Loki's expression grew solemn as he looked directly at him.
Lucas's strength was unquestionable. He had proven that in Saffron.
And the Lugia and Mew behind him only reinforced how mysterious and how extraordinary this boy truly was.
"Chairman, I…"
Lucas raised an eyebrow. So, he really had come to invite him.
But just as Lucas was about to respond—
Loki spoke again.
"I understand. Lance is disillusioned with the League but not all the fault lies with the League. Lance's ideology is twisted."
Thinking of Lance brought sorrow to his old eyes.
"As Lance's cousin, I don't think you want to watch him continue down this path. I know there were unpleasant things between you and the League before… but I still hope you will consider this."
"This world needs the Pokémon League. Without it, order, law, and peace would collapse."
"And right now… the League needs you as well."
"Lucas! I sincerely hope you will become Indigo's Champion, bring order to the region and protect its people!"
He placed a formal document onto the table and slid it toward Lucas.
The official appointment of Indigo's Elite Four Champion.
One signature and Lucas would stand at the absolute peak of Indigo.
The strongest existence in the region.
(End of Chapter)