Night fell.
Stars shimmered brilliantly across the sky, and the moon cast a pale, chilled light down onto the world, covering the land in a silvery glow. On this peaceful night, one explosive piece of news was spreading wildly within the Indigo League, rattling the highest ranks and prompting the usually reserved upper echelon to spring into action.
The message read: The Kanto guardian deity, Tyranitar, stationed at the Pokémon Noble Academy, was defeated and captured earlier today. The Trainer who accomplished this feat is Silas Oak!
Silas Oak!
Of course, the League's leadership knew that name well. He was the third-generation heir to the Oak family, and widely regarded as the most promising contender to become Indigo League's first homegrown Champion. If this had happened a few years down the road, perhaps they wouldn't have been so stunned—but the fact that it happened now was enough to leave everyone reeling.
After all, Silas was only ten years old. To defeat and capture the Kanto guardian deity, Tyranitar, at age ten meant he now possessed two Pokémon at the very pinnacle of Champion power. Trainers with such monstrous potential were, if not unique for all time, absolutely unprecedented—and even among regional Champions, he wouldn't be the weakest!
It's true that anyone crowned Champion must have Champion-tier Pokémon, but that doesn't mean every Champion's entire team is Champion-tier. Take Wallace from Hoenn, for example—even after rising to Champion, only two of his Pokémon reached Champion tier; the other four were just peak Elite Four.
A Champion like Wallace certainly wasn't the weakest among Champions, so how strong was Silas, who now had two at the absolute peak?
Astonishment aside, the news also seeded fear.
Silas was still so young. The impulsiveness of youth, pride and recklessness—all could easily lead to rash decisions. If Silas were just another Oak clan member, there'd be no need for concern. But if someone with two Pokémon at the top of Champion power acted out, could anyone contain the fallout?
There was more. The Kanto guardian deity's role wasn't just defending Kanto; it also balanced the interests of the major League families. Traditionally, no more than one such Pokémon would ever be under a single family's control. The Oak family had always held one; now Silas had another, breaking the equilibrium.
But what does breaking that balance mean?
It means some families will rise, while others will decline. A new shuffle is beginning, the whole landscape about to change—and so all kinds of calculation and intrigue began to bubble up behind the scenes.
...
Elite Four Conference Room
This was where the Kanto Elite Four gathered to discuss major issues. At this moment, Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance were all present, along with Silas's father, Shingen Oak.
"Everyone," Lance was the first to speak, his tone blunt, "You all know Silas. What are your thoughts?"
"Well done," Bruno chimed in first, a shrewd smile cracking his rugged features. "To defeat the Kanto guardian deity already—the day when our region gets its own Champion isn't far off. I don't know about the rest of you, but if there's a League vote, my ballot will always support whatever favors that kid."
"Agreed." Lorelei added, adjusting her glasses. "Silas might be a bit young, with a lot to learn about people and politics, but you can't ignore his potential. That's exactly why we can't let any of the League parasites meddle in this."
"Hmph." Agatha let out a chilling laugh, her voice cold and commanding. "Silas might be young, but he's still my godson. Never mind that he won the Kanto guardian deity on merit; even if he'd claimed it for its influence—so what? Anyone who dares whine at the League meeting, I'll personally show them the door!"
Agatha's words were imperious, absolutely unmatched in force.
Yet nobody present thought she was bluffing. In terms of power, she was the strongest among Kanto's Elite Four. If not for her advanced age—well beyond retirement—Professor Oak and the rest wouldn't even need Silas to become Champion; Agatha would've claimed the spot herself. She'd earned every right to speak that way.
"Thank you."
With the Kanto Elite Four united behind Silas, Shingen finally broke his silence. "Thank you all for your help. If you ever need any favors in the future, the Oak family will never refuse."
"Nonsense." Agatha shot back coldly, not giving Shingen the least bit of face. "I'm only helping my godson. Don't drag the Oak family into it."
...
Inside Professor Oak's Laboratory
Professor Oak sat in front of eight computer screens; on each, the face of an elderly man appeared.
"Oak!" The first elder shouted as soon as he saw Professor Oak, barely containing himself. "Is your grandson engaged? I've got a beautiful, elegant granddaughter—let's arrange a marriage! Even if he already has a match, my granddaughter can be the second wife!"
"Forget it," the third elder interjected, addressing Professor Oak directly. "Don't listen to Valerius and his nonsense. His granddaughter is an ice queen if there ever was one—someone even called her the 'Queen of Psychic Types.' If there's going to be a marriage alliance, it ought to be with me. I have a grandniece—big hips, super fertile, lively, cute, and a natural caretaker. She'd be perfect, first wife or second, your pick."
"What?!" Elder One exploded at that. "Your so-called grandniece is nothing special! My Blackthorn family—"
"All right, that's enough." Seeing that the two men were about to start a fight, Professor Oak cut in calmly, a gentle smile on his face. "Anyone who wants to discuss a marriage alliance, that's fine, but let's talk terms first."