Looking at Garchomp lying contentedly in the sand, its face filled with satisfaction, Cynthia said softly, "Your Breeding techniques have improved significantly."
Although Cynthia had bred many powerful Pokemon, when it came to training moves, she might even surpass Wayne.
However, when it came to food preparation and care, she truly only possessed basic knowledge. This was the difference between specializations.
Wayne's hands didn't stop moving. "First, I trained with my grandfather for over a month, then I learned from Blue for seven days. After the Breeding Center opened, I've been in constant contact with Pokemon. It's only natural to improve."
"That's still remarkable improvement."
Cynthia understood Garchomp's temperament well.
If it wasn't satisfied, it wouldn't be satisfied. It wouldn't pretend to be content just because Wayne knew her.
Garchomp's current state only proved that Wayne truly understood how to care for it properly.
Should I ask him to take care of Garchomp and the others more regularly? Would it cause him too much trouble...
Cynthia was still contemplating.
It seems feasible. He's going to accept orders anyway, so whose order he accepts doesn't really matter, right?
In the afternoon, before preparing Mapo Tofu, Wayne scrolled through his phone for a while.
Cynthia was also looking at hers, reviewing the document Riley had sent her.
The main reason was that the chat group messages kept ringing constantly.
Lance, who hadn't been seen in a long time, appeared.
He was temporarily switching back from being an investigator to serving as Champion.
Lance held the position of Kanto Elite Four member and Johto Champion, though sometimes people also considered him the Kanto Champion.
This was because Red had already relinquished the Champion title, so by order of succession, it indeed fell to Lance.
Lance: "Besides the Pokemon World Championships, there will be a brand new world tournament!"
Lance, Leon, Wallace, Riley, and several other Champions and Elite Four members had held a meeting not long ago to discuss this new competition.
As for why Cynthia wasn't present?
Because Cynthia was on vacation.
This matter wasn't particularly urgent, so Cynthia had fully entrusted it to Riley.
Ethan: "Why establish a new competition system?"
Lance: "To promote the competition and encourage more people to come and participate in person."
Green: "To put it bluntly, it's for money, right?"
Lance: "...That's correct."
Green: "Isn't it better to be honest?"
Lance: "Please understand—we need to make a living."
Red: "Lance, what is this new competition?"
Lance explained via voice message: "The Master League. As the name suggests, it's a tournament for Master Level Trainers and above.
Unlike the Pokemon World Championships, which has no entry barrier, the Master League is an invitation-based tournament.
It's divided into two stages: February to May, and July to October, with multiple regional home-field tour competitions.
The top sixteen in accumulated points from both stages will participate in the final Champion contention in early November."
Lance then uploaded a document titled "Master League System and New Rules."
Wayne wasn't qualified to participate, but he still opened it.
Lance had been slightly mistaken. While it was called the Master League, it was actually a tournament for Gym Leaders and above.
Perhaps calling it the Gym Leader League didn't sound prestigious enough.
After all, there would also be Trainers who weren't Gym Leaders invited as wildcard participants.
Generally, those who made it into the top sixteen were either Elite Four members or Champions.
Raihan, the Gym Leader of Wyndon City, was an exception. He was exceptionally powerful.
However, if you included Blue of Viridian Gym and the former Gym Leader Giovanni, Raihan wasn't quite as exceptional.
Lt. Surge: "Such a lengthy competition—non-stop all year?"
Lance explained: "Not quite. Roughly one competition every two weeks, primarily to accommodate the Pokemon World Championships as well."
Lt. Surge: "My point is, we need more money."
Oh, you and your obsession with money, Lt. Surge!
Silver : "Home-field tour? I don't understand."
Crystal also sent a voice message: "For example, Lance might travel to the Galar region for competitions, while Leon might come to the Johto region for competitions."
Lance smiled: "Excellent summary."
Silver : "Understood, understood! When Leon comes to Johto, I'll totally defeat him!"
Lorelei's tone was unusually composed.
"Although there's no Dynamax outside the Galar region, it's still best not to underestimate Leon."
Blue: "That's not what he's asking about."
Lance: "Sorry, Red. For safety and entertainment purposes, the Master League cannot use the unlimited battle system."
The so-called unlimited battle system referred to a format where Trainers themselves could be directly attacked.
In such situations, incapacitating the Trainer became the most crucial aspect.
If the Trainer fell, they lost.
Red, Blue, Lt. Surge, Bruno, Ethan...
It could be said that most people from the Kanto and Johto regions were masters of the unlimited battle system.
Compared to today's formal competition system, which leaned toward entertainment, they would prefer unlimited battles, or even street fights.
Red: "It's okay. I can understand."
The unlimited battle system indeed carried a certain possibility of causing irreversible harm to Trainers.
Red understood this deeply.
From a business perspective, this unlimited competition system would eventually withdraw from the stage of history and could never return.
Green: "Then are you going to participate?"
Red: "Not for now... I'll still remain at Mt. Silver for special training..."
Green: "@Blue, what about you?"
Blue: "Considering it. Most likely not."
For Blue, there were still worthy challenges.
Leon, Lance, Cynthia, and Steven were all formidable opponents.
Thinking of this, Blue tagged Wayne, who had been lurking silently.
Blue: "Interested in participating? I can secure you an entry ticket."
Besides Gym Leaders, the Master League could also invite others, and Blue could obtain Wayne an entry ticket.
For Blue, it represented a moderate challenge.
But for Wayne, it would be a hellish ordeal.
Wayne: "Wouldn't I just get demolished if I went?"
Blue: "With Gym Leaders and wildcard participants competing, your strength is more than adequate."
Lt. Surge: "Why do I feel looked down upon?"
Sabrina: "+1"
Brock: "+1"
Whitney: "+1"
Blue: "I'm also a Gym Leader."
Blue delivered a finishing blow!
Red: "If I participate, I'll also be a wildcard."
Red countered with his own finishing move!
Silver: "Go film your movie @Sabrina"
Sabrina had become an actress and occasionally filmed movies at Pokemon Hollywood in Virbank City, Unova.
Silver: "Go drink your Moomoo Milk @Whitney"
Living only for today, huh, Silver!
Whitney: "I'll give you a punch, Ora Ora!"
Daring to provoke Sabrina? Everyone in front of their phone screens couldn't help but give Ethan a mental thumbs up.
You're brave, Silver!
Hope Silver survives this.
Lt. Surge lit a symbolic incense stick for Ethan.
Wayne: "I'll consider it, but I still have Breeding work to attend to."
Blue: "Right, I didn't think that through."
Both Lucario and Metagross preferred battles, so it wasn't as if Wayne couldn't participate.
However, the problem of traveling everywhere would indeed be a hindrance to Wayne's participation.
Cynthia's voice interrupted Wayne's thoughts.
"What are you looking at so intently?"