"We won!"
The roar of Drake, a member of the Elite Four, was accompanied by the echo of draconic roars in the distance.
Soon after, a wave of triumphant cheers followed.
Today marked the crushing defeat of one of Hoenn's greatest threats—the notorious Team Aqua.
Archie, their leader, was forced into retreat, barely escaping with a single Champion-tier Pokémon.
All three of his top Admins perished in battle. The rest of his officers and members suffered devastating casualties.
After this decisive battle, Team Aqua was effectively obliterated.
Now, the League only needed to maintain vigilance. No matter how cunning Archie might be, there would be no chance for a comeback.
"These are your Pokémon. Please get them treated immediately—they're already exhausted from the last battle," said Ron, approaching Wallace as the League Trainers began cleaning up the aftermath.
"Thank you so much, Ron. If it hadn't been for you, I doubt I would've lasted until Drake arrived—let alone see this victory."
Wallace accepted his Poké Balls and expressed his deep gratitude.
"Exactly, Ron. Don't try to play modest now," Drake added with a firm tone, not giving Ron any chance to deflect. "It's because of you that the Hoenn League managed to secure this win. If not, we might've been the ones to fall."
He wasn't wrong. If Wallace had fallen here, Team Aqua might not have been strong enough to retaliate against the League directly—but their victory would have dealt a severe blow to the League's morale.
With weakened spirit on one side and momentum on the other, there was no telling if Team Magma might have seized the opportunity to strike. If the League had to fight on two fronts, even victory would have come at a heavy price—not the overwhelming triumph they now enjoyed.
Faced with praise from Wallace and Drake, Ron could only smile wryly and accept it. Sometimes, being talented meant accepting the burden of recognition, no matter how reluctant one might feel.
In the secret base of Team Magma, the news of Team Aqua's annihilation had just arrived.
Tabitha, their second-in-command, turned to take orders from Maxie.
"Inform our operatives: cancel all activities that could draw the League's attention. From today forward, Team Magma will move entirely into the shadows. We cannot afford to become the League's next target."
"Understood."
Tabitha swiftly sprang into action.
After witnessing the full force of the League, he couldn't help but feel relief that Maxie had made the right call. Had they launched an attack on the League headquarters instead, there would have been no guarantee that Team Magma wouldn't have shared Team Aqua's fate.
...
"One thousand and one."
"One thousand and two."
"One thousand and three."
Inside a fully equipped training room, Ron was doing squats with dumbbells, continuing to temper his body.
His Machamp and the others were training diligently around him. It had been five days since Team Aqua's eradication.
To solidify and expand on the victory, the Hoenn League had remained busy. But with the large-scale battles over, Ron finally had some time to rest and recover.
"Ron, are you there?"
A knock at the door followed, and Ron immediately recognized the voice of Drake.
He quickly returned Gengar and the others to their Poké Balls before heading to the door.
"Elite Four Drake, what brings you here?" Ron asked, puzzled.
By all rights, Drake should still be busy hunting down the remaining elements of Team Aqua. Why would he have time to visit Ron? Was there a new mission?
"What, I can't drop in to see our star hero unless there's a mission?" Drake joked.
"Please don't tease me. I know exactly what I did—I don't deserve to be called a 'hero,'" Ron replied, slightly embarrassed now that the adrenaline of battle had passed.
"All right, enough modesty," Drake waved it off. "I'm actually here on official business—bearing rewards. But if you don't let me in soon, I might just walk away."
"This is a training room. Would you mind giving me a moment to freshen up first?"
"No need—I work out too. I've seen worse."
Ron shrugged and led Drake inside.
"Ron, due to regional restrictions, I can't reward you with merit points directly. Instead, we've converted your reward into League Credits," Drake explained. "But before we get to that, I have a question for you."
"Would you consider officially joining the Hoenn League?"
"This isn't a spur-of-the-moment offer. After I reported to Champion Steven Stone, we discussed it thoroughly—and this is a formal invitation."
"If you agree, you'll be able to freely choose your position. As for compensation, we can offer double the standard rate—or even more. What's more, you'll be nurtured as a key talent of the League."
"Whatever resources you need—we'll provide them. All we ask is that you continue to grow stronger with those resources."
"There's no rush to answer. Take some time to think about it, and let me know when you're ready."
After finding a relatively quiet and clean place to sit down, Elite Four Drake spoke earnestly to Ron, his tone calm but heavy with intent.
Hearing Drake's words, Ron couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.
If nothing else, just in terms of resources, the Hoenn League was far more generous than the Kanto League.
Compared to the Hoenn League, the Kanto League—or more accurately, Bruno—believed in the principle of "you reap what you sow." Only if you demonstrated enough talent and earned enough merit would they grant you more resources.
But the Hoenn League operated differently. They would give you resources up front—if you got stronger, they'd keep supporting you. If you didn't, well… that was your own fault.
To be honest, Ron found himself leaning toward the Hoenn League's approach.
Unfortunately, that still wasn't enough for him to switch sides.
It wasn't as if Ron felt some deep loyalty to the Kanto League. It was more complicated than that—his affiliation with Team Rocket, and certain unresolved matters… In the end, someone had to pay the price.
"I appreciate the offer," Ron said with a respectful nod. "But it's precisely because of the Kanto League that I've reached the strength I have today. I can't just walk away."
He pretended to hesitate for a moment, as if weighing the decision, before giving his final answer.
"Are you sure you won't reconsider?" Drake asked, his brow furrowed slightly. "Sometimes, loyalty can take many forms. You could earn a solid position within the Hoenn League and support the Kanto League from there."
It was clear Drake genuinely wanted someone like Ron to join Hoenn. He was even willing to bend convention to recruit him.
"There's no need to say more. I've already made up my mind."
Ron didn't even hesitate this time.
"…Alright then. I understand."
Seeing the unwavering determination in Ron's eyes, Drake no longer tried to convince him.
"In that case, let me give you your reward," Drake said, reaching into his bag. "First, on behalf of the Hoenn League, thank you for your assistance, your excellent track record in past missions, your outstanding performance in the final battle, and also my personal gratitude. Altogether, your reward totals 500 million League Credits—please, accept it."
"And… there's one more thing," Drake added. "Wallace asked me to pass along his thanks for saving his life—and especially for Gardevoir. As a token of his gratitude, he's offering you this: a Psychic-Type Attribute Plate."
As Drake revealed the items, Ron's eyes widened in astonishment—completely overtaken by joy.
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