Pokemon: Cheat System

As someone who inherited the ancient myths and knowledge of the Sootopolis people and the guardians of the Cave of Origin, Wallace had a deeper understanding of the myths and legends of the Hoenn region than most. Especially when it came to Rayquaza, the current Hoenn Champion was well-versed in its lore.

Rayquaza...

Not to badmouth Rayquaza, but while it was certainly better than Groudon and Kyogre, who would immediately seek out their mortal enemies to fight and wreak havoc on the world, that was about it.

Rayquaza wasn't exactly a Pokémon with a gentle temperament.

Roaming the ozone layer, it would attack without hesitation if it sensed its territory was being invaded.

Back in the day, humans exploring space had faced immense resistance from Rayquaza, and it wasn't until much later that they finally broke through the blockade of this 'Deity of Order' and forcibly opened a path to space.

Now, suddenly, there was information suggesting that this temperamental and immensely powerful ancient Pokémon had recognized a human as its trainer, even allowing that human to stand on its head...

Wallace felt like the world had gone mad.

"The Hoenn region is truly full of talent..."

A look of exhaustion appeared on Wallace's tired face as he leaned back in his chair, not bothering to question Steven's theory further.

He knew his friend's personality well.

If there had been any room for doubt, Steven wouldn't have brought up this theory to discuss Rayquaza with him.

"The Pokémon League once tried to replicate the 'Red Orb' and 'Blue Orb' to artificially create a 'Green Orb,' with the goal of controlling Rayquaza... but the experiment ultimately ended in failure."

Seeing that Wallace had more or less accepted his theory, Steven brought up an old case from the Pokémon League.

"Hmm... So let's make a hypothesis: that Rayquaza really does have a trainer."

At this point, the handsome nobleman fell silent for a moment.

"What I mean is, regardless of how that person managed to control Rayquaza—whether it was through their talent and ability as a trainer to earn Rayquaza's recognition, or if they accomplished what the Pokémon League couldn't and 'forcibly controlled' Rayquaza... this person is definitely not simple. At the very least, their personal strength must surpass Maxie and Archie's, and even you and I might not be a match for them."

"Hmm."

Listening to Steven's words, which essentially painted the picture of a Champion-level trainer, Wallace nodded in agreement.

Admitting that they were inferior to someone else wasn't a big deal for the two Hoenn Champions.

After all, neither of them had the ability to conquer any of the Hoenn legendaries and make them their Pokémon, so someone who could genuinely control Rayquaza definitely wouldn't be weaker than them.

"However... even if we accept the theory that Rayquaza has a trainer, there's no need to be too nervous." Steven, on the other hand, had a more relaxed view, his eyes fixed on the shadow in the photo. "He stepped in to stop Groudon and Kyogre when they were threatening the Hoenn region, which means this person probably isn't as morally corrupt as Maxie and Archie. He wouldn't abuse the power of the ancient Pokémon to cause chaos."

Steven actually had a good impression of this mysterious figure who had temporarily halted the battle between the two legendaries.

So even when considering his existence, Steven still intended to approach him with a friendly attitude.

"If we can find this reclusive master, we might be able to ask for his help in completely resolving the Groudon and Kyogre issue... But even if he's unwilling to help, we can't really say anything."

"True."

Wallace agreed with Steven's words.

"Even if this person doesn't want to help again, the fact that he stopped Groudon and Kyogre last time already makes him a true hero of the Hoenn region."

Both Wallace and Steven were clear on this point.

Moreover, they weren't the type to pin all their hopes on external help. Asking Rayquaza's trainer for assistance was just the last resort, a 'deus ex machina' solution when all else failed.

As the Champions of the Hoenn region, they would do everything in their power to protect this land...

"But... I'm kind of curious about what kind of person could really control Rayquaza."

Gradually accepting this idea, Wallace's eyes even sparkled a bit. "If possible, I'd really like to be friends with that guy..."

"Me too."

Sharing a smile, Wallace and Steven finally felt a bit more at ease.

"By the way, how many people know about this?"

At this point, the overwhelmed Wallace finally caught his breath and asked Steven a crucial question.

Rayquaza having a trainer was no small matter.

After all, Team Magma and Team Aqua had just awakened Groudon and Kyogre. If word got out that Rayquaza was also being controlled, the Hoenn region would truly be in chaos.

Putting away the photo, Steven gave Wallace a reassuring look. "Don't worry. Aside from the reporters and the analysts I consulted, only a few Champions and Elite Four members know about this. I've asked them to keep an eye out for that trainer, so I've notified friends in every region. At the very least, we need to find that person and confirm whether they're friend or foe."

"Good."

With that matter settled, Wallace and Steven didn't plan to stay in the conference room any longer—they had too much to do, and they'd only taken a brief moment to discuss this necessary issue.

"Return, Metagross."

Recalling his Pokémon and dispelling the psychic barrier that had prevented eavesdropping, Steven patted Wallace on the shoulder, and the two walked out of the conference room one after the other.

Little did they know, the "trainer recognized by Rayquaza," who had been deified in their minds as an ultimate master, was actually far more panicked than either of them...

---

"Caterpie, your training for 'Dragon Ascent' has been showing results. Keep it up, and we might just be able to turn the tables on those two big guys."

"Mee!"

At home, standing in front of the specialized energy block-making equipment, Kai skillfully hyped up Caterpie while tossing a few berries into the berry mixer.

After adding the appropriate berries, the mechanical turntable began spinning them at high speed. The steel gears, like a juicer, gradually crushed the berries, then fused the pulp together. Slowly, a translucent, square crystal began to take shape.

While his hands were busy, Kai's mouth didn't stop either.

"Also, just blindly training moves isn't the best approach. I'm planning to return to the Hoenn region soon, and we'll inevitably venture into some dangerous areas. That'll be a good opportunity for you to hone your actual combat skills, which might be more effective for improving your strength."

"Mee!"

Crawling to Kai's feet, Caterpie nodded in response to its trainer's words.

"Hmm... But it'll still be a while before flights to the Hoenn region resume. Before that, we can train in some of the wild Pokémon gathering spots in the Dayan region."

Kai was planning his next steps, but his hands never stopped moving.

Soon, under his control, the berry mixer gradually extracted the nutritional essence of the berries, discarding the impurities into the waste area.

"Click!"

The production process was nearing its end. As the high-speed turntable came to a stop, ten gem-like energy blocks remained on the tray, emitting a fresh, fragrant aroma.

"Mee!"

The moment it caught a whiff of the scent, Caterpie's eyes widened in excitement.

Seeing this, Kai couldn't help but smile. He took out the energy blocks and placed them in Caterpie's bowl, watching as it eagerly dug in. He then sat down on the nearby sofa.

To be honest, even the Pokémon of elite trainers couldn't compare to Kai's Caterpie in terms of diet...

Kai currently had no plans to catch new Pokémon, so all his energy and resources were focused on Caterpie. It had an endless supply of energy blocks tailored to its needs, and not long ago, Kai had even dipped into his savings to buy a 'Silver Powder,' a treasure for Bug-type Pokémon, and added it to Caterpie's meals.

What kind of treatment was this?

This was the treatment of the world's number one Caterpie!

"For you, my wallet's taken a hit."

Recalling the price of the 'Silver Powder,' Kai couldn't help but grimace.

However, seeing Caterpie's happy expression after a full meal, Kai felt the sting of the expense lessen a bit.

What's wrong with buying snacks for your kid?

Eat up, dig in!

Later, Kai reopened the system panel and examined the task interface.

Having tasted the rewards, Kai's resistance to the system's tasks had lessened considerably... Especially since, aside from that initial outrageous task, the tasks the system issued weren't really a problem.

Now, his task list had a few new entries, and Kai had his eye on the easiest one.

[System Task: Win the 'Rookie Tournament' Championship.]

[System Task: Provide a physical enhancement for a trainer.]

Oh no, I feel like I'm about to walk down a strange path.