The private yacht sliced smoothly through the waters off the coast of Fuchsia City, heading toward a secluded, sprawling island shrouded in light mist.
This was the private estate of the Williams family, a place entirely off-limits to the public.
Only those who held the black envelope were permitted to step foot on the docks.
Eric stood near the railing of the yacht, his hands pocketed in his dark grey jeans. He wore his black jacket, with the cool sea breeze ruffling his wavy hair. Resting quietly on his shoulder was his Growlithe, who sniffed the salty air with wide, curious eyes.
Growlithe didn't enjoy staying in his Poké Ball, preferring to stay outside with Eric.
'Two months ago, I was scraping by in a dingy room with barely enough money for basic Poke blocks,' Eric thought, looking at the approaching island. 'Now, I'm heading to a gathering of Kanto's elite.'
He didn't feel smug about it. If anything, the reality of the world's power balance, especially after seeing the terrifying strength of a Pseudo-King level Pokémon like Lex's Druddigon, kept his feet firmly planted on the ground. He was here for one reason: to evaluate Kanto's rising generation, establish connections, and find opportunities to push his team further.
As the yacht docked, the sheer opulence of the Williams estate beca clear.
The pier was constructed from polished white stone, leading up to a massive, classical-style manor surrounded by lush botanical gardens and state-of-the-art battlefields.
Standing at the entrance of the pier to greet the guests was a tall, remarkably handso man in a tailored white suit. He had slightly ssy red and white hair and a warm, incredibly charming smile.
Seth Williams.
The head of the Williams family and the eccentric force who had single-handedly restored his family's prominence. He stood with his hands casually in his pockets, occasionally waving dramatically to the arriving teenagers, looking more like an absentminded theatre actor than one of the most powerful and ruthless figures in Kanto.
"Welco, welco, my brilliant young stars!" Seth's voice was rich and lodic, carrying effortlessly across the dock. "Kanto's future is looking so bright today, I might just need to wear Blaire's sunglasses! Please, make yourselves at ho. Treat this as a vacation, battle if you must, lounge if you can, and eat as much as you want!"
Beside him, Blaire Williams stood leaning against a stone pillar, her spiked tal bracelet catching the sun. She wore her dark cat-eye sunglasses and was slowly blowing a pink bubble gum. When she spotted Eric walking off the yacht, she popped the bubble with a loud snap and waved at him.
Eric nodded back respectfully and kept walking.
As the guests filed into the grand courtyard, the atmosphere quickly divided into various social circles. Heirs of prestigious families clustered together, showing off their highly bred starter Pokémon, while a few independent geniuses stood on the periphery, quietly sizing up the competition.
In the center of the courtyard, making a spectacular scene, was Alister Nashville. He was currently standing on a raised marble step, his custom white-and-gold cape fluttering majestically as his butler, Sebastian, manually operated a portable wind machine behind him.
"Behold!" Alister proclaid, throwing his head back dramatically. "The stage is set, and the star has arrived! Let the lesser talents weep in the shadow of my brilliance!"
"Isn't that the young lady from the Williams family?" Sebastian said, his monotone voice completely devoid of life.
"Where-"
Before Alister could even complete the question, Belle ran past him with a Pikachu beside her, and an ice cream in her hand.
"Let's go, Sparkles!"
"That little gremlin!"
Eric ignored the ruckus Alister was making and scanned the rest of the crowd.
Near the grand fountain, three figures stood in a tight circle, completely isolated from the rest of the guests by a quiet, commanding aura. It felt as if they were in a different league compared to the rest.
Red, Blue, and Green.
Red stood with his hands in his pockets, dressed in his long red jacket and matching cap. His eyes, though quiet, were sharp, constantly tracking the movents of the Pokémon roaming the courtyard.
Blue stood beside him, arms crossed, his posture radiating a cold, intense pride. He looked thoroughly annoyed to be surrounded by so many people, his foot tapping rhythmically as if he wanted nothing more than to get a battle started.
"Still as silent as a sleeping Snorlax, aren't we, Red?" Green teased, leaning in close to Red with a playful, mischievous grin.
She wore her signature black dress and boots, her brown hair cascading over her shoulders. "I heard you've been causing quite a stir. You didn't happen to miss , did you?"
Red rubbed the back of his neck, "I've just been training."
"Hmph. Training, huh? Well, don't be surprised when I mop the floor with you once again."
"...Didn't I win our last battle?"
"That was just a fluke!"
"Fufu, of course you lost to Red, Blue. He is just the better trainer."
"I'm not falling for such an obvious bait. And don't think I've forgotten about the thing you stole from last ti, Green."
"Tehe~"
---
While he was observing the surroundings, Eric felt a gaze on him. He turned his head slightly and spotted Iris Belmont standing near the shade of a large oak tree.
She wore her sports cap and leather jacket, her blue eyes staring at him. She averted her gaze when Eric looked back at her.
He walked over to her. He didn't rush his pace, keeping his movents relaxed.
"Iris," Eric said, stopping a polite distance away.
"Eric," Iris replied, her voice soft but direct. She looked at him quietly, her expression calm.
She shifted her gaze down to the Growlithe resting in his arms, then back to Eric's eyes.
"I saw your match in Celadon. You defeated Erika."
"It was a close match," Eric said honestly. "She's a strong trainer."
"Erika is a prodigy," Iris corrected him, her competitive spirit showing in her eyes.
"Defeating her, who is at the peak of the interdiate level, is no small feat. It surprised . But... it also made realize I cannot afford to slow down. I have been training harder because of you."
Eric nodded.
"I have no plans of slowing down either."
They stared at each other for a mont.
They were both people of few words, preferring actions over empty pleasantries. But Eric understood the aning behind Iris's words.
Unknowingly to him, she had set him as her rival.
The stage was set, Kanto's greatest young talents were gathered, and beneath the festive, luxurious atmosphere of the Williams estate, the tension of upcoming battles was already starting to burn.
-------------------------------
And so it begins. The main arc of this volu. Look forward to it!
Character images available on Patreon (free access).
If you want early access to the upcoming chapters (20 chapters) or just want to support , you can do that at:
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