Cynthia truly spent seven peaceful days in Leafy Town.
During these seven days, she left all her Pokémon with Cain, maintaining a daily routine of one hour to interact with them. The rest of her time was spent at the Pokémon Center, reading data on Pokémon and expanding her knowledge.
Noticing Cynthia's dedication, Cain couldn't help but admire her.
It was no wonder she would become the Champion of the Sinnoh Region in the future. Her discipline made Cain feel a bit ashamed.
It wasn't that Cain in this life hadn't reached his full potential, but in his past life, once he reached the Quasi-Elite level, he became prideful and then stagnated.
While taking care of Cynthia's Pokémon, Cain gathered information about them.
He couldn't deny it: Cynthia's Pokémon were exceptionally impressive, both in aptitude and combat ability. Aside from Lucario, with whom Cain had formed a good bond, the Pokémon that caught his attention the most was Milotic.
Cynthia had a Milotic, just like Wallace, who would later succeed Steven as the Champion of Hoenn.
Pokémon: Milotic (Light Purple)
Ability: Marvel Scale
Egg Moves: Dragon Breath, Mist, Brine, Iron Tail
Basic Moves: Water Pulse, Wrap, Water Gun, Water Sport, Refresh, Disarming Voice, Twister, Aqua Ring, Captivate, Recover, Aqua Tail, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Hydro Pump, Rain Dance
Learned Moves: Dragon Pulse, Icy Wind, Bind
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Grass), Ice Beam, Scald, Dragon Tail, Surf
This Milotic was even higher in level than Cynthia's Garchomp, and its quality had already reached light purple.
Cain felt fortunate not to have faced Cynthia in a full battle.
Although Cain's strength was quite respectable, going up against someone like Cynthia, one of the elites from different regions, was still a significant challenge.
Whether it was Cynthia from Sinnoh, Lance from Kanto, or Steven from Hoenn, the differences between them were no small matter.
However, while Cain had not yet surpassed them in fame, he wasn't far behind, especially due to the talent he had demonstrated in Pokémon breeding, which had impressed the League's top officials.
Although Cain had potential as a trainer, his starting point was lower compared to theirs, forcing him to work harder to close the gap.
But they didn't know that in his previous life, the gap between Cain and them had been like an ocean, and now he had managed to get much closer. Cain was confident that, with time, he would catch up.
Just as the seven days were coming to an end and Cynthia's Pokémon had completed their treatment with Cain, Steven finally arrived in Leafy Town.
Steven went straight to the Gym. Observing the newly renovated and functioning gym, along with the bustling commercial street around it, he knew the Devon Corporation had made an excellent investment.
When Cain learned Steven was about to arrive, he stepped outside the gym to wait for him.
The two, being good friends, greeted each other with a smile.
Steven hadn't changed since the last time Cain saw him, still dressed in his elegant suit, with his usual confident smile. Since his Metagross had evolved, Steven's confidence had only grown more evident.
It was easy to notice the powerful aura emanating from Steven, who had undoubtedly become the "prince charming" in the hearts of many girls, meeting all the criteria: young, wealthy, attractive, charismatic, and, most importantly, extremely strong.
But what truly set him apart was his incredible fortune, something few could resist.
"You look refreshed after being away for so long. Your energy has changed," Cain said with a laugh as he led him into the gym.
At that moment, the gym was closed, but when enough challengers gathered, it would reopen, and they would line up one by one to face the gym leader, as had happened with Cynthia.
However, ever since the video of Cain and Cynthia's battle was published online, no one had dared loudly challenge the real gym leader.
Cain's reputation had grown considerably after that battle. Before, while he was known, he didn't have any notable battles to prove his worth, and many had only heard about him.
But now, after battling Cynthia, he had gained widespread recognition. A small online fan base had even emerged, admiring him, particularly for his Slowking and his achievements.
Compared to Cain, Cynthia's fame was much greater. After all, there were many videos of her battles available online.
In fact, people had given her a powerful nickname: "The Battle Queen," representing both her passion for battles and her incredible strength.
And considering that Cain's Slowking had gone head-to-head with Cynthia's Garchomp, it was clear he wasn't an easy opponent.
"Yes, I feel more energized, especially since I've improved my skills a lot," Steven said, smiling as he looked around the gym.
"You've done a great job with this gym, and the commercial street is thriving. I'm sure the Devon Corporation is generating stable revenue from this project."
"As Leafy Town continues to grow, the benefits for the Devon Corporation will only increase in the long term."
"I must thank you; without your help, Leafy Town wouldn't have grown this quickly. The Devon Corporation deserves the profits, but I've also benefited from this. Resources for breeding Pokémon are no longer an issue for me," Cain said.
"There's no need to thank me; this is a mutually beneficial agreement. If the Devon Corporation hadn't taken this opportunity, plenty of other companies would have," Steven replied.
What followed was a series of mutual compliments no one else would want to hear.
In short: Cain praised Steven for being amazing, for his wealth, and for his "money power."
Meanwhile, Steven responded that Cain had unlimited potential, was an excellent trainer, and a great cook... though that last part seemed a bit out of place.
In summary, both were impressive, and together they would dominate the Hoenn Region with no rivals.
"Oh, by the way, there's something I didn't mention. There's someone else waiting to see you..." Cain said, suddenly remembering Cynthia.
"Huh?" Steven responded with a look of surprise.