Steven and Cain directly witnessed Volcarona’s disappearance.
In the sky, at the closest point to the sun, it felt the scorching heat. After performing its final flash, its entire body was consumed by flames, turning into ashes that scattered across the desert.
Volcarona had achieved what it desired most, and in gratitude to Cain, who helped it in its final moments, it bestowed upon him the greatest gift it could offer.
Cain looked at his hand, where small, warm scales had accumulated, forming a reddish object resembling a corneous cloak.
Sensing the heat emanating from this object, Cain activated his analysis system to identify the legacy Volcarona had left him.
Item Name: Volcarona’s Legacy
Description: A special substance that was not consumed during the self-immolation of an Initial Champion-level Volcarona.
Effect: Enhances perception of Fire-type energy, increases talent in this attribute, and boosts the power of Fire-type moves by 20%.
It was a unique gift, Volcarona’s final gesture of gratitude. Cain carefully stored the legacy. Although the only Pokémon on his team that could immediately benefit from it was his Combusken, he was certain that this item would be crucial in the future.
This artifact not only increased the power of Fire-type moves but also enhanced a Pokémon’s sensitivity to this energy type and boosted their innate fire-element abilities. An item of this caliber was extremely rare and powerful.
Cain had not expected to receive something so valuable. His initial intent in helping Volcarona was not selfish. He simply believed that such a strong Pokémon should not die so humiliatingly in a dark underground prison. That’s why he freed it, allowing it to shine like a small sun alongside the real one.
Volcarona had found its place as the true Messenger of the Sun.
"System, rename this item as ’The Radiance of the Sun’s Messenger.’"
"Beep. Item name changed to: ’The Radiance of the Sun’s Messenger.’"
As Cain processed everything, Steven remained silent, deeply impacted by Volcarona’s sacrifice and its decision to shine until the very end.
Seeing the item Volcarona had left Cain, Steven felt neither envy nor greed. He recognized it as a gift meant for Cain as thanks for freeing it. Besides, he didn’t have any Fire-type Pokémon, so he wouldn’t have had any use for it.
Suddenly, both of their communication devices rang simultaneously.
Steven checked his: "Dad."
Cain looked at his: "Master."
They exchanged resigned glances. Their "father figures" wanted answers.
Steven stepped aside to answer his father’s call, while Cain accepted his master’s, Matsuda Takashi.
"Cain? I heard from some veterans in the League that you and the Stone family kid were sent to the Great Hoenn Desert. Does this have anything to do with that small sun that appeared in the sky?"
Knowing he couldn’t hide it, Cain admitted that it was related but avoided going into details over the phone. After a brief explanation, he tried to change the subject:
"Master, weren’t you busy with your experiments?"
"Bah! Experiments, my ass! Two suns appear in the sky, and you say it’s nothing? We’ll talk in person when you come to the Researchers’ building at the Hoenn League headquarters. I want a full explanation!"
Ryo abruptly hung up, leaving Cain confused.
Meanwhile, Steven was also finishing his call. From their expressions, they both knew the conversations had been similar.
"Heading to the League headquarters?" Steven asked.
"Yeah." Cain nodded in resignation.
They both knew something bigger was unfolding. The small sun incident couldn’t be the only reason behind their mentors’ urgency.
Mounting their flying Pokémon, they set off toward the southeast. The Hoenn League headquarters was located on an island southwest of the continent, north of Ever Grande City, beyond Victory Road.
As they traveled, Cain reflected on his training plans. Marshtomp, Poliwhirl, and Combusken were ready to evolve into their final forms, but he needed to prepare the necessary potions to maximize their potential. However, the cost of these resources was exorbitant.
On top of that, there were Larvitar and Aron, whose development required a significant amount of minerals and specific materials. Additionally, his latest acquisition, Bagon, would soon be ready to begin training.
Finally, there was his main team: Slowking and the others had already reached competitive levels, but they needed advanced resources to keep up with their opponents.
Cain sighed, realizing how his money seemed to vanish with every new milestone.
Meanwhile, Steven remained calm. The difference was clear: the heir of a wealthy family didn’t have to worry about the costs of Pokémon training.
Cain couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.