The meeting began under Juan’s direction.
This old man has truly given everything for the Hoenn League. Despite his advanced age, he still holds the title of Champion because there is no one with the strength and potential necessary to take over the position.
It’s not that he craves power—he simply wants to find a suitable successor.
Lately, Juan has held Norman, the Gym Leader of Petalburg City, in high regard. If Norman manages to take a position among the Elite Four, Juan will help him establish connections and build a solid foundation. As long as he meets Juan’s requirements, he will be allowed to inherit the title of Champion.
Additionally, Juan has taken great care of the younger generation, such as Steven and Cain. Not only did he exceptionally promote them to Advanced-level researchers, but he also assigned them tasks that seemed difficult but were actually relatively simple, helping them accumulate strength and experience within the League.
In Juan’s plans, once Norman takes on the role of Champion, Steven and Cain could each occupy a spot among the Elite Four.
Perhaps, when Norman retires, one of them could even inherit the title of Champion.
Juan has high expectations for Steven and Cain, especially Steven, due to his vast resources.
However, all of this is just an ideal plan.
It’s likely that Juan will be disappointed since Norman is a man who constantly seeks to grow stronger and has no interest in power. He will not accept a position in the Elite Four, let alone that of Champion.
After all, in the manga that Cain knows, Norman is someone capable of directly confronting Rayquaza, which shows that his strength is no small matter.
Juan also couldn’t imagine how quickly Steven would improve his strength with the help of the Stone family.
The meeting proceeded as expected, with the main topic being the Grand Sinnoh Tournament. Although it is held in the Sinnoh region, this tournament includes talented participants from all regions, showcasing each region’s potential.
The age limit is 18 years, meaning both Cain and Steven can participate. In fact, Cain is still a few years away from reaching that limit, and if he achieves good results, he will highlight Hoenn’s potential.
During the meeting, it was mentioned that Lance from the Kanto region would not be able to participate since he was already over 18. This relieved many administrators from other regions.
The strength and resources of Lance’s family are undeniable, and Lance is so talented that many from the previous generation no longer see him as a young trainer.
Cain nodded upon hearing this. If Lance were to participate, the Champion would likely already be decided. Currently, Lance has a few more years of Pokémon training experience than Steven and the others, which is understandable.
As a Pokémon’s power reaches a certain level, the rate of improvement slows down, giving Cain and Steven the opportunity to catch up.
Besides Lance, other outstanding young trainers were mentioned, such as Cynthia from Sinnoh, who is one of the main figures to watch. Other talented trainers from Sinnoh were also highlighted, including Flint, a future member of the Elite Four, and Volkner, a future Gym Leader of Sunyshore City.
In the Unova and Kalos regions, there are also exceptionally strong young trainers.
Cain realized that the main objective of this meeting was to analyze potential opponents in the tournament and estimate the results that Steven and he could achieve.
Juan concluded the meeting by stating that Hoenn’s minimum goal was to secure at least a spot in the top three.
Upon hearing this objective, the reactions varied.
Cain remained calm, trusting that Steven would be at the forefront, which reassured him.
Surprisingly, Steven also seemed unconcerned. He figured that if Cain was this composed, he must have a plan, and since Steven didn’t consider himself any weaker than Cain, he saw no reason to worry either.
If Cain knew what Steven was thinking, he would probably cough up blood from frustration.
Were they both relying on the other to have everything under control?
In contrast, trainers like Winona and Roxanne, who had less experience, felt more pressure and nervousness.
Meanwhile, Wallace, sitting in a corner, seemed completely uninterested. He disliked direct battles and preferred to focus on Pokémon Contests.
Phoebe, on the other hand, was carefree, swinging her feet as if she had no concerns at all.
Juan, observing the reactions, felt satisfied.
To him, the selected trainers had a good capacity to handle pressure, especially Steven and Cain.
However, he wasn’t aware of the full situation.
This tournament would have representatives from five leagues. At this point, Kanto and Johto had not yet been split into separate leagues, so they competed as one.
With five leagues in total, aiming for at least one podium finish didn’t seem like an excessive goal for Juan.
The meeting concluded with an explanation of the tournament’s rules.
There is no limit on the number of participants, as long as they have at least eight badges.
However, selected participants like Cain do not need to collect badges.
The initial rounds, reducing the number to 128 participants, will follow a one-on-one single battle format.
From the top 128 onwards, battles will allow up to three Pokémon per side.
In the semifinals and finals, the full six-on-six Pokémon battle format will be used.
To prevent early encounters between selected participants, the first rounds are designed so that they do not face each other.
However, overconfidence could lead to elimination if they use second-tier Pokémon against top opponents, especially if type disadvantages are significant.
Once in the top 128, these surprises will be less likely, as three Pokémon will be enough to demonstrate a trainer’s skill.
With that, the meeting came to an end.