In reality, a rumor circulates in Leafy Town about the lake in Cain's backyard.
It's unclear who started spreading it, but it's said that the Pokémon living in Cain's lake are of exceptionally high quality, which has attracted many curious people.
However, no one has managed to enter Cain's home.
Just by looking at the entrance and the surroundings, it's clear why: each day, more than a dozen high-level Houndoom patrol the area, making it obvious that this is not an easy place for most to approach.
And that's not even mentioning the many powerful Pokémon also found within the property.
If an elite-level trainer gets close, Matsuda Takashi, who works at the Breeders Guild branch in Leafy Town, is immediately notified. For this reason, no one dares to approach Cain's house without thinking twice.
This rumor has further increased Leafy Town's fame.
There's another matter worth highlighting.
Cain, as the Gym Leader of Leafy Town and the one responsible for the town's significant growth, is deeply admired by all its residents.
The town's mayor, an emissary sent by the League and known for his servile character, built a statue in the town center as a token of gratitude toward Cain.
The statue doesn't depict Cain himself, but rather his signature Pokémon: Slowking.
As the star Pokémon of the Leafy Town Gym, Slowking is recognized by everyone for its extraordinary strength. It has now become the symbol of Leafy Town.
The entire Slowpoke group, meanwhile, enjoys protection within the town. Capturing them without permission is strictly forbidden.
In this way, Leafy Town has gained a kind of "official mascot": Slowpoke.
Several Slowpoke live in Leafy Town's artificial lake, leading a calm and carefree life. Often, some come out of the lake to take a stroll through the town.
Not only does no one try to capture them, but residents usually offer them food when they pass by.
Sometimes, one can witness a curious scene: an adorably slow-moving Slowpoke crossing the street, carrying all kinds of food that people have hung on it, while others continue offering more.
This is what's known as "loving what is associated with what you love."
Cain had once planted seeds, and now the trees had grown, full of fruit ready to be picked.
Even though it wasn't the season when the fruit was at its sweetest, largest, or most abundant, its flavor was still quite pleasant.
Cain, who had remained in the backyard since his return, wasn't fully aware of all these changes in the town. If he knew, he would probably be surprised.
Today, Cain decided to give his Pokémon a day to relax.
Altaria, for example, was playing in the air above the backyard along with the two little Swablu she hadn't seen in a long time.
Florges danced gracefully among the flowers she had claimed as her territory, surrounded by several Beautifly that admired her. That flower meadow was her favorite place.
Slowking was by the backyard lake, sharing stories with the surrounding Slowpoke. Not far away, Politoed spoke with the Poliwag and Poliwhirl, trying to imitate Slowking.
Slowking was teaching Politoed how to lead his group and how to be a good king to them.
In the future, the Slowpoke and the Poliwag would become the two largest groups in Cain's backyard, in addition to being an important source of help with heavy tasks.
Meanwhile, Honchkrow, Gengar, Weavile, Drapion, and Swampert were training together in friendly battles.
These five Pokémon, known for their combative nature, had not yet reached Slowking's level of power. Even with the day off granted by Cain, they couldn't resist the temptation to train.
However, Swampert, being the youngest, often just watched from the sidelines.
Originally, he belonged to Cain's second group of Pokémon, but his rapid increase in strength had led him to seek more challenging battles. Now, cautiously, he had approached Honchkrow's group.
Honchkrow and the others had no issue including Swampert, especially since Drapion and Gengar had already fought alongside him in the past.
However, the power gap was still noticeable. Generally, Honchkrow, Weavile, Gengar, and Drapion would do two-on-two matches among themselves.
Elsewhere in the backyard, the Pokémon from the second group—Aron, Larvitar, Combusken, and Bagon, who had regained his potential—were practicing battles.
They had noticed how quickly Swampert had improved. They used to play together, but now Swampert could even go up against Honchkrow's group. This filled them with admiration and motivation to improve.
Among them, a new member had joined: Horsea, who was discovered and captured by Cain at Lake Verity.
Horsea, being shy and used to solitude, was happy to have so many new companions.
Both Horsea and Bagon had reserved personalities. Though they were happy on the inside, they had trouble expressing it.
Luckily, Aron, Larvitar, and Combusken had more outgoing personalities, which would likely help Horsea and Bagon fully integrate into the group.
Lastly, there was Mismagius. Ever since she decided on her own to train and become a role model for Bagon, she had followed Cain's assigned tasks to the letter and practiced energy control.
Though her current strength didn't yet fully match her level, she had improved considerably since meeting Cain.
Cain, meanwhile, was resting on the soft grass in the backyard, enjoying the sunlight. In his arms, he held a Pokémon egg, feeling its warmth.
That day, Cain not only allowed his Pokémon to rest, but also decided to take a break for himself.
Since his "rebirth," he had been under constant pressure. Now that he had finally regained the strength of his previous life, he could afford to relax a bit and recharge to continue growing.
With his hands on the egg, Cain connected carefully with it through his psychic abilities, sharing emotions.
The egg, which held a young Ralts, seemed to enjoy the sun and the warmth of Cain's embrace.
Sometimes, in a life full of tension, putting everything aside for a moment and enjoying the happy emotions of the Pokémon around you is a true pleasure.
Cain loved that feeling, but he couldn't forget that this world was a ruthless place.
Even though he now had some power, he still walked a dangerous path. One wrong decision could cost him his position—both in the League and in Team Rocket.
(End of chapter)