"Do you really think you're capable of that?" Grimsley's eyes narrowed with doubt, "If I recall correctly, you were just an investigator in Kanto, right?"
Caleb nodded, "Yes."
That had been his role during his first Instance.
"And if I'm not mistaken, back then you only had one Pokémon," Grimsley added, recalling the intel he'd seen.
Nearly two years had passed since Team Rocket's downfall. For an ordinary Trainer to grow into someone with Elite–level strength in just two years sounded like pure fantasy.
Grimsley simply didn't believe it was possible.
Caleb clearly understood Grimsley's skepticism... but since it involved Infinite World, there was no way to explain it, and he didn't feel like trying.
So he just said lightly, "People grow."
Grimsley frowned, "This isn't the time for jokes!"
Challenging every noble house single-handedly? Fighting dozens of Elite–level Trainers? The odds of winning were about as likely as Rayquaza evolving from a Caterpie or Groudon learning to fly.
Grimsley's tone wasn't pleasant, but Caleb took no offense. He just asked calmly, "Why are you so sure I'll lose?"
'Obviously! Six Pokémon in a rotation battle against hundreds of Elite-level Pokémon? Even if those six were all Elite-tier, there was no way they'd last to the end!' Grimsley thought, failing to fathom where this guy got his confidence.
'He's just a regular investigator, an intelligence agent, for Arceus' sake!'
Everyone in the League knew investigators from the intelligence division weren't exactly strong Trainers...
Grimsley barely held back the urge to slam the table. He fixed Caleb with a stern glare, his furrowed brow screaming disapproval, "You–"
"Grimsley, that's enough!" Caitlin cut in before he could finish.
Grimsley froze. He opened his mouth as if to argue, but in the end, said nothing. He just slumped back in his chair, silent.
Caitlin gave Caleb an apologetic look.
Caleb just raised an eyebrow slightly, signaling he didn't mind.
"Sorry," Alder spoke up from the head of the table, "Grimsley didn't mean anything by it. It's just… what you said is honestly hard to believe."
"I don't mean anything either," Caleb said, "I just want to give it a try."
Alder sighed, "I know. But we can't afford to provoke them without absolute certainty of success."
In the upper echelons of the Pokémon world, reputation often outweighed everything else. Showing up at their doors to challenge them was basically spitting in their faces and saying they had no worthy Trainers, that their strength was a joke.
If you won? Fine. But if you lost? The League would look like a bunch of clowns and end up with a mountain of trouble.
That was the concern shared by all five of them. And Caleb wasn't even from Unova. So from every angle, they couldn't just entrust the future of the Unova League to him so easily.
Caleb understood Alder's point perfectly. Truth was, this whole thing wasn't even part of his main quest. Win or lose, it wouldn't affect him either way.
Sure, the hidden quest came with an SSS-grade reward… but if they didn't trust him, there wasn't much he could do. So he fell silent, content to sit quietly as a mere observer.
Alder didn't press further. He just leaned back, deep in thought.
Shauntal's brows were knotted in worry, her glasses sliding slightly down her nose.
Marshal sat with his thick arms crossed, looking like a man burdened by the weight of the world.
Grimsley rubbed his temples, his expression as tense as 'The Thinker' statue.
Caitlin bit her lip, her delicate brow furrowed. The others didn't know Caleb's true strength, but she did.
Mewtwo... the mysterious Pokémon that had suddenly appeared in Alola. Since its emergence, countless elite trainers had tried to challenge it, including those with Champion-level strength.
All of them failed.
Not a single one succeeded.
Every Trainer who had faced the Mewtwo described it the same way: "Too terrifying." As if they'd lost the ability to speak, only being able to utter those words.
One Mewtwo was already that powerful. And Caleb had two of them…
'For a Trainer to tame two Mewtwos... just how monstrous must his strength be?' Caitlin couldn't even imagine.
Now she finally understood why the villainous organizations in Kanto and Sinnoh had collapsed so quickly.
Just then, Alder's peripheral vision caught Caitlin zoning out. He blinked, then asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
They couldn't afford anyone dropping out right now.
His voice drew everyone's attention to Caitlin.
"No, I'm fine," she said quickly, "It's just… about this matter, I think–"
She glanced at Caleb and paused at the crucial moment.
Caleb tilted his head, a little confused.
Alder held his breath… but after a no follow-up came, he had to ask, "You think what?"
Caitlin's gaze lingered on Caleb, "I think we should go with his plan."
The room fell dead silent.
Grimsley's jaw dropped in disbelief. He looked like he was about to blurt out a sharp retort.
Marshal and Shauntal exchanged glances. Though they said nothing, their eyes were full of doubt.
After a brief moment of surprise, Alder recovered quickly. He looked at Caleb, then at Caitlin and asked carefully, "What… do you mean?"
Caleb was surprised too, but he caught on fast.
Under everyone's stares, Caitlin said slowly, "He can pull off challenging those noble Trainers." Then she turned to Caleb and asked earnestly, "Right?"
Though her words were vague, Caleb understood exactly what she meant.
All eyes shifted to him.
"Well…" Caleb sighed, "Alright."
He reached into his belt and pulled out all his Poké Balls. With flashes of white light, a variety of Pokémon appeared in the modest-sized conference room.
First came the smallest; Mimikyu and Celebi. The moment they appeared, they hopped onto Caleb's shoulders, one on each side.
Next was Lucario, standing tall at Caleb's side like a loyal knight.
Then came Dragonite and Hydreigon, their imposing forms flanking Caleb from behind like two extremes: one sleek and majestic, the other fierce and menacing.
"That Dragonite… it's been raised to absolute perfection…" Shauntal murmured, eyes wide.
Caleb glanced at Dragonite. Of course, nothing less was expected from this majestic chonky dragon. He was fed top-tier Pokéblocks daily and trained alongside Hydreigon and Mewtwo. Even a Weedle could evolve into the deadliest Beedrill imaginable under those conditions.
Then Caleb held up his last two Poké Balls.
Outwardly, they looked like ordinary red-and-white balls; plain and unadorned.
But Caitlin knew better. Inside those simple spheres lay two Pokémon of infinite potential...
Caleb tossed them into the air.
Brilliant white light erupted. From within the glow, two nearly identical humanoid Pokémon slowly emerged.
As the light faded, the Poké Balls dropped neatly back into Caleb's hands.
Everyone except Caitlin froze in stunned silence at the sight of the two Mewtwos.
Grimsley's eyes bulged. Suddenly remembering something, he snapped his head toward Caleb who was now surrounded by his Pokémon and blurted out: "You're the person from Alola?!"