After settling the matters of Team Heaven, Cain went straight to his small, nameless island in the sea.
Now, Cain could finally say he was truly free of worries — able to spend time with his Pokémon and train them in peace.
After witnessing the battle between Kyogre and Groudon, Cain had come to understand that his strength was still far from enough.
Although he had already become one of the Elite Four of the Hoenn region —with his personal safety practically guaranteed— and had even become the most famous figure in the region after being recorded during his clash with Kyogre, in terms of true power, there were still gaps to fill.
Both Drake and Juan, those veteran League trainers, possessed terrifying strength.
And what was most unsettling was that even with power of that magnitude, no one knew how many more like them might exist within the League. That uncertainty was what prevented Cain from feeling at ease.
Even if they were only hypothetical enemies, Cain couldn't afford to lower his guard. After all, from the very beginning —from his very roots— he had been a member of Team Rocket.
One cannot choose their birth.
Once on the island, Cain began to carry out his own plans.
To be honest, the island was already starting to feel a bit small.
The Pokémon living there, under Cain's care and nurturing, practically had no natural predators. They could grow, reproduce, and thrive freely. Even species with low reproduction rates had managed to establish stable groups in a short time, and the large clans on the island were numerous.
The largest of them all was the group of Bulbasaur that Cain had brought from Ho-Oh's space. They were the most powerful and also the most numerous species on the island.
Thanks to them, the island periodically produced Miracle Seeds of various grades, all of considerable value.
The second-largest group was composed of Gogoat and Skiddo, who provided Cain with a constant supply of top-quality goat milk. By that point, Cain had completely given up cow's milk — he drank only goat milk every day.
Then there were the Clamperl and Qwilfish that lived in the artificial ponds. Since Cain invested large amounts of food in them, their growth and reproduction were remarkably fast. In fact, if possible, expanding their breeding area would be ideal.
Besides them, many other Pokémon inhabited the island.
It was a peaceful and harmonious world, completely hidden from the eyes of the outside world. With Kommo-o's protection, it could be said that its level of security ranked among the top three of all Pokémon breeding grounds in the world.
Even so, Cain was also considering transferring the "Carbink Kingdom" from Leafy Town to his island, though that would require more space.
He already had a preliminary plan to expand the island, but before beginning such expansion, there were many other Pokémon-related matters to address.
The first —and the most important for Cain— was allowing Tyranitar to absorb the energy crystal of Groudon that he had taken from Maxie's hands.
After the battle between Kyogre and Groudon, witnessing Groudon's rage when Kyogre devoured the crystal, Cain had finally understood its true purpose.
Until then, it had only been speculation, and for that reason, he hadn't dared to let Tyranitar use it. But now, he could do so with confidence.
He released all his Pokémon so they could move freely around the island without fear of being seen by anyone, and he called Tyranitar to his side.
Tyranitar, who had already reached level 71, needed to keep accumulating experience to continue growing. It was nearly impossible for his strength to leap drastically in a short time.
However, if Cain's calculations were correct, that original Groudon energy crystal could change everything.
"Tyranitar," Cain said calmly, "I know you can feel the energy contained in this crystal. It's the same source as the one you absorbed when you were young. Thanks to that energy, you were able to learn Precipice Blades."
"Now that you've gained enough strength, I want you to make good use of this crystal. I'm not asking you to increase your power immediately — I want you to sense it carefully. Absorb it little by little, merge it with your body. If you feel anything strange, I'll stop it right away."
Cain spoke slowly, with caution. Even if Tyranitar was familiar with that energy, it was still Groudon's power — something that couldn't be absorbed recklessly.
"Tyraaan!" roared the Pokémon, nodding firmly.
It knew how much Cain had done to strengthen it — how many resources and sacrifices he had made.
Tyranitar grasped the blazing red crystal in both hands and sat heavily on the ground, causing the earth to tremble slightly.
He held the crystal carefully and began to channel his inner energy to awaken the power sealed within.
Cain, with the help of his psychic power and his system, closely monitored every change in Tyranitar, ready to intervene the moment anything went wrong.
Controlling the pace of absorption was crucial to ensure safety.
The first stream of energy flowed gently from the crystal into Tyranitar's arms. Once assimilated, it was absorbed smoothly — no reactions, no side effects.
Seeing this, Cain allowed him to maintain that absorption pace. Once he was fully accustomed to it, they could gradually increase the speed.
Cain's only condition was clear: all energy absorbed must be completely digested and assimilated before continuing.
At first, the process would be slow, but then it would naturally accelerate, ensuring stability and safety — just like when Blaziken and Honchkrow had absorbed the energy contained in Ho-Oh's feathers.
Cain stayed by Tyranitar's side for another hour, until he was sure everything was proceeding normally. Then he stood up to check on his other Pokémon.
The next was Salamence, who had recently evolved.
Salamence's potential was undeniable — in no way inferior to Tyranitar's. Although there was currently a gap in power between them, in Cain's plans, Salamence would become an indispensable part of his team in the future.
However, Salamence didn't require much supervision. It was a very disciplined Pokémon and had the constant guidance of Kommo-o. Thanks to that, both in dragon-type moves and sound-type techniques, Salamence was progressing rapidly.
In addition, Cain had obtained from Drake a detailed method and training plan for Salamence. He adapted it with his own ideas, taking into account how he wanted his Mega Salamence to grow — its capabilities, its battle style, and its role within the team.
The result was a complete and refined new training plan.
Compared to Drake's original method, Cain's version wasn't necessarily superior, but it was far better suited for the development of his own Mega Salamence.
Cain hoped that after its Mega Evolution, Salamence would become the team's most powerful area-attack force — capable of dominating multi-battles or even large-scale wars.
(End of Chapter)