Indigo Plateau, the packed-to-the-rafters Indigo Stadium.
The commentator, peering through his signature sunglasses, stood high upon the announcer's platform.
His face was flushed and he practically yelled himself hoarse into the microphone.
"I don't believe it! It's all over! The finalist's Ninetales is down! That was his final Pokémon!"
"Let's hear it for Damian! Using only a single Annihilape, he has pulled off a clean 6–0 sweep, crushing the finalist in the finals to claim this year's Indigo Plateau Conference title!"
As the host's voice thundered through the speakers, the entire stadium erupted into a wall of cheers, whistles, and stomping feet.
"He's a monster! Damian, you're god-tier!! Ahhhhh! Damian, marry me!"
"My husband is just too powerful! Oh my god, a clean sweep in the finals? Is he even human?"
"This has to be the most boring final in history. LOL. Honestly, I could've been the runner-up too—everyone just gets 1v6'd anyway. At least I'd get a front-row seat."
"I knew it. The son of Gym Leader Giovanni is a genius among geniuses! Kanto has just produced another absolute beast!"
The arena was loud and restless. All eyes were fixed on the young man at the center of the field, a figure too dazzling to ignore.
He had only begun his journey this year, yet he had displayed overwhelming dominance throughout the conference. He hadn't just defeated opponents—he had made them look helpless.
Without exception, every challenger had been casually flattened by that powerhouse Annihilape. Today's finals were no different; it wasn't a battle, it was a one-sided shutdown.
As the absolute center of attention, the young man in black simply yawned.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking utterly bored, not even deigning to spare a glance at the man he'd just beaten.
To the audience, this dismissive attitude wasn't arrogance—it was the effortless confidence of someone who knew the result before the match even started. After all, for a genius of his caliber, wasn't a bit of personality only natural?
"Tsk. A third-rate Trainer with fourth-rate Pokémon actually made it to the finals? Pathetic."
Damian glanced at the finalist, who was currently kneeling on the grass in a state of tearful despair, and couldn't help but scoff.
Too weak. Simply too weak.
So weak he couldn't even manage a spark of excitement. He had actually looked forward to this journey, but the Indigo Plateau Conference turned out to be nothing more than a beginner's trophy for rookies to dream about.
To Damian, winning this title wasn't a feat worth bragging about. It wasn't like he had become the Kanto Champion. Especially not when the final opponent was this much of a disappointment.
Once the award ceremony ended, Damian wasted no time leaving the Indigo Plateau. He ended his Kanto journey in a way that was far from "perfect," deciding it was time to shift his focus back to "work."
Viridian City: The City of Evergreen
Viridian City is a place where greenery stays vibrant year-round, earning its name from the constant green that shapes the landscape. Among all the cities in Kanto, Viridian stands out as a class of its own.
The Viridian Gym was one of the most respected gyms in the region. Its Leader, Giovanni, was a Ground-type specialist whose reputation was solid. Currently, it was widely considered the most formidable official gym in Kanto, and for good reason.
While the other gyms each had their own reputations:
Pewter's Leader was known for fundamentals so strict they broke lazy challengers.
Cerulean's Leader was famous for fast, clean battles that punished mistakes.
Vermilion's Leader ran his gym like a military drill—no mercy for weak nerves.
Saffron's Leader had a presence that made most challengers freeze before they even threw a Poké Ball.
Celadon's Leader looked gentle, but her gym's pace and technique wore people down fast.
Fuchsia's Leader fought like a ninja—traps, feints, and sudden pressure from every angle.
Cinnabar was far out on an island; half the challenge was even making it there.
Among all these strong personalities, Giovanni came across as a beacon of professionalism.
Mature, stable, and immensely powerful, he never hoarded the basics. He even gave challengers written notes and advice after battles—so often that people copied them and passed them around, jokingly calling the collection "Secrets of the Earth." That mentor-like approach earned him the respect of Trainers across Kanto. People often whispered that Giovanni was secretly the strongest Gym Leader in the entire region.
But no one knew the true face behind the mask of this "perfect" Leader.
"Dad, I'm back."
Damian pushed open the office door without knocking. He sauntered over to the sofa and flopped down lazily, acting as if he owned the building.
"Traveling is a drag. Matori, come give me a massage."
"Viridian City isn't exactly a world away from Indigo Plateau, Damian," Giovanni remarked with a dry chuckle.
Despite his imposing aura and sharp buzz cut, he felt utterly helpless against his precious son's blatant laziness.
Matori, Giovanni's secretary, stepped behind Damian and began kneading his shoulders with a practiced, gentle touch.
"How does it feel to be the Champion?" Giovanni asked, sitting down at the coffee table.
"A joke. I really didn't expect the quality of the competition to be so abysmal," Damian replied, looking down on his so-called "rivals" with total disdain.
"It is only because your strength is far beyond theirs," Matori added.
Her voice was cold and professional, but the way she looked at Damian was subtle, lingering with an intensity that went beyond duty.
"I told you," Giovanni said with a proud smile. "At your level, the Indigo Plateau Conference was never going to be a challenge."
As the Leader, Giovanni had a clear read on the field this year; many had barely scraped a badge out of Kanto and thought that alone meant they belonged at Indigo Plateau.
It was only natural for his son to crush them. Damian was his masterpiece—intelligent, gifted, and frighteningly sharp. Giovanni believed Damian would one day surpass his own legacy.
He had always doted on Damian, especially after "that incident." But as his son grew older, Giovanni noticed he was veering... slightly off-track.
For example, last year, Giovanni had Damian act as the temporary Gym Leader while he went out to handle Team Rocket business.
When he returned that evening, he reached the office door only to hear... certain unmistakable sounds coming from his son and his secretary.
God only knows what went through Giovanni's mind at that moment. His brain went totally blank, like his thoughts had hit a wall—hard.
Damian was only fifteen at the time! Matori, how could you!
Reeling from the shock, Giovanni had retreated to the bathroom and lit a cigarette—a habit he almost never indulged in.
He didn't interrupt them. He chose to remain silent, a testament to the sheer, shell-shocked depths of his fatherly love.
But that was only the beginning. There were things that happened later that would leave even a man like Giovanni completely speechless.