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"From now on, you will be the Gym Leader of Green Valley Gym!" Master Keaton handed over the seal symbolizing the Gym Leader position to Chris. "Young man, work hard, you have reached Gym-level strength at a young age. Your future is limitless."
"Thank you, Master Keaton!" Chris accepted the seal of Green Valley Gym from him.
Upon closer inspection, it was a red agate seal, engraved with the traditional characters for "Green Valley" on the bottom. A running Arcanine was intricately carved into its surface.
In Green Valley Province's historical legends, the world was once shrouded in darkness, and people were trapped in endless night. It was said that Arcanine brought fire to this world, ushering in light for the first time. Because of this, Arcanine was once revered as a "legendary" Pokémon in Green Valley.
Unlike in the games and anime, where Trainers use badges as symbols of their status, reality in China follows ancient traditions—seals have been used to signify identity for generations. Therefore, the emblem representing a Gym Leader, the strongest combatant in a province, is also a seal.
Beyond being a symbol of status, the position comes with both responsibilities and rewards.
Chris is now responsible for protecting Green Valley Province. If evil organizations emerge or a Pokémon riot occurs, he must step in to resolve the crisis.
As for the benefits...
Before the press conference began, Chris had already reviewed the contract.
Aside from various perks and the ownership of a ranch, he would also receive an exclusive high-end villa in the luxurious district of Green Valley City, the capital of Green Valley Province.
Additionally, 1% of the provincial capital's tax revenue is allocated as the Gym Leader's salary. While Green Valley is not among the wealthiest provincial capitals, its annual tax revenue exceeds 200 billion Pokédollars. This means that, as Green Valley's Gym Leader, Chris will receive at least 2 billion Pokédollars annually—almost equivalent to three months of his earnings from berry farming.
Moreover, he will receive three top-tier Pokémon items from the League every year—items that cannot simply be bought with money.
Click!
Click!
The flashes of cameras illuminated the stage as the handover ceremony between Chris and Master Keaton was completed. Senior officials of Green Valley Province, major media reporters, and tens of millions of online viewers witnessed the event.
With the ceremony over, Master Keaton stepped down, and Chris remained seated to answer questions from the reporters.
"Due to time constraints, Chris will answer three questions, with each reporter allowed only one."
"Hello, I'm a reporter from Pokémon Guide. Chris, could you tell us how you obtained your Shiny Gardevoir?" one reporter asked, voicing a question many were eager to know.
"I encountered it by chance in the wild," Chris answered honestly.
In the Pokémon world, catching a wild Pokémon—whether in a game or reality—still counted as capturing it in the wild.
The reporters jotted down notes. Indeed, Shiny Ralts were extremely rare, and anyone lucky enough to catch one would never sell it.
The second reporter stood up.
"Hi, I'm a reporter from Trainer Daily. Chris, why did you challenge Master Keaton for the Gym Leader position, only for him to retire a week later?"
This was a tricky question. A poor response could spark controversy.
However, Chris had already prepared for such pointed inquiries.
"This wasn't a challenge initiated by me. Rather, Master Keaton wished to have one last battle with a strong opponent before his retirement," Chris explained. "My teacher recommended me as a worthy challenger, and that's how this match came to be."
The reporters took note of this carefully.
Many had initially been puzzled by Chris becoming a Gym Leader. Wasn't he a senior Breeder? How did he qualify for the position?
Moreover, even if he had the necessary strength, he hadn't placed in the top three of any major national tournaments.
However, if the challenge was issued by the Gym Leader himself, rather than Chris, then there was no controversy.
And since the battle had been publicly broadcast, proving it was a legitimate match, no one could accuse Master Keaton of simply handing over the title.
On the contrary, many people were astonished by Master Keaton's strength and exclaimed in amazement on the spot!
No wonder he had held the position of Gym Leader for over 20 years. His Dynamax Machamp alone far outclassed those of many other Gym Leaders!
The third reporter's question was more straightforward.
"I would like to ask Gym Leader Chris, what is your vision for the future of Green Valley Gym?"
"I have just taken over Green Valley Gym, and I'm not yet familiar with the local situation, so I don't have a concrete plan at the moment," Chris replied. "Once I better understand Green Valley Province, I will work closely with local officials to determine its future direction."
With that, the three questions were answered, and the press conference quickly came to an end.
Eager to leave the Green Valley Trainer Association, Chris found dealing with reporters to be quite a hassle.
He hailed a taxi and headed straight to a high-end restaurant called Delcatty in the city center.
Inside the restaurant, Denver was already waiting for him.
After making a call earlier that day, Chris had asked Denver for a favor.
"Do you really have ten Ralts in your possession?" Denver asked impatiently the moment Chris stepped into the private dining room.
"Don't mess with me!"
"I already spread the word among top Trainer circles and wealthy collectors overnight about you selling ten Ralts. If they all show up tomorrow and there's nothing, I'll take a serious hit!"
"Relax, I wouldn't joke about something like this," Chris reassured him as he pulled out his phone to scan the QR code for the menu. Since he had arrived late, Denver had already ordered most of the dishes himself.
"I did you such a big favor—don't you think I deserve a reward?" Denver asked, now more at ease.
"What do you want?" Chris asked in return.
"My niece is about to graduate and start her journey as a Trainer. I was thinking of getting her a Ralts as her first Pokémon, but… considering the current market price for a Ralts…"
"Alright, have your niece come by tomorrow. If she can successfully catch a Ralts, I'll give you a 50% discount! Consider it your reward for helping me out this time."
Denver was puzzled. "If she can catch one? What do you mean? Do you mean buying a Ralts from you requires battling them first?"
Chris didn't answer right away. "You'll see tomorrow."