Pokémon: Above the Top

[Look! Lance's Dragonite used Dragon Rush again, and Arcanine's hind legs are badly injured. It looks like it can't dodge!]

[Direct hit!]

[The referee raises the red flag! Dragonite has defeated Elite Four Blaine's ace, Arcanine!]

[A new Elite Four from the Kanto Region has emerged, and it's none other than Dragon Master Lance from Blackthorn City!]

"…"

The screen went black. The TV had been turned off by Sato, who then turned around. Mark and the others still smacked their lips in lingering excitement, not understanding why the boss had turned it off.

"With Lance's current strength, it was already difficult for him to defeat the veteran Elite Four Blaine. There's no way he can handle Bruno, Lorelei, or the increasingly terrifying old woman Agatha."

Sato offered a brief explanation and didn't care whether they believed it or not. He walked out of the living room on his own.

As he walked, Sato arrived at the Pokémon Mimicry Space located on the west side of the Gym, which had long since been completed.

Perhaps due to smelling Sato's scent, the Pokémon living in the Mimicry Space all came running out, swarming around him.

Looking at his companions and the eager gleam in their eyes, Sato felt it was time to make use of all the training and growth they had accumulated over the years.

Over the past three years, aside from attending a few unavoidable events, Sato had barely left Shadownight Town.

After completing his basic duties as a Gym Leader, Sato trained with his partners in all sorts of ways.

The Elite stage focused heavily on accumulation; the further one progressed, the more time was required. Even Lance had taken over four years to help his Charizard break through to the Pseudo-Elite Four level.

As for Sato, even with the experience of his past life, he still couldn't compare in talent to a true prodigy like Lance.

So from the beginning, Sato hadn't planned to compete with him. The plan he set for himself extended to five years.

Now, it was finally time to begin a new journey… with the goal of breaking into the Pseudo-Elite Four level and heading straight toward Elite Four.

"Everyone, are you ready?" Sato gently stroked the still clingy Umbreon, smiling as he spoke to his partners.

"Hou!" xN "Waa waa waa, did I just hear that right?! Boss, you were finally provoked by 'Elite Four' Lance! Are we heading out to conquer the world?!"

From behind came Mark's howling scream. As it turned out, Joseph and the others had also followed him into the Mimicry Space, and upon hearing Sato's words, they were visibly thrilled.

"Get everything at the Gym fixed, then we'll head out. This time, our destination is Sinnoh!" Sato stood up and looked at Mark and Joseph, speaking seriously.

"So you had it planned all along. None of us have ever been to the Sinnoh Region," Joseph said with a smile.

In three years, all three of them had grown quite a bit. Combined with regular training, they had gained some muscle and looked full of energy.

"So when are we leaving? Tomorrow? Or how about today!" Mark was still Mark… hadn't changed a bit.

"And just ditch the Gym? Leaving without handing over responsibilities? In that case, you're staying behind, and Sato and I are going alone."

Joseph joked with a grin, provoking Mark to pull a (｀皿) face.

"Sina and the others have returned to the Gym too. Let's take three days to hand things over properly," Sato said, putting the final word on it.

Speaking of Sina and the others, a smile naturally appeared on Sato's face.

In the beginning, Sato only allowed Sina, Sia, and Akira to travel. After a year, each of them had made quite a name for themselves out in the world, which also brought more attention to the Shadownight Gym.

In the second year, Sina returned, and the three of them remained stationed at the Gym, while Ponyo and Sosuke were sent out for their own journey and training.

With more accumulated experience, Ponyo and Sosuke rose to fame even faster and more fiercely than Sina and the others. In their very first League Conference in the Hoenn Region, they achieved impressive results, finishing fourth and eighth respectively.

And even that result came about because they were matched against each other during the semifinals, where Ponyo voluntarily chose to forfeit.

Otherwise, that year's Ever Grande Conference might have seen Shadownight Gym claim two Top Four spots.

Regarding Ponyo and Sosuke being matched together in the semifinals, Sato made a special trip to the Hoenn League headquarters to "inquire" about the situation with Drake.

The tournament had already concluded. Even if there was foul play involved, the Hoenn League would never admit it, but Sato's overprotective nature had now been firmly established.

And the fact that Sato was "Elite Four" Drake's final "student" had also spread widely within the League, drawing envy and jealousy from many… though no one dared question it openly.

Sato himself was not to be messed with. A Gym Leader from another region going straight to the Hoenn headquarters to make trouble; this wasn't something just anyone would dare to do.

What's more, back in his youth, Drake had been notoriously proud and arrogant. Even now, though his edge had softened somewhat, he still firmly held the title of Hoenn's number one Elite Four.

With this, Sato's objective was achieved smoothly; though afterward, Drake dragged him into two months of hellish training, something very few outsiders knew about.

In the third year, Sina, Sia, and Akira set out on another journey. At the same time, Sato allowed two promising new trainees to accompany them and gain some worldly experience.

That same year, Sina won the Indigo Plateau Conference in the Kanto League, while Akira achieved second place in the Silver Conference of the Johto League.

As for Sia, during her journey she took the Breeder promotion exam and became the youngest Intermediate Breeder, making a name for herself as well.

Soon after, word spread that all three came from Shadownight Gym. Along with Ponyo and Sosuke, who had also made a strong showing the previous year.

In no time, Shadownight Gym became the place countless aspiring Trainers dreamed of joining before setting off on their own travels, hoping to receive guidance from the Shadownight Gym Leader.

Property prices in Shadownight Town began skyrocketing. More and more people from outside were drawn in, hoping to secure a better future for their children.

Some of them were also targeting Shadownight Town's development potential, arriving early to seize new opportunities.

Regardless of the reason, this wave brought only benefits to Shadownight Town. Especially now that Shadownight Gym had replace the Olivine Gym and officially become one of the eight Johto Region Gyms.

Urban development was unstoppable!

Before long, everyone in Shadownight Gym was stirred up, because the three core figures of the Gym had just announced to them that they too would be heading out on a journey.

So… was this a tradition of the Shadownight Gym? That any registered Trainer must go out and see the "world"?

But then again, thinking about it, they were only fifteen or sixteen years old. Maybe going out to travel wasn't so strange after all…

---

Three days later, Sato and the other two had packed everything and were ready. Under the gaze of all the Gym members, they boarded the bus to Goldenrod City. From there, they would take a plane headed for the Sinnoh Region.

A new adventure is about to begin!