Chương 3: Eliminate the Traitor
Cain slowly walked out of the arena, already calculating the intentions of his last disciple, Burt, who was behind him.
As Cain moved forward, his icy, fearful expression deterred any journalists from approaching.
"Master, are we going back to Ecruteak City now?"
Burt asked, secretly thinking that all six of Cain's Pokémon had lost their ability to fight, so the only chance to deal with him was on the way back to Ecruteak City.
Once Cain was out of the picture, it would naturally be logical for Burt to become the Ecruteak Gym's Gym Trainer. Although Lieutenant Surge had promised him great benefits, it still paled in comparison to the position of Gym Trainer.
Cain, appearing calm and composed, said, "No rush, let's go to the Pokémon Center first, and then we'll see about going back to Ecruteak City."
Cain sneered inwardly, thinking that young people indeed couldn't keep their composure. He blamed himself for being so focused on studying Pokémon all these years that he failed to see Burt's true nature.
Hearing this response, Burt became extremely anxious. If Cain's Pokémon recovered their strength, Burt would stand no chance. Any attempt at a surprise attack would be extremely dangerous; if the old man just casually released a Pokémon from its Poké Ball, Burt would be done for.
Seeing Burt's distraction, Cain continued his psychological tactics.
"Burt, how many years have you been with me?"
"Master, it's been over ten years."
Cain put on a nostalgic expression, sighing.
"Ah, it's been over ten years. I remember when you were just a young, innocent boy..."
A wave of reminiscence washed over Burt, making him feel uneasy and stirring something within him.
Cain and Burt arrived at the Pokémon Center in Indigo Plateau's headquarters.
"Hello, Mr. Cain, what can I do for you?" Nurse Joy greeted him with an angelic smile.
Glancing at the list of Pokémon services—treatment, nursing, health recovery, massage, therapy...
"I'd like a full set of services for each of my six Pokémon. I'll come back to pick them up at four in the afternoon," Cain said.
"Rest assured, Mr. Cain. We'll make sure you're satisfied."
Nurse Joy took Cain's Poké Balls and handed them to a Blissey.
"Burt, let's go to the Elite Four headquarters and find Elite Four Will."
After taking care of everything, Cain spoke to Burt, who was standing nearby.
Burt was surprised and asked, "Master, what business do we have with Elite Four Will?"
"Elite Four Will is in charge of the assessment and replacement of Gym Trainers."
Cain's face remained expressionless, his eyes occasionally scanning Burt from the corner of his eye.
As expected, Burt began to panic, his speech becoming incoherent. "Master, what do you mean?"
Cain had already guessed what Burt was going to say and immediately replied, "I'm getting old and have no children. After failing to compete for the Poison-type Elite Four position, I've become disheartened and just want to enjoy my twilight years. In consideration of your many years of loyalty, I want to recommend you to Elite Four Will to take over my position as the Ecruteak Gym Leader."
Cain had already seen through Burt's true nature, a double-dealing person who valued benefits the most, but had innate caution and suspicion.
If he had simply told Burt that he would inherit his Gym, it would have raised suspicions and might have made Burt think he was exposed.
Cain was now fully prepared and not afraid of being ambushed by Burt. However, if Burt were to notice and run to hide with Koga, Cain could only suffer a loss, and he wouldn't be able to swallow his pride.
But by putting everything out in the open and following the proper procedures, it would seem genuine and reliable, and would win Burt over completely.
As expected, Burt was overwhelmed with excitement. "Master, I will never forget your kindness. From now on, you are like my own father, and I will take care of you in your old age."
"There's no need for us to talk about this," Cain replied. "I have limited abilities and can only help you this far. It's a pity I lost the Elite Four challenge, otherwise, I would have secured an even better future for you."
Cain then let out a deep sigh.
At this point, Burt was tormented by his conscience and was filled with gratitude towards his teacher Cain.
Cain had to first secure Burt's loyalty, as his Pokémon were all in a weakened state. He would deal with Burt once they arrived in Ecruteak City.
At the Pokémon League headquarters, Cain successfully nominated Burt to Will, and as soon as the League's assessment was passed, Burt could officially take over as Ecruteak Gym's Trainer.
Cain picked up his Pokémon from the Center on time, and seeing that all of them had fully recovered, he nodded in satisfaction, feeling confident.
However, Koga was not so fortunate. His first five Pokémon had their poison sacs ruptured, rendering them useless. Gengar, having absorbed a large amount of poison, couldn't bear the burden and exploded upon returning to Koga's base.
Cain put away the Poké Balls and said, "Burt, let's go back to Ecruteak City now."
"Alright, Master, I'll get ready."
Burt couldn't wait to leave this dangerous place, as there were many of Koga's disciples around, and it wouldn't be good if any flaws were exposed.
The high-speed rail from Mt. Silver to Ecruteak City took only about two hours.
Cain and Burt returned to Ecruteak Gym around seven in the evening, by which time most of the other disciples had already gone home to rest, leaving only a few caretakers in the Gym.
Cain stared at the traitor before him, wishing he could immediately eliminate him to vent his anger. But he had to be patient, as this was a society governed by law, and he had to do it quietly without leaving any evidence.
After having dinner as usual, the caretakers cleaned up the dishes and left.
At this point, only Cain and Burt remained in the vast Ecruteak Gym.
The time was ripe.
"Burt, follow me to the underground chamber," Cain said. "I will give you the Gym Badge first. I'm tired, and starting tomorrow, you'll take over managing the Gym."
Cain's words flowed naturally, and Burt was too excited to think clearly.
The underground chamber wasn't very spacious, and it was where Cain researched Pokémon. Apart from the dim light, there was nothing else.
Bert followed Cain, feeling a chilling aura rushing into his heart, and his body couldn't help but tremble.
"Master, is the Gym Badge here?"
"Yes, it's right here."
Cain had already grasped Ariados' Poké Ball in his hand.
Before Bert could react, Ariados had already tackled him to the ground, and Toxic Thread had instantly bound everything below his head.
At this moment, Cain turned around, his murderous, cold, and terrifying gaze fixed on Bert, who lay on the ground.
Bert had already been scared out of his wits.
"M-master, what do you mean by this?"
Cain snorted coldly.
"Shameless traitor, Ariados attack."
Ariados, following Cain's command, used its steel saw-like front teeth to cut Bert's throat directly.
Killing didn't require much talking—just two words: "decisive." Leaving one's enemy alive for even a second longer meant an extra second of danger for oneself. This was the conclusion of Cain's life experience.
Cain had already thought about how to handle the aftermath using his Gym Trainer identity.
Chandelure's Will-O-Wisp burned the body until not even ashes remained. Skuntank's Stench eliminated all traces of smell. Drapion destroyed the secret chamber entirely, causing it to collapse. Tomorrow, all that would be needed was to fill it with concrete, and even if someone wanted to cause trouble for him, they wouldn't know where to start.
Cain was all too familiar with this process. In his earlier years, he had been a Pokémon hunter for nearly twenty years, struggling for survival and resources. Killing one or two people in desperate situations was inevitable.
If not for the wealth he had accumulated during those twenty years of living on the edge, he wouldn't have had the background or resources to cultivate these Pokémon. For someone who couldn't even be considered a commoner to become a Gym Leader was already a miracle.
In comparison, the official Pokémon Trainers of the league had unparalleled conditions, not needing to worry about Pokémon cultivation or running out of money. With just a little effort, such people could become local protectors.
Just like the now-renowned Ash and Gary from the Kanto region, who were once direct disciples of Professor Oak. Although they were more than a decade younger than Cain, Ash was now the Kanto League Champion, and Gary was the Chief Researcher, with students and officials all over the world.
After handling everything, Cain took a shower and returned to his room.
He first composed an email to be sent to Will in two days, the general idea being that Bert had given up inheriting the Gym Trainer position in pursuit of a greater goal and had gone traveling to other regions.
Cain carefully reviewed if there was anything he had overlooked. After making sure everything was foolproof, he finally sat on the edge of the bed. In this world of Pokémon, he had to survive
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