387 The Speech 1
She stood up and asked, "Sir Axel..."
"Please, just call me Mr. Axel. I am around the same age as you. And could you please introduce yourself first?"
"Yes, Mr. Axel. I am Konan Venu. I am from the Venu family and I am 14 years old. My question is, what is the purpose of using this Everstone locket? Won't this hinder our progress? Won't our Pokémon evolve much later than expected?"
"Thank you, Konan. I was expecting that question. You all must have learned that when a Pokémon advances from the rare rank to the elemental rank, they need a strong foundation. That is true. The family will train you to build a solid foundation, and there hasn't been a case where a trainer couldn't advance their Pokémon to the elemental rank with proper training.
However, that's not enough. You might be able to advance your Pokémon to the elemental or even pseudo-king or king rank. But what about champion rank, master rank, or even god rank? For that, you need an even stronger foundation, and that starts when your Pokémon is at the common rank.
Mark and I are working on creating a new potion that will also slow down your progress after your Pokémon advances to the elemental rank, because the Everstone locket only affects evolution, not rank advancement.
So, if you want to rise high, you must use the locket. I hope I've answered your question."
Another raised his hand.
"I am Sebastian, an outsider, and I am 15 years old. You mentioned god rank. So, do you mean that a normal Pokémon could reach god rank? I thought only Arceus was a god rank Pokémon."
"Another good question, and I'm pleased you caught that. First of all, you're mistaken. Arceus isn't the only one classified as a god rank. Almost all of the mystical and some of the legendary Pokémon are in the god rank, like Mew, Giratina, and many more. We can't verify this properly since we can't test it. They are far more powerful than we can imagine.
So, how can I say there are Pokémon other than Arceus in the god rank? It's simple. Professor Oak himself told me this, and since he is the Pokémon Master, he must be right. He also informed me that any regular Pokémon could reach god rank. Yes, you heard me right.
Your Venusaur or Eevee could reach god rank too. It's just extremely difficult to achieve. Oak's Charizard is currently training to reach that rank, and I must tell you that Charizard is the most powerful Pokémon I've ever seen.
As for how to achieve god rank, even I don't know, but one thing is clear: your Pokémon needs a flawless foundation."
After this, someone else raised their hand. Everyone was lost in their own fantasies, dreaming of having a god rank Pokémon. Axel proceeded to talk about other changes. He explained the changes and answered various questions. The session continued for three hours, during which the young trainers' perspectives on Pokémon training shifted.
The list of changes Axel introduced was as follows:
1. Everstone locket.
2. Compulsory school for everyone.
3. Emphasis on training new and modified moves from rare ranks.
4. Forming groups of five trainers to work as teams on missions.
5. Completing at least two missions per month as part of the newly created groups.
6. Holding a group competition for young trainers every three months.
The literacy rate in the Venu family was significantly higher compared to the rest of the world, but schools were still not compulsory. Axel believed this should change.
Axel and Angela had previously discussed matters, and it was now decided that the forest would be fully under Axel's ownership after her return. So, 50% of Axel's talent would apply to all Venu family members' Pokémon if they released them from their Poké Balls. This allowed them to train in new moves.
Axel realized that a solitary trainer couldn't accomplish much; there needed to be mutual support. This is why he had decided to form groups of five trainers. The purpose of these groups was to intensify their training.
When Axel first joined the family, no one took missions seriously due to concerns about risking their lives. However, risking one's life and confronting the wild was necessary to become a powerful trainer.
###
Next day,
Axel woke up in his bed. Angela had informed him that she would be back in two days, so he needed to wait one more day to gain ownership of the forest. He was excited about it. He had access to a new function called 'Land Management,' and after obtaining this land, he would need to acquire one more to level it up.
With nothing planned for the day and no training on his agenda, Axel chose to visit A, B, and Mark. He also wanted to assess the progress of the young trainers. All of them had signed up, and their information was now presented to Axel. He gave various instructions to the employees before personally heading to the training field. He even guided some of the trainers. It turned out to be a productive day.
###
Next day,
"Axel, I hereby announce that the forest will rightfully be yours. As an elder, you have the right to acquire it if it can benefit the Venu family."
---
Ding!
Land has been acquired. Land management has been activated. The host will gain the following benefits:
1. Real-time tracking of land and resident Pokémon progress.
2. Pokémon residing on the land will possess the loyalty feature.
3. All of the host's talent will apply to resident Pokémon.
4. Other trainers' Pokémon that have been released intentionally for the benefit will also receive 100% benefits if they were previously part of the forest. If not, they will receive 50% benefits.
5. Additional functions will be revealed as land management levels up.
Level-up condition: Acquire two more lands for a level-up. The land's size will determine additional benefits.
Current land area:
• East side: 2000 sq. km
• West side: 1500 sq. km
• Deorclacu Holt: 5000 sq. km Total: 8500 sq. km
---
Axel realized that only the area up to the purple crack had been counted. Deorclacu Holt was one of the largest forests in the Kanto region; it couldn't be that small.
"Axel, I'd love to accompany you right now, but there are some matters to consider. I've dealt with Ron and those connected to him, but you've provided a lot of leads, and I need to identify all the culprits."
"I understand. Take your time. What happened to Ron?" Axel inquired.
"Actually, that's one of the topics for this meeting," Angela said.
All the current elders were present. The meeting had several items on the agenda.
"As you know, Ron laundered around 1 trillion Poké dollars from the family. Once I gathered all the evidence, I took action. Ron and his associates have been removed for their crimes. Remember, we tolerate some bending of the rules within the family, such as early graduation, but stealing from our own family won't be tolerated. Let this message spread within the family and serve as a reminder."
Angela demonstrated a firm stance. Axel hadn't expected Angela to go so far as to eliminate the culprit. He held an even greater appreciation for her now. This was the duty of a leader. They discussed other matters, and the meeting eventually concluded.
"So, Axel, what are your plans now? You could spend some time here. I'm sure the young trainers would be thrilled to have you around," Angela suggested.
"I'd love to, but I have some matters to resolve. I'll be back within a week, at the latest. Our journey will commence after I return."
"Of course, I'll expedite this as much as possible. I don't want any traitors in the family."
