Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

Is Wattson of the Elite Four Going to Step Down?

After seeing this message, Aoki suddenly had a lot of thoughts in his mind.

Currently, in the Hoenn region, the only person who may possibly step down from the position of the Elite Four is the elderly Wattson.

His strength is indeed somewhat unable to keep up with the overall power level of the Elite Four.

The older Drake, on the other hand, becomes more powerful as he ages.

From this, we can see the importance of choosing the right Pokémon.

In addition to Wattson and Drake, the other two members are the dark-type specialist Karen and the ice-type specialist Glacia.

These two were recently appointed to the Elite Four.

Their strength is not as formidable as Drake's, but unlike Wattson and Drake, while serving as Elite Four members, they also manage certain League affairs.

They are strong, but not overwhelmingly so. It feels as though they were pushed into their roles prematurely.

Still, their performance has been satisfactory so far.

The news of Wattson's resignation from the Elite Four would undoubtedly cause an uproar in the Hoenn League.

The current situation was unexpected.

Originally, Phoebe was supposed to take over Wattson's position, but the timeline had clearly been accelerated.

Neither Phoebe nor even Aoki himself were yet ready to assume the responsibilities of the Elite Four.

With no clear successor, the Hoenn region had become unstable.

Anyone with sufficient strength and backing would now attempt to claim the vacant Elite Four seat.

Aoki immediately called his mentor, Matsuda.

The message he had received had been sent by Matsuda himself.

The call connected after a few rings.

"Aoki? Hold on a moment." Matsuda's tired voice came through, accompanied by the sound of heated discussion in the background.

It seemed as though an argument or urgent explanation was taking place.

After a brief pause, Matsuda moved to a quieter location, allowing Aoki to hear him clearly.

"Teacher, what's happening? Why has Wattson suddenly announced his resignation?" Aoki asked urgently.

Though his strength had reached Elite Four level, the position was still beyond his reach for now.

Yet, this development directly impacted his future plans, and the abrupt change left him unsettled.

Matsuda hesitated before responding.

Aoki sensed something unusual in his mentor's silence and frowned.

The situation was more complicated than he had thought.

"Wattson didn't resign willingly—he had no choice. He had promised Adams he would stay for a few more years, but circumstances forced his hand," Matsuda finally said with a sigh.

"Forced to resign? Is something wrong with Wattson? What exactly happened?" Aoki pressed.

Matsuda began to explain.

"You know Wattson—though he's part of the Elite Four, his age means he rarely involves himself in League affairs anymore.

However, just recently, the League's exploration team discovered a hidden ruin.

With no one else available, they asked Wattson to lead an investigation. But unexpectedly..." Matsuda trailed off.

"Was Wattson attacked?" Aoki found the idea hard to believe.

"He was severely injured. He's been unconscious ever since, and most of his Pokémon were lost. The League announced the news immediately, but few know the full details. It won't stay hidden for long." Matsuda's voice was heavy.

For an Elite Four member of any region to be critically injured—losing multiple Pokémon in the process—was a devastating blow to the League's reputation.

If even an Elite Four couldn't guarantee their own safety, how could ordinary citizens feel secure?

This would be the first thought of the region's residents.

In the worst case, it could plunge the entire region into chaos.

Steven could resign, but being forced out was another matter entirely.

The League was likely scrambling to control the fallout.

"Severely injured..." Aoki fell silent.

Though Wattson's position in the Elite Four had been somewhat tenuous lately, he had remained because no one else was yet qualified to replace him.

"Who was responsible?" Aoki asked after a pause.

"We don't know. But judging by Wattson's injuries, it was an ambush. He barely made it back to the city before collapsing. He only managed to say one thing before losing consciousness."

"What did he say?"

"There's a traitor in the League." Matsuda spoke the words with clear reluctance.

The statement struck Aoki like a physical blow.

A traitor in the League?

Someone had conspired with outsiders to ambush Steven, leaving him critically injured and unable to recover.

Who stood to benefit the most from Steven's resignation?

Following that line of thought might provide clues—but it could also be a red herring.

An Elite Four member critically wounded, forced to resign, and a traitor within the League—combined, these events explained the chaos surrounding Matsuda.

For Aoki, however, the revelation of a traitor was disastrous.

If an investigation began, he would undoubtedly come under scrutiny.

He knew all too well how precarious his position was.

If Team Rocket failed to keep his affiliations hidden, the consequences would be dire.

There was only one way forward now.

"Teacher, where are you now? I'll head over immediately," Aoki said.

"We're in Slateport City. It's a good idea for you to come. The League's top officials are all gathering here—you might be able to help."

"I'll leave right away."

Hanging up, Aoki quickly gathered his belongings and recalled his training Pokémon.

Though the cause of Steven's injuries and the significance of the newly discovered ruins remained unknown, those details were secondary for now.

What mattered was ensuring the League's investigation into the traitor hadn't yet begun.

But it was unlikely they would act so hastily. Stabilizing the region took priority—otherwise, panic would spread not just among civilians, but even among the League's leadership.

Whether they acted or not, the region's stability would be affected.

After storing his Pokémon, Aoki reached for Flygon's Poké Ball—then hesitated and withdrew another instead.

"Altaria, I'll need your help this time."