Pokémon: Above the Top

"Ah, young trainers are truly getting stronger these days," Howard recalled his Kangaskhan and handed the Poké Ball to Whitney.

Whitney, who had just run over, pouted as she took the Poké Ball and ran off.

In truth, she was very curious about the boy who had just defeated her grandfather, even though he wasn't much older than her.

"Sato, you truly have the qualifications to say you won't participate in the League Conference. At your current level, reaching pseudo-Elite Four strength shouldn't be an issue"

Howard said as he patted Sato's shoulder, clearly impressed.

"Thank you for the praise. But what happens after reaching pseudo-Elite Four? What exactly defines an Elite Four-level trainer?"

"Hahaha, you're already thinking about becoming an Elite Four before even reaching the previous stage," Howard laughed heartily, not minding Sato's ambition.

"Let me ask you something instead—who do you think plays a bigger role in a trainer's strength, the Pokémon or the trainer?" Howard didn't answer directly but posed another question.

"The Pokémon? Or the trainer?" Sato frowned.

This question reminded him of how people usually perceived Elite Four trainers.

Are they considered Elite Four because they own Pokémon of that level?

Or is it the trainer who elevates their Pokémon to that level?

"What do you think, Leader Howard?" Sato lowered his posture and directly asked for advice.

"I don't know," Howard shrugged nonchalantly. "And honestly, I doubt many people do. Even those who claim to know are merely stating their personal beliefs."

"…"

"Don't look at me like that. My elders once asked me the same thing when I was younger. They told me that when I found my answer, I would become an Elite Four."

"But weren't you once an Elite Four-ranked trainer?"

"Ah, no, I wasn't. At least, I never considered myself one," Howard chuckled before waving Whitney over.

Sato still felt puzzled, but he stopped asking further questions. He simply watched as Howard cheerfully teased his granddaughter.

"Oh, right! Sato, take this! Consider it a thank-you gift for guiding me back to my ranch, hahaha!"

So, you finally admitted you're hopeless with directions? Sato thought to himself as he unfolded what looked like an invitation.

"The Young Elite Tournament?"

"Yes! A competition for top young trainers aged 10 to 18. It gathers the most elite young trainers from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. The skill level is much higher than that of the League Conference. What do you think? Interested?"

Sato carefully reviewed the details of the competition. One particular rule caught his eye—each Gym, regardless of its ranking or strength, had only one nomination slot. He immediately understood the rarity of this opportunity.

"Across four regions, there are fewer than 200 Gyms in total. And since about two-thirds of them don't send candidates every year, the usual number of participants is around 100."

"Leader Howard, is it really okay for you to give me this spot just like that?"

Sato didn't care about the League Conference, but he was quite intrigued by the chance to challenge the so-called "geniuses."

Now that he no longer needed to keep a low profile, how could he grow stronger without facing some hardships?

"What's the problem? You know what would be embarrassing? If the trainer sent by the Gym gets eliminated in the first round. Now that would be humiliating!"

"In that case, I'll accept your nomination!"

"Good! But you're still a bit underqualified right now. The tournament has a minimum requirement—all Pokémon must be at least elite-level. And currently, you only have two elite-level Pokémon."

"…Then why bring it up in the first place?"

"However," Howard grinned, ignoring Sato's glare, "I have high hopes for you. Half a year should be more than enough time for you to get there."

With another firm pat on Sato's shoulder, Howard successfully sold him a dream.

"Leader Howard, if I achieve a good ranking, that should count as bringing honor to the Goldenrod Gym, right?"

"Uh… I suppose?" The experienced Howard suddenly shifted from his usual bold demeanor, answering with an uncertain question.

"… I hope Gym Leader can guide me a little so I won't disgrace the Goldenrod Gym's reputation!"

Faced with an old fox, Sato decided to speak directly. Why play mind games when everything could be arranged clearly?

"Well… sure…" Howard choked for a moment. This kid wasn't following the usual script—how was he supposed to stall for time now?

"Oh, right, take this as a keepsake." Howard handed Sato the Goldenrod Gym Badge. The square-shaped golden badge had a nice texture to the touch.

"Thank you!"

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Between the encounter with the blue Miltank, the Gym battle, and now the Youth Elite Tournament, time had flown by.

Since he needed to seek guidance from Howard, Sato obtained permission from the grandfather and granddaughter to stay at Moo-moo Farm for a while.

Dinner was naturally not something Sato had to worry about.

Owning the largest farm in Johto, with 90% of the region's Moomoo Milk production coming from here, the grandfather and granddaughter clearly weren't short on money—being a Gym Leader really was just a side job for Howard.

The next morning, with the help of the farm's milkers, Sato found a training spot beside a small river that was well-suited for his needs.

Though there was no waterfall, training could still continue as planned. Carvanha's most crucial training remained overcoming geographical limitations and making Aqua Jet an instinct.

Half the morning had passed when Sato finally saw Howard leisurely wandering over from the opposite direction of the farmhouses, now accompanied by a Granbull instead of Wigglytuff.

…He got lost again.

"Good morning, Leader Howard!"

"Morning, Sato! Keep training, I'll just watch and see if there's anything to improve."

"Alright!" Sato was a man of few words and preferred action, so he appreciated directness. Without further ado, he continued his planned training.

Howard appeared unfazed, but inwardly, he was nodding in approval, growing even more impressed by Sato's team. Even the most common Pokémon, Spinarak, performed exceptionally well.

Where did he find such outstanding Pokémon?

But Howard didn't dwell on it too much. Every region had its share of lucky and talented newcomers, and everyone had their secrets. Someone as experienced as him wouldn't foolishly pry.

Aside from the change in location, Sato's training remained largely unaffected, and Howard's occasional "lost" visits often turned into impromptu training sessions.

Meanwhile, the carrot-headed Whitney practically made it a daily routine to visit Sato, carrying her adorable Cleffa and delivering fresh Moomoo Milk.

--------------

Over two weeks passed, and Whitney had gone from being cautious to utterly at ease around him, though she still had no interest in the aloof Zoroark.

Sato, on the other hand, gradually shifted from having no direct address to being called "Big Bro Sato."

For someone with the mindset of an adult, Sato found Whitney to be a cute child—a bit spoiled, but still just a kid.

Moreover, Howard's guidance was invaluable. Apart from adjustments and optimizations in training methods, Sato also learned a classic move combination from him.

Rest, Snore, Sleep Talk!

The impact of Tauros' performance in their battle was still fresh in his mind, and Sato found this combo quite intriguing. He trained diligently to master it.

If Sato had a Pokémon that could learn Rollout, Howard would have even been willing to teach him his Gym's signature technique.

And now, it was time to move on.