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Chapter 536 - The Rewards for First Place

Feng Che's Gengar maintained its heavy shadow-lock, leaving the remaining horde of Dragon-type Pokémon firmly pinned to the rocky ground as countless spectral arms held their heavy frames in place.

"Go, Park Ball!"

Sabrina, Caitlin, Lucian, and the other prominent Psychic specialists used their telekinesis to cleanly manipulate a massive volley of high-containment Poké Balls, raining them down upon the incapacitated dragons.

Concurrently, logistics columns from the World League arrived on Poacher's Island, systematically taking control of the captured assets. The League planned to permanently annex the island, converting the territory into a direct strategic sub-base lined with specialized ecological reservation zones.

Once the remaining rogue Pokémon were systematically secured, Feng Che and the vanguard boarded a priority League transport, flying back to the central headquarters to deliver their final field reports to Chief Sky.

By completely dismantling the Poacher syndicate in a single sweep, an astronomical volume of plundered resources and hidden capital fell directly into the World League's treasury, significantly reinforcing their fiscal reserves.

Looking over the staggering balance sheets extracted from the syndicate's central ledgers, Chief Sky couldn't help but let out a long, contemplative sigh.

"The old adages ring true—nothing generates wealth faster than lawlessness. A single pirate syndicate managed to accumulate an empire of wealth that effectively equals the ten-year GDP of an entire core region."

"We will utilize these funds to systematically improve the infrastructure and living standards of our more impoverished peripheral territories."

"Julie, coordinate with the logistics staff and gather all the active Elites and Gym Leaders at the central arena. I will personally announce the final rankings of the training camp," Chief Sky instructed, his mood exceptionally light.

The Malicious Alignment

On the opposite side of the central complex, inside the Deputy Chief's office...

Aula stared at the verified inventory lists of the recovered spoils, his expression growing thoroughly twisted with resentment.

"To think that a band of thieves managed to hoard such an obscene amount of capital... this operation has handed that old fox Sky an immense amount of political leverage."

Aula's lungs felt as though they were about to burst from pure irritation. With a snort of rage, he slammed the data folders onto the floor, scattering the sheets across the carpet.

As he was venting his frustration, Doron quietly slipped through the side doors of the office.

"Doron? You're supposed to be on perimeter watch. Why are you sneaking into my office?" Aula snapped, his voice sharp.

"Please restrain your anger, Chief Aula. I've come to deliver a critical piece of intelligence," Doron replied with a oily, calculated smirk. "My surveillance bugs picked up a private memo—Chief Sky is preparing to elevate two of the participating Gym Leaders straight into regional Elite Four seats."

Aula's sharp gaze drifted across Doron's face, assessing his intent.

"Sky certainly commands the executive authority to promote Gym Leaders to the Elite Four cadre," Aula noted coldly. "But such promotions strictly require a formal combat assessment. Don't tell me you intend to volunteer yourself as the presiding proctor for these showcase matches?"

Aula's piercing eyes locked onto the scout, causing a cold sweat to break out across Doron's neck.

"One of these Gym Leaders crossed you during the deployment, didn't they? And now you want to leverage my political weight to break him?" Aula immediately saw through the scout's small, personal agenda.

"Your intuition is flawless, Chief Aula," Doron laughed sheepishly, bowing slightly. "One of them did indeed insult me, but more importantly, he insulted you. If he hadn't interfered during the early phases of the deployment, Sky would never have secured the political leverage he currently holds against your faction."

"You speak with a certain eloquence, Doron. Your capacity to warp a narrative has improved," Aula sneered. "However... throwing a wrench into Sky's grand initiatives is something I always thoroughly enjoy. I will personally coordinate with the peak Elite-level combatants under my faction to ensure this Gym Leader receives a very thorough lesson."

"We will remind him to stay comfortably in his lane as a common Gym Leader, rather than dreaming of picking up free windfalls from the sky."

With a sweep of his robes, Aula turned and strode out of the office to arrange the trap.

The Leaderboard

Meanwhile, Feng Che had already arrived at the grand central arena.

The colossal digital displays hovering above the stadium floor had finalized the scoring matrices for every participant in the joint training camp.

Feng Che's name sat proudly at the absolute apex of the leaderboard, boasting a staggering score of 18,925 points.

In second place was Steven Stone, finishing with 17,555 points.

Sitting in third place was Sabrina, securing 17,225 points.

The statistical margin between Steven and Sabrina was exceptionally narrow. Steven ultimately claimed the advantage by a few hundred points due to his comprehensive tactical command over the Flame Valley extraction sequence, earning him higher baseline operational marks.

Chief Sky strode into the arena, his posture radiating authority. The assembled regional Elites and Gym Leaders systematically formed seven crisp, disciplined columns, falling silent as they waited for the commander to speak.

"To all our distinguished regional Elites and Gym Leaders," Chief Sky's voice carried clearly through the stadium microphones. "Good afternoon. Our strategic deployment against the Poacher organization has concluded with an absolute, historic victory. All seven of the syndicate's active Generals have been successfully secured."

"We have systematically recovered an unprecedented volume of resources and capital—an achievement that would have been entirely impossible without the collective valor and sacrifice of everyone standing in this arena."

"Now, it is my privilege to officially announce the top three performers of this intensive operation."

"Claiming third place on the leaderboard: Gym Leader Sabrina of Saffron City, representing the Kanto region."

"She achieved an exceptional score through her flawless deployment on Poacher's Island, single-handedly neutralizing both Ghost General Longchuan and Psychic General Greya."

"In recognition of her merit, the World League officially bestows upon her the prestigious title of Honorary World League Elite. Furthermore, she is granted one Legendary-grade elemental catalyst."

"Please join me in welcoming Gym Leader Sabrina to the central dais."

Chief Sky led the applause, and a thunderous roar of approval erupted from the grandstands.

Sabrina's face flushed a deep crimson as she stepped toward the presentation platform. It was the first time in her life she had ever stood before a massive crowd that was genuinely cheering for her—a completely profound, uncharted experience for her mind.

Chief Sky handed her an engraved certificate alongside a gleaming silver identification card.

"This silver card serves as an official authorization token for our central treasury. You may present it to the logistics department at your convenience to select any Legendary-grade resource of your choosing."

Sabrina offered a quiet bow of gratitude before stepping down from the stage.

"Sabrina, congratulations! That was amazing!" Misty and Brock called out from the Kanto column, waving enthusiastically.

Sabrina lowered her head, her cheeks burning as she felt a sudden rush of social anxiety, her heart hammering against her ribs. It was a completely unfamiliar sensation, being warmly celebrated by her peers.

Feng Che caught her eye, flashing her a crisp thumbs-up from the front line. Seeing his gesture, Sabrina's face turned an even deeper shade of scarlet, her eyes darting away in confusion.

"Securing second place in our rankings: Mr. Steven Stone."

"Through his exceptional battlefield command and analytical insights, he successfully directed our scattered forces during the assault on the island, significantly minimizing our total operational casualties."

"He is officially awarded the title of Honorary World League Elite, alongside one Legendary-grade resource and one Apex-tier ancient artifact."

Chief Sky presented Steven with a heavy silver trophy, a matching silver authorization card, and a weathered, bronze-hued token.

"I trust you will continue to maintain this exceptional standard, Mr. Stone, and continue to serve as a pillar of strength for the Hoenn region."

As Steven stepped down from the dais, the stadium lights shifted, focusing entirely on Feng Che as his name flashed at the top of the display.

"And now, it is my distinct honor to present the undisputed champion of this training operation—the trainer who single-handedly brought down six of the Poacher organization's active Generals. Representing the Viridian Gym of the Kanto region: Feng Che!"

"By claiming first place on our leaderboard, he is officially designated as an Honorary World League Elite. Furthermore, he is granted an exclusive entry clearance into the Primordial Domain, alongside three separate Legendary-grade resources."

Chief Sky handed Feng Che a heavy, polished trophy and an intricately carved wooden chest. Resting atop the lacquered lid were three gleaming silver authorization cards.

"Let us offer our warmest congratulations to the top three strategists of this operation!"

Chief Sky clapped enthusiastically, and the arena erupted into a deafening, rhythmic standing ovation that shook the rafters.

Once the formal presentation ceremony concluded and the columns began to dismiss, a senior courier approached the vanguard. Feng Che and Sabrina were quietly requested to report directly to Chief Sky's private executive suite.

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