After that, Ryo didn't ask anything further and left with Akio.
Turning around, he looked toward the Pokémon that were training not far away.
In that area, Cynthia was overseeing a battle between Garchomp and Gardevoir.
Neither Pokémon was receiving commands. Every move was executed on their own, and they fought with fierce energy and excitement.
Ryo wasn't surprised by the scene. These sparring matches had become routine. Even during their previous journey, they hadn't stopped engaging in such training.
At this point, both Garchomp and Gardevoir had already surpassed level 90.
Both had reached the Super-Kage level, and their strengths were quite close. Garchomp was currently at level 92, while Gardevoir sat at level 91.
That was precisely why the two were paired up for training. If they went up against Dragonite, it would be far too one-sided.
After all, Dragonite had climbed all the way to level 96 over these few years.
While that might seem like just a difference of four or five levels, in this world, even a one-level difference could result in a major gap in power.
If it weren't for Gardevoir's advantage in countering Garchomp, even a single level's difference would've made it hard for her to keep up.
Ryo observed for a while. Once the battle ended, he approached the two exhausted Pokémon.
"Cynthia, how are they? Are they okay?"
Seeing both Pokémon drained of energy, Ryo asked with a hint of concern.
Cynthia shook her head. "They're fine. Just a bit worn out. A little rest and they'll be good."
Ryo nodded. That was enough to ease his worries.
Then Cynthia asked, "Ryo, how's the tournament coming along? Should be starting soon, right?"
She was quite invested in the upcoming competition. After all, it was a defining part of her world's culture. Now that it had emerged in this one, it was only natural that she would care deeply.
Ryo nodded. "It's going great. A lot of people have already signed up. The tournament starts in a week. But…"
"But what?" Cynthia tilted her head in confusion.
"Well, because there are just too many participants, we haven't figured out how to run the event properly yet," Ryo admitted with a sigh. After hearing Akio's report earlier, he'd realized just how wildly popular the tournament had become.
It was so popular that even the higher-ups of the Five Great Ninja Villages were sending people to compete.
With such massive turnout, if they ran every match individually, it could take forever to finish.
And he hadn't set any entry requirements either.
He hadn't expected such overwhelming participation, so there'd been no reason to restrict registrations.
As a result, the difference in Pokémon strength among contestants was bound to be enormous.
Cynthia understood exactly what he meant. She too hadn't anticipated the overwhelming interest and hadn't given the structure of the tournament much thought either.
Now all she could do was sigh, unsure of what to do.
"Forget it for now," Ryo said with a shake of his head. "If it really becomes unmanageable, we'll just divide the participants into tiers and hold multiple rounds at once."
Then, curiosity crept into his expression as he asked, "By the way, where are Diancie, Espeon, and Hoopa?"
In recent years, it wasn't just Dragonite and the others who had grown stronger.
Diancie and Espeon had also undergone significant development.
Being a Mythical Pokémon, Diancie's growth rate far exceeded that of ordinary Pokémon. She had reached level 88, just three levels away from Super-Kage class.
Espeon, on the other hand, lagged behind a little. Her current level was around 83.
This clearly showed how much faster Mythical Pokémon improved compared to regular ones.
Espeon had once been ahead of Diancie in terms of strength, but now she had not only been surpassed—she'd fallen five levels behind.
Cynthia shook her head. "Not sure. I haven't seen them. They probably went to the Konoha casino again."
As she spoke, she gave Ryo a subtle, somewhat disapproving look.
"Ahem…" Ryo cleared his throat awkwardly, catching the meaning behind her gaze. "They probably didn't…"
Cynthia rolled her eyes. She didn't even bother responding. Not even Ryo himself could believe what he'd just said.
Over the past few years, Hoopa had developed quite a fondness for the casino.
And apparently, Espeon had been dragged into it too. That was exactly why Cynthia had looked at him like that.
Fortunately, Diancie hadn't taken a liking to gambling.
But even if Diancie didn't care for it, Hoopa and Espeon often roped her into tagging along.
And then there was Tsunade.
One day, Tsunade had seen Diancie's ability to create diamonds—and she had immediately convinced Hoopa to start exchanging those diamonds for cash.
From that moment on, Hoopa stopped asking Ryo for money when heading to the casino. Instead, he simply went to Diancie for diamonds.
Because of that, the diamond market in Konoha had taken a steep dive.
Gem traders across the village had developed mixed feelings toward the place.
On one hand, they loved the cheap supply of diamonds. On the other hand, the plummeting prices terrified them.
No exaggeration—Hoopa had single-handedly flipped the value of diamonds upside down just by going to the casino.
And it all started with one little scheme from Tsunade.
"Well then... I'm going to check the back hill. You carry on, carry on."
Ryo, catching Cynthia's narrowed gaze, grew even more awkward. Internally, he was already cursing Hoopa.
That mischievous Pokémon had been visiting the casino far too frequently lately. For Hoopa, it was no big deal—just throw out a grin, act cute, and Cynthia would forgive it. But for Ryo? Every time he turned a blind eye to Hoopa and Espeon sneaking off, Cynthia's grudge seemed to land squarely on his shoulders.
She never said anything outright, but the faintly resentful look in her eyes was more than enough to make him squirm.
He had nothing to do with it—yet somehow, he was always the one left feeling the damage.
Quickly excusing himself, Ryo turned and strode toward the back of the mountain estate.
Watching him retreat, Cynthia let out a helpless sigh and shook her head. Her attention returned to the few Pokémon still training in the yard. Thankfully, not all of them had taken after Hoopa and Espeon.
On the other side of the estate, Ryo arrived at the section of the yard set aside for orphaned Pokémon—those whose trainers had passed or disappeared. Walking along the path, he muttered under his breath, "When Hoopa and Espeon get back, I'm seriously going to give them a talking-to."
Bzzt bzzt—Nidor—Nidoran!
Cries of Pokémon echoed nearby, snapping Ryo out of his thoughts. He glanced over.
Over the past few years, the number of Pokémon in this sanctuary had steadily grown. Now, there were over a hundred living in this part of the estate.
Had it not been for the peace currently prevailing in the shinobi world—and the spread of Pokémon taming curbing reckless battles—the number would likely have been even higher.
"Looks like things are going well," Ryo murmured with a small smile, observing the Pokémon playing together with carefree joy. "Even the ones we rescued recently seem to have recovered nicely."
Many of the Pokémon were romping across the open field, chasing one another, sparring playfully, or lounging in patches of sunlight. A once solemn and quiet place had become vibrant with life.
Some of these Pokémon had experienced severe trauma—either abandoned, wounded in battle, or having lost their partners. But here, under care and time, they were finally beginning to heal.
Ryo felt a deep sense of fulfillment watching this. After all, helping the world understand Pokémon wasn't just about battles or strength. It was about coexistence.
The shift was happening slowly but surely. The shinobi world was learning that Pokémon weren't tools, but companions.
Even the Five Great Nations had started supporting Pokémon programs officially. Special "Pokémon Homes" like this one had begun to appear in each village. Though none were as large or as well-funded as this central estate, it was a step in the right direction.
The impact of Ryo's efforts—paired with the influence of his allies, like Cynthia and the others—was starting to ripple outward.
Still gazing at the field, Ryo noticed a few familiar faces among the group. Some had joined him in earlier battles, while others had been passed on to the estate by traveling trainers or retired shinobi.
A Scizor chased a playful Riolu around the edge of a tree grove. Not far away, a Gardevoir—clearly not the same one Cynthia had been training—was sitting beside an injured Eevee, gently using Heal Pulse to soothe a wound.
Even a particularly aloof Absol that used to avoid everyone had begun mingling with others, walking calmly alongside a group of baby Pokémon.
He nodded slowly to himself. "This is what it's all about. Not just power—but peace."
Just then, a Pidgeotto soared down and landed on the nearby fence, flapping its wings and letting out a short cry.
A signal delivery?
Moments later, one of Akio's assistants jogged up the path, clearly in a rush. Seeing Ryo, he gave a quick bow and reported, "Sir! We've received updated numbers from the regional tournaments. Participation has exceeded expectations again."
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Even more than this morning's report?"
"Yes. The smaller villages have begun sending in their entries. And I've also confirmed—Kumo and Suna are sending elite teams."
Ryo let out a low whistle. "Guess this really is turning into something big."
He turned and looked back at the open field, where the Pokémon continued to train, play, and recover.
No one else truly knew how far this path would stretch. But he did.
This wasn't just about taming Pokémon or fighting flashy matches.
This was about reshaping an entire world. One where friendship and trust could win battles—and maybe even end wars.
And it was only just beginning.
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