Pokemon: Master of tactics-Chapter 445 (Bonus - )

"Illegal?"Alex let out a quiet laugh, the sound more amused than mocking. "You wouldn't use that word if you truly understood how the Alliance categorizes trainers."

Luis stiffened slightly. Lena's brows knit together, curiosity overtaking her initial confusion.

Although both children were undeniably clever, Alex could see the limits of their understanding clearly. Not ignorance—just missing context. Knowledge gaps caused by age, lack of access, and a world that explained very little to children like them.

"That's not a criticism," Alex added calmly. "It's normal."

He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together.

"The Alliance doesn't see trainers as a single group. In practice, they divide them into three broad categories. There are no official terms for them."

He raised one finger.

"First: Alliance Trainers. These are the only trainers the Alliance openly recognizes. They're registered, licensed, monitored, and acknowledged by the system. Gyms, leagues, rankings—everything revolves around this group."

He raised a second finger.

"Second: Unofficial trainers from the 10-20% of the unregistered population."

"These trainers aren't officially recognized," Alex continued, "but they aren't criminals either. They exist in a gray zone. And quite a few of them are eventually recruited and formally accepted as Alliance Trainers from the Alliance later on. if they are strong enough."

Luis and Lena exchanged a quick glance.

They had always believed unregistered trainers were illegal—dangerous people the Alliance hunted down. The idea that this was tolerated, even quietly accepted, unsettled them.

Alex noticed.

"Most people believe what they're taught," he said mildly. "Reality is rarely that simple."

He raised his third finger.

"The final category is the one you currently belong to: unofficial trainers from the unregistered population who are under twelve years old."

Lena frowned immediately.

"The Alliance does not allow children to become trainers before the age of twelve," Alex explained. "Not Alliance Trainers. Not unofficial ones. If a child is caught training Pokémon before that age, their Pokémon are confiscated. No exceptions."

"But that makes no sense," Lena blurted out before she could stop herself. "Why would the Alliance care how old someone is?"

Alex smiled—not mockingly, but thoughtfully.

"I don't know the exact reason," he admitted. "History doesn't preserve mistakes clearly. But rules like this don't appear without cause. Something went wrong in the past—badly enough that the Alliance decided the rule was worth it."

Lena clicked her tongue quietly, clearly dissatisfied, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she asked the question that truly mattered.

"Then how can you make us trainers if we're only six?"

Alex didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he asked, "Do you know who Tate and Liza are?"

Both twins shook their heads.

"They were officially appointed Gym Leaders together just over a month ago," Alex said. "They're eight years old."

The silence that followed was thick.

"To reach that level," Alex continued evenly, "they would have needed at least one to two years of real training beforehand. Which means the Alliance accepted them as trainers when they were six… or possibly even younger."

Luis swallowed.

"That contradicts everything what you just said," he said quietly.

"No," Alex replied mysterious. "It reveals what I haven't said yet."

He leaned forward slightly.

"The Alliance has a special exception known as the Genius Rule. It allows children over the age of five to be formally recognized as trainers—if they meet certain requirements."

Lena's fingers tightened around the edge of her chair. "What kind of requirements?"

"Extremely hard ones," Alex answered. "Aura users… or Psychics of at least Rank 4."

The twins went still.

For a brief moment, they searched themselves—memories, sensations, instincts. There was nothing obvious. No glowing powers. No voices. No miracles.

Alex watched their confusion calmly.

"You both possess abnormally high psychic energy," he said. "Enough to place you at Rank 4. Strong Rank 4, in fact."

Luis blinked. "Then… why don't we notice anything?"

"Because psychic abilities don't awaken automatically until Rank 5," Alex explained. "Below that threshold, the power exists—but it remains dormant without training. Some people even call Rank 5 Psychics monsters because of this."

He tilted his head slightly. "Too much power, too little control. Like giving a loaded weapon to a baby."

The twins paled a little at that comparison.

"But don't worry," Alex added reassuringly. "You're almost a Rank 5 Psychic . With proper training, it won't take long for you to develop usable abilities."

He reached into his TRH device and placed two books on the desk between them.

Basic Psychic Training – Volume One.

"That will be enough for a start."

The twins hesitated only a fraction of a second before grabbing the books. Opportunity was rare. Free opportunity was almost unheard of. but they both still took the books.

Alex watched them with quiet amusement.

"One last thing," he said. "The Alliance also requires a small amount of influence before approving cases like yours."

He waved a hand dismissively.

"Fortunately, only a little influence is needed. That won't be a problem for me."

Alex wasn't a major power within the Hoenn Alliance—but he was known. And in the Alliance, recognition often mattered more than rank. A familiar name opened doors. A familiar face bent rules. And if that ever proved insufficient… he had a friend who carried far more weight than his word did.

That thought barely lingered. It didn't need to.

Alex refocused, his gaze settling squarely on the twins. The air in the room shifted—not heavier, but sharper, as if the conversation had quietly crossed an invisible line.

"So," he said evenly, "let's continue."

He paused, letting the silence do its work.

"Even though I'll help you become trainers regardless, I still want to hear your answer."

His eyes moved from Luis to Lena, measuring, not judging.

"What are Pokémon to you?"

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if the story gets 150 powerstones in 24 hours, I will upload 1 bonus chapter tomorrow.

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