Rustboro City was a major metropolis in the western part of the Hoenn region.
Its geographic location was exceptionally strategic, with Petalburg Woods to the south, Rusturf Tunnel to the east, and Meteor Falls to the north.
Rustboro City's industry was highly developed, and the city's motto was: A city pursuing the fusion of nature and science.
"So this is the headquarters of the Devon Corporation? Incredible, an entire skyscraper owned by a single company."
Standing beneath the towering building, Sieg couldn't help but be amazed.
Devon Corporation was something of a legend on the internet. It was said that in its early days, it was just a small company focused on mining iron and refining steel.
Yet now, its development had reached a level where it could rival the commercial titan, Silph Co., which was based in Kanto's most economically advanced city, Saffron City.
Silph's enterprises extended across various regions, monopolizing over 80 percent of the Poké Ball market.
For Devon to stand toe-to-toe with such a giant showed just how massive it had become.
Its current president, Mr. Stone, was known for his ambition and strategic thinking. He had developed a machine that used magma as a power source.
The company's reach now extended into the Pokémon item market, and rumors suggested they had even created a new kind of Poké Ball.
"The Luxury Ball on my belt was developed by Devon Corporation," Sieg murmured, instinctively touching the Poké Ball on his waist.
"Steven should be about the same age as me. I wonder if I'll have the chance to meet the future Champion."
As Sieg headed toward the Pokémon Center, memories of Steven came to mind.
As one of the most popular male characters in the Pokémon series, the elegant gentleman Steven was someone he was very familiar with.
A master of Steel-types.
The Champion of Hoenn.
An elegant nobleman.
His ace: a gleaming Metagross.
A collector of rare stones.
Eventually passed the title of Champion to Wallace.
"Forget it, what am I thinking? With my current status, it's probably impossible to meet him. I should focus on settling in at the Pokémon Center first."
Although Sieg sincerely wanted to befriend the future Champion, he had no connections. Devon was a massive corporation now.
Steven, the refined gentleman, was naturally a dream figure for countless girls, with his handsome looks and considerable wealth.
"Nurse Joy, thank you for your help."
As usual, Sieg presented his official League Trainer identification and used his level-two permissions.
Soon, he was granted a free room.
After settling in, he found a few street thugs and quietly inquired about the black market's location.
The two relatively rare Shroomish were sold for 210,000 and 270,000 Pokédollars, respectively.
His funds soared back up to 700,000 Pokédollars. After quickly purchasing some basic herbs and materials, Sieg left the black market in a hurry.
"This black market in Rustboro City really is well-hidden. Took so many twists and turns to get in. But considering Rustboro is one of the top cities in Hoenn, it makes sense that setting up a black market here wouldn't be easy."
Lying on the large bed in his luxurious room, Sieg pondered silently.
Still, while establishing a black market here was tough, the massive population and bustling economy meant the profits were just as massive.
"To create a black market in the shadows of such a top-tier city, there's no need to guess. The forces behind it must be powerful, maybe even involving upper-level League officials helping to cover it up."
Sieg couldn't help but marvel at the prosperity of Rustboro City. Probably only Ever Grande City, home to the Hoenn League's headquarters, could overshadow it.
After several exhausting days on the road, Sieg didn't stay up late studying as usual. Instead, he drifted into a deep, restful sleep.
A good rest was the foundation for staying sharp.
When morning came, Sieg woke slowly, then headed to the cafeteria as usual to enjoy his free breakfast.
"Hey, did you hear? The Trainer School is enrolling students!"
"Really? No way! I've got to let my kid give it a shot."
"Exactly! Once you graduate, you can participate in the League tournament without challenging the Gyms, and you even get an official posting!"
Sieg listened quietly from the side. The moment he heard something about Gyms and the League tournament, his curiosity was piqued, and he immediately went online to look it up.
The Trainer School was funded by the Devon Corporation and established in collaboration with the official Hoenn League.
Its main enrollment focused on the descendants of official League-affiliated Trainers, with a few slots reserved for particularly talented civilians.
Students there not only received carefully curated League textbooks and access to cutting-edge research equipment, but upon graduation, the diploma could land them preferential treatment when applying to top clubs or companies.
Of course, the vast majority chose to join the League directly and receive an official appointment.
Countless civilians dreamed of graduating and securing a stable government job.
Naturally, if someone didn't want to work right away and preferred to continue traveling and adventuring, that was also acceptable. They could enter the League tournament without needing to challenge any Gyms.
"Maybe Steven graduated from that school? No wonder he became the Champion. I guess Devon pulled a lot of strings behind the scenes."
In recent years, the Devon Corporation had been pouring investments into Hoenn, setting up all kinds of factories and facilities throughout the region.
Their headquarters were based in Rustboro City, a towering skyscraper over 100 stories tall, clearly marking their intent to grow roots.
It was rumored that when Devon was on the rise a few years ago, Kanto wanted to cooperate, but for some unknown reason, nothing came of it in the end.
"Must have been because of entrenched class systems!"
Sieg quickly figured it out, recognizing the differences between regions.
Kanto and Johto were the two oldest and most powerful regions.
But they were also the most rigid when it came to hierarchy. Both the Joy and Jenny families had their headquarters there, along with long-established forces like the Dragon Clan and Team Rocket.
If Devon tried to force its way in, it would upset the existing balance and inevitably be rejected by Kanto's local powers.
But Hoenn was different. While it was also a powerful region, its power dynamics were far more chaotic.
Aside from the League, which officially controlled everything on the surface, there were countless dark organizations operating behind the scenes. It wasn't like Kanto, where Team Rocket dominated everything.
"Still, Team Rocket really is something. Everyone knows they're a dark organization, yet no one can do anything about them."
Sieg found it slightly amusing, though deep down, he did admire Giovanni's ruthless brilliance.
After a short rest and getting his mood in order, Sieg prepared to head to the Rustboro Gym.
Based on what he'd learned online, this Gym specialized in Rock-type Pokémon.
"Water-types counter Rock, so tomorrow's Gym battle shouldn't be as difficult as the last one."
Humming a cheerful tune, Sieg strolled leisurely toward the Gym.
The entrance was quite impressive, built upon a massive rock slab that had been carefully polished. According to rumors, transporting that boulder required Aggron, Tyrantrum, and even a Tyranitar.
With a solemn heart, Sieg slowly stepped through the front doors.
"What? You're saying the Gym is closed tomorrow and not accepting challengers?!"
Sieg stared at the apologetic Gym staff member in front of him, his burning excitement instantly doused.
The staff member bowed slightly and apologized, "Our old Gym Leader just retired, and the new one has only been on the job for two days and already keeps calling in sick. There's nothing we can do."
Disappointed, Sieg returned to the Pokémon Center, frustration written all over his face.
"Sigh, since I can't challenge the Gym, maybe I'll check out some other well-known places. The Trainer School, huh? I wonder if it's open to visitors."
Flipping through his Pokédex, Sieg began considering where to go next.