To become a Gym Leader, one had to understand the history and duties of Gym Leaders.
Never mind the other regions for now; the main focus was the history of Johto's Gyms.
Though Gyms had become deserted due to the rise of academy-trained Trainers, allowing Gym Leaders to slack off and pursue side jobs, they had once been exceptionally prosperous.
That meant discussing the original core functions of Gyms.
Unlike today, when they only screened qualified challengers and awarded them Badges, Gyms once resembled modern Trainer Schools. Gym Leaders were responsible for teaching the students under their wing and bringing glory to their Gyms.
Didn't that sound a little like a sect from a cultivation novel?
But Gyms really had been like that in the past.
Later, with the establishment of the Pokémon Association, the integration of cities, and the emergence of the Silver Conference, Gyms became even more prosperous. More and more people wanted to become Trainers, and more people joined Gyms to learn how to raise Pokémon.
Why was that?
Because at first, in order to attract attention and encourage Trainers to participate rather than let the Silver Conference become an obscure competition due to its high entry requirements, contestants did not need Badges to enter.
That situation lasted for five conferences.
After the fifth Silver Conference ended, the organizers saw that its reputation had risen enough and that there were increasingly more contestants, making the event bloated. They announced that the next Silver Conference would raise its entry threshold and select some of the strongest Trainers in the region to compete.
As it happened, Johto's Gyms had become unbearably bloated due to having too many disciples. The moment the Silver Conference organizers made that announcement, eight Gyms immediately voiced their support.
Those eight Gyms were the Gyms