It's summer in Hoenn, and that means battle. The time has come for Soren Nakajima to enter the conference circuits as a rookie. Armed with nothing but his prodigious exam scores, he's determined to raise a team that can conquer legends. But with fortunes and legacies on the line, how far can pure talent really take him?

Phenom – outstanding and admired rising stars – or the people Soren is often compared to and the term used to describe him most of his life. Not that he'd ever use the term himself since he's certain he's nothing special. He just tries to work harder than everyone else. But will hard work be enough to win the conference and stay safe as extremists arise and threaten the region?

The Indigo Conference. Held each year in gilded stadiums beneath Mt. Silver, it is a gathering of the trainer elite. Ash stands among the most promising rookies of the season, and his starter – a Vulpix as white as snow – is a prodigy herself. Together they have one year to earn entry to the tournament, yet their ambition is far grander. Together they have one year to win.