In the afternoon, Aoki led his Pokémon to clear out the Dustox group in the back mountain. The higher-leveled but lower-quality Dustox were either eliminated or captured, set aside for future recruits.
These Pokémon wouldn't fetch much on the market, but they could serve as a solid starting point for newcomers—provided they could tame them. Fortunately, Dustox had a mild temperament and could be subdued with minimal effort.
As for the weaker, unevolved Wurmple with poor potential, Aoki and his Pokémon wiped them out completely. He had already captured enough of them last time, and hoarding too many low-quality Pokémon would only slow down their progress.
While his Pokémon handled the battles, Aoki focused on honing his own Psychic Powers. His total Psychic Power had already reached the level of a Junior Psychic, but his lack of control kept him from fully utilizing it. This was a side effect of the sudden surge in his powers, but compared to spending decades reaching this level, as most psychics did, all he needed now was dedicated training.
From here on, talent mattered less—hard work would determine his progress. By practicing consistently, he would soon stabilize his abilities and fully step into the ranks of a Junior Psychic. This, in turn, would enhance his battle command, indirectly strengthening his Pokémon and furthering his own growth.
After dealing with the Dustox group, Aoki ventured deeper into the forest. The mountain range stretched on, and as he progressed, the Pokémon he encountered grew stronger.
That was exactly what he wanted—high-level wild Pokémon to serve as sparring partners for his team, improving their combat power and leveling them up.
As night fell, Aoki had Slowking teleport him back to his residence. Even with hours of trekking, he hadn't strayed too far, so returning was effortless.Back at his base, Aoki gathered Alec and the others in the second-floor conference room.
"Today, I officially established the hunting group in Verdanturf Town and appointed a reliable hunter as the deputy leader. You'll all be joining it, and we'll set up rotating shifts to handle hunting missions. She'll be in charge of operations," Aoki explained.
He turned to Miyamoto. "I've also assigned you as a deputy leader. Your main responsibility is still capturing Pokémon, but I need you to keep an eye on the new deputy as well. If anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately. She's strong and deserves respect, but we need to be cautious."
Miyamoto smirked and nodded. Aoki's orders made it clear—while there was another deputy, Miyamoto was the one he truly trusted.
"Alec, for now, you'll focus on expanding Team Sky. Keep recruiting and training new members, but make sure they're not useless thugs like those from the Black Snake Gang. We need capable people. After the initial assessments, assign them Pokémon accordingly. Those who perform well should receive stronger Pokémon as rewards."
"Understood!" Alec responded firmly. He felt both honored and pressured—this was an important responsibility, and he couldn't afford to fail.
"Miyamoto, from now on, you'll be handing over captured Pokémon to Team Sky daily. Skye will manage their distribution. Any requests for Pokémon need to go through him, with proper records kept."
Aoki glanced at Skye. "You'll also handle financial management. I trust you the most for this role."
Skye's face tensed. He knew the weight of Aoki's trust, but this position would put him in the middle of internal politics. Both Alec and Miyamoto might respect Aoki's decisions in public, but he had to be careful not to step on their toes.
Fortunately, they were still in the early stages of growth—everyone was focused on proving their worth. Infighting wouldn't be an issue for now.
Aoki then shifted the discussion. "What's the situation with the mayor and his son?"
Alec, who was overseeing Team Sky, stood up. "No issues for now. The mayor's son has noticed that some familiar faces have disappeared, but since they were mostly loners, it hasn't raised major suspicion. During the day, I had Striker and a few others patrol the streets to maintain visibility. It reassured him enough not to dig deeper."
He paused before adding, "Also, the Void Organization in Saffron City is expecting payment soon. According to Striker, the Black Snake Gang used to make regular offerings to them. We need to decide how to handle it."
Aoki tapped his fingers on the table, mulling over the name. "Void, huh…"
The leader of the Void Organization was said to be close to Elite level—probably around the peak of the quasi-Elite tier. Aoki wasn't strong enough to face him yet. However, their main point of contact was just a cadre, someone Aoki could manage if necessary.
"For now, don't provoke them. Tell Striker to handle the payment just as the Black Snake Gang used to—not too much, not too little. Once we have a stronger foothold in town, we'll decide our next move."
Aoki's gaze sharpened. "And let Striker know—if he manages this properly, he'll be promoted to a full-fledged member."