If Steven couldn't find a way to improve Aron's potential, he would find another way to compensate Aoki.
But for now, he happily stored the two fossils in his inventory.
Obtaining two ancient Pokémon fossils at once made Steven feel incredibly satisfied.
On top of that, his Metang had just evolved—this trip was already a massive success.
"Aoki is definitely my lucky charm," Steven thought.
On the very first day, his Metang had evolved, and he'd secured two extremely rare fossils.
Aoki's gains weren't bad either. Just obtaining this fragment of Groudon's armor made the journey worthwhile.
Not to mention the experience his Pokémon gained through battle and training.
"Judging by the time, it should be close to midnight. The Pokémon haven't had dinner yet—should we eat here, or head outside?" Aoki asked.
Steven glanced around. The cavern was littered with fiery red stones, and magma slowly seeped through cracks in the walls, keeping the temperature uncomfortably high.
"Let's head outside. It's too hot in here; the Pokémon probably won't like it. We can come back in the morning when the temperature is more manageable," Steven suggested.
Aoki nodded, storing the red fragment and returning Skorupi to its Pokéball.
With Slowking's teleportation, Aoki, Steven, and Metagross instantly appeared outside the cave.
The two Team Magma grunts they'd tied up earlier had already been taken away by Lance.
Finding a large, flat rock, Aoki sat down.
The heat outside was still intense, but compared to the cave, it was much more bearable.
Aoki and Steven removed their Team Magma disguises, though they kept them stored—the heat insulation was surprisingly effective.
Aoki quickly set up his cooking tools on the rock, preparing to make dinner.
Seeing this, Steven eagerly offered to help—only to become a hindrance instead.
As the heir to a wealthy family, he clearly had no experience with cooking.
After watching Steven fumble around for a while, Aoki sighed and waved him off. "Just sit back and relax. I'll handle it."
With that, Steven awkwardly took a seat and waited.
Aoki's Pokémon usually had well-defined roles in camp activities. However, with only Slowking, Skorupi, and Haunter available, the preparation was slower than usual.
Skorupi handled the hunting.
Slowking cleaned the prey.
Haunter disposed of any waste and helped Aoki with cooking.
In the future, Aoki realized he should bring Miltank along.
Even though Haunter had been with him for a long time, it still couldn't predict what cooking tools Aoki needed next.
Miltank, on the other hand, was much more reliable.
Aron and Torchic were released to stretch their legs.
The four little Pokémon were thrilled to be out, and despite not having battled that day, they showed no signs of frustration or impatience.
However, Poliwag and Mudkip were clearly uncomfortable in such a hot environment.
Thankfully, Slowking used its Psychic powers to create a small pond, allowing them to cool off.
Torchic, on the other hand, was having the time of its life.
The heat and dry conditions were perfect for it, and ever since its potential stabilized at a high level, it had become more energetic and cheerful.
Aoki could even see its growth with the naked eye—its body was developing rapidly.
Meanwhile, Aron stuck close to Steven's Lairon like a little apprentice, bombarding it with questions about battle techniques.
Steven's Lairon was patient, explaining skill usage in detail.
Perhaps Aron had a natural talent, or maybe it was just a fast learner, but under Lairon's guidance, it managed to pick up a new move: Magnet Rise!
Watching Aron wobble unsteadily in the air, using electromagnetic fields to levitate, Aoki was momentarily stunned.
Did it really just learn Magnet Rise?
For a slow and heavy Pokémon like Aron, this move was a game-changer.
It could now avoid Ground-type attacks, meaning it wouldn't be forced to take super-effective hits anymore.
A truly unexpected and valuable gain.
Meanwhile, Skorupi returned from its hunt, dragging a few wild goats it had captured from the mountainside.
These would be the main course for tonight's dinner.
Aoki expertly seasoned the meat, finishing up the preparation for a roast lamb feast.
Steven, who had been sitting at a distance, was now standing right next to the grill, swallowing hard.
All traces of aristocratic refinement were gone—the aroma had completely captivated him.
If even Steven looked like this, Aoki could only imagine how eager the Pokémon were.
Slowking, Skorupi, and Haunter tried their best to maintain composure, but they were clearly struggling.
Slowking attempted to act indifferent, swallowing discreetly.
Skorupi looked to Slowking, clearly pleading for permission to dig in.
Haunter shut its eyes, pretending it didn't see the food.
Unlike them, Torchic had no restraint whatsoever—it was already hovering near Aoki, waiting for its portion.
Finally, Aoki finished cooking.
"Phew! Done! Dinner is ready!" He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Preparing food for so many Pokémon was exhausting.
And with big eaters like Aron and Skorupi, Aoki worried about whether there was enough to go around.
In the future, once Aron evolved into Aggron, and Larvitar became Tyranitar—along with the addition of a large Drapion—feeding them all would be a real challenge.
At Aoki's signal, Steven and the Pokémon rushed in, eager to eat.
Steven took a bite of the roast meat, his eyes lighting up in surprise.
He gave Aoki a thumbs up.
Despite coming from a wealthy background and having eaten countless gourmet meals, this was something else.
Perhaps it was the special seasonings Aoki used—some of which were originally ingredients for Pokéblocks—or maybe it was the precision of his cooking, enhanced by his analytical system.
Whatever the reason, the flavor was unbelievably good.
Combined with their post-battle hunger, the meal became one of the best barbecues Steven had ever tasted.