"It turned out to be the fossils of two ancient Pokémon… The value of these two fossils is too high," Steven said after listening to Aoki's words.
Unexpectedly, Aoki waved his hand and said, "These two fossils aren't very useful to me, and I can't revive them, so it's better for you to have them. Just let me take the red stone in the middle."
Aoki suppressed the shock in his heart.
The moment he saw the three stones, he had the System scan their data.
The results for the two fossils came quickly, but the palm-sized red stone in the middle took longer. Even after an extended scan, the System failed to retrieve a result.
However, just as Steven asked for the two fossils, new data appeared before Aoki's eyes.
Item Name: Groudon Armor Fragment (Incomplete)
Description: A fragment of armor left behind in battle by the legendary Pokémon Groudon. It contains traces of Groudon's mysterious energy.
Effects:
Allows the Pokémon holding it to sense the energy of the earth, improving its control over Ground-type moves.
Absorbing the energy within can rapidly enhance a Pokémon's strength, but excessive absorption may cause instability and aggression, reflecting Groudon's violent nature.
Notes: Groudon, the Continent Pokémon, possesses formidable Fire-type energy in addition to its Ground-type power. Fire-type Pokémon holding this fragment may also experience enhanced control over Fire-type moves.
This palm-sized red stone was actually a fragment of armor from Groudon, one of the legendary Pokémon of the Hoenn region!
Groudon!
In terms of raw power, Aoki estimated that outside of the Creator Pokémon, few could match it in battle. At best, some might be able to suppress it, but truly defeating it? Nearly impossible.
The title "God of the Land" was not given lightly.
The strange power surging through the Camerupt earlier was undoubtedly due to absorbing energy from this fragment. In his desperation to force its evolution, Butler had made the mistake of letting the Fire- and Ground-type Pokémon take in too much of Groudon's essence at once.
Aoki recalled that Groudon originally possessed dual Ground- and Fire-typing, but after an extended period of dormancy, it was revived in a weakened state, retaining only its Ground-type affinity.
This fiery red fragment must have been shed from its armor after a battle in its original, primal state.
Even a single fragment contained enough energy to push a Camerupt to the Elite level!
That also explained why the Pokémon encountered earlier had been in a frenzied state. It was likely not Team Magma's doing but Butler's reckless experimentation with this stone.
The League might not know Team Magma's true goal, but Aoki did.
Their entire mission revolved around finding Groudon, believing that with its power, they could control the world.
If the slumbering gods of this world remained inactive, it wasn't entirely impossible. With Groudon's ability to expand the landmass, Team Magma might have truly believed they could reshape the world in their image.
Maxie had been searching for Groudon's artifacts for years, yet ironically, a mere mid-ranking officer of Team Magma had found one first—only to waste its potential, treating it as a mere power booster for his Pokémon.
If this fragment had fallen into Team Magma's hands, it could have accelerated their plans, potentially bringing about Groudon's reawakening far sooner than expected.
But now, it had landed in Aoki's possession.
And Steven, clearly more focused on the two fossils, didn't seem to realize the true value of what Aoki was keeping.
How could Aoki not be excited?
The primary function of this Groudon fragment was to enhance a Pokémon's control over Ground-type energy while subtly strengthening Fire-type moves for compatible Pokémon.
And in Aoki's team, the most suitable Pokémon for this fragment was Larvitar!
Larvitar's control over Ground-type energy was already impressive, but with Groudon's fragment, how much further could it grow? Aoki didn't even dare to speculate!
For him, this red, palm-sized fragment was the real prize.
As for the two fossils? He had no way to revive them anyway, nor could he guarantee the quality of the Pokémon they might produce.
And if giving them to Steven earned him a lifelong favor, why not?
"I don't know what this red thing is made of," Steven muttered, studying the fragment curiously. "It doesn't look like a typical stone. Aoki, do you know its properties?"
Steven needed to gauge its value—so he could fairly compensate Aoki for the trade.
Aoki answered casually, "I'm not exactly sure. But judging from its energy signature, I'd guess it's a material shed from a Pokémon's body. It seems to subtly enhance a Pokémon's strength and potential when held."
Hearing this, Steven looked a little conflicted.
Based on Aoki's vague explanation, it didn't sound like anything too special. But he was getting two fossils—potentially ancient Pokémon—while Aoki was only getting this unknown red fragment. The trade didn't seem fair.
"It doesn't matter," Aoki said, patting Steven's shoulder. "You love collecting stones, and your family might be the only ones capable of restoring these fossils. They belong with you."
But the more Aoki acted like this, the more uncomfortable Steven felt.
"Aoki, I really love these fossils," Steven admitted. "I'm taking them off your hands without hesitation, but don't worry—I'll make sure you're properly compensated." His gaze was determined.
It seemed he planned to negotiate something with his family elders.
After all, didn't Aoki have an Aron on his team?
Its potential hadn't reached the highest level yet.
If Steven could convince his family to support Aoki's development, perhaps they could provide him with the means to enhance Aron's potential.
This was an extremely rare privilege—one the Devon Corporation's lineage had not granted to outsiders for years.
Steven wasn't sure if they would agree.
But for the sake of these two fossils, he was willing to try.