"Forget it. Looking at you, you're just a pitiful wretch. I'll be on my way."
Aoki stuffed his hands into his pockets and turned away.
Although he hadn't obtained a Mega Evolution stone, he wasn't too concerned. Such items weren't easy to come by, and he hadn't expected much from Anthony in the first place.
"This… then what about my problem?" Anthony asked nervously.
"Relax. I don't have the time to report you. But be careful—if someone else catches you, things won't end well for you."
Aoki spoke indifferently, showing no interest in Anthony's fate.
"Thank you! I swear, I won't do it again!" Anthony dropped to his knees, thanking him profusely. Whether his repentance was sincere was another matter.
Since this small town had no official Pokémon Gym, Aoki spent only a day resting, letting his Pokémon recover before continuing on his journey.
After re-entering the forest, he focused on training his Pokémon while also keeping an eye out for rare species. His main team still wasn't fully assembled, and he hadn't begun forming a secondary roster either.
Additionally, scattered throughout the wilderness were various treasure chests—mostly bronze and silver—but they contained valuable resources. Given how much food Boss Lairon consumed, and how his future team would only increase his expenses, Aoki needed all the resources he could get.
Rumble…
That day, as Aoki trained in the forest, a loud explosion echoed in the distance, followed by thick black smoke rising into the sky.
"Another Pokémon hunter? Or some kind of accident?" Aoki muttered, narrowing his eyes.
It seemed like the kind of event that only happened to protagonists—an opportunity falling right into his lap.
Then, a notification appeared on his system's map.
A Saffron Chest.
Aoki's eyes lit up. It was rare to encounter such a high-tier treasure chest. There was no way he was passing up this opportunity.
"Boss Lairon, everyone, return!"
Recalling his Pokémon, he swiftly moved toward the explosion site.
When he arrived, he saw a fierce battle taking place between a man and a woman.
The man was using a Tropius and the woman a Ninetales. However, it was evident that the woman was at a disadvantage.
Pokémon Analysis
Man's Team:
• Tropius (Strength: Quasi-Elite Peak, Potential: Quasi-Elite)
• Ludicolo (Strength: Quasi-Elite, Potential: Quasi-Elite)
Woman's Team:
• Ninetales (Strength: Quasi-Elite, Potential: Elite)
• Camerupt (Strength: Quasi-Elite, Potential: Quasi-Elite)
From a glance at their power levels, Aoki could tell the man had the upper hand. His Tropius had reached the peak of Quasi-Elite, while Ludicolo had been at this level for some time. In contrast, the woman's Ninetales and Camerupt were barely at the Quasi-Elite threshold, and both Pokémon had sustained injuries prior to this fight.
"Wait a second… That woman looks familiar."
Aoki studied her closely—red hair, sharp eyes, and a confident, yet cornered expression.
Then, it clicked.
Courtney .
She was one of Team Magma's executives in Pokémon Adventures. However, it seemed she had yet to reach that position—right now, she was likely only a captain.
Still, based on the potential of her Ninetales, she was bound to rise through the ranks.
Indeed, in the future, she would become one of Team Magma's top-ranking members.
"Hah! Stupid woman! Once I beat you, all of your Pokémon will belong to me!"
The man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance.
He eyed her Ninetales greedily.
"That Ninetales has outstanding potential. I'll make sure to train it properly—unlike you."
Courtney 's expression darkened.
She was a Team Magma captain, yet she had been targeted by a Pokémon Hunter.
And the worst part? She was losing.
Ludicolo was a Water/Grass type—a major problem for her Fire- and Ground-type Pokémon.
Meanwhile, Tropius was a resilient powerhouse, and Courtney 's Pokémon had already suffered damage earlier.
Aoki watched from a distance.
The treasure chest was on the Pokémon Hunter, not Courtney .
That meant there was no immediate reason to help her.
She probably hadn't reached her full strength yet—perhaps that was why she didn't have a treasure chest in the system.
Aoki decided to wait until both sides were exhausted, then strike.
If he interfered too soon, he'd have to deal with both of them.
"Tropius, Hyper Beam!"
"Ludicolo, Hydro Pump!"
"Ninetales, Flamethrower!"
"Camerupt, Giga Impact!"
Four Pokémon unleashed their powerful attacks at once.
The blazing flames and high-pressure water jet clashed, creating a violent explosion. The intense heat evaporated the water, but the flames were extinguished in the process.
Tropius' Hyper Beam shot straight toward Ninetales.
"Ninetales, dodge! Camerupt, charge forward!"
Courtney barked out orders.
Ninetales narrowly dodged the attack, but the shockwave from Hyper Beam still struck it, sending it tumbling.
Camerupt charged at Ludicolo at full speed, its Giga Impact gaining momentum.
Courtney 's main priority was Ludicolo, since it countered both of her Pokémon.
If she didn't take it down, she had no chance of winning.
Camerupt's body glowed as it rushed toward its opponent.
"Ludicolo, Hydro Pump!"
The Pokémon Hunter commanded his Ludicolo to unleash a powerful water blast straight at Camerupt.
"GUHHH!"
Camerupt howled in agony as the water struck it dead-on.
Aoki narrowed his eyes.
The quadruple weakness to Water was too much for Camerupt to handle.
"Camerupt, hold on! You're almost there! Just one more step!" Courtney yelled.
Despite the pain, Camerupt pushed forward, forcing itself through the Hydro Pump.
Then—BOOM!
Camerupt crashed into Ludicolo, sending the Water/Grass Pokémon skidding across the ground.
"Ludicolo, Water Gun! Knock it out!"
The Pokémon Hunter hurriedly commanded Ludicolo to finish the job.
Ludicolo began to retaliate—but then staggered.
Its body swayed unnaturally.
Then—it collapsed.
Aoki smirked.
"Looks like Ludicolo's down too."
At the same time, Camerupt, having spent the last of its energy, also fell.
The battle was at a turning point.
Now was the perfect moment for Aoki to make his move.