Leaving Dewford Town behind, Aoki ventured into another remote area, seeking a quiet place for special training while keeping an eye out for ancient ruins.
He wasn't concerned about getting lost.
Thanks to his system's map function, he could pinpoint a location and navigate through forests with precision, ensuring he never strayed off course.
On this particular day, Aoki trekked alone through the dense jungle, eventually reaching the coastline, where he discovered a cave entrance nestled within the rocky terrain.
"This should be the place. Let's see if there's anything valuable inside," he muttered to himself.
Summoning Boss Lairon, Aoki confidently strode into the cave.
The dim cavern had a heavy, ancient atmosphere, and not far inside, he noticed a bronze treasure chest.
There was no way he would ignore it. Even if its contents weren't exceptional, every resource counted.
"Even a small mosquito has meat."
Just as he stepped forward, movement from above caught his eye.
Aoki quickly scanned the ceiling.
Pokémon Detected
Name: Golbat
Strength: Advanced
Potential: Gym-level
A dense swarm of Golbat clung to the rocky ceiling, their wings rustling in the dim light.
Aoki didn't immediately retreat. Instead, his sharp gaze analyzed each one.
After all, Crobat, Golbat's evolved form, was a formidable Pokémon, capable of rivaling even fully-evolved starter Pokémon.
The problem was that most people in this world didn't yet understand the mechanics of Crobat's evolution.
Aoki himself was the one who introduced the concept of intimacy-based evolution, but the Pokémon League had yet to make an official announcement.
Since he possessed this knowledge, Aoki carefully assessed the Golbat with the highest potential.
Then, he found it.
Pokémon Detected
Name: Golbat
Strength: Superior
Potential: Elite-level
Aoki smirked.
His luck was incredible—finding such a high-potential Pokémon from an already strong species wasn't easy.
But since fate had presented him with this opportunity, he wasn't about to let it slip away.
"Boss Lairon, keep it quiet—target that big mouth and use Thunderbolt."
Boss Lairon charged a weak but precise Thunderbolt, sending a controlled jolt straight at Golbat.
A sharp screech echoed through the cave as the Golbat convulsed and plummeted to the ground, rendered unconscious in a single hit.
Even though Boss Lairon had held back, the power gap was overwhelming. Golbat never stood a chance.
Without hesitation, Aoki tossed a Poké Ball and captured it successfully.
After scanning the remaining Golbat and confirming that none had similar potential, Aoki left the cave.
He crossed a small river and, moments later, stumbled upon something significant.
An ancient stone gate.
Its weathered carvings and mystical inscriptions suggested it led to long-forgotten ruins.
Aoki's eyes gleamed with interest.
But before he could investigate—
Footsteps.
"Move quickly! We need to examine this area at once!"
Aoki narrowed his eyes.
There were only two possibilities: Team Magma or Team Aqua.
He wasn't sure which yet.
Silently recalling Boss Lairon, Aoki sprang up the nearest rock wall, using his athletic agility to cling to an overhanging ledge.
A group of uniformed figures marched past below.
Their crimson outfits and M-shaped insignia confirmed his suspicions—Team Magma.
Among them, one person stood out.
A young woman with flame-red hair, wearing a Team Magma admin's uniform.
Courtney.
Aoki recognized her instantly.
He hadn't expected to run into her of all people.
A thought crossed his mind—
Perhaps, in the future, he could recruit Courtney into Team Sky.
She would be a powerful asset, and having two executive-level figures early on would significantly strengthen his influence.
For now, he remained hidden.
The Team Magma members unknowingly passed beneath him.
Aoki waited until they were at a favorable distance before making his move.
Silently landing on the ground, he released Boss Lairon once more.
It was time to say hello.
"Boss Lairon, target those ahead—Hyper Beam!"
Boss Lairon roared, its steel-plated body crackling with energy before unleashing a colossal golden beam.
The attack blasted forward, aimed precisely at the Magma grunts.
"Mightyena, counter it with Hyper Beam—quick!"
A Team Magma Captain, realizing the danger, immediately gave the order.
His Mightyena, already in battle stance, reacted instantly, launching a Hyper Beam of its own.
The two beams collided in a fiery explosion of energy.
But the stalemate didn't last long.
Boss Lairon's Hyper Beam completely overpowered Mightyena's.
BOOM!
The resulting shockwave engulfed Mightyena, sending it flying backward.
When the smoke cleared, Mightyena lay unconscious, eyes rolling in circles.
The Magma Captain paled.
"Impossible… Is this Lairon already at Elite-level strength?!"
The overwhelming power had caught him off guard.
Courtney, who had been watching from behind, narrowed her eyes as she instantly recognized Aoki.
His fighting style was unmistakable.
"So it's him…" she murmured under her breath.
Her mind raced.
Did Aoki already figure out her hidden identity?
And if he did—what would he do next?
Would he turn against her?
Or…
"Camerupt, use Flamethrower!"
A Team Magma grunt reacted, sending a blazing inferno toward Aoki.
But he was already prepared.
"Frogadier, Combusken—counterattack!"
The moment Frogadier emerged, it fired a Water Pulse toward Camerupt's flames.
The two attacks collided in midair.
But Camerupt's intense heat rapidly evaporated part of Water Pulse, pushing through with overwhelming force.
There was a clear power gap—one was quasi-Elite, while the other was still only Superior-level.
If Frogadier were at the Gym-level, its higher potential might have been enough to suppress Camerupt.
Fortunately, Combusken was there for backup.
It unleashed its own Flamethrower, merging with Water Pulse to form a high-pressure steam explosion.
For a moment, the battlefield balanced out.
But Camerupt's vortex of flames soon began overwhelming them both.
Aoki observed carefully.
He had no intention of letting Boss Lairon intervene again—
That would be overkill.
Instead, he wanted Frogadier and Combusken to feel the pressure, pushing them to their limits.
Perhaps, with enough struggle—
They would evolve.
And if anything went wrong—
He still had Boss Lairon in reserve.
"Boss Lairon, assist the others. Leave this fight to Frogadier and Combusken."
With a deep growl, Boss Lairon stomped forward—
And charged straight at the remaining Team Magma grunts.
The real battle had begun.
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