No one noticed the battle between Aoki and A-yin. After all, if someone could have noticed, A-yin wouldn't have come looking for Aoki.
This period was a special time for the Kanto region. Everyone's energy and attention were focused on the division of Kanto. Who would pay attention to a battle within Silver Mountain?
Moreover, even more than half of the legions stationed inside Silver Mountain had withdrawn, and the remaining people could barely maintain stability within Silver Mountain.
Aoki left the inner area of Silver Mountain and returned directly to the area where the Alliance Building was located.
Just from the bustling streets and the constant flow of people, one could feel the liveliness and noise of the Kanto Alliance Headquarters. It was precisely because of this that the Alliance had to dispatch a large number of personnel to maintain stability in the area, as more people inevitably meant more trouble.
As a member of the Elite Four, Aoki did not initially hide his figure or whereabouts. So when he entered the bustling streets, some people recognized him, and the news quickly spread, instantly surrounding Aoki. A large portion of them were his fans, while the rest were just there to watch the commotion.
This was the first time Aoki had experienced such a situation. Facing his crazy fans, especially the female fans, who, upon seeing a living Aoki without any Pokémon protection, displayed an incredibly "passionate" reaction.
After all, online, Aoki's image was very sunny and ambitious, almost a male god in the hearts of many fans.
Born a commoner, yet able to possess such strength, become an Elite Four member of the Hoenn region, and also the youngest senior breeder in history. Most importantly, while Aoki's original appearance couldn't be described as ugly, it also couldn't be called handsome, and it had always been a minor imperfection.
However, at some point, perhaps due to physical development during puberty, subtle changes appeared in various parts of his face. It was precisely these changes that transformed the originally ordinary-looking Aoki into a handsome man comparable to Steven and Lance.
Many fans found two photos, one of the old Aoki and one of the current Aoki. If his transformation process hadn't been observed by people throughout, others would have thought he had completely changed into a different person.
It was precisely because this transformation process was known to the public that no one thought he had undergone plastic surgery. After all, plastic surgery usually involves a single, immediate change to a specific part, not like him, where every part changed gradually, little by little.
The current Aoki had already appeared before everyone with his true face.
While signing autographs for the first few fans, Aoki noticed someone pinching him. Although the force wasn't heavy, someone was indeed pinching him.
And this behavior became the beginning of a special kind of behavior for some people, who started to take liberties.
Aoki's expression changed, and his psychic power surged out, a powerful and unreasonable force pushing everyone back, leaving Aoki with enough clear space and range.
Letting out a long breath, a hint of redness appeared on Aoki's somewhat pale face.
Signing autographs is fine, but why pinch? And if you're going to pinch, why pinch everywhere? Are you thinking of taking a piece of me as a souvenir?
So... there was no other way, Aoki could only use his psychic power.
Most of these people were trainers, with varying levels of strength, but they all recognized the ability Aoki used, and their admiration grew even stronger.
But Aoki was somewhat overwhelmed, so he pushed his psychic power to its limit and fled the scene at a speed faster than running for his life, leaving behind a group of bewildered fans who then scattered.
Aoki, meanwhile, rushed to the Alliance Building as quickly as possible.
Coincidentally, he met Lance at the entrance, who was also walking into the building.
Upon seeing Aoki, Lance's face broke into a playful smile. "I heard that someone's sudden appearance caused a traffic jam on the Alliance streets. Officer Jenny and her team are swamped now. I was initially guessing who it was, but seeing you, I knew I didn't need to guess anymore."
Aoki rolled his eyes at the gloating Lance.
Given Lance's appearance and his popularity in the Kanto region, he had clearly experienced similar situations to Aoki before, so at first glance, he probably guessed what had happened.
"Alright, no more jokes. Where have you been all this time? Why are you only showing up now?" Lance asked.
The two walked together into the Alliance Building. As rising stars of two regions, and both members of the Elite Four, people they passed while walking in the Alliance Building would greet them.
After all, strictly speaking, according to Alliance propaganda, the Elite Four represent the highest combat power of an Alliance, or at least one of the highest.
"I went to the interior of Silver Mountain and trained there for two months," Aoki said.
Upon hearing this, Lance couldn't help but show an envious expression. "You're really good at being an Elite Four. Not only do you gain a lot of fame, but you also don't have to bother with the Alliance's trivial matters. Even after becoming so strong, you still find places to train and improve yourself. I'm finally starting to understand why you've come this far; it's inseparable from your hard work."
"For you, completing some complex tasks isn't that a form of training for you?
It's just that during this time, because of the Kanto Alliance's division, as the Dragon-type Elite Four of the Kanto region, you naturally have many complicated matters to handle. But it will be over soon, won't it be finished in a few days?" Aoki said with an encouraging look, patting Lance on the shoulder.
Lance glanced at Aoki, seemingly wanting to say something, but didn't speak.
Seeing Lance's expression, Aoki frowned. "Is something wrong?"
For some reason, Aoki felt that this might be related to A-yin being ordered to stop him.
Lance hesitated, then stood still and said, "It's not a particularly secret matter. Even if I don't tell you now, you should know by tomorrow at the latest. Do you know why the division of the Kanto region was chosen for this time?"
Hearing this question, Aoki was startled. "Could it be... not because of Team Rocket?"
Lance smiled and shook his head. "Many people think like you, and we haven't offered any explanations, which has led to this misunderstanding for many.
But that's not actually the case. Team Rocket's 'contraction' merely means reducing their usual outdoor missions, recalling resources, and reallocating personnel. Their threat has always existed, but the Alliance isn't particularly afraid of them. I believe you've probably learned a little about this during this time; the Alliance's foundation is not something Team Rocket can compare to.
This matter involves a secret from the very beginning of the Alliance's existence, and not many people know about it. I only recently learned about it myself."