Rumble! Rumble!
Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted, engulfing Hunter K in flames. His cries were drowned in the chaos before fading completely.
Aoki had no intention of letting him live. If left alive, Hunter K would eventually seek revenge, bringing unnecessary trouble. It was better to silence him now.
Especially since Greninja had activated Bond Phenomenon during their fight—an ability too unique and powerful to be exposed carelessly. He had to ensure there were no witnesses.
"Let's go."
Aoki held Ralts close and turned away from the flames, walking forward. Kamizrai followed without hesitation. She wasn't concerned about eliminating these poachers—after all, hunter organizations like these were better off wiped out. Otherwise, they would only continue their cruel acts.
As Aoki walked, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
This had been a rewarding encounter.
Not only had he obtained Ralts—one of his most desired Pokémon—but Kamizrai also acquired a Mudkip and a Spheal. Once properly trained, they would complement her Electric-type Pokémon, helping her cover potential weaknesses.
He looked at Ralts in his arms, considering which Pokémon to send back in exchange for a Poké Ball to officially capture it.
Greninja was out of the question—his ace Pokémon needed constant training to reach Elite-level as soon as possible. Blaziken and Crawdaunt were also main battle forces, and both Happiny and Jirachi had special Poké Balls assigned to them, so they didn't count.
Tyranitar and Gyarados needed to stay as well, in case another dangerous situation arose.
His Grovyle was also close to evolution, and Aoki preferred to oversee its growth personally rather than send it away.
After careful thought, he ultimately decided not to put Ralts in a Poké Ball just yet. Instead, he let it stay in his backpack, alongside Happiny.
Even after evolving into Gardevoir, Ralts could remain by his side, serving as a stunning companion.
This way, he didn't have to waste a slot on his team.
He took a moment to check Ralts' information with his system:
• Name: Ralts
• Type: Psychic/Fairy
• Ability: Telepathy
• Strength: Intermediate
• Potential: Quasi-Elite
• Moves: Magical Leaf, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Confusion…
At a glance, it was an ordinary Ralts, albeit with higher-than-average potential.
Although its current potential didn't reach the Elite level, with proper training, it could still grow to that stage.
Most importantly, Ralts' final evolution—Gardevoir—was both powerful and elegant.
Not to mention, Gardevoir could Mega Evolve.
Arrival in Lavaridge Town
A few days later, Aoki and Kamizrai finally arrived at Lavaridge Town.
"Finally, we're here! The first thing I'm doing is soaking in a hot sand bath," Kamizrai sighed in relief, stretching her arms. Living in the jungle for so long had been exhausting.
Aoki smirked. "Sure. Once we're settled, you can relax as much as you want."
Walking beside him was Grovyle, whose body seemed to radiate energy.
Aoki glanced at it, knowing evolution was imminent. "Grovyle, we're almost there. You've worked hard these past few days." He patted its shoulder encouragingly.
"Grovyle!"
Grovyle lifted the branch in its hand and nodded enthusiastically.
Suddenly—
A blinding white light engulfed Grovyle's body.
Aoki's eyes widened slightly before realizing what was happening.
Grovyle was evolving!
It must have been on the verge of evolution for a while, and receiving praise from Aoki must have triggered the final push.
"Aoki, congratulations!" Kamizrai said cheerfully. "Your Grovyle is finally evolving!"
The light around Grovyle intensified as its body expanded.
After a few moments, the glow faded, revealing Sceptile—sleek, powerful, and fully evolved.
"Sceptile! You did it!" Aoki grinned, genuinely happy.
Sceptile clenched its sharp, leafy blades, feeling the surge of newfound power coursing through its body. For so long, it had watched Blaziken and Greninja evolve before it. Now, it had finally caught up.
Aoki quickly checked Sceptile's updated stats:
• Name: Sceptile
• Strength: Gym Level
• Potential: Elite
• Moves: Leaf Blade, Solar Beam, Dragon Pulse, Agility…
Another Gym-level Pokémon!
Tetsuya, one of Hoenn's most famous rising trainers, had been training for two years now, and even his strongest Pokémon were only at the Gym level.
But Aoki?
His team had already far surpassed most ordinary trainers.
• Boss Lairon – Elite
• Gyarados – Elite
• Greninja – Quasi-Elite
• Blaziken – Gym Level
• Sceptile – Gym Level
• Crawdaunt – Gym Level
• Jirachi – Quasi-Elite
• Happiny – Advanced
• Ralts – Intermediate
After this battle with Hunter K, Greninja had officially reached Quasi-Elite rank.
Happiny had also advanced significantly and could evolve into Chansey at any moment—she just needed a Oval Stone.
Aoki didn't have one yet, but he could likely purchase one from a Nurse Joy.
Would Nurse Joy be willing to sell it, though? That was another question entirely.
The biggest surprise, however, was Jirachi.
Thanks to the rare fruit Aoki had obtained from Professor Oak, combined with top-tier Pokéblocks, Jirachi's growth rate was astonishing.
From its initial High ranking, it had already reached Quasi-Elite—and it might even surpass Greninja soon.
If Jirachi reached Champion-level, Aoki wouldn't have to hide its existence anymore.
A Champion-level Mythical Pokémon like Jirachi would be an undeniable force, deterring most enemies from even thinking about attacking.
As for his Electabuzz, it was also on the verge of evolution. Once it evolved into Electivire, it would likely reach Gym-level strength as well.
Entering Lavaridge Town
"Alright, since Sceptile has successfully evolved, let's not waste any more time. I want to get to Lavaridge Town as soon as possible and challenge the Gym." Aoki grabbed Kamizrai's wrist and quickened his pace.
Kamizrai didn't resist.
In fact, she seemed to enjoy the contact.
Before long, they arrived at Lavaridge Town.
But instead of heading straight to challenge Flannery, Aoki decided to stop by the Pokémon Center first.
After all, traveling through the jungle had been exhausting, and a proper rest was necessary.
Once he recovered, he would find an Oval Stone for Happiny's evolution.
The sooner she evolved into Chansey, the sooner she could fight alongside the team.
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