The two League investigators who had stayed behind finally reacted at this moment.
It turned out that the Pokémon that had suddenly appeared were here to assist them.
Aoki used Telepathy to command his Pokémon in battle.
Now, the battle had completely turned in their favor, and after more than ten intense minutes, it was finally over.
The members of the poacher group had all fallen into a deep sleep under Gengar's Hypnosis.
Only then did Aoki slowly step out from the cover of the woods.
When the two investigators saw Aoki's attire and the Senior Investigator badge on his chest, their faces immediately lit up with relief. They hurried over.
"Thank you for your assistance, sir," the mid-level investigator said gratefully.
Aoki smiled faintly. "No need for thanks. I happened to be nearby when I encountered two other investigators. They informed me of your situation and mentioned an urgent League mission, so I rushed over immediately."
Hearing Aoki's explanation, the two investigators understood.
Because this was the territory of the poacher group, a powerful signal-jamming device had been set up, preventing their communicators from sending out any messages. Their only option had been to send two team members to escape and call for help, hoping that reinforcements would arrive in time.
"It's my fault," the mid-level investigator admitted, regret clear in his voice. "I underestimated them. I thought it was just a small group of poachers—I never expected to run into an entire hunting squad. By the time we realized and tried to retreat, it was too late. They spotted us, so we had no choice but to send two ahead while the rest of us stayed behind to hold them off."
Aoki nodded but said nothing.
The investigator was right—after this mission concluded, he would likely face disciplinary action.
As the leader of a team, lacking basic judgment was a critical failure that endangered the entire group. Fortunately, this investigator had at least shown responsibility by staying behind to cover the retreat, and the junior investigator who had remained with him was no weakling either. Though still officially ranked as a junior, their strength suggested a promotion to mid-level was imminent.
With that, Aoki bid them farewell and continued his training with his Pokémon. As for the poachers, he left them to the two investigators—they knew how to handle the situation.
Aoki had earned their gratitude, along with a significant boost to his League contribution points.
But that wasn't the most important thing.
What truly mattered was that, through this battle, Aoki had gained a preliminary understanding of the combat capabilities of the six Pokémon he planned to use in the Sinnoh Competition.
Overall, he was satisfied.
The only drawback was that his Pokémon's levels were still relatively low—just a bit short of where they needed to be.
If he wanted to secure a high ranking, he would have to push them even harder.
As he ventured further up the mountain, the wild Pokémon grew stronger, and Poliwhirl and Marshtomp wouldn't be enough to handle them alone.
Aoki pressed onward with his team.
Finally, two days later, amidst a field of boulders on the slopes of Mt. Coronet, Marshtomp had reached its peak condition.
With unwavering determination and Aoki's approval, it now faced off against an Onix.
Pokémon: Onix (Green)
Gender: Male
Level: 39
Type: Rock / Ground
Ability: Rock Head
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Block, Rollout, Rock Climb
Basic Moves: Mud-Slap, Tackle, Harden, Bind, Curse, Rock Throw, Rock Tomb, Screech, Stealth Rock, Rock Polish, Gyro Ball, Bulldoze, Dragon Breath, Smack Down, Sand Tomb
Learnt Moves: Stomp, Iron Tail, Iron Head, Snore
TM Moves: None
This opponent had been personally selected by Aoki for Marshtomp—one of the few wild Pokémon he had actively sought out since ascending Mt. Coronet.
Over the past few days of rigorous training, Marshtomp had not only reached Level 35 but had also refined its physical capabilities to their limits.
Though its level had risen quickly, Marshtomp still had room for improvement in energy control and skill mastery.
That said, ever since joining Aoki, Marshtomp had been given the most suitable Pokéblocks and training regimen, ensuring that its physical shortcomings were minimal.
Yes, flaws still existed—but they weren't irreparable. It would just take time.
Now, however, Marshtomp stood on the verge of evolution, and this battle would serve as its catalyst.
Against this Onix, despite the level difference, the pressure wasn't overwhelming.
Onix was quadruple weak to Water and doubly weak to Ground—both types Marshtomp could exploit.
The only difference was that, without Poliwhirl's support, Marshtomp would have to fight alone.
"Marshtomp, start with a Water Pulse!"
"Whaa!!" Marshtomp brimmed with confidence as it formed a sphere of light-blue Water-type energy between its palms and hurled it directly at the sunbathing Onix.
BOOM!!!
"Rooaaar!!!" The Water Pulse struck with immense force, sending a shockwave of pain through Onix's rocky body. The explosion of water energy jolted the serpentine Pokémon from its rest, and it roared in fury.
I was just enjoying the sun—who dares disturb me?!
Onix's gaze locked onto the small Pokémon before it, now poised for battle.
Without hesitation, Onix whipped its massive tail into the surrounding boulders, sending a head-sized rock hurtling toward Marshtomp at blinding speed.
Simultaneously, enormous stones materialized above Marshtomp and came crashing down.
"Sorry, Onix, but this is necessary. Marshtomp, dodge the rocks and close in! Use Scald!"
Marshtomp nimbly sidestepped the rock launched by Onix's tail, then executed a swift leap to evade the falling boulders. Its small size gave it an advantage in agility.
Once clear of the counterattack, Marshtomp sprinted forward on all fours, its mouth puffing up as the skin around it flushed red.
"Hiiisss~~"
A jet of steaming hot water, thick with white vapor, shot from Marshtomp's mouth and struck Onix squarely on the head.
"ROOOAR!!!" Onix writhed—scalded, pained, and disoriented.
By the time it recovered, Marshtomp was already within striking distance.
Onix retaliated instantly, its tail lashing out with a metallic sheen as Iron Tail came into play. The sunlight glinted off the hardened surface as it swung toward Marsh Jump Fish.
"Marshtomp, endure it! Grab Onix's tail, climb up, and use Earthquake!"
Following Aoki's command, Marshtomp braced itself, enduring the Iron Tail's impact before seizing Onix's tail and hauling itself onto Onix's body.
Then—Earthquake!
A shockwave of yellow energy rippled beneath Marshtomp's feet as it stood atop Onix.
Using Earthquake against a Rock/Ground-type like Onix was devastatingly effective.
"Finish it! Full-power Aqua Tail!"
"WHAA!!!!" Marshtomp roared, channeling every ounce of its remaining energy into its tail. This was its strongest attack—and it knew this would be the final blow.
With a mighty swing, the Aqua Tail crashed into Onix with overwhelming force.
The impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, dust and debris flying as Onix finally collapsed, defeated.
As the dust settled, a brilliant white light engulfed Marsh Jump Fish—its body elongating, its form shifting.
Evolution had begun.
Aoki watched, a satisfied smile forming on his lips.
His team was growing stronger.
And the Sinnoh League awaited.