Hearing this voice, Aoki remained calm on the surface but felt a flicker of satisfaction in his heart.
The goal was halfway accomplished.
"Clean this microcomputer without leaving any traces, and lock the target location at the same time," Aoki ordered again.
It only required locking the location of the other party's computer without full intrusion, so there wouldn't be too many obstructions, and the system could handle it without issue.
After all, the current Team Flare was still in its early stages—barely even a prototype.
As soon as Aoki gave the order, the sunglasses in his hand reverted to serving purely as sunglasses.
"Thank you both for your assistance. Please, come rest in our hall for a while," the butler said, approaching Aoki and Lance.
The battle had concluded, and the dark clouds in the sky gradually dispersed.
Lance nodded, but Aoki remained still. "You go ahead. I have something to attend to," he said, gesturing toward Gengar and Florges, who stood motionless in the center of the square.
Having experienced this before, Lance understood the changes the two Pokémon were undergoing. He gave Aoki an approving nod before heading toward the hall with the others.
Indeed, after the battle, Gengar and Florges' auras had shifted dramatically—both had grown stronger from defeating Diggersby.
The Slowking beside them had also gained a level. This was the result of accumulated training before reaching Champion level. After breaking through, all that stored energy was now surging forth. Aoki expected Slowking's level to rise again soon.
Slowking had remained at the peak of pseudo champion level for two or three months. The daily training and energy buildup couldn't be fully digested in a single breakthrough.
In contrast, Gengar and Florges' progress felt more natural—they had broken through, but further growth would become increasingly difficult.
Gengar had been on the verge of evolution due to the poison energy absorbed from Dragalge earlier, and the Toxic Orb had further refined the toxins in its body over the past week.
Florges, on the other hand, had simply reached its limit and found the right opponent to push it past the threshold.
Two more level 60 Pokémon—Gengar and Florges.
Now, with three fully self-trained Pokémon at Champion level, Aoki could truly call himself an Champion-level Trainer.
Their breakthroughs weren't as momentous as Slowking's had been.
They had simply reached the right moment.
If it had been Slowking back then, the process might have been smoother.
"Hehehe~~" Gengar floated to Aoki's side, its round body radiating palpable energy.
"Flor~~" Florges followed, letting out a soft cry.
They had broken through so quickly that they themselves barely had time to process it.
"Well done. Rest for now," Aoki encouraged them before recalling them into their Poké Balls.
He glanced once more in the direction where the others had gone before striding into the hall.
The entire Balpham Temple was a grand classical structure, exuding luxury and majesty the moment one stepped inside.
Lance was already seated at the reception table with the temple heir, sipping coffee and chatting amicably—as if the earlier battle had been a minor inconvenience.
No wonder the League left the Balpham Temple alone.
These heirs didn't seem like ambitious figures.
Or perhaps, to avoid League suspicion, they had deliberately cultivated carefree personas.
When Aoki entered, they rose to greet him.
They had witnessed his performance in battle—calm, composed, and effortlessly skilled.
Moreover, both Aoki and Lance were clearly talented, with bright futures ahead.
Worth befriending.
Aoki exchanged brief pleasantries before taking a seat, listening to their conversation and occasionally interjecting.
Mostly, it was Lance and the old butler speaking.
"Mr. Butler, if we leave now, what will you do if they return?" The question was inevitable—Aoki and Lance couldn't stay forever.
"Please, do not worry. You need only stay two more days at most. We have already sent for our Knight Commander, Wikstrom. Once he arrives, there will be no further concerns," the butler assured them, a note of relief in his voice at the mention of Wikstrom.
"Wikstrom?" Lance didn't recognize the name, but Aoki did.
Wikstrom had participated in the Sinnoh Tournament as a representative of Kalos.
In the future, he would become one of Kalos' Elite Four—a Steel-type specialist, much like Steven.
But Aoki hadn't realized Wikstrom had ties to the Balpham Temple.
Aoki nodded in acknowledgment.
Seeing this, Lance didn't press further.
After a brief exchange, the butler led Aoki and Lance to lavishly decorated guest rooms.
"These will be your accommodations for the next two days. Should you require anything, do not hesitate to ask," the butler said before taking his leave.
Despite his age, he carried himself with the poise of a seasoned professional.
"Who is Wikstrom? You know him?" Lance asked once they were alone.
"I encountered him during the Sinnoh Tournament. " Aoki said, settling onto the plush sofa.
Lance nodded in understanding.
With someone like that and the temple's guards, there was little to worry about.
From today's events, it seemed Team Flare and the temple's assailants had parted on bad terms.
"Those people in strange uniforms—you seemed familiar with them. Which faction are they from?" Lance's curiosity about Team Flare remained.
Aoki nodded. "I've dealt with them before. They're not a group to take lightly."
He said no more. Team Flare's full presence was still uncertain, but their organized uniforms and strict hierarchy suggested they were already active—or soon would be.
After a few more minutes of conversation, Aoki retreated to his room.
Lance didn't question it—Gengar and Florges had just reached Champion level and needed rest.