"Greninja, use Hydro Pump!"
Aoki's voice rang out as multiple Greninja clones, created through Double Team, simultaneously launched powerful jets of water at Steelix. The massive iron serpent, despite its sturdy defense, was momentarily disoriented.
Steelix roared, its maw glowing with draconic energy before it released a devastating Dragon Breath toward the nearest Greninja—only for the attack to pass through an illusion.
Taking advantage of this moment, the real Greninja unleashed a powerful Hydro Pump at point-blank range, striking Steelix directly. The sheer force sent Steelix crashing into the rocky terrain, water surging around its massive body.
Even so, Steelix refused to surrender. It let out a deep growl and slowly struggled to rise. Rage burned in its eyes, the desire to fight still strong.
"Hooohhh…"
With another furious roar, Steelix gathered more draconic energy in its mouth—another Dragon Breath was incoming.
RUMBLE!
Greninja swiftly dodged to the side, and the attack exploded against the ground, leaving a large crater in the valley floor.
"Greninja, finish it with Water Shuriken!"
Dashing across the battlefield with blinding speed, Greninja leaped into the air. Summoning a glowing, spinning shuriken of compressed water, it hurled the attack forward.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
A series of four consecutive Water Shuriken strikes landed directly on Steelix. The steel serpent let out a pained cry before collapsing with a thunderous crash, unable to continue the battle.
Aoki wasted no time. "Go, Poké Ball!"
He tossed a Poké Ball at the fallen Steelix, capturing it in a single attempt.
Though he hadn't planned to focus on training Steelix, Aoki knew that with proper training, it might reach Elite-level strength. Another strong Pokémon was always a good addition. He quickly sent the newly captured Steelix to Professor Odagaki's lab for storage.
"Alright, Kamizrai, let's not waste any more time. We're heading to the next location."
"No problem! Let's go," Kamizrai responded enthusiastically, following Aoki. She had long since decided to accompany him, trusting in his strength and leadership.
With the Valley of Steel now behind them, Aoki had no reason to linger. His next destination was the nearest town, where he could challenge another Gym.
Just as they were about to leave, Aoki spotted Tetsuya nearby. A sly smirk formed at the corner of his mouth.
"Tetsuya, any luck finding the Pokémon you were searching for?"
Tetsuya sighed, shaking his head. "No… I searched everywhere but found nothing. I really envy you for getting an Iron Dumbbell (Beldum)."
There was a tinge of bitterness in his voice. After all, Shiny Pokémon were incredibly rare, and Aoki had managed to capture one so effortlessly.
Aoki chuckled. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for soon. By the way, I assume you're participating in the Ever Grande Conference this year?"
"Of course!" Tetsuya's eyes lit up with determination. "I'll train hard and make sure I don't lose to you this time."
Kamizrai, standing beside Aoki, remained silent, secretly pitying Tetsuya.
Tetsuya's strongest Pokémon was a Gym-level Meowth, while even Aoki's weaker Pokémon were at the Gym Leader level. His strongest Pokémon had already reached Elite-level strength. Tetsuya had no idea just how far behind he really was.
Aoki simply nodded. "Alright then. See you at the conference."
As they walked away, Aoki shook his head, his voice laced with amusement. "Poor guy doesn't even realize the Iron Dumbbell he was searching for was already captured… by me."
Kamizrai stifled a laugh. "Yeah… he really has no clue."
As Aoki walked, a familiar notification rang in his mind.
Ding!
Congratulations, Host! You have successfully obtained the Profound Truth Energy Cube formula!
Aoki's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was an incredibly valuable reward.
Though he already possessed Energy Cubes that could enhance Pokémon's comprehension of Profound Truths, they were generalized—boosting other stats as well. However, this new formula was purely dedicated to accelerating a Pokémon's understanding of battle techniques and ultimate abilities.
Better still, the required ingredients weren't particularly rare. Many had already been collected from previous Silver Treasure Chests, and the rest could be purchased. Whether from the Joy family, the Jenny family, or even the Oak family, obtaining them wouldn't be an issue.
Aoki smirked. He could already foresee how this would impact his Pokémon's growth. With this, his Boss Lairon had a high chance of fully mastering its Profound Truth before the Ever Grande Conference.
Leaving the Valley of Steel behind, Aoki and Kamizrai resumed their journey toward the next town.
By noon, they stopped by a riverbank to prepare lunch.
Kamizrai, eager to impress Aoki, busied herself with cutting vegetables and assisting in meal preparations. She wanted to prove she wasn't useless.
Before long, lunch was ready.
Aoki's Pokémon gathered around him, quietly enjoying their meals. Even Jirachi, who had been resting inside Aoki's backpack, woke up to eat before dozing off again.
As a Mythical Pokémon, Jirachi's growth differed from ordinary Pokémon. Instead of battling frequently, it required long periods of rest to accumulate energy and enhance its abilities. Despite this, its strength had been steadily increasing. It wouldn't be long before Jirachi officially reached the Elite level.
Among his team, Aoki's main focus remained on two Pokémon—his Crustacean (Crawdaunt) and Kira (Larvitar).
Thanks to the Eye of Data, he could instantly analyze their stats whenever he wanted.
Name: Crustacean (Crawdaunt)
Strength: Gym-level Peak
Evolution Status: Nearing Evolution
The information was much clearer than before.
Crustacean was on the verge of evolving. Once it became a Tyranitar, it would be a powerhouse. More importantly, Aoki had already secured a Tyranitarite—its Mega Stone.
A grin spread across Aoki's face. A Tyranitar capable of Mega Evolution would significantly boost his overall team strength.
His thoughts drifted toward his newly captured Iron Dumbbell (Beldum). A moment of sympathy flickered in his heart for Stone Steven.
The Metagrossite—Metagross's Mega Evolution stone—should have rightfully belonged to Steven Stone. But Aoki had intercepted it for himself.
"Oh well," Aoki muttered, amused. "It's not my fault I got to it first."
Kamizrai, noticing his smirk, grew curious. "What's with that expression?"
Aoki shook his head. "Nothing important."
Kamizrai, however, couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. Was he thinking about her?
Her cheeks turned pink as she started envisioning a future with Aoki—going on dates, getting married, and living a happy life together.
The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became.
Aoki, oblivious to Kamizrai's thoughts, simply continued eating.
The journey ahead was only going to get more intense. Seven months remained until the Ever Grande Conference. He had every intention of winning it all.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 90+ CHAPTERS
Patreon.com/Kora_1