Aoki caught up with one of the Void members who had fled when Slowking teleported away. This was the same individual who had initially proposed launching a surprise attack against Team Sky. Emerging from the teleportation, Aoki immediately gave chase. The target was accompanied by an Arbok, maintaining a cautious distance, allowing Aoki to assess the Pokémon's capabilities through his system.
The Arbok was level 29 with green potential - not even reaching level 30. Aoki wondered where this opponent found the confidence to challenge Team Sky. Perhaps they still viewed Team Sky as comparable to the former Black Snake Gang, which would explain their reckless attitude. However, Team Sky was in an entirely different league from that defunct organization. The difference in leadership alone created an insurmountable gap.
This minor threat didn't require Slowking's intervention. Instead of ambushing the target, Aoki positioned himself directly in their path. When the Void member spotted Aoki, they reacted swiftly, immediately commanding an attack while summoning their remaining Pokémon. Though this grunt's strength was unremarkable, their survival instincts were sharp - a necessity for any rogue operative.
Aoki had anticipated this response. This trainer's team was relatively weak, presenting an ideal training opportunity for Aron, Larvitar, and the rest of his developing Pokémon. When the opponent revealed all four of their Pokémon, Aoki released his own team.
The Void operative froze in shock.
Before them stood rare and powerful Pokémon including Larvitar (a pseudo-legendary), Bagon, the exceptionally uncommon Aron and Horsea, plus Combusken. Greed flashed in the grunt's eyes as they misinterpreted Aoki as some spoiled scion of a wealthy League family. To encounter a lone trainer with two pseudo-legendaries seemed like a windfall - steal these Pokémon, abandon both factions, and disappear to train in secret. They could emerge later as a powerful trainer.
Aoki recognized their thoughts and smirked. While this grunt had decent survival skills, their judgment was severely lacking. Even if Aoki were merely a League affiliate, his displayed strength and resources marked him as someone not to be trifled with. Did they truly believe someone traveling with such rare Pokémon would lack protection?
Shaking his head, Aoki focused on the four approaching enemy Pokémon.
"Larvitar, set up Stealth Rock followed by Rock Slide!"
"Aron, advance with Metal Claw!"
"Combusken, use Flame Charge!"
"Bagon, Dragon Breath at will!"
"Horsea, target with Water Gun!"
Aoki issued commands to all five Pokémon. Notably, four of his team could use Dragon-type moves, indicating draconic heritage - an intimidating prospect. Many believed the introduction of Fairy-types had crippled Dragon Pokémon, but this was a misconception. Dragon-types derived their power not just from devastating attacks, but from their inherently robust physiology. Even minor draconic ancestry granted superior physical resilience compared to other types. While Fairy-types presented a challenge, they hardly rendered Dragons obsolete - a fact the Dragon Tamer clans and Dragon Valley residents understood well.
Larvitar possessed the most precise energy control among Aoki's team. The latent energy from Groudon armour fragment continuously enhanced this capability. Though the energy was Ground-type, the principles of energy manipulation remained consistent, making Larvitar ideal for setting Stealth Rock.
Aron, with its formidable defense and highest level, naturally took point. Arbok's venom proved useless against the steel. Combusken's daily 500-lap training regimen had dramatically improved its physique and speed control. Flame Charge, recently mastered, allowed it to accumulate fire energy for both offensive power and speed boosts - synergizing perfectly with its Speed Boost ability.
Bagon had begun learning more Dragon-type moves upon reaching appropriate levels. Dragon Breath served as its primary attack, as Aoki emphasized mastering fundamentals before attempting more advanced techniques from its genetic memory. Premature use of powerful moves could cause self-harm due to insufficient control.
Though Horsea was aquatic by nature, it could operate on land at reduced mobility. Recently, Aoki had been training Horsea, Swampert, and Politoed in water energy ball manipulation - the first step toward achieving Wallace's Milotic-style aquatic levitation. This would require extensive practice, so for now, Horsea focused on stable footing for ranged attacks.
Through consistent battles, the five Pokémon had developed strong teamwork. Larvitar's Stealth Rock slowed the opponents' approach, then Aron led the charge, its Metal Claw smashing into Arbok's skull. Despite their smaller sizes, Aoki's team proved devastating in combat.
Pseudo-legendaries and late-evolving species like Aron might start weaker in basic forms, but Aoki's intensive foundational training made all the difference. Unlimited custom Pokeblocks, Aron and Larvitar's mineral-rich diets of diamonds and rare ores - these advantages made them incomparable to wild Pokémon. Bagon and Horsea, being newer additions, had slightly less training but provided valuable type coverage.
Facing no Pokémon above level 30, the opposition crumbled against Larvitar's team with minimal resistance. Experiencing their first decisive trainer battle victory, the young Pokémon buzzed with excitement, eager for more challenges.
Aoki subdued the Void operative and disposed of the evidence via his extradimensional storage - an exceptionally convenient method for concealing traces of conflict.
The battle demonstrated the team's growing coordination and individual strengths. Larvitar's terrain control, Aron's frontline durability, Combusken's escalating speed, Bagon's draconic pressure, and Horsea's ranged support created a balanced offensive. Their superior training and nutrition compensated for evolutionary disadvantages, proving Aoki's methodology effective.
This encounter also revealed Team Sky's escalating reputation. Where previously they might have been underestimated as upstarts, their increasing power and Aoki's visible strength demanded recognition. The Void operative's greed and subsequent defeat illustrated how far Team Sky had progressed from its humble beginnings.
Aoki recalled his Pokémon, satisfied with their performance. Each showed promising development - Larvitar's precise rock manipulation, Aron's steadfast defense, Combusken's blazing assaults, Bagon's growing draconic prowess, and Horsea's improving water techniques. They would need these skills for the challenges ahead, as Team Sky's ambitions would inevitably draw stronger opposition.
The extradimensional storage's utility for covert operations again proved invaluable. As Aoki departed the scene, no traces remained of the confrontation - just another missing Void operative in a world where such disappearances were commonplace. Team Sky's influence continued expanding, its members growing stronger with each encounter, while those foolish enough to oppose them vanished without a trace.