Aoki left with his Larvitar and Aron, both satisfied after their intense battle.
Carnivine, the wild Pokémon they had just defeated, collapsed to the ground, utterly spent. This time, there were no rocks or sand to obstruct its movements, but Carnivine couldn't move even if it wanted to. Its eyes were dull, devoid of hope, as if its entire body had been hollowed out. It twitched occasionally, a clear sign of overexertion—it was on the verge of foaming at the mouth.
Meanwhile, Larvitar and Aron wore satisfied smiles, their cheeks slightly flushed from the exhilaration of battle.
Comfortable. Very comfortable.
It had been a great fight.
Sometimes, short skirmishes weren't as rewarding as a long, drawn-out battle.
Larvitar and Aron chewed on the hard minerals they had gathered, hopping lightly as they walked, nearly humming a tune.
How did the saying go?
After a battle, a well-earned meal tastes better than a feast.
Aoki led his Pokémon out of the forest.
Earlier, Carnivine's Sweet Scent had attracted nearly every wild Pokémon in the area. If they wanted to continue training, they would need to move deeper into the mountain.
Fortunately, this area wasn't heavily populated—otherwise, the commotion might have caused a stampede, injuring many bystanders.
According to the system's analysis, the "Earth Membrane" they sought might actually be the essence of a mountain. The older and taller the mountain, the richer the essence within, which would enhance the effects of Larvitar's qualification-boosting potion.
As for the "Scarlet Rock," preliminary scans suggested it was a byproduct of volcanic activity. While its exact nature remained unclear, the system's data comparison was rarely wrong. That was why Aoki had chosen Mount Chimney—the largest active volcano in Hoenn, visible from most of the region. If they were to find anything within magma, this was their best bet.
Of course, Mount Chimney was also the most dangerous location, but not insurmountable.
They trekked up the slope until they reached the cave Aoki had discovered with Steven before. Finding a quiet spot outside, they set up camp for the night, waiting until dawn before venturing inside.
Last time, they hadn't been able to explore the cave's depths—a large group of Slugma had blocked their path, and at the time, Aoki's team hadn't been strong enough to push forward.
But now, their objective lay within the mountain itself. Either they would have to scale the peak and descend into the crater, or they would need to find a passage leading directly into the heart of the volcano.
Since they were already here, Aoki decided to investigate the cave further.
After all, the fragment of Groudon's armor that Larvitar carried on its back had been found in this very cave.
Had Team Magma discovered it inside, or had they brought it with them?
If it had been inside…
Did that mean more fragments could still be hidden within?
That single shard had already granted Larvitar significant benefits—enhancing its control over Ground-type energy to the point where it now surpassed its mastery of Rock-type energy.
Even after evolving into Tyranitar, a Rock/Dark-type, Larvitar's proficiency with Ground-type moves wouldn't vanish. Its attacks would remain just as potent.
With that thought in mind, Aoki stepped into the cave, his two Pokémon following closely.
Team Magma had cleared out most of the wild Pokémon when they were last here, but now, after so much time had passed, the cave had been reclaimed by nature.
The Pokémon here were stronger now, requiring a full team effort to overcome.
Aoki summoned his Combusken. The trio—Larvitar, Aron, and Combusken—worked well together, having trained side by side for so long.
Of course, he could have called upon Slowking or Honchkrow to bulldoze through the cave with ease, but this was an opportunity to train his secondary team. If they never faced real challenges, they would grow reliant on their stronger teammates, weakening their resilience in future battles.
Without inner strength and adaptability, they would lack the fighting spirit needed to stand against powerful opponents.
After yesterday's battle, Aron had risen to level 31—just one step away from evolution.
Larvitar had reached level 27, nearing its own evolution threshold.
Now, with the addition of Combusken at level 30, their battle synergy was solid.
One plus one plus one was greater than three—their teamwork and coordination with Aoki made the battles manageable.
They pressed deeper into the mountain.
Along the way, they encountered numerous Fire-types—primarily Slugma and Numel, with the occasional Camerupt or Torkoal. These two were particularly tough opponents.
As a Steel-type, Aron was at a severe disadvantage here, but through relentless battling, it gradually adapted.
You couldn't avoid training a Pokémon just because the environment was unfavorable—otherwise, what would happen if they faced Fire-types in the future?
The harder they trained now, the less they would suffer later.
Midway through their advance, Aoki spotted something unexpected—a Pokémon crawling along the ground, flames flickering on its head and tail.
A Quilava?
The Fire-type evolution of Cyndaquil, one of Johto's three starter Pokémon, its final form was Typhlosion—a powerful and sought-after Pokémon.
Any member of the three starter families had high potential, assuming they had the right qualifications.
Before Aoki could scan the Quilava's data, it darted deeper into the cave.
Could there be a whole colony of Quilava in here? he wondered.
Starter Pokémon were usually tightly regulated by the Pokémon League, making wild encounters rare.
But if you found one, congratulations—their market value was high. A well-qualified one was worth raising, while an average one could still fetch a good price on the black market.
As a Breeder, Aoki had another option: capture an entire nest, raise them properly, and through selective training, he could produce high-quality Pokémon. The rejects could still be sold without loss.
"Larvitar, Aron, Combusken—pick up the pace! We're going deeper!" Aoki commanded.