Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

Then Aoki summoned Torchic, Poliwag, and Aron.

During this period, they mainly focused on strengthening their physical foundation. Torchic and Poliwag were still relatively weak, so Aoki wanted them to build a solid base before undergoing intensive training.

Although Aron had a naturally sturdy body, long-term battles and constant eating had resulted in some hidden injuries. Aoki prohibited him from fighting or engaging in strenuous exercise for now to allow these injuries to heal. Otherwise, lingering issues could arise, making them harder to eliminate in the future.

With the help of Pokeblocks infused with Earth Core Milk, Aron could recover faster while also enhancing his affinity for Rock-type moves.

Torchic's condition was stabilizing, and the data displayed by the System showed that his potential fluctuations were becoming more stable. Additionally, after consuming the customized Pokeblocks that Aoki prepared, Torchic's potential was gradually increasing. Once fully stabilized, his chances of reaching a Dark Blue qualification would be significantly higher.

As for Poliwag, his extended captivity by the Hunter's Guild had caused his body to expend more energy on survival rather than growth. As a result, he was the most stunted among the three. However, being a pure Water-type, his natural affinity for Water-type moves remained strong.

"For now, your main task is to strengthen your bodies and recover from past trauma and hidden injuries. Otherwise, these issues might hinder your future growth," Aoki said while gently patting their heads.

Compared to the damp head of Poliwag and the hard metallic head of Aron, the soft-feathered head of Torchic was the most comfortable to touch. Aoki had previously enjoyed patting Slowpoke's head, but now that Slowpoke had evolved into Slowking, he found a new replacement in Torchic.

It was likely that until Torchic evolved into Blaziken, Aoki would continue to pat his head. Fortunately, Torchic didn't mind and even enjoyed it, often rubbing against Aoki's hand in response.

Aoki soon sent the three little ones to rest. They were still in their growth phase, requiring ample sleep and proper nutrition. Battles would be left to their stronger teammates.

With both Murkrow and Slowpoke having evolved, Aoki's current strength was far superior to when he first entered the final trial.

Slowking had reached level 37, just three levels away from attaining Elite-level strength. Once that happened, Slowking would serve as the core for Aoki's future Water-type Gym, significantly improving his success rate in establishing it.

For Aoki's next training plan, Sneasel, Haunter, and Skorupi were his top priorities.

Once Steven helped him acquire a Razor Claw, Aoki could arrange for Sneasel's evolution. Previously, Sneasel had the highest potential among Aoki's team, but Honchkrow and Slowking had since surpassed him.

Aoki also planned to further develop Skorupi's Poison-type abilities. This process was simpler compared to Haunter's Poison attribute development—Skorupi simply needed to absorb the poison sac of a quasi-Elite-level Arbok. With Haunter's assistance, he could gradually refine the toxins within the sac.

Compared to Haunter's use of poisonous gas, the energy contained in the poison sac was far more concentrated. After consuming it, Skorupi's level immediately increased to 26.

As Skorupi continued to grow, he would soon catch up to the rest of the team. Thanks to prolonged calcium tablet intake, he had already reached a height of 1.2 meters—an exceptional size for a Skorupi, whose usual height was around 80 centimeters.

Though Skorupi's bones had begun stabilizing, calcium supplementation would still offer some benefits, albeit less significantly than before. However, a 1.2-meter Skorupi was already comparable in size to an average Drapion, meaning his final evolution would likely result in a truly imposing Pokémon.

Skorupi's ability, Sniper, made him a crucial offensive force for the team.

Currently, Aoki's five main Pokémon fulfilled distinct roles:

Honchkrow as a secondary damage dealer and finisher.

Slowking as a long-range turret.

Haunter for control and attrition.

Sneasel for containment and offense.

Once evolved, Drapion would serve as the team's primary tank and damage dealer.

With Drapion's evolution, Aoki would finally have a Pokémon capable of standing on the front lines.

At present, Aoki's team relied on guerrilla tactics, especially when facing Pokémon like Steven's Metang. However, once Drapion matured, he would be Aoki's first real frontline powerhouse until Aron evolved into Aggron.

Aoki had always envisioned Drapion as the decisive force among his first batch of Pokémon. Once evolved, Drapion would naturally learn a variety of Fang-based moves, allowing him to counter a wide range of opponents effectively.

After fully developing his Poison-type abilities, Skorupi's level would rapidly increase, leading to a period of explosive growth.

Of course, alongside Skorupi's growth, Sneasel and Haunter were also primary training targets.

Meanwhile, Honchkrow and Slowking were still adapting to their evolved forms. Their recent level-ups required them to refine their new abilities before taking on additional training.

Once Aoki had trained these five Pokémon to a similar level, he could start preparing the next wave of Pokémon for development.

One important matter Aoki kept in mind was Larvitar.

Shadow had already agreed to trade the three Evolution Catalysts to Aoki, but due to settling into the Hoenn region, he had been too preoccupied to finalize the deal. Once things stabilized, Aoki would reach out.

Additionally, the remaining resources from Team Rocket were being converted into useful materials and sent over. This ensured that Team Sky's initial development would not be hindered by minor logistical issues.

Aoki organized his upcoming objectives:

Travel to Lavaridge Town to raise his Hunter rank to Four-Star, establish his own hunting team, and absorb the Bandit Brigade.

Assign a team under the Bandit Brigade to capture Pokémon, ensuring that new hunters understood their responsibilities.

Consult his mentor, Takeshi Yanagi, regarding Gym establishment. If sacrifices were needed, Aoki could prepare accordingly.

If the Gym application was approved, a series of developments could follow, including setting up a Pokémon Center, commercial expansion in Fallarbor Town, growing Team Sky, and even restructuring the town's black market.

Once the black market was established, Team Sky would achieve financial independence, meaning Aoki would no longer need to personally fund it. From there, Team Sky could contribute significantly to his resource pool.

However, these managerial tasks could be delegated. For Aoki, the highest priority remained strengthening himself.

Perhaps once the Gym application was finalized, Aoki would embark on another journey for further training.