Aoki obtained the Mega Evolution stone he desired. Although the process had been somewhat painful, the result was more than satisfactory.
This Mega Stone appeared to be a Blazikenite, though he couldn't be entirely certain. Still, any Mega Stone was a valuable asset.
After leaving the electronics shop in Lumiose City, Aoki headed west toward Couriway Town. His primary objective in Lumiose had been achieved quickly, so he moved on to his secondary goal.
His next destination was Snowbelle City.
Along the way, there were other tasks to complete.
This time, the Pokémon Aoki carried with him were Pupitar, Lairon, Combusken, Politoed, Ralts, Mismagius, and Slowking. Of course, his Flygon, used temporarily as a flying mount, wasn't counted among his active battle team.
In the past, Aoki had to carefully consider which Pokémon to bring on his journeys. Now, that was no longer necessary.
Limone's ideas were unconventional, but his inventions worked flawlessly.
As long as Aoki remained in the Pokémon world and his system maintained contact with Porygon2, he could retrieve any Pokémon stored on his island.
Owning a private island in the Pokémon world had its advantages.
Installing additional wireless devices, as Limone had suggested, was unnecessary—the system handled everything.
To test the system's capabilities, Aoki summoned Carbink.
Since he was now in the Kalos region, the birthplace of Fairy-type Pokémon, perhaps this environment would accelerate Carbink's transformation.
Aoki had owned Carbink for a long time, yet its progress had stalled.
Perhaps the unique energy of Kalos could help.
As he walked, Aoki cradled Ralts in his arms.
This time, aside from Slowking, who was training to reach Champion-level, the rest of his team consisted of younger Pokémon.
The Kalos region offered plenty of battle opportunities to help them grow.
Moreover, the potential-enhancing supplements Aoki had prepared for them were now ready—evolution was imminent.
Among his primary team, Slowking was already pushing for Champion-tier strength, so his secondary team needed to reach at least pseudo-champion-level.
Currently, only Swampert met those standards.
Combusken had remained in its current stage for a long time. Previously, Aoki had held off on its evolution due to the incomplete supplements. Now, however, not only were the supplements ready, but he had also secured a Blazikenite.
Once Combusken evolved into Blaziken, its path would be clear.
As a Trainer, Aoki had paved the way for its future.
After leaving Lumiose City and entering a secluded part of Route 13, Aoki summoned Combusken to test the newly acquired Mega Stone.
The stone was still warm from being handled.
As expected, it was indeed a Blazikenite—the same one Limone would have used in the future.
Aoki wondered how far Limone would go without it.
For Aoki, however, it was an invaluable asset.
Combusken, now at level 32, was on the verge of evolution.
After confirming the stone's compatibility, Aoki recalled Combusken and summoned Pupitar and Lairon.
Despite the proximity of Laverre City to the west and Lumiose City to the east, Route 13 was known as the Lumiose Badlands.
The terrain was barren—covered in red dust and cracked earth.
Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon thrived here, making it ideal for Pupitar and Lairon.
Though Combusken wasn't as comfortable in this environment, it could still hold its own.
Pupitar now carried a Smooth Rock embedded with the Tyranitarite, enhancing its Sand Stream ability.
Its control over sand had grown even stronger.
Ever since hatching, Pupitar had displayed exceptional mastery over Ground and Rock-type energy. After exposure to Groudon's power, its Ground-type control had sharpened further, indirectly improving its Rock-type manipulation.
Now, with the Smooth Rock, Pupitar effortlessly blocked the swirling red dust before it could reach the group.
Lairon provided additional protection, allowing Aoki to traverse the badlands without goggles.
Rather than sticking to the main path, Aoki ventured deep into the wilderness.
Wild Pokémon near the official routes were too weak to provide meaningful training.
Since Ralts had entered its growth phase, Aoki had begun its combat training.
Though it hadn't yet experienced a true battle, it was no longer a helpless hatchling.
Ralts was luckier than most Pokémon—Aoki's team was already strong, so it had enjoyed a long, peaceful infancy.
But now, it was time to fight.
Fortunately, Slowking's Psychic-type training on the island had already boosted Ralts to level 10.
While Ralts couldn't contribute much in battles against stronger foes, it was safe standing beside Aoki, hurling Confusion attacks without fear of retaliation.
It was a one-sided barrage with zero risk.
In some ways, it mirrored Slowking's battle style—though Slowking occasionally engaged in close combat, Ralts was purely a long-range attacker.
As they traveled deeper into the badlands, wild Pokémon appeared more frequently.
However, since they were still near the outskirts, these Pokémon were weak—mere warm-ups for Combusken.
After a while, the landscape became indistinguishable in every direction.
"Larvi!"
"Lair!"
Almost simultaneously, Pupitar and Lairon called out in warning.
Aoki looked up as a swirling dust devil hurtled toward them.
A common ambush tactic in the Lumiose Badlands—wild Pokémon used sand whirlwinds to conceal their approach.
An unprepared traveler could easily be caught off-guard.
But this attacker had chosen the wrong targets.
Pupitar and Lairon had sensed it from afar.
The only question was—what kind of Pokémon was hiding inside?