Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

Aoki had originally promised Steven that he would battle him upon returning to Hoenn. However, it seemed Steven had left, taking Phoebe with him. Aoki wasn't sure where they had gone for training, but it didn't matter—he still had important matters to attend to.

From Rose, Aoki had obtained detailed information about Yang Dou. The reason Yang Dou was a direct member of the Hunter's Guild was due to his grandfather being one of its founders and one of the six highest-ranking elders. Yang Dou had been transferred to the Hoenn region as part of his training, with the intention of eventually making him the regional manager of the Hunter's Guild there.

Though the Hunter's Guild did not engage in direct battles, it maintained connections with various factions. Of course, its primary dealings were with Team Rocket. However, since Team Rocket's influence was weaker outside of Kanto, the Hunter's Guild in Hoenn also sought alliances with other powerful organizations—one of which was Team Magma.

Yang Dou now served as the liaison between the Hunter's Guild and Team Magma, maintaining a close relationship with them.

This was the information Aoki had gathered from Rose. There was also an unconfirmed rumor: Yang Dou's strength may have already reached Champion level. With the backing of a powerful elder and the resources of a major regional force, even if he wasn't quite at that level yet, he was certainly close.

After leaving the airport, Aoki hailed a taxi.

This trip to Kanto had been fruitful—securing the genetic material of the Legendary Birds, eliminating a hidden threat in the form of Regis, and dealing with two from the Jinchuan family. Most of the lower-ranking members involved in the mission had also been neutralized.

Though Giovanni had not yet provided immediate rewards, Aoki was confident they would come in time.

Still, he regretted not being able to make contact with the research team studying Mew's DNA. However, his new position within Team Rocket and his involvement in the mission had given him some insight into the project. The next time Giovanni contacted him, Aoki believed he would have a better opportunity to delve deeper.

The research on Mew's DNA was crucial to both Team Rocket and Giovanni. For Aoki, the vast knowledge within it was invaluable.

Beyond that, there were the tangible rewards.

The simplest gains were material.

Team Rocket had allotted him 400 million Pokécoins—equivalent to 40 million internal exchange points—which he had converted into useful items. These included rare materials for talent enhancing potions, the Aura-infused materials required to restore Riolu's damaged Egg, and various other precious resources necessary for Pupitar's development.

He also acquired numerous TMs, containing moves that were otherwise difficult to obtain.

The most significant prize, however, was Rock's seven Champion-level Pokémon. The weakest of them, a Houndoom, had been given to Rose as both a reward for her loyalty and a strategic asset. The remaining six were not for Aoki's personal use—he could either sell them or distribute them among his most capable subordinates. He even considered sending a few to Lysandre in Kalos to accelerate Team Flare's growth.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Aoki was responsible for half of Team Flare's current strength.

Beyond material gains, there was also the large jar of Moltres' blood—an extremely rare substance that greatly enhanced the effects of some Pokéblocks.

Then there was the improvement in his Pokémon's strength.

Aoki had spent two weeks on the Three Isles. Initially, he had hoped to uncover some hidden secrets about the island, but his search proved fruitless. Still, the training had strengthened his team.

All of Aoki's Pokémon were progressing steadily, forming a well-balanced hierarchy. The gap between Champion-level and pseudo-Champion-level was no longer insurmountable. Once his entire team reached their peak, Aoki's Rain and Sandstorm teams would be fully realized.

Another matter of concern was the mutation of Carbink.

The diamonds it had been consuming were nearly depleted, with only about two weeks' worth remaining. Accelerating diamond production wasn't feasible, but Aoki remained invested in Carbink's transformation—especially since Pupitar, Aggron, and future team additions would require vast quantities of them.

Currently, Carbink was carrying Xerneas's Horn, and its condition was changing daily. Though it still resembled a Carbink, the diamond on its head had turned completely pink, and its once-blue eyes were now red. Even the crystals on its body were shifting in hue.

The system's estimated time for Carbink's mutation was decreasing daily. As it absorbed more of Diancie's traits, the process was accelerating. Initially projected to take at least a year, it was now expected to complete in less than that. This was a relief to Aoki.

The taxi headed north toward Rustboro City.

According to Rose's intel, Yang Dou's exact location wasn't fixed. Aoki suspected that, given his connections with Team Magma, he was likely in one of the northern cities—most likely at the base of Mount Chimney.

Though the location of Team Magma's secret base wasn't widely known, Aoki had his suspicions. Lavaridge Town was the most probable spot.

As for how he would handle Yang Dou upon meeting him, Aoki would decide when the time came. He was curious not just about Yang Dou himself, but also about the relationship between Team Magma and the Hunter's Guild.

Whether as a member of Team Rocket or as an independent Trainer, Aoki was fundamentally opposed to Team Magma.

After leaving Rustboro, Aoki summoned Aggron and Blaziken, heading straight for Mount Chimney. His plan was to cross the mountain and reach Verdanturf Town, possibly encountering Team Magma members along the way.

Team Magma had been growing increasingly active lately. Though they hadn't made any overt moves, their presence was becoming harder to ignore.

Aoki had a feeling he and Team Magma were destined to clash.

The wild Pokémon on the mountain were relatively weak, making it ideal for training his younger team members, like Ralts.

The moment Ralts was summoned, it immediately clung to Aoki. If not for its constant telepathic cries of "Dad," which Aoki found slightly unsettling, everything would have been perfect.

Bagon and Seadra were also part of the training group.

Bagon's stubbornness set it apart from Aoki's other Pokémon. While most knew their limits and stopped when exhausted, Bagon refused to quit even when pushed beyond its breaking point. Because of this, Aoki never left it unsupervised during training or battles.