Aoki sat atop his Flygon as it soared through the skies. He was far from idle, his mind occupied with the task at hand.
The training manual for Lucario, previously obtained from the Tower of Mastery, had been fully uploaded into his system. His primary concern was restoring the Riolu Pokémon Egg to its original state. After a night of careful analysis, the system had finally produced a method with a relatively high success rate.
According to the system's findings, restoring the Pokémon Egg without compromising its innate potential required specific materials infused with Aura energy, as detailed in the manual. Additionally, a strong source of Aura—whether from a human or a Pokémon—was necessary to assist in the process. With the right combination of high-quality materials and powerful Aura, the Riolu that hatched could possess even greater potential than before.
However, obtaining these materials would not be easy. Many of the recorded items dated back to before the Pokémon League's expansion into the Kalos region, and some names may have changed since then. Materials containing Aura energy were rare and difficult to acquire. Still, having a solution was better than none at all. Aoki could take his time searching—after all, he wasn't in immediate need of Riolu. His current team was already set, and he lacked the time to properly raise a new Pokémon from an egg.
Soon, Flygon descended near the entrance of a secluded cave—one of the many access points to the Connecting Caves. Unlike the main entrance, this passage was less traveled. The Connecting Caves remained largely unexplored by the Pokémon League, still teeming with wild Pokémon. The terrain inside was far more treacherous than the roads above.
In the future, the League would mobilize vast resources to fully clear the caves, transforming them into a convenient underground network similar to Kanto's Diglett's Cave. But for now, few dared to venture inside—not only due to the abundance of wild Pokémon but also because of the overwhelming stench that permeated the tunnels.
For Aoki, however, these obstacles were trivial. He released three of his Pokémon—Blaziken, Pupitar, and Lairon—before stepping into the cave, a specialized torch in hand.
The foul odor struck them immediately. Blaziken and the others recoiled slightly, their expressions twisting in disgust. Aoki, unfazed, pressed forward. He had endured worse in his past life—environments far more unbearable than this. Compared to the stench of Grimer and Muk, this was nothing.
Besides, Pokémon battles often involved foul-smelling opponents like Vileplume or Skuntank. Adapting to such conditions was necessary.
Before long, his Pokémon adjusted as well. Their physical resilience far surpassed that of humans, allowing them to acclimate quickly.
Not far into the cave, the sound of flapping wings filled the air. Most belonged to Zubat, with the occasional Golbat mixed in. As Flying- and Poison-type Pokémon, they were weak to Rock-, Electric-, Ice-, and Psychic-type moves.
Pupitar and Lairon's Rock-type attacks would be highly effective, while Lairon's Steel typing granted immunity to their Poison moves. Blaziken, so long as it controlled its flames carefully, had little to fear from their toxins.
As for Pupitar, its hardened shell and mastery of energy allowed it to form a thin but incredibly durable barrier of combined Ground and Rock energy around itself.
Aoki held the torch steady while his Ralts perched on his shoulder, its small legs dangling as it floated slightly. Against Poison-types, its Psychic abilities would prove useful.
Since they had just entered the caves, the Zubat they encountered were low-level, making them ideal opponents for Ralts to practice against.
However, the sheer number of Zubat here exceeded Aoki's expectations. Glancing upward, he could barely see the cavern ceiling—it was completely obscured by a dense, shifting mass of Zubat. Anyone with even a mild fear of enclosed spaces would have been overwhelmed.
Aoki had anticipated a large population, but the reality still gave him pause. His concern wasn't the difficulty of battling them, but rather a different question:
How do so many Zubat sustain themselves?
Not only were there enough to support their numbers, but the presence of numerous Golbat indicated an abundance of resources—enough to facilitate evolution. Where was this energy coming from?
Moreover, the Pokémon League had been established in Kalos for some time. Why had they neglected these caves for so long? The Battle Chateau on Route 7 was nearby, home to some of the region's strongest Trainers. Clearing these caves shouldn't have been difficult.
Was there something here that certain parties wanted left undisturbed?
The thought intrigued him.
"Let's use this opportunity to train," Aoki said to his team.
"Blaziken, focus on speed and evasion. Start with Agility, then follow up with Swords Dance."
"Pupitar, unleash a Sandstorm! Turn this cave into your domain!"
"Lairon, alternate between Rock Tomb and Rock Slide!"
"Ralts, you're free to engage as you see fit."
Within a Sandstorm, all non-Rock, Steel, or Ground-type Pokémon took gradual damage. Blaziken was no exception, but the Zubat would suffer far more.
As a Fire- and Fighting-type, Blaziken had a place in both Rain and Sandstorm teams. Familiarizing itself with this environment now would be beneficial. The residual damage would be minimal so long as Pupitar maintained precise control over the Sandstorm—a task made easier by its held Smooth Rock.
This was also an opportunity for them to refine their teamwork in preparation for future battles.
After a moment's consideration, Aoki released his Carbink as well.
Half of his Sandstorm team was now assembled.