At this time, Carbink had been following Aoki for a long time.
Although it did not participate much in battle, Aoki still took care of its daily needs due to its potential for mutation.
Now, its level had reached 30.
This was not particularly high, especially compared to Pokémon like Carbink. Even at level 30, its combat ability was limited, as it was a species specialized in defense.
However, since Carbink was holding a fragment of Xerneas's antler, its mutation speed had increased significantly.
Proper training and battles would further accelerate this process.
Aoki was still looking forward to Diancie's eventual transformation.
Meanwhile, Pupitar and the others were steadily growing. As a Rock- and Ground-type Pokémon, it could perform well in sandstorm conditions, though its role was primarily supportive rather than offensive.
Carbink's base stats totaled 500, with 300 of those points dedicated to Defense and Special Defense.
This meant it lacked explosive offensive power but excelled in endurance and team support.
"Carbink, use Defense Split on Blaziken, then use Gravity on the Zubat and Golbat swarm. Try to cover as many as possible," Aoki commanded.
One of Carbink's greatest strengths was its unwavering obedience to orders.
Having lived in a colony where discipline was paramount, it had grown accustomed to following instructions without hesitation.
Now that Aoki was its Trainer, it carried out his commands with precision.
Tiny grains of sand lifted from the cave floor, walls, and loose pebbles, swirling around Pupitar.
Within moments, a dense sandstorm formed under Pupitar's control, expanding rapidly until it filled the entire cavern.
The airborne Zubat and Golbat became the primary targets of the swirling sand.
Once the sandstorm was fully formed, Pupitar unleashed Rock Tomb and Rock Slide, pelting the swarm with jagged stones.
Aoki and Blaziken remained mostly unaffected, shielded by Carbink's careful sand manipulation.
Blaziken began a rapid Sword Dance, its Speed boosted further by Agility.
This combination pushed its movement to its current limit—any faster would strain its body.
Carbink, though rarely used in direct combat, had observed countless battles on Aoki's island.
Watching Honchkrow and others spar had given it valuable insight.
A faint psychic energy emanated from Carbink, enveloping itself and Blaziken.
Defense Split combined their defensive stats and redistributed them equally.
Given Carbink's naturally high Defense, Blaziken's durability increased dramatically.
The Fire-type fighter now felt as though it wore diamond-reinforced armor, shrugging off weak attacks effortlessly.
But Carbink's support didn't end there.
Gravity activated, slamming the lighter Zubat and Golbat to the ground, stripping them of their aerial advantage.
Now grounded, they were easy prey for Blaziken's relentless assaults.
Any that strayed too close were immediately crushed by the intensified gravitational pull.
Gravity was Carbink's most-practiced move.
During training sessions, it often created gravity fields to amplify the intensity of workouts—especially for Fighting-types like Blaziken.
Currently, its maximum gravitational multiplier was three times normal force.
Pushing beyond that required further growth.
The battle quickly stabilized.
Aoki advanced deeper into the cavern system, his team systematically neutralizing every Zubat and Golbat in their path.
Most were left unconscious rather than killed—recovery would take days without medical intervention.
As expected, the deeper they went, the fewer but stronger the Zubat became.
This was a classic hierarchy: the strongest Pokémon occupied the most resource-rich areas, ensuring their continued dominance.
Among Aoki's team, Ralts had seen the most rapid growth.
Perched on his shoulder, it used Psychic attacks with increasing precision.
Slowking's training had been invaluable.
Ralts's natural talent for combat allowed it to reach level 18 swiftly, nearly matching Bagon and the others.