Visiting Cynthia in Celestic Town and learning about some legends in the Sinnoh region, as well as some highly classified secrets, was a significant gain for Aoki. Perhaps he could use this knowledge in the future.
Afterward, Aoki traveled to Mount Coronet under Cynthia's guidance.
Once she had escorted Aoki to the mountain, Cynthia retraced her steps. Her current situation differed from Aoki's. Her Pokémon were already at a high level, and with the Sinnoh League competition just seven days away, she no longer needed frequent battles to improve their strength—after all, she had already faced countless opponents in the past.
Now, Cynthia had entered a more stable training phase. She needed to calmly refine her Pokémon's moves, improve their synergy with her, and enhance their energy control. In short, Cynthia's Pokémon required a period of smooth, steady training.
Aoki, however, was different. His current Pokémon had not yet reached a competitive standard, let alone stabilized their strength.
After parting ways with Cynthia, Aoki set foot on Mount Coronet with his Marshtomp and Poliwhirl.
Mount Coronet was the largest mountain in the Sinnoh region, and from below, it looked no different from Mt. Silver. Aoki's arrival had no noticeable impact on the mountain's usual quietness.
With his two Pokémon by his side, Aoki began his slow ascent.
It was then that he realized something had changed within him.
The first time he used his psychic powers, he noticed his control over them had slightly improved. Moreover, the stagnant progress in his psychic abilities—which had refused to grow no matter how much he trained—had finally begun to loosen.
Though the growth was slow, it was much faster than his usual meditation, and the key was that it was continuous.
Aoki glanced at the three symbols on his wrist.
"Could it be the influence of the Unown?" he wondered.
If that was the case, then these three little beings brought more benefits than he had expected. Though it felt strange to have three Pokémon attached to him, if they came with such advantages, it wasn't entirely unwelcome.
Of course, this was only true if the Unown had no negative effects on him.
There weren't many people on Mount Coronet, and as Aoki ventured deeper, the area became even more desolate. To prepare for potential battles, he also summoned his Florges.
Marshtomp, Poliwhirl, and Florges became his main battle team for the time being.
With only seven days left before the Sinnoh League, Aoki began his training journey. Since the focus was on improvement, he and his Pokémon moved at a relaxed pace. After a full day, they hadn't even reached a third of the way up the mountain, let alone the midpoint.
However, thanks to the Unown's secret power, Aoki's wilderness survival had become much easier. At night, he only needed to find a large tree and use his psychic abilities to create a small alternate dimension within it. Sheltered from wind and rain, the space maintained a comfortable temperature, allowing him to rest without worry.
The next morning, as Aoki emerged from the alternate dimension, he heard the sounds of battle.
At first, he assumed it was just wild Pokémon fighting and paid little attention. But after finishing his Pokémon's breakfast, he noticed the commotion was getting closer.
Curious, Aoki recalled all but Marshtomp, Poliwhirl, and Florges.
After a full day of training, his Pokémon had grown noticeably stronger. Marshtomp, with its strong combat ability, had finally caught up to Poliwhirl—both were now at level 34. Florges, having fully recovered, had also gained experience while testing new moves in battle. She had reached level 44, narrowing the gap with the rest of Aoki's primary team.
Aoki planned to give Marshtomp and the others three more days of training. How much they could improve in that time depended on their own efforts. After that, he intended to focus on Honchkrow's final preparations.
Though the Sinnoh League was only seven days away, the initial opponents would likely be weaker, leaving room for last-minute adjustments.
After packing up, Aoki and his three Pokémon headed toward the source of the battle sounds.
Within minutes, he concealed himself and observed the scene.
It wasn't wild Pokémon fighting—it was four humans.
Battles in the wilderness were never friendly. These were life-or-death struggles.
The four were split into two sides. Two wore League Investigator uniforms, their bodies scratched and their expressions frantic. Their Pokémon were heavily injured, barely holding their own against the other pair's relentless assault.
The two Investigators were clearly rookies, evident from the Junior Investigator badges on their chests.
Their opponents were harder to identify—their faces and upper bodies were covered in black cloth with strange markings. Their clothes were disheveled, like those of seasoned wilderness survivors. Their eyes burned with ferocity as they commanded their Pokémon to deliver the final blows.
Seeing the Investigators' Pokémon on the verge of collapse, Aoki knew he couldn't stay hidden.
"Poliwhirl, use Rain Dance! Then rush in with Water Pulse!"
"Marshtomp, Rock Tomb! Stop that Alakazam's attack, then hit it with Aqua Tail!"
Poliwhirl opened its mouth slightly, emitting a deep, rhythmic hum toward the sky. Having trained in rain-based techniques early on, it could summon rain almost instantly.
The clear sky darkened, and a light drizzle began, quickly intensifying.
Though the sudden rain surprised the battlers, mountain weather was unpredictable—they dismissed it.
But the real impact came next.
Marshtomp clenched its fists, and head-sized rocks materialized midair, crashing toward the attacking Alakazam. Though they missed, they blocked its path.
Then Poliwhirl dashed forward through the downpour, slamming a Water Pulse straight into the opposing Meowth.
Marshtomp followed up, gathering rainwater and its own energy into its tail before delivering a crushing Aqua Tail to Alakazam's face, sending it flying into a tree.
"Who's there?!" the masked men shouted as their Pokémon reeled from the attacks.
The two Investigators gasped in relief—emerging from the forest was a figure dressed much like them.
An ally!