Boom! ! !
The watery tail condensed by Marshtomp struck like a massive tsunami wave, while Onix became a stony reef attempting to block the incoming surge.
The difference was that while waves cannot shatter reefs, the powerful Aqua Tail attack completely overwhelmed Onix.
The enormous and incredibly heavy Onix was actually lifted several centimeters off the ground by the full-force Aqua Tail from Marshtomp—not just its head or tail, but its entire body left the ground momentarily.
For the first time since its birth, the Onix experienced something akin to flying, albeit not very high. But it was airborne nonetheless.
Boom! !
The Onix's massive body crashed into a pile of rocks. The Water-type move was super effective against it, dealing massive damage and causing it to lose the battle immediately.
Meanwhile, Marshtomp leaped out from the rubble, exhilarated.
For the first time, it felt its strength surge to new heights, its body overflowing with energy. Even after unleashing a full-powered Aqua Tail, it didn't feel drained at all.
Aoki stepped forward, observing Marshtomp closely. Its stats had clearly surpassed its previous limits.
Water energy radiated from Marshtomp's body, swirling around it uncontrollably. The excess energy spilled out, forming small ripples in the air.
From his bag, Aoki retrieved a small vial containing a glowing blue liquid—the Aptitude Booster he had spent considerable time and resources to acquire.
This was Marshtomp's second time using the enhancer, so it knew exactly what to do. It took the vial from Aoki's hand and drank the contents in one gulp.
A bright white light enveloped Marshtomp's body, intertwining with the overflowing Water-type energy. The surrounding Pokémon gathered around, fascinated—they were familiar with evolution, but this was Marshtomp's final form.
The circle of light expanded as the silhouette inside grew larger.
Marshtomp, which had previously stood upright, now crouched low, its arms thicker and more muscular, allowing it to move faster on all fours. Its hind legs had also strengthened significantly, packed with dense muscle—perfect for delivering devastating Ground-type attacks.
The fin-like crest on its head had split into two large sections, improving its hydrodynamics, while the tail fins had merged into one solid structure.
"SWAMPERT!!!"
With a mighty roar, the light dissipated, revealing the fully evolved Swampert. The remaining Water-type energy condensed into shimmering droplets before being absorbed back into its body.
Swampert!
The final evolution of Mudkip!
The fully evolved Water/Ground-type powerhouse of Hoenn!
A core member of Aoki's Rain Team and the second Water-type Pokémon in his gym roster to reach its final stage.
"Boom!!!"
"Swampert!!!" Thrilled by its evolution, Swampert slammed its fists into the ground, cracking the stone beneath it before shattering it completely.
Its raw strength was staggering.
Nearby, Drapion watched with keen interest.
The demolition crew just got a new powerhouse, it thought.
Drapion felt it had found a kindred spirit—someone to spar with later.
Unaware of Drapion's plotting, Swampert continued celebrating, accidentally triggering Hammer Arm in its excitement.
Aoki's eyes gleamed—not only had Swampert's power increased, but it had also instinctively learned Hammer Arm and Earth Power, two incredibly useful moves.
He activated his scanning system to analyze Swampert's new data.
Pokémon: Swampert (Teal)
Gender: Male
Level: 36
Type: Water / Ground
Ability: Torrent
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Ancient Power, Bite, Mud Sport, Refresh
Basic Moves: Mud-Slap, Hammer Arm, Tackle, Growl, Water Gun, Mud Shot, Foresight, Endure, Mud Bomb, Rock Slide, Protect
Learnt Moves: Surf, Aqua Tail, Icy Wind (taught by Weavile), Earth Power
TM Moves: Protect, Earthquake, Scald
Swampert had not only gained Hammer Arm but also Earth Power, two excellent additions to its moveset.
As Aoki expected, its potential had risen to Dark Teal, nearly reaching Blue—a result of the high-quality Aptitude Booster.
However, the side effects soon kicked in. Swampert's limbs weakened, and it nearly collapsed—had Drapion not steadied it, the newly evolved Pokémon would have face-planted in embarrassment.
The exhaustion was worse than last time, a trade-off for the stronger enhancement.
But Aoki had prepared for this. Using data from his system, he had developed a method to accelerate recovery during this vulnerable phase.
"Rest up, Swampert," Aoki said warmly. "Once you recover, you'll have plenty of battles ahead."
He then noticed something unusual—his Swampert was larger than average. Most Swampert stood around 1.5 meters tall, but his measured a full 1.8 meters—truly a towering, powerful specimen.
"Swampert~~" It nodded weakly, understanding. Evolution fatigue was a small price for greater strength.
Aoki recalled Swampert into its Poké Ball.
Before leaving, he turned to the Florges nearby. "Florges, could you use Grassy Terrain on the Onix? It helped Swampert evolve, after all. Who knows—maybe Poliwhirl will need its help next."
Florges nodded gracefully.
"Flor~~"
A lush green field spread beneath Onix, revitalizing it.
Had Onix understood Aoki's words, it might have fled in terror.
This Trainer played the long game—and that was terrifying.