"What I've perceived is roughly this: for the next few days, if there's nothing particularly important, I suggest everyone temporarily refrain from going out. If you absolutely must go out, it's best to conceal yourselves well, avoid making too much noise, and leave as few traces as possible," Aoki said gravely.
Aoki's advice was sound, but not everyone could accept it.
Lance said with a solemn expression, "If only a few of us came in this time, that would be perfectly fine. But there are many others outside. We cannot completely abandon them for our own safety. After all, even if we survive, if the others meet with misfortune, it would be a huge blow to the Alliance."
Cynthia and Diantha, who were beside him, nodded in agreement.
Their relationship with Aoki was indeed good, and they were grateful to him for gathering them, allowing them to protect each other to some extent and ensure everyone's safety.
However, they also had good relationships with their other companions from their respective regions, and it was impossible for them to simply abandon them.
To put it more frankly, Cynthia and Diantha were the strongest individuals from their regions who came in this time, and to some extent, they were responsible for everyone's safety.
There was also a very strange phenomenon, whether intentional or unintentional, that among these seven people, Aoki was silently regarded as the leader.
Steven, Phoebe, and Wallace would undoubtedly choose to follow Aoki. This was a natural outcome of their long acquaintance, mutual understanding, and extended time together.
Cynthia and Diantha could also somewhat understand it. After all, they were both individuals, and among the group, they were the most familiar with Aoki. Following him was not an unacceptable matter.
The strangest one was Lance.
Originally, with Lance's personality and his way of handling things, no matter where or in what situation, he would naturally become the leader.
But he certainly couldn't have imagined that Lance, known in the Alliance for his extensive network, would encounter someone who made more friends and had closer relationships than him—Aoki!
So, it wasn't that he didn't want to be the leader, but rather that Steven, Wallace, Phoebe, Cynthia, and Diantha all trusted Aoki's abilities more than his.
And facts proved that Aoki's abilities would not disappoint them.
A thousand li ride! Mega Salamence's solo rescue brought Phoebe back completely from the hands of the Cultists, and she was saved very thoroughly. Besides losing some materials, not a single Pokémon was lost.
This was proof of his strength and ability. The mere display of Aoki's Mega Salamence conquered all of them, including Lance.
So, who exactly is the 'King of Connections' in the entire Alliance, Aoki or Lance?! This question might involve quite a lot.
But no matter what, even Lance implicitly acknowledged Aoki as the temporary leader of everyone. At this moment, only Aoki could detect and avoid the Cultists' psychic abilities.
Hearing Lance's words and seeing the looks in Cynthia's and Diantha's eyes, Aoki knew that they would never abandon others, just as he wouldn't abandon Phoebe. It was precisely because they possessed such ability and will that they could become Champions of their respective regions in the future.
"We definitely won't abandon them, but at this critical moment, anyone who runs around will meet the same fate. They are very likely to become targets for those Cultists whose minds are somewhat abnormal. Perhaps their overly powerful psychic abilities have driven them to madness.
Or perhaps their desire for powerful psychic abilities has led to their unusual behavior.
Whatever the reason, going out now could very likely lead to being besieged by them. I suggest we rest here for a few days, and once that group calms down, we can go find the others together. I believe that before you came in, you must have left some signals that only you could understand, right?
It won't be too late to go find them then," Aoki explained his suggestion.
"Furthermore, there's a crucial point: we don't know how many people have joined the Cult. Currently, we know of Will and Koga from the Johto region. If you encounter someone who has joined the Cult under unknown circumstances, it would be a devastating disaster for us."
Hearing Aoki say this, everyone's mood became a bit heavy, but undeniably, this was also one of the reasons they dared not go out to find people rashly at this moment.
"Therefore, my suggestion is to wait for a while, at least a week, until these matters settle. Then we can set off, and during this time, we can adjust our own and our Pokémon's conditions to face the various complex situations that may arise later."
No one refuted him this time, because what Aoki said was indeed the most suitable course of action for now.
Although the cave was a bit small, expanding it was certainly no problem given their strength.
"In that case… let's talk about your Salamence's special evolution, that thing called… Mega Evolution!" After a period of silence, Lance spoke again.
This question was something that everyone present, except Steven, was very interested in and curious about.
The transformation of Salamence and the power boost after Mega Evolution had indeed given them a great shock.
Aoki had already explained Mega Evolution to Steven once. In fact, all the words put together were not as straightforward as an actual demonstration.
"Steven, why don't you demonstrate it? My Salamence just exerted itself and is exhausted now," Aoki said to Steven.
It wasn't easy for Aoki's Pokémon to demonstrate Mega Evolution here. Whether it was Tyranitar or Aggron, their size would likely cause the entire cave to collapse if they Mega Evolved here.
Steven's Mawile was much simpler to demonstrate.
Aoki estimated that Steven hadn't used Mega Evolution since the battle with Will. This was a good opportunity for him to practice and also to show Lance and the others.
Hearing Aoki's words, Steven showed no reaction, but Lance and the others looked at Steven with astonished eyes.
They had always thought Steven just knew a bit more than them, but they never expected that he could also perform Mega Evolution.
A complex smile appeared on Steven's face.
How to put it, it contained helplessness, self-satisfaction, and awkwardness, but it seemed like self-satisfaction was slightly more prominent. The sense of superiority that could be perceived from his smile almost infuriated everyone present except Aoki.
He actually had a sense of superiority in front of them.
Superiority complex!
However, they probably wouldn't think that way once they saw what Steven demonstrated.
Steven threw out a Poké Ball, summoning the Mawile he had just caught.
He had two Mawile with him, but the one he had raised since it was small was not as strong as the one currently in front of them.
And this was the first time Steven had encountered such a situation: a recently caught Pokémon, whose strength was already almost fully developed, and whose intimacy and synchronization with him changed day by day. In just over a week, it had met the conditions for Mega Evolution.
As soon as Mawile came out, she wanted to rush into Steven's arms, looking as if she missed him terribly.
But when she saw the people surrounding her, especially Aoki, Lance, and Wallace, she immediately became shy.
So many handsome guys!
Aoki and Steven were very familiar with this Mawile's personality, so they wore expressions of amusement. As for Steven, he slapped himself on the face.
This Mawile was good in every way, whether it was her demonstrated strength, her synchronization with her Trainer, or her strong ability to accept and adapt to battle commands. After such a short time together, she was not much different from a Pokémon he had raised since childhood.
Lance and Wallace clearly noticed Mawile's personality and immediately felt refreshed. The expression of Steven, who had previously looked at them like city folk looking at country folk, was instantly forgotten.
"Ahem, Mawile!" Steven awkwardly coughed and immediately called out to Mawile.
Hearing Steven's voice, Mawile jolted and immediately returned to normal, though her two small eyes were still darting around, her gaze flitting back and forth between Lance and Wallace.
Steven was at a loss with Mawile; her nature was simply like that, and it couldn't be said to be bad.
Steven carefully took out the Key Stone Aoki had given him from his pocket.
When Mawile saw the Key Stone in Steven's hand, her eyes instantly lit up. She knew why Steven had summoned her: not to look at handsome guys, but for her to Mega Evolve.
Mawile really loved the special state of Mega Evolution. That feeling of naturally merging with Steven's will was something she was very fond of; it was something she liked.
She instantly forgot about Lance and Wallace.
Wildflowers, no matter how fragrant, are not as beautiful as the flower at home.
Cynthia and Diantha stood aside, covering their mouths and enjoying the show, until they saw the Key Stone Steven took out, then they realized the main event was about to begin!
Under everyone's gaze, Steven clenched his hand, tightly gripping the Key Stone in his palm, "Mawile! Mega Evolve!"
Instantly, a large amount of colorful light burst forth from the Key Stone in Steven's palm, escaping through the gaps in his fingers. It then looked like magnificent ribbons, floating beside Mawile and connecting with her Mega Stone.
Following that, Mawile was enveloped by a large amount of energy surging from the Mega Stone, and her aura gradually surged under the gaze of Aoki and the others.
Cynthia and Diantha's eyes were also filled with wonder. This scene was almost identical to Aoki making his Salamence Mega Evolve, except Salamence's Mega Evolution was much faster, while Steven and Mawile seemed not very familiar with this ability, and the process was slightly sluggish.
As Mawile was enveloped by Mega Evolution energy, Steven slowly closed his eyes. He could now feel Mawile's deepest thoughts: her recognition of him, her attachment to him, and… her pursuit of handsome guys.
Of course, Mawile could also feel some of Steven's inner thoughts, but Steven was the dominant party. As the Trainer, Mawile could only feel his most urgent thoughts at that moment.
The Mega Evolution energy dissipated, revealing the greatly transformed Mega Mawile. Her iconic large mouth on her back had become two.
Lance and Cynthia looked at this scene in amazement. Even though they had witnessed it once and had some mental preparation, they still found it incredibly miraculous.
Lance carefully touched Mega Mawile, finding her to be very real, without any hint of falsehood.
After Lance started, everyone else also reached out to touch her.
To Aoki, Lance, and Wallace's touch, Mawile showed a certain shyness, but to Cynthia and Diantha's touch, Mega Mawile showed a certain resistance. If Steven hadn't been there, Mega Mawile's two large mouths would probably have been ready for them.
At this scene, Cynthia and Diantha truly felt both annoyed and amused.
A little jealous pot, full of vinegar, only allowed herself to be infatuated with handsome guys but wouldn't allow them to get close to Steven.
Of course, everyone laughed off Mawile's childish behavior, except Steven, who felt slightly awkward.
Witnessing Pokémon's Mega Evolution again, the surprise and curiosity on Lance and the others' faces not only did not dissipate but grew even stronger.
Aoki took advantage of everyone's attention being on Mega Mawile to scan Mawile's data at that moment.
Pokémon: Mawile (Blue) — Mega Evolved Form
Gender: Female
Level: 82 (84)
Type: Steel + Fairy
Ability: Huge Power
Held Item: Mawilite
Egg Moves: Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Misty Terrain
Basic Moves: Play Rough, Iron Head, Taunt, Growl, Fairy Wind, Astonish, Fake Tears, Bite, Sweet Scent, Vice Grip, Sucker Punch, Baton Pass, Crunch, Iron Defense, Assurance, Stockpile, Swallow, Spit Up
Learnt Moves: Icy Wind, Stealth Rock, Snatch, Snore, Knock Off, Foul Play, Magnet Rise, Hone Claws, Thunder Punch, Last Resort, Pain Split, Foul Play
TM Moves: None
Aside from the change in appearance, the virtual increase in level, and the change in ability, there wasn't much difference.
Mawile's virtual level, converted by the chip, was 84. Not being able to break through the first barrier was understandable. Even Aoki's Gengar only crossed the first Champion-level barrier after its normal form reached level 84 and then Mega Evolved.
Even among Pokémon of the same level 84, there was a big difference. At this moment, Mawile's strength was almost at the peak below the first barrier!
"This is Mega Evolution. On the surface, it only appears to be a change in appearance, but I believe you can all feel that Mawile's aura has been greatly strengthened, approaching the first barrier of Champion-level," Aoki began to explain slowly at this point.
Explaining after demonstrating Mega Evolution to them was much simpler.
Everyone nodded unconsciously upon hearing Aoki's words.
"I believe you've all read Professor Oak's article on Pokémon base stats. It details the base stats for each Pokémon based on their characteristics, and these have all been entered into the Pokédex, making it easier for trainers to better understand and train their Pokémon.
This theory was published by Professor Oak in the early stages of his professorship and is now very widely circulated. So, if we look at Mega Evolution from the perspective of base stats, it can be seen this way: every Pokémon that undergoes Mega Evolution gains an additional one hundred points in their total base stats, distributed among their various stats according to their individual circumstances.
That's why there's such a significant increase in Pokémon strength," Aoki explained.
"One hundred points?!" Lance exclaimed.
Professor Oak's article on base stats is almost a must-read for all capable trainers. After all, that article analyzed Pokémon from various angles and aspects, as well as the reasons and justifications for their species' various stat values. This article consumed almost all of Professor Oak's early time.
Furthermore, the values and distribution for various Pokémon change to a certain extent almost every year, as Professor Oak continuously refines this theory.
Whenever a new Pokémon is discovered, Professor Oak immediately releases its preliminary base stats for trainers' reference.
In Lance's impression, Mawile's base stats were 380 points, and it had no evolutionary forms.
As a Steel-type Pokémon, Mawile didn't seem like a particularly outstanding Pokémon from any angle, until Aoki later discovered the Fairy type. When Pokémon researchers discovered the Fairy-type attribute in Mawile, it gained a certain degree of popularity.
However, when people realized that while Fairy-type Pokémon were effective against Dragon-type Pokémon, they couldn't directly overwhelm them as imagined, the popularity of Mawile gradually declined.
More often, their cute appearance made them popular Pokémon among many noble ladies.
Originally, it had 380 base stats. Adding 100 points would bring it to 480, a direct increase of one-fourth?!
Although the actual strength wouldn't increase by that much, it still made Lance and the others understand the terrifying amplification of Mega Evolution.
"Yes, and not only that, but most Pokémon also experience some changes in their abilities or types after Mega Evolving. For example, this Mawile's ability will change to Huge Power after Mega Evolution!" Aoki said again.
"Huge Power!?" Lance was a bit jumpy today, but what he had just learned from Aoki made him unable to be anything but jumpy.
He instantly felt targeted by the whole world.
Shortly after the Fairy type emerged, he specifically researched the moves and characteristics of those Fairy-type Pokémon, and Mawile was one of the first Pokémon he ruled out.
Although the combination of Fairy and Steel types was good, and Mawile also had Swords Dance, which could somewhat compensate for its inherent shortcomings, it was still not enough to pose a significant threat to Dragon-type Pokémon.
But if it gained an additional 100 base stats, then had its ability changed to Huge Power, coupled with the amplification of Swords Dance, and the Fairy-type physical move Play Rough...
Lance felt a headache coming on.
Of course, he wasn't the only one who could think of these things, so everyone else had a suppressed smile on their faces. After all, there was only one Dragon-type Elite Four member present.
Steven patted Mega Mawile's head with satisfaction.
He wasn't targeting anyone, Steven just wanted to say, "What a great day!"
Aoki encouragingly patted Lance's shoulder and said earnestly, "Don't worry, as a Dragon-type Elite Four, you don't actually have many Dragon-type Pokémon!"
Hearing Aoki's words, Lance finally reacted. Upon closer thought, it seemed he indeed didn't have many Dragon-type Pokémon. Among them, Charizard, Aerodactyl, and Gyarados were not pure Dragon-type Pokémon. These Pokémon were all partners he had caught before returning to the Dragon Clan. Although they weren't Dragon-type Pokémon, they all carried more or less Dragon-type bloodlines.
However, Fairy-type Pokémon couldn't pose much of a threat to them.
Thinking this way, Lance felt much better.
"Ahem, besides Pokémon like Mawile whose abilities change after Mega Evolution, there are also other Pokémon whose types change. For example, Aggron, after Mega Evolving, I found their type changed from the original Steel/Rock to pure Steel-type Pokémon.
Although this reduces their attack versatility and power to some extent, their defense increases dramatically, which is terrifying!
I'm sure you, Steven, have experienced this firsthand."
Steven nodded repeatedly at Aoki's words, recalling the battle with Bellossom that day. After Aggron Mega Evolved, relying on its impenetrable defense, it actually forced the opponent out of the range of Aoki's Tyranitar's Sandstorm.
"In short, Mega Evolution is a very mysterious ability. I also discovered it by chance, and what I know now is only this much. If we want to learn more, it will probably require a dedicated Pokémon research doctor to spend a lifetime or even longer studying it," Aoki sighed.
There was a hint of wistfulness on his face, while Steven and Lance, and the others, were more filled with anticipation, somewhat looking forward to a time when everyone would have a Mega Evolution.
Afterward, Aoki further explained some secrets and precautions regarding Mega Evolution, such as not being as reckless as Steven by attempting a double Mega Evolution right away. An ordinary person's body and will cannot withstand such an impact.
At best, it leads to unconsciousness; at worst, it causes brain damage.
Steven was truly lucky in this regard.
However, after gradually becoming familiar with Mega Evolution and being able to maintain it for a long time without pressure, one could then attempt a double Mega Evolution.
After talking about Mega Evolution, the conversation drifted, covering many topics, leaving Aoki a bit parched.
"What I know is roughly this much. Because I haven't found the right opportunity, I haven't known when to talk about this.
But I hope that those of you who know about this will not speak of it before I make it public, especially you two, Steven and Lance.
I hope you two temporarily do not disclose this to your families. Sometimes, obtaining Mega Stones too early is not an absolute good thing. I believe you all see this more clearly than I do.
Although I absolutely trust you, I also want to remind you not to focus too much on immediate gains. This is something that could change the entire pattern of the Pokémon world. Before we announce it, we must be careful, careful, and even more careful.
Of course, if you yourselves want to try collecting some, I have no objection. After all, no matter how much an individual collects, it won't affect the overall situation." Aoki emphasized this several times at the end.
Steven, Lance, and Cynthia all nodded with serious expressions.
With their current strength, their perspective on the entire Pokémon world's structure was different.
"If you want to try Mega Evolution, I still have two Mega Stones here whose corresponding Pokémon haven't been determined. You can see if there's one that matches your Pokémon." Saying this, Aoki took out two brand new Mega Stones from his pocket.
He hadn't tested the Pokémon corresponding to these two Mega Stones yet. Besides knowing that they couldn't be used by his own Pokémon, he didn't know exactly which Pokémon they suited.
Upon hearing Aoki's words, everyone present, including Steven, had their eyes light up, looking eager to try.
"But before that, summon all your injured Pokémon. I'll take a look at them." Aoki said, first summoning his own Salamence, which was a bit exhausted earlier.
During their conversation, Drapion and the other Pokémon weren't idle; they had already expanded the cave to a considerable size, large enough to accommodate all seven of them, including their Pokémon.
Having a Pokémon of near-Champion strength like Drapion dig a hole was indeed a bit overkill, but for some reason, Drapion seemed to really enjoy the work. When Aoki recalled it, it even seemed to have a lingering feeling of wanting more.
Enjoying the present, forgetting the past!
That was probably the feeling.
Aoki was helpless about it.
After he summoned Salamence, Phoebe immediately summoned all of her Pokémon. She had wanted Aoki to examine her Pokémon for a long time, but because what he had been discussing earlier was too important, she had forgotten about it herself and only remembered when Aoki reminded her.
When Phoebe was captured earlier, almost all of her Pokémon had lost their battle capabilities, and those summoned now all looked dispirited.
Besides Phoebe, the others also summoned a few Pokémon, all of whom had sustained some minor to moderate injuries.
The wild Pokémon here were very high-leveled, and like Aoki, they hoped to give the most suitable Pokémon the most training. Also, due to the scarcity of supplies, many minor injuries were not treated to conserve resources.
Suddenly, the cave became lively. Many Pokémon were not seriously injured, but these small injuries couldn't be ignored. After a while, they might appear fully recovered, but in reality, they were just hidden. Over time, they would become internal injuries, which would damage the Pokémon's potential to some extent.
If not treated promptly and effectively, it could even lead to very serious external injuries.
That's why powerful wild Pokémon are scarcer in the wild. As wild Pokémon, they simply have no way or ability to deal with the injuries they sustain from battles. Gradually, these injuries accumulate, becoming internal injuries or more serious hidden dangers, leading to a decline in their own aptitude. When they try to push their strength further, they find their potential has already been exhausted.
This is why when high-aptitude Pokémon are encountered in the wild, most are young ones who haven't participated in many battles.
And on this special continent, the reason there are so many powerful, high-level wild Pokémon is partly because humans haven't interfered too much with their lives.
Another reason is that the resources on this continent are overly abundant. Many Pokémon, after being injured in battle, can largely heal their wounds by finding and eating some special plants. Although sometimes they cannot fully recover, it is still much better than having no treatment at all.
Therefore, there's a reason why wild Pokémon on this continent are so strong.
Aoki took out various special bottles and jars from his storage space, along with some special items, including materials he had obtained from here.
Different Pokémon require different types of medicine to some extent after being injured. For example, scratches are different from burns, and bruises are different from poisoning.
Normally, when in a hurry, he wouldn't pay so much attention, and a general-purpose healing potion or spray would suffice. But now that there was time, and materials were abundant, Aoki didn't mind showing off his skills to everyone again.
After all, his reputation as "Aoki One-Hand" was already established.
As the youngest Senior Pokémon Breeder, he would be treated as a treasure in any region.
And his identity as a Senior Breeder was just a side job.
Watching Aoki's exquisite technique, specialized potions and sprays quickly appeared in his hands. Any injury quickly recovered in the face of these healing items.
In fact, in many cases, what limits a breeder's ability is not how difficult the injuries are to treat, or how complex the formula calculations are, but rather the large quantity of precious materials.
Of course, Aoki having the help of the system, eliminating the need for complex calculations, was also a major reason.
Seeing their respective Pokémon quickly recover in Aoki's hands, Phoebe and the others' faces lit up with smiles.
It was so reassuring to train in the wild with Aoki; they didn't have to worry about their Pokémon getting injured at all.
"Phew—alright, I'm pretty much done with everything." Aoki let out a long breath and put away all the bottles, jars, and remaining materials on the ground.
After tidying up, he continued, "I now have a good idea of which of your Pokémon can undergo Mega Evolution."
While he was treating their Pokémon's injuries just now, he was actually also having the system analyze and calculate the final ownership of those two Mega Stones.
Fortunately, both of these Mega Stones would have a suitable owner!