Two days passed swiftly for Aoki and Murkrow, filled with training and exploration.
Their days were full yet orderly, and both Aoki and Murkrow thrived in the routine.
The most noticeable change was Murkrow's appearance. After consuming a full week's worth of Yellow Berry Pokéblocks, Murkrow had fully recovered from its previously weakened state. Though it wasn't clear if it had reached its maximum potential, Murkrow was visibly content. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N()velFire.net
Initially undersized, Murkrow now stood at sixty centimeters, ten centimeters taller than an average Murkrow. Its black feathers clung tightly to its body, and each feather's glossy sheen gave it a streamlined appearance, making it faster in flight. Its wings, strengthened through consistent training, now wielded significant power, allowing it to master Gust and even begin to grasp Hurricane.
Despite its increased size and weight, Murkrow's speed had improved. Both its attack power and velocity had been enhanced.
While Aoki's changes weren't as dramatic as Murkrow's, he appeared more energetic, and his muscles were beginning to show. Despite wearing tattered clothes, his bright eyes reflected his renewed vigor.
The once humble Zubat cave had been transformed. The cold ground was now covered with soft straw and leaves, and wooden shelves lined the walls, holding medicinal herbs and berries Aoki had foraged. A modest cot, covered with animal fur, lay on the ground.
"Murkrow, the Yellow Berry Pokéblock has run its course. Continuing with it won't yield much benefit. It's time to start eating the Black Velocity Pokéblock," Aoki said, watching Murkrow preen its feathers.
Hearing this, Murkrow immediately stopped its grooming, swallowed hard, and fixed its gaze on Aoki.
With a chuckle, Aoki retrieved the Black Velocity Pokéblock from his storage space and placed it in Murkrow's bowl.
"From now on, you can eat to your heart's content," Aoki said. Unlike the Yellow Berry Pokéblock, the Black Velocity Pokéblock contained ample Dark and Flying energy, promoting gradual but significant growth.
Despite its usual appetite, Murkrow felt full after just a few Pokéblocks due to their high energy content.
Recalling the Pokéblocks' perfect taste, Murkrow smacked its beak, longing for more despite its fullness.
While Murkrow enjoyed its meal, Aoki quickly finished his lunch.
The afternoon was dedicated to battles and further exploration. Since the Team Rocket base was located to the west, Aoki and Murkrow had spent the last two days exploring the eastern forest. They encountered various Pokémon and identified several groups, including a flock of Spearow eight kilometers away and a Pidgey group fifteen kilometers away. These two groups were fierce rivals, frequently clashing, but their numbers and strength deterred Aoki from engaging them. The Spearow group had a level 22 Fearow, and the Pidgey group had two level 21 Pidgeotto, making both factions formidable.
Today's plan was to venture south and engage in lighter battles.
Given Murkrow's current size, it could no longer perch on Aoki's shoulder. Instead, it hovered above, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
Aoki wasn't certain of the test island's size, but it seemed vast. Despite days spent outside the Team Rocket base, he hadn't encountered anyone else. While some, like Guga—the top scorer in the first test—explored during the day and returned to base before sunset, others remained outside continuously.
However, today seemed different. About three kilometers south, Aoki encountered three other test participants resting under a tree.
Murkrow was the first to spot them and silently alerted Aoki, who approached cautiously.
The trio appeared to be discussing something, each accompanied by a Pokémon. The apparent leader, a portly boy, had a Koffing. One of the others, notably short, had an Oddish, and the third, wearing a green T-shirt, had a Zubat.
"Are we really going straight, Big Brother?" the shortest one asked hesitantly.
The portly boy sneered at him. "What, you don't trust me?" His disdain was evident as he looked down on the shorter boy's Oddish, a common and relatively weak Pokémon in these parts.
"No, no, Big Brother! We trust you! You ranked tenth in the first test!" the boy in green hurriedly added.
Big Brother's expression softened at the flattery, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Humph, if Koffing had better direct attack moves, I'd have ranked much higher," he boasted, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely convinced of his own words.
"Absolutely, Big Brother! You could easily be in the top three!" the short boy quickly chimed in, eager to please.
Big Brother nodded approvingly. Though the short boy wasn't much, his obedience made him tolerable.
"This treasure map I got from the ranking reward and the one from the base exchange show the nearby Pokémon groups. We passed the Rattata group, just as marked on the map, so we're on the right track."
As the tenth-place finisher in the first test, Fat Brother had used all his points to redeem a treasure map. Unlike Aoki, who had a clear plan for his and Murkrow's development, many participants relied on luck, trading for treasure maps of varying accuracy and hoping for a windfall.
Big Brother was precisely the type to take such a gamble.