The Sky Hunter member reacted too late—Aoki had already vanished from the conference room. They rushed out frantically, leaving the bound Void operative trapped with no chance of escape. This was, after all, the Sky Hunters' headquarters. Allowing an outsider to flee would be unthinkable.
Upon receiving the alert, Skye and the other three cadres abandoned their tasks and raced back to base. By then, Aoki had been waiting in the conference room's foremost seat for some time. The four hurried inside, relief washing over them when they saw Aoki's composed demeanor. A simple wave from him directed them to sit.
"I captured a Void squad in the mountains," Aoki stated calmly. "Dealt with them. Their captain is in custody."
The four stiffened. They knew of the Void—a formidable Hoenn-based syndicate, a dominant force in Goldenrod City. The Sky Hunters had seized Verdanturf Town from one of their officers, marking them as a persistent threat. Now, with Void scouts discovered nearby, the implications were severe.
"No need for speculation," Aoki cut in. "They're making their move."
The Sky Hunters had become a valuable asset, one Aoki couldn't discard lightly. His interest in the Void's operations only deepened the tension.
Skye leaned forward. "Your orders?"
"Expand patrols. Send a strike team to sweep the area for more Void operatives. Stay combat-ready." Aoki's voice was steady. "But don't worry—their elites won't engage yet."
The four nodded sharply.
Aoki's pause stretched, the silence heavy. Then: "One more thing. Team Rocket spies have infiltrated us. Root them out."
Skye, Alec, and Miyamoto paled. Recruitment was their responsibility. They stood abruptly. "Sir—"
Aoki raised a hand. "I don't blame you. Your loyalty has already been confirmed. The spy is hidden deep. They will be hard to find because they haven't caused any damage yet." His gaze hardened. "But execute any confirmed traitors. No mercy."
The three swallowed. "Understood."
With that, Aoki left.
The Sky Hunters numbered in the thousands—infiltration was inevitable. Even Team Rocket and the League suffered such breaches. But Aoki wouldn't tolerate leaks exposing his movements. The Void's ambush had reminded him: the mole had to be eliminated.
His training schedule disrupted, Aoki returned to the forest. His Larvitar and others, now healed, resumed drills.
By dusk, Aoki was back at the compound—only to halt at the sight before him.
His Altaria, perched in the yard's corner, radiated unstable energy. Its aura fluctuated wildly, at times feeble as a novice's, at others surging beyond its usual peak. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel-fire.ɴet
He dismissed his team and sprinted over, Slowking at his heels. This was it—the breakthrough he'd waited for.
Though not fully his, Altaria obeyed his commands. A Champion-level Dragon-type would be a formidable ally.
His system scanned Altaria's vitals. Slowking, his strongest, was still two tiers from Champion rank. The barrier was infamous—not every Pokémon could cross it.
Only those with exceptional potential stood a chance. Light-cyan was the baseline for Champion level Pokemon. Altaria, with its dark-cyan talent, should have ascended long ago. Yet it had lingered at the cusp.
Now, as its energy spiraled toward climax, Aoki watched intently. The moment had come.