Aoki's expression was serious as the system activated immediately, allowing him to slowly walk to the side of the Altaria.
At this time, the Altaria closed her eyes, and strong Dragon and Flying-type energies emanated from her body. The swirling gusts of wind around her ruffled her cloud-like feathers as the power built within her core. He took out a Potion that he had prepared in advance from his bag, which might be able to provide some assistance during the Altaria's evolution process. The glass bottle glinted in the sunlight as he uncorked it carefully.
Sensing someone approaching, the Altaria suddenly opened its eyes, revealing a momentarily ferocious look in its piercing gaze. As a Pokémon that had lived in the wild for most of its life and had only recently begun traveling with Aoki, its wild instincts had not completely faded. At this critical evolutionary moment, its subconscious reactions remained quite primal and intense. However, after recognizing Aoki's familiar presence, its eyes gradually softened into their usual gentle expression. The tension in its wings relaxed as it let out a soft cooing sound.
Aoki stretched out his hand and stroked the soft feathers of the Altaria. There was some Aura energy in his hand that seemed to have a soothing effect on Pokémon. The blue glow from his palm mixed with the white fluff of the Altaria's plumage as he gently petted her. At the same time, he opened several Potions one by one and carefully fed them to the Altaria. The liquid sparkled as it trickled into her beak, and she swallowed each dose obediently.
After taking the medicine, the Altaria's aura became even stronger, her body beginning to glow with a pale blue light. The energy radiating from her form pulsed like waves as she prepared for her breakthrough. Finally, after more than ten minutes of intense concentration, the Altaria's energy stabilized at its peak, and the fluctuations ceased completely. The glow surrounding her faded to reveal her majestic form, now brimming with newfound power.
After such a long period of training, the Altaria had remained at the peak of the pseudo-champion level for so long, and now she had finally succeeded in breaking through to the true champion level! The genuine champion level! A look of pure joy appeared on her face as she first stretched out her head to nuzzle affectionately against Aoki's cheek, then happily spread her magnificent wings and let out a triumphant cry that echoed across the landscape. The two young Swablu flew happily to their mother's sides, circling around her in celebration. They understood how hard their mother had worked to reach this Champion level breakthrough, having witnessed her struggles firsthand. Now that she had finally succeeded, their tiny wings flapped with excitement.
"System, has the entire process been recorded?" While Aoki shared in the Altaria's joy, he simultaneously queried the system in his mind. This marked the first time Aoki had witnessed a Pokémon breaking through to the champion level firsthand. The energy surge hadn't been as dramatic as he'd imagined - more of a gradual buildup than an explosive transformation. The key revelation was that Altaria had managed this breakthrough despite her initially modest potential.
"The entire process has been recorded in full detail," the system's mechanical voice responded promptly.
"Analyze the reasons why Altaria was unable to break through for so long, and identify what specific factors enabled her successful breakthrough this time. Additionally, analyze whether the Potions administered beforehand contributed substantially to her elite level breakthrough," Aoki instructed the system further.
"Task established, analysis initiated... Please wait patiently." With the task registered, the system fell silent as it began processing the data. Aoki trusted that the upgraded system's analytical capabilities would yield faster and more accurate results than before.
The Altaria's ascension to champion level represented a significant boon for Aoki. Not only did it strengthen his team considerably, but it also provided valuable insights into the breakthrough process itself. For Aoki, who had been struggling to understand champion level advancement, this demonstration helped illuminate a path forward. While he couldn't be certain this was the only or best method, it at least provided concrete evidence to work with rather than pure speculation.
Aoki theorized that the Altaria's prolonged stagnation at the pseudo-champion peak stemmed from insufficient challenge in her environment. On Neverland, she had been the dominant Pokémon, with even most elite level creatures avoiding confrontation due to her Flying-type mobility and Dragon-type resilience. Without meaningful threats or rivals to push her limits, she had grown comfortable in her position, especially after hatching her two Swablu. The maternal instincts that made her such a devoted parent may have subconsciously discouraged the risks associated with pushing for breakthrough.
However, after leaving Neverland with Aoki, she had faced increasingly powerful opponents - first the intense battle against Furukai's team, then witnessing the awesome power of Regice. These experiences created both frustration and motivation, the necessary pressure to drive her breakthrough when combined with proper training and preparation. The Potions likely helped stabilize her energy during the critical moment, but the true catalyst had been the accumulation of experiences and her renewed determination.
With a satisfied smile, Aoki slowly walked away to give Altaria and her two Swablu some private celebration time. Now that Altaria had successfully reached Champion level, Aoki felt much more confident about his future plans. At the very least, they seemed substantially more achievable with this proven method available.
The Altaria's breakthrough had required nearly a month of focused preparation - slightly over three weeks since Aoki's return to Verdanturf Town. He wondered whether this extended preparation period was unique to her situation or represented a general requirement for elite level breakthroughs. The Champion level remained somewhat mysterious to Aoki, like a complex new game whose rules he had to deduce through observation and experimentation. But now at least he had some concrete data points to work with.
After settling the Altaria's matters, Aoki began his usual routine of preparing dinner for all his Pokémon. With so many creatures under his care now - each with their own dietary needs and preferences - this had become a major daily undertaking. Fortunately, Aoki had numerous helpers to share the workload.
Miltank, who had once been Aoki's primary assistant, now enjoyed a more relaxed life in the backyard pasture. The peaceful existence she'd always wanted had led to some healthy weight gain, and she seemed perfectly content with her role as chief food preparer. Her strong legs and dexterous hooves made quick work of mixing large batches of Pokéblock dough.
Other Pokémon like Florges, Slowking, and Honchkrow all contributed according to their abilities. Slowking's psychic powers proved invaluable for precise measurements and quick transportation of ingredients, while Honchkrow's sharp eyes ensured no detail was overlooked. The younger Pokémon like Aron and Larvitar were still in their playful stages, though Aoki had begun incorporating basic training into their food preparation activities.
Over these three weeks, their training had progressed through distinct phases: focused skill development in the first week, practice battles among themselves in the second week, and real combat experience in the nearby mountains during the final week. Aron, being the most experienced fighter among the younger group, had shown slower level growth recently because Aoki couldn't risk exposing the recently recovered Bagon and others to overly powerful wild Pokémon yet. But now that the team's average level had risen, it was time for Aron to face tougher challenges and resume its growth trajectory.
Aoki took pride in how his secondary team members were each developing unique combat specialties. Even Horsea displayed surprising individual battle instincts. Of course, they were also learning to function as a coordinated unit - an essential skill for more complex future battles.
Dinner preparation remained a massive daily undertaking despite all the help. Fortunately, Aoki had invested in numerous high-tech kitchen appliances that streamlined the process. Automatic peelers, precision slicers, and multi-function cookers allowed efficient processing of the diverse ingredients required for his Pokémon's meals. The industrial-grade Berry blender could pulverize even the toughest Petaya Berries into smooth paste for Pokéblock mixtures.
An hour later, a sumptuous feast lay spread across multiple tables in the backyard. The aroma of roasted Berries, grilled Magikarp fillets, and freshly baked Pokéblocks filled the air. Though the daily food preparation demanded considerable time and effort, Aoki maintained this routine religiously. In his philosophy, preparing food personally represented one of the most fundamental bonds between Trainer and Pokémon. Each meal served as both nourishment and reaffirmation of their shared journey.
Every time Aoki watched his Pokémon enjoying their meals - whether savoring a perfectly seasoned stew or crunching on specially formulated Pokéblocks - he felt profound gratitude. The simple pleasure of providing for his team made the stresses of their adventures feel worthwhile. These quiet domestic moments, though easily overlooked, represented the foundation upon which all their future achievements would be built. The shared meals, the collaborative preparations, the satisfied looks after training - these were the unspectacular but essential threads weaving their lives together.