Altaria had reached Champion-level strength, and Ralts had successfully hatched.
Two surprises in one day.
But after the initial excitement, the rigorous training regimen and structured battle drills resumed.
The five Pokémon, including Larvitar, also learned and grew significantly through these battles.
As the Pokémon leveled up, they required corresponding stat-enhancing potions.
Fortunately, the potions for Aron and Larvitar were already prepared, but Aoki had yet to brew the necessary supplements for Combusken, Bagon, and Horsea.
Luckily, the release of the Fairy-type Pokémon had brought Aoki substantial wealth.
Now, he had enough funds to purchase materials—though some ingredients were still difficult to obtain.
Gradually, Aoki shifted focus from combat training to physical conditioning, energy refinement, and skill mastery.
A month passed.
Then another.
Nearly two months had gone by since the conclusion of the Sinnoh League Championships.
During this time, the levels of Aoki's primary team had not risen drastically. Slowking remained at level 58, unchanged.
However, Honchkrow had reached level 53, Gengar had climbed to level 54, Drapion had achieved level 52, and Florges had also progressed to level 53.
Aside from Slowking, every Pokémon in Aoki's core team had gained approximately two levels.
This growth wasn't the result of relentless battling but rather a natural progression through disciplined daily training, improved energy absorption, and a carefully balanced diet.
The pace was slow, but the foundation was solid.
Over the past month, Aoki had allowed his team to fully absorb the lessons from their battles on Azelf Island and the Sinnoh League, ensuring their growth was steady and well-rounded.
True strength required a stable foundation—each step upward had to be supported by unshakable fundamentals.
Thus, while their levels hadn't surged, their overall power had steadily increased.
Their techniques, energy control, and physical conditioning had all seen marked improvements.
Even Slowking, whose level appeared stagnant, was growing stronger every day.
This was why two Pokémon of the same level could differ so drastically in battle—training and discipline made all the difference.
A Trainer's guidance was critical. Rapid leveling had its limits; without proper consolidation, the gains would be hollow.
Swampert and Politoed were proof of this. Their levels had skyrocketed in preparation for the Sinnoh League, but now they faced the consequences of that rushed growth.
Currently, they endured the most grueling training regimens to compensate for their earlier shortcuts.
Yet neither complained. They understood their shortcomings and followed Aoki's instructions without fail.
Their levels remained static—Swampert at 45, Politoed slightly better at 40, having entered the Elite tier.
The latter's prior restraint meant its recovery was less arduous than Swampert's.
As for the rest of the secondary team, their progress had been swift.
Aoki had invested heavily in them, and they had met his expectations.
Aron had reached level 30. Normally, it would evolve into Lairon at level 32, gaining a dramatic boost in endurance and physical power.
Larvitar, the most aggressive battler, had been deliberately restrained—yet it still hit level 26. Its evolution loomed near.
Combusken trained relentlessly, its limbs now densely muscular. In raw physicality, it surpassed all other secondary-team Pokémon—excluding Swampert and Poliwhirl.
At level 30, Combusken's progress was deliberately moderated until its stat-enhancing potion was ready.
Lastly, Bagon and Horsea, the newest members, were still finding their footing.
Unlike Larvitar and Aron, they lacked an early foundation. Once they hit level 20, Aoki separated them for intensive conditioning.
Their training focused on building a robust physical base, ensuring their long-term potential wouldn't be stunted by haphazard growth.
Aoki wasn't overly concerned about Larvitar and Aron's rapid leveling—their early training had prepared them.
But Swampert and Politoed's reckless jumps were another matter.
The ideal approach was a balance: level increases interwoven with foundational training.
Larvitar and the others followed this model—morning drills, skill refinement, controlled battles in the afternoon. This way, even if they surged to Elite or pseudo-Champion strength, their foundations would hold.
Still, moderation was key. Unchecked growth led to mediocrity—unremarkable even among peers.
Beyond the core team, there was Aoki's aerial mount, the Ground- and Dragon-type Flygon, which had finally breached Champion-tier strength.
Flygon's previous trainer was trash at training and wasted its talent. With Aoki's guidance, it had begun reclaiming its lost foundation.
At the very least, a pseudo-Champion Dragon-type mount was an imposing asset.
As for the youngest member, Ralts, under Slowking's tutelage and Miltank's care, it would need time before entering its growth phase and beginning training.
Yet this Ralts, born with light-blue potential, was so innately gifted that even Slowking occasionally struggled to teach it.
And its first word—"Dad"—never failed to melt Aoki's stern demeanor.