A Golbat, an Arbok, and a Dustox had all reached the strength of the elite level.
The standard Team Rocket Pokemon.
Aoki looked at the Pokémon attacking him, his smirk growing more pronounced.
Poison-type Pokémon—they were truly his favorite opponents.
In many cases, Poison-types were dual-type with Bug or Grass, or purely Poison-type.
And such Pokémon would be at a disadvantage against Slowking's psychic powers and Honchkrow's Flying-type moves.
Moreover, his Drapion, which had been battling Scolipede for so long, had strong immunity to Poison-types. Combined with its learned Fire Fang, Drapion also had a powerful advantage against these Bug or Grass-type Poison Pokémon.
Half an hour later, all four of Kellogg's Pokémon had fainted, and his once-calm face was now full of shock.
Why was this different from the script?
After all, he had used this method countless times, tricking countless opponents. Even in his dreams, he had relied on this trap to slowly wear down and defeat Trainers.
Poison-types were the most troublesome in the wild—without the right antidote, a poisoned opponent could only wait for a slow defeat.
Many of the Trainers Kellogg faced weren't weak, but due to his Poison tactics and relentless pressure, they eventually ran out of stamina and became helpless.
But he hadn't expected to meet someone like Aoki.
Aoki was better at ambushes than him, excelled at battling Poison-types, and had Slowking's psychic abilities to sense the surroundings, alerting him to any surprise attacks.
Not only that, but Aoki also had Telepathy, allowing him to issue commands instantly.
The outcome was inevitable.
Wasn't this just unfair?
Without even giving Kellogg a chance to speak, he fell under Weavile's sharp claws.
Aoki glanced at him coldly.
Try acting all high and mighty in front of me now. Still so calm?
Try waving your hand and saying "no hurry" now!
The battle ended smoothly.
Aoki had Florette administer basic treatment to his team.
Then, his brow furrowed again. "Slowking, Psychic!"
BOOM!
"Hey, Aoki, is that any way to treat an old friend?" A man stepped out from where Slowking had attacked, dusting off his black jacket.
His flashy outfit marked him as Regis.
Aoki scowled. "An old friend who hides behind trees and spies?"
"I just didn't want to interrupt your show of strength. Look at you—taking down a Team Rocket Admin-level opponent in seconds. Your skills have improved fast. I might not even be a match for you now." Smirking, Regis walked up to Aoki, completely unfazed by the Pokémon surrounding him.
Too trusting.
Aoki kept his guard up.
Of all the Trainers on the island, aside from Drake—a Team Rocket member specializing in Dragon-types—and Regis himself, this man was the one Aoki feared most.
Right now, he wore a friendly smile, but who knew what schemes he was hiding?
The noise from the battle with Kellogg must have drawn Regis here.
Aoki had never been able to read Regis, not even in his past life.
Everything about him seemed normal—but that was exactly what made Aoki suspicious.
Before they could exchange more words, a sudden gust of wind swept through the trees.
Before Aoki could react, Regis's expression darkened, his usual playful demeanor vanishing as he glared at the source of the wind—
A Flygon.
The only Trainer here who could own a Flygon was Drake, the Dragon-type specialist.
And judging by Regis's expression, their relationship wasn't good.
They might've battled before—and the result was likely unfavorable for Regis.
Pokémon: Flygon (Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 49
Type: Ground/Dragon
Ability: Levitate
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Gust, Mud Shot, Earth Power, Signal Beam
Basic Moves: Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Dragon Dance, Sand Attack, Sonic Boom, Feint Attack, Endure, Mud-Slap, Sand Tomb, Rock Slide, Supersonic, Screech, Earth Power, Dragon Tail, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Uproar, Hyper Beam, Outrage
Learnt Moves: Twister, Heat Wave, Dragon Pulse, Bug Bite
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Water), Roost, Flamethrower, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Substitute
Seeing this Flygon's stats, Aoki's expression grew serious.
If not for his own hidden strategies, this Flygon would easily be the strongest among all the Trainers on the island—undisputedly number one.
No wonder Regis had listed Drake last in his intel. It made sense.
And as a Dragon specialist, Drake wouldn't have just one Dragon-type.
After all, Dragon Pokémon were notoriously powerful—and notoriously expensive to raise.
Most Trainers couldn't afford to train even one, let alone a full team.
Drake had to have major backing within Team Rocket.
Aoki glanced at Regis. This guy clearly had his own connections in Team Rocket too—but did he have any aces up his sleeve this time?
This was supposed to be a mission for elite Trainers, yet here they were, dealing with near-Champion-level Pokémon.
The lure of Neverland must've been irresistible.
The Flygon landed smoothly, its Trainer dressed in a tan jacket, blue scarf, and desert goggles—clearly built for harsh environments.
"Drake." Regis spoke his name coldly.
Drake's gaze flicked to Kellogg's unconscious form, then to Aoki, before settling on Regis.
A mocking smile crossed his face. "Regis. Didn't expect you to get here so fast. Guess your speed's improved."
"Heh. Thanks for the praise. But you, with a Flygon, still move like a Slowpoke. Getting weaker?" Regis shot back.
The moment they met, the tension was palpable.
As for Aoki—and Kellogg, whom he'd defeated—they were ignored entirely.
Both saw each other as their main competition.
Following Drake's arrival, more figures emerged, as if summoned.
Some immediately joined Drake's side, while others, like Han and Kyo, moved to Regis.
Then there were those who remained neutral, standing apart.
Aoki watched it all, frowning.
Something felt off.