On the third day after Cynthia settled in Verdanturf Town, Aoki's system returned to normal operation.
All functions were restored, and the database had nearly doubled in size.
Due to the expansion of the database, the system's analytical and computational capabilities had significantly improved.
The most significant benefit was the enhancement of Aoki's knowledge regarding Pokemon breeding.
The new information primarily covered the production of Pokeblocks, the analysis and calculation of various formulas, methods for raising Pokemon, and specialized techniques breeders could employ under different circumstances.
After all, this knowledge had been obtained from Aoki's mentor, a veteran senior breeder affiliated with the League. It was only natural that such expertise would be useful to Aoki.
The most surprising revelation, however, was the discovery of methods to improve a Pokemon's potential.
This genuinely shocked Aoki.
Upon further examination, he found that most of these methods were either unethical, had a low success rate, or involved specific actions Trainers could take during a Pokemon's evolution to enhance its potential.
In fact, the method Aoki had previously obtained from Team Rocket—regarding improving the potential of Bug-type Pokemon—was something the League was already aware of.
However, the process was too cruel and went against the League's principles, so the information had been locked away in the deepest part of their database as classified documents.
Access required a special authorization code.
Matsuda, Aoki's mentor, was aware that this data existed in his computer but had secured it behind heavy encryption to prevent unauthorized access.
But Aoki's system was exceptionally advanced.
It bypassed Matsuda's security measures, copied the entire database—including the hidden files—and, after a period of reorganization and filtering, presented the information to Aoki.
The method Team Rocket had provided for improving a Pokemon's potential was nearly identical to some of the secret techniques in the newly acquired data.
Among them was the brutal "raising Gu" method used in training Drapion.
Some of the other methods were even more extreme. Aoki had now glimpsed the darkest aspects of the Pokemon world.
As for why the League possessed such knowledge—that was self-explanatory.
Aside from these unethical methods, there were other, safer ways to enhance a Pokemon's potential.
The most common—and effective—involved Pokemon that required held items to evolve.
For example, the Dusk Stone used in Honchkrow's evolution, the King's Rock used in Slowpoke's evolution into Slowking, or even the Razor Claw needed for Sneasel's evolution.
While these Pokemon had more demanding evolution conditions than most—like Slowpoke needing both a King's Rock and a Shellder to evolve—it also presented an opportunity.
An opportunity to significantly improve their potential.
Aoki had already taken advantage of this, ensuring that when his Slowpoke evolved, it reached a dark blue potential rating.
Pokemon that evolved via evolutionary stones were the most common beneficiaries of this method.
Using a basic evolution stone only fulfilled the minimum requirements for evolution, but higher-grade stones—intermediate, advanced, or even top-tier—could further optimize a Pokemon's potential.
The difference lay in the degree of improvement.
Honchkrow, for instance, had evolved using a top-tier Dusk Stone, resulting in a substantial increase in its potential.
Aoki also had another Pokemon that required an evolutionary stone—Floette, captured on Neverland.
Floette needed a Shiny Stone to evolve into Florges.
Aoki's expectations for Floette were growing. If it could master the ability to freely shift its typing using Camouflage, it would become far more than just a support Pokemon on his team.
Thus, Aoki was determined to secure the highest-quality Shiny Stone for its evolution.
Beyond unethical methods and evolutionary items, the new data also contained safer—albeit less dramatic—ways to improve potential.
These primarily involved actions a Trainer could take during a Pokemon's evolution.
Since a Pokemon's body undergoes significant changes during evolution, it was the optimal time to enhance its potential.
Most of Aoki's first-tier Pokemon had already reached their final evolutionary stages, so these techniques only applied to his second-tier team.
Fortunately, none of his second-tier Pokemon had evolved yet, leaving ample room for improvement.
However, while this method was safe, it wasn't guaranteed. The success rate depended on the Pokemon itself and the Trainer's ambitions.
A modest improvement in potential had a high chance of success, but attempting a drastic increase came with risks.
Failure didn't just mean the Pokemon retained its original potential—it could result in a permanent decrease in ability.
Trainers had to be prepared for that possibility.
Finally, there was the most commonly used method among breeders—a slow, long-term approach requiring no special conditions or risks.
Through carefully crafted diets, such as high-quality Pokeblocks, a Pokemon's potential could gradually improve over time.
This was the specialty of skilled breeders.
While the progress was slow, consistent effort yielded results.
For example, Matsuda's Aerodactyl had reached its current level of potential through years of meticulous care.
Of course, this method heavily depended on the breeder's skill. Without proper knowledge and resources, success was difficult.
That was why elite breeders were so highly sought after, and why custom Pokeblock formulas commanded such high prices.
But for Aoki, this was the most suitable method.
His system eliminated technical limitations, especially after integrating data from Matsuda and the Breeder's Guild.
Resources were also less of an issue now. The gems and ores provided by the Carbink colony on Neverland had alleviated the financial strain of raising Larvitar and Aron.
While it wasn't enough to train them to their absolute peak, Aoki was still growing, and future opportunities would arise.
Most importantly, Aoki had brought the entire Carbink colony with him.
This was a tremendous boon. Now, whether it was his first-tier or second-tier team, all his Pokemon would benefit from the system's expanded database.