Pallet Town

With that, Matsuda moved directly to the back of the Aerodactyl.

He then motioned for Aoki to climb onto the back of the Charizard.

Aoki actually had his own flying Pokémon—a Tropius.

However, after seeing these two formidable Pokémon, he decided against summoning his own to avoid embarrassment.

These two Pokémon were among Matsuda's main partners. Whether it was Aerodactyl or Charizard, both were Elite-level Pokémon, exuding an intimidating aura that ordinary Trainers couldn't withstand.

Fortunately, Matsuda was present. Otherwise, Aoki would have struggled to stand his ground against these two Pokémon.

Even if his Haunter emerged from the shadows, it likely wouldn't be able to withstand more than a couple of Aerodactyl's attacks.

As for Charizard, it was probably Matsuda's first Pokémon. Though slightly weaker than Aerodactyl in raw power, the gap wasn't large.

After all, Matsuda came from a prestigious family of senior Trainers. Even if he wasn't particularly known for his battle prowess, his Pokémon's strength was undeniable.

In terms of sheer power, he was still among the strongest Elite Trainers.

At the very least, Aoki believed he was stronger than Shadow.

Matsuda had the advantage of superior resources to raise his Pokémon, so their quality was naturally higher than Shadow's.

Under Matsuda's approving gaze, Aoki climbed onto Charizard's back.

"Roar!!"

Charizard let out a proud growl. Normally, with his pride, he wouldn't allow a weaker Trainer to ride him. However, with his Trainer watching, he had no choice but to tolerate it.

He growled in displeasure, expressing his dissatisfaction.

Aoki smiled, lying low on Charizard's back, and retrieved some flavorful yet non-nutritious Pokeblocks from his storage. These were snacks he had made for his own Pokémon, meant as simple treats.

Charizard glanced at the Pokeblocks in Aoki's palm. Having been with Matsuda for so long, he had seen all kinds of high-quality Pokeblocks.

Still, he figured there was no harm in trying one. Reluctantly, he took a bite.

To his surprise, the taste was quite enjoyable.

Fire-type Pokémon generally preferred spicy flavors, as did Aoki's own Torchic. The Pokeblocks he had offered were specifically designed for Fire-types.

Feeding Pokémon like this could help build bonds between them and their Trainers.

Seeing that Charizard enjoyed them, Aoki took out a few more and fed them all to him.

After that, Charizard's attitude toward Aoki softened. At the very least, his previous hostility turned into mild acceptance, allowing Aoki to feel a little more at ease.

Matsuda observed from the side, watching Aoki interact with Charizard. He noticed how Aoki used his knowledge and skills to gradually win over the Pokémon's trust.

Nodding slightly, Matsuda acknowledged Aoki's talent in handling Pokémon relationships.

"Alright, let's go!" Matsuda commanded once he was satisfied.

"But, Teacher, this is a city..."

Before Aoki could finish speaking, the two Pokémon flapped their wings, kicking up powerful gusts of wind as they took off.

Fortunately, there weren't many people on the surrounding streets, or someone could have been injured.

Elite Trainers had undeniable authority. Even though Saffron City had a no-fly rule, they were able to ignore it.

Far away, inside the Psychic Gym of Saffron City, a young girl sat in a room filled with plush dolls, her expression twisting with irritation. However, she had no outlet to vent her frustration.

She muttered under her breath, "Another one flying around like they own the place. If only I were stronger..."

Her fists clenched as she vowed, "Once my psychic power reaches the next level, I'll cover the entire city with my mind! Let's see who dares to fly then!"

But after a moment, she sighed in frustration.

"Why is leveling up so slow?!"

With that, she forced herself back into meditation, surrounded by psychic energy.

If Aoki were here, he would instantly sense the overwhelming difference between their abilities.

If his psychic power were the size of a bathtub, hers was a tenth of the ocean.

The gap was simply too vast.

However, neither Matsuda nor Aoki understood the girl's annoyance.

The two flew southwest, pushing their Pokémon to full speed.

Matsuda, having years of experience, stood firm on Aerodactyl's back. The fierce wind didn't affect him much, as Aerodactyl naturally shielded him.

Aoki, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.

Despite bonding with Charizard, the Pokémon still flew at full speed without considering Aoki's comfort.

As a result, Aoki was forced to cling tightly to Charizard's back, struggling against the violent winds.

That said, Aerodactyl and Charizard's speed was undeniably impressive—at least several times faster than Aoki's Tropius.

As Saffron City faded from view, Aoki looked ahead, his suspicions growing more certain.

This wind...

After three hours of full-speed flight, Aoki was thoroughly disheveled. His hair was completely blown out of place by the intense winds.

Finally, their destination came into view—a small town nestled in the landscape.

Although Aoki had never been here before, he immediately recognized it.

Pallet Town.

The place where everything began.

Before entering the town, Aerodactyl and Charizard descended in advance.

Matsuda knew that while there were few people in Saffron City who could reprimand him, Pallet Town was a different story.

He recalled his Pokémon and turned to Aoki.

"This is Pallet Town. A quiet place not widely known, but with great significance. The person we're meeting today lives here—you may have heard of him."

Aoki nodded and followed Matsuda into the town.

Taking in the peaceful surroundings, Aoki realized just how ideal this place was for retirement.

Nestled among the mountains, Pallet Town was one of the closest settlements to Mt. Silver within the Kanto region.

It was also known as the "Town of the League's Legacy." The people who lived here were either former high-ranking League officials or individuals who had contributed significantly to the League's cause.

The League placed great importance on Pallet Town.

Perhaps that was why Professor Oak had chosen to settle here.

And, of course, this was also the hometown of the well-known Ash Ketchum.

Ash was raised by his mother, with his father never having appeared in the picture. Aoki speculated that Ash's father might have been a high-ranking League member who lost his life in battle, earning his family the right to live in Pallet Town.

Professor Oak's constant care for Ash's family suggested that his father wasn't just some random Trainer—he might have held significant status or even had ties to Professor Oak himself.

Otherwise, why would Oak be so invested in them?

After all, Pallet Town had plenty of other families, yet the professor had a special connection with Ash's.