Vileplume

The next day.

Aoki, dressed as a League Trainer, walked into the mountain without telling anyone.

He didn't take the old path he had travelled last time. This time, he headed in a different direction, aiming for a town south of his location. If he travelled on foot, it would take several days, and along the way, there shouldn't be any unexpected complications.

He was followed by Skorupi and Torchic.

Still on the outskirts of the forest, the wild Pokémon encountered weren't very strong, making it the perfect training ground for Skorupi.

The main goal this time was to help him grow. Regular training would help his body absorb and utilize the Poison energy within him more efficiently.

Wandering through the forest risked trespassing into the territory of wild Pokémon.

If a territory had only a few Pokémon, there wouldn't be much trouble, but if it belonged to a large group, they would immediately become hostile.

Especially in deep forests like this, Pokémon were highly territorial.

Ordinarily, Pokémon avoided entering another's territory unless necessary.

But these rules didn't apply to Aoki and his team.

The 1.2-meter-tall Skorupi took the lead, waving his sharp claws continuously, as if practicing some sort of combat moves. His long tail remained poised over his head, unmoving and nearly invisible.

Clearly, he had only been out for a short while, and after a few battles, he was already getting excited.

Ever since Aoki had started training him, he had yet to lead a battle on his own. He had always watched his stronger teammates fight while he waited on the sidelines, only stepping in to capitalize on their opponents' mistakes. Often, he was just there for support.

While that kept him safe, it was frustrating for a Pokémon with a fighting spirit like his.

But this time, he was the focus of the battle. He was finally in charge, and the excitement showed.

Aoki watched his overly confident Skorupi strutting ahead like a crab and smiled helplessly.

He didn't stop him—after all, they were still at the edge of the forest, where the wild Pokémon weren't too strong. Skorupi, at level 26, could handle them easily.

Besides, Torchic was there as backup, standing at level 32, prepared to step in if Skorupi faced an opponent too strong for him alone.

However, deeper into the forest, Torchic would take the lead in battles.

As Aoki followed Skorupi, he noticed the colors of the surrounding foliage becoming more vibrant. Clearly, they had entered a special zone.

It was either a Pokémon's territory or an area where rare natural treasures grew.

But since they were still close to civilization, the second possibility was unlikely.

Before long, Aoki's suspicions were confirmed. They had wandered into the heart of a Pokémon's domain.

A wild Pokémon launched a sudden attack, targeting Aoki, the weakest in the group.

Pokémon: Vileplume (Green)

Gender: Female

Level: 29

Type: Grass/Poison

Ability: Chlorophyll

Held Item: None

Egg Moves: Leaf Blade, Synthesis, Ingrain

Basic Moves: Absorb, Growth, Sweet Scent, Acid, Poison Powder, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, Giga Drain, Lucky Chant, Moonlight, Aromatherapy

Learnt Moves: Seed Bomb, Gastro Acid, Drain Punch

TM Moves: None

Judging from her data, this Vileplume had good potential and strength, but since she was already fully evolved, her growth potential was limited.

It wasn't that she was weak—Aoki just wasn't interested in training a Vileplume at this stage.

But for Skorupi, she was an excellent opponent.

Vileplume is the evolved form of Gloom when exposed to a Leaf Stone.

This particular Vileplume was likely the ruler of this territory—the only one of her kind here.

Most likely, she was a Gloom that had evolved after accidentally coming into contact with a Leaf Stone.

While Aoki had no interest in training her, she was still a valuable Pokémon. Hunters would find her useful, and she could also serve as a strong asset to strengthen someone's team.

After all, as a Grass/Poison-type Pokémon, Vileplume possessed many moves that were beneficial for surviving in the wild.

Aoki was particularly interested in her move Sweet Scent, which could lure wild Pokémon, making training more efficient and capturing Pokémon much easier.

But first, Skorupi had to defeat her.

Since Vileplume was a Grass/Poison-type, her typing gave her no real advantage over Skorupi, who was a Bug/Poison-type.

Neither her Grass-type nor Poison-type attacks would be particularly effective.

After all, Skorupi had a four-times resistance to Grass-type moves and a two-times resistance to Poison-type moves.

Vileplume rushed forward and launched Giga Drain at Skorupi.

This Grass-type move not only dealt damage but also absorbed the opponent's energy, restoring the user's health.

A green glow formed around her small blue hands as she charged forward, gaining speed with each step.

"She's coming! Get ready, Skorupi! Use Agility and charge in! Then follow up with Bug Bite!"

Aoki was unfazed by the sudden attack. He had dealt with situations like this before and remained calm, giving clear commands to Skorupi.

Hearing Aoki's words, Skorupi's eyes gleamed with excitement. He let out a loud screech and pushed off the ground, kicking up dirt and leaves as his speed suddenly surged. He rushed toward Vileplume, opening his jaws wide as Bug-type energy gathered around his sharp fangs.

At 1.2 meters tall, Skorupi had been growing stronger every day.

Among Aoki's Pokémon, Skorupi had the most physical strength. Even though he was only level 26, when it came to sheer power, he had no real competition within the team.

Honchkrow, for example, needed to fly to display his strength, and he wasn't as powerful when grounded. The others weren't specialized in raw strength either.

So as Vileplume charged forward, Skorupi—enhanced by Agility—met her head-on.

Boom!

Vileplume's Drain Punch struck Skorupi, while Skorupi's Bug Bite latched onto Vileplume's petals.

In the next moment, Skorupi staggered back three steps, while Vileplume had it worse. She was knocked back five or six meters, crashing hard against a tree behind her.