Grumpig and Mind Ore

The Scolipede swarm chased Aoki and the others for more than half an hour, covering nearly tens of miles. If it weren't for Aoki's strategic long-range attacks, which caused heavy casualties, the Scolipede might never have stopped.

However, because of the prolonged chase, many of the slower Venipede and Whirlipede lagged behind. When they strayed into the territories of other Pokémon, they were seen as intruders and taken down.

Today, it could be said that the Scolipede swarm suffered heavy losses.

Aoki and his team, on the other hand, were in a better position. He had control over whether to engage or retreat, and while the Scolipede's ranged attacks were a nuisance, Slowking's powerful Psychic abilities managed to keep them at bay.

Still, the battle had its benefits—not in terms of material rewards, but in refining their skill proficiency. After all, having such a large number of live targets to practice on was a rare opportunity.

More than half an hour of aerial combat was no issue for Tropius. When Aoki finally signaled it to land, it wasn't even panting—though its heart was likely still pounding.

After all, deep in the forest, dangers didn't only come from the ground.

The trees and skies were also home to countless wild Pokémon.

Luckily, thanks to the dragon lineage within Tropius and the strong presence of Slowking and the others, most Pokémon instinctively avoided challenging them.

Of course, some reckless ones still tried.

In those cases, Honchkrow swiftly taught them a painful lesson.

If Aoki ever sensed a battle might be too dangerous, he simply had Tropius turn back to avoid entering the territory of an overwhelmingly strong Pokémon.

While grounded opponents weren't much of a concern, facing a powerful airborne foe would be far more troublesome.

In such situations, Slowking's Teleport would be their only escape route.

However, since using Teleport would set them back a certain distance, Aoki preferred not to rely on it unless absolutely necessary.

Once Tropius landed, Aoki recalled it and let his team rest.

Even though they hadn't been in immediate danger, continuous long-range attacks had still drained their stamina.

Sitting on the ground, the Pokémon focused on recovering their energy while mentally reviewing the battle, fine-tuning their control and efficiency over their moves.

But after just half an hour of rest, their peace was abruptly interrupted.

They had strayed into another Pokémon's territory.

And this time, the wild Pokémon were… unusual.

A group of burly-looking Grumpig stood before Aoki.

Grumpig were native to the Hoenn region, typically living in secluded forest communities and rarely appearing near humans.

Despite their pig-like appearance, they were pure Psychic-type Pokémon, and their natural intelligence far surpassed their outward looks.

The first to detect them was Slowking.

Given Slowking's current level of psychic perception, it was nearly impossible for most Pokémon to approach unnoticed.

And certainly not a group of pigs radiating Psychic energy.

So, the moment the Grumpig entered Slowking's range, he immediately alerted Aoki.

But rather than taking defensive action, Aoki allowed them to approach.

After all, encountering wild Psychic-type Pokémon—especially pure Psychic-types—was a rare event.

Despite all his time spent in the wild, Aoki had never come across such a Pokémon before.

And then, an intriguing thought struck him.

Back when Aoki's own Psychic abilities were still weak, he had used his system to analyze ways to enhance them, quickly reaching the level of a beginner Psychic.

One of the key findings from that analysis was a mysterious substance known as Mind Ore.

Though Aoki had never found one, he still remembered the details from the system's analysis.

Mind Ore could sometimes be found inside the bodies of Psychic-type Pokémon.

And the best chance of finding one was in pure Psychic-types.

That was why, in the past, Aoki had sought out the Alakazam clans in the Kanto region—one of the purest Psychic Pokémon species.

But in the end, he had found nothing.

Kadabra and Alakazam could teleport the moment they sensed danger. Back then, Aoki had no way of stopping them, so he had ultimately given up.

But now…

A group of pure Psychic-type Pokémon had suddenly appeared right in front of him—Grumpig.

Aoki wasn't particularly familiar with Grumpig.

They weren't commonly used by Trainers, and aside from their pure Psychic typing, they didn't have any standout traits.

However, Aoki was extremely interested in the black pearls embedded in their bodies.

Were they just decorative pearls?

Or could they be something more?

No one had ever researched this aspect of Grumpig before, but Aoki was now deeply curious.

More than that, he had high hopes—could these pearls contain Mind Ore?

And if so, could Mind Ore actually enhance his Psychic powers?

Could today be the day he advanced from a beginner Psychic?

But before Aoki could test his theory, there was one problem.

The Grumpig, led by their alpha, had already surrounded him.

This was their territory, and a group of outsiders—both Pokémon and human—had barged in uninvited.

Though Grumpig were not naturally aggressive, wild Pokémon had to defend their home to survive.

And as Psychic-types, they had a keen sense for danger.

The Grumpig leader could feel the intense malice and overwhelming desire radiating from Aoki.

It also sensed the weak Psychic energy within Aoki's own body.

To a proud Psychic Pokémon, non-Psychics were nothing more than inferior creatures.

But Aoki… Aoki was different.

He had Psychic abilities.

And worse—he had dark intentions toward them.

The Grumpig leader focused its gaze on Aoki.

Aoki, in turn, slowly stood up, a slight smirk forming on his lips as he watched the Grumpig before him.

They were his test subjects.

If Mind Ore truly existed, it would be inside these Pokémon.

And if Mind Ore could enhance Psychic power…

Then today might be the day Aoki fully unlocked his potential.