Chapter 768 - I have nothing but money

"Fairy... fairy... fairy?" Professor Sycamore's voice trembled.

"A new type?" After a moment, his tone gradually steadied.

"Yes, the Fairy type. I've observed that among Florges' known moves, several do not align with any recorded attributes. After extensive testing, I've confirmed that these moves belong to a previously undiscovered type—one with all the defining characteristics of an elemental classification." Aoki's expression was unwavering.

Of course, he was confident. The Fairy type would inevitably be recognized eventually—he had merely accelerated its discovery by a few years.

"Could you elaborate on its properties?" Professor Sycamore pressed, though he immediately caught himself. This touched upon the core of another researcher's work, and such a request was presumptuous. "Apologies, that was impulsive."

He turned instead to Matsuda, who had just regained his composure and now wore an air of practiced calm, as if to say, This is my protégé—naturally, I guided him well.

The others exchanged glances but held their tongues. No one had missed Matsuda's earlier shock, but his seniority in the room commanded silence.

"Ahem. Given the gravity of this finding, an emergency conference is warranted. Aoki, we'll discuss this further in a formal setting—the implications are too vast for casual conversation." Matsuda's cough masked his lingering embarrassment as he shifted to a stern tone.

The discovery of a new Pokémon type would send tremors through the entire League. To address it here, amid the clamor of the tournament, would be disrespectful to its significance.

Yet neither Matsuda nor Professor Sycamore were fools. They understood the necessity of multiple credible witnesses—authorities whose reputations would lend weight to the claim.

Soon, their communicators buzzed incessantly. Even Steven, among others, seized the chance to speak with Aoki directly.

Across the table, the other researchers had frozen. They'd suspected the truth earlier but the actual truth still shocked them.

"Aoki… is it true? A new type, just like that?" Phoebe's eyes gleamed with fascination.

Aoki nodded.

It wasn't distrust that gave them pause—it was sheer awe.

"Incredible. Truly incredible!" Steven, uncharacteristically lost for words, settled for a thumbs-up.

He recalled their first meeting aboard the Magnet train. Back then, Steven had pegged Aoki as merely amiable, talented but unremarkable—certainly no rival.

Yet each subsequent encounter had shattered those assumptions, forcing Steven to concede that Aoki's genius eclipsed his own. Were it not for the Stone family's backing and Devon Corporation's resources, he might've been left in the dust.

Ah, the burdens of having nothing but money, Steven mused wryly.

For their generation, Aoki's rise was a seismic shock. It was as if a middle-schooler had not only mastered university curricula but was now publishing doctoral theses.

The tournament continued around them, trainers filtering in and out, but few paid it much mind. Those seated near Aoki were all Top 16 contenders—this was no place for idle spectators.

The two circles—Hoenn's and Sinnoh's brightest—found common ground. No one pried about the Fairy type; its formal announcement would come soon enough.

Then—

A chill prickled the back of Aoki's neck.

A subtle turn of his head revealed a figure in crimson leaning against the far wall, gaze icy.

Malva.

The future Fire-type Elite of Kalos.

Though currently a tournament seed, she hadn't broken into Cynthia's inner circle, her talent a shade inferior. She'd been eliminated in the Top 32.

Aoki wondered if she'd already allied with Team Flare. If so, their investment in her placement here spoke volumes.

But she was a problem for another day. Right now, claiming the Fairy type's discovery was paramount.

With pseudo-Champion strength and Team Rocket's decline—plus Team Magma and Aqua still in their infancy—Aoki finally had the leverage to protect himself.

Naming the Fairy type would secure his legacy.