After Blaziken shattered Swellow's Totem Aura, Rex resumed the same training method as before—draining Swellow's stamina and pushing it to absorb as much ambient Z-Energy as possible.
If Swellow could naturally restore its Totem Aura after using up its energy reserves, it would prove that it had truly ascended to the level of a Totem Pokémon.
Though he was confident in Swellow's potential, Rex still chose to remain cautious until he saw conclusive results.
Five days quickly passed.
During that time, Rex devoted all his healing abilities to Swellow, continuing their rigorous training schedule.
Unfortunately, Swellow's Totem Aura still hadn't returned.
Had Rex not seen steady improvements in Swellow's strength each day, he would've begun to suspect that he had failed—that perhaps Swellow wasn't truly a Totem Pokémon after all.
But then, two days later—exactly one week after its aura had been broken—Swellow's golden glow returned, stronger than before.
It was clear that the week of training had increased Swellow's affinity for Z-Energy.
Sure, it still lagged behind Totem Gumshoos, whose aura regenerated within a day or two. But as long as Swellow could naturally recover its Totem Aura, Rex didn't care. It meant his theory had worked.
"Swellow, we succeeded."
Rex walked up to his now-towering partner, patting its side.
"Swah."
Swellow called out in response. It was proud it hadn't let its trainer down, and it could feel the rapid growth in its power. Unlike before, its training now brought real, tangible results.
That was exactly what Rex had hoped for.
Unless he planned to settle permanently in Alola, he couldn't be sure whether the Hoenn region had Z-Energy in its atmosphere. This breakthrough needed to be self-sustaining.
Now that he had achieved his goal in Alola, Rex felt like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
His next plan? Take some time to enjoy the region, then return home to Rex Farm.
He'd been away for quite a while and missed both the people and Pokémon back on the farm.
Of course, he'd been regularly contacting Yuli for updates, and thankfully, everything had been running smoothly in his absence. No major issues had cropped up that required his intervention.
Rex wasn't particularly worried about the farm's security anyway. Most of his main team remained behind, and Shaymin still lived there. With that kind of firepower, it could handle nearly any threat.
"Professor Kukui, Swellow's become a Totem Pokémon."
Knowing Kukui was highly invested in this outcome, Rex didn't hesitate to call him as soon as he confirmed Swellow's transformation.
He hadn't forgotten how much the professor had helped him. Without Kukui, he wouldn't have come this far.
"For real? That's amazing news. Come over right now—I'm at the lab."
Kukui was stunned, but quickly filled with excitement.
"Uh, Professor... the sun's already setting. I'll stop by in the morning."
Rex looked out at the horizon, the sun already melting into the sea.
He was exhausted from weeks of training. Tonight, he planned to rest.
"You're right—I got too excited. Tomorrow morning, then. Meet me at the Trainer School."
Kukui laughed at himself once the reality sunk in.
"Will do. I'll be there on time."
After a few more friendly exchanges, Rex ended the call and began prepping dinner.
Even while camping on the beach, he hadn't skimped on quality of life. Every few days, he made a trip to Hau'oli City's market to pick up fresh ingredients.
While his Pokémon trained hard, he made sure to keep them well-fed, often cooking to reward them.
Though the food wasn't particularly energy-rich, it served as a welcome treat and supplement.
Pyukumuku and Skrelp especially liked his cooking—they had never had meals like this before.
Chimchar and the others were less impressed, having grown accustomed to the food Yuli prepared back on the farm. Rex's culinary skills were still a work in progress.
After dinner, he checked in on everyone's progress.
Swellow had seen a tremendous leap. Now a fully realized Totem Pokémon, its stats had improved dramatically. It had broken through its previous limitations and could continue growing until it hit a whole new ceiling.
With the added layer of protection from its Totem Aura, it had become much more forgiving in battle—more room for error, and more durability.
Blaziken had undergone a massive transformation since its evolution. It was now the team's second strongest member, surpassed only by Swellow. Its post-evolution growth spurt had allowed it to outpace both Haunter and the shiny Flaaffy.
Where once it had only managed to hold its own against the two combined, it now easily suppressed them both. Given a little more time, even together, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Haunter wasn't thrilled about this shift. It had already asked Rex to help it evolve once they returned to Hoenn. Rex agreed—Haunter's training had stabilized, and there was no longer any reason to delay its evolution.
Flaaffy was in a similar situation. Watching its teammates pull ahead lit a fire within it. But unlike Haunter, its evolution depended on finding a personal breakthrough. All Rex could do was support it and provide optimal training conditions.
As for Chimchar and Bagon, they had made solid progress.
They trained together daily, pushing each other forward—friends, rivals, and partners in growth.
Still, Rex had no doubt: Chimchar would evolve long before Bagon. The energy needed to evolve into Shelgon was immense. Even with Rex supplying it with top-tier Pokéblocks, Bagon still had a long road ahead.