After landing, Aoki immediately concealed himself within the dense forest foliage.
Judging by his ability to vanish into the wilderness, Aoki was confident that his pursuer was not as skilled in stealth as he was.
Yet, for some reason, the opponent was able to track him relentlessly, closing the distance at an alarming speed. Given their current pace, Aoki would soon be overtaken.
Even if he used the Unown to open a dimensional rift, he doubted he could slip away in time.
As a Trainer specializing in Fighting-type Pokémon, Koler's physical conditioning was exceptional.
He quickly assessed the situation—escape was no longer viable. His only options were to defeat his pursuer or shake them off entirely.
With his decision made, Aoki wasted no time.
He needed a battlefield that favored him.
The Pokémon currently at his disposal held a type advantage over his opponent's team. However, his Blaziken was vulnerable, bearing a quadruple weakness to Flying-type moves. Still, it was a Pokémon that could lure the enemy into lowering their guard.
Activating his Telepathy, Aoki silently commanded Gengar, who melted into the shadows.
Simultaneously, he retrieved his portable transceiver while running, gripping the Poké Balls containing Slowking and Altaria tightly—just in case.
Whenever Slowking entered the fray, it meant only one thing: the pursuer had to be eliminated.
The risk of exposure was too great. Slowking was a rare and recognizable Pokémon, and its appearance would inevitably draw suspicion back to Aoki.
As for Altaria, few knew that Aoki possessed a Champion-level Pokemon.
Weavile also vanished into the undergrowth.
With Honchkrow's aid, Aoki scaled a towering tree.
Almost the moment he left the ground, Koler arrived at the spot where Aoki had stood moments before.
Spotting the pale-furred Mienshao beside Koler, Aoki understood—this was his tracker.
A Fighting-type specialist, paired with a scent-sensitive Mienshao.
No wonder his efforts to mask his trail with resin had failed. Some Pokémon simply outmatched human senses.
Koler, his Mienshao, and Heracross halted abruptly.
The scent had vanished.
"Now! Heracross, Megahorn!" Koler reacted instantly.
Heracross's massive horn gleamed as it slammed into the nearest tree trunk.
Aoki had hoped to ambush them, but now that he was discovered, stealth was pointless.
"Honchkrow, Bravebird!"
Aoki leaped between branches, putting distance between himself and the enemy as Honchkrow, having gathered energy in advance, dove from above.
A radiant blue aura enveloped Honchkrow as it hurtled toward Heracross.
A Flying-type move against a Bug/Fighting-type—quadruple effectiveness. One solid hit could decide the battle.
Heracross was a powerful but not a tank.
"Heracross, Endure!"
"Mienshao, High Jump Kick!"
Koler had anticipated this. The moment the attack came, he already had a counter.
He'd seen the Flying-type earlier—it was the first thing he'd prepared for.
A green barrier flickered around Heracross as Honchkrow struck, the impact reverberating through the forest.
At the same time, Miens haolunged, its leg snapping forward in a devastating High Jump Kick aimed at Honchkrow's exposed flank.
The move wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but its secondary effect was dangerous—a high chance to make the target flinch.
And right now, Honchkrow was vulnerable, caught mid-attack.
"Honchkrow, Protect!"
"Gengar, Sludge Bomb!"
Aoki, now perched in the shadows beneath his black cloak, issued the commands coldly.
Honchkrow barely managed to raise a shimmering shield, deflecting Mienshao's kick before soaring upward.
Meanwhile, Gengar—having lurked unseen since the start—materialized beside Mienshao, hurling a glob of toxic sludge.
Direct hit!
Or so it seemed—until the "Mienshao" dissolved into a Substitute.
Koler didn't press the attack immediately. Instead, his eyes locked onto Aoki's shrouded figure.
"Psychic powers… It's you people."
His voice dripped with venom.
Koler knew few Psychic specialists in Kalos, but he knew them—the ones who had ruined his family.
Their feud ran deep.
And Aoki's silent commands through Telepathy had just confirmed his suspicions.
Koler's killing intent flared.
As the heir of a fallen noble house, Koler was no stranger to bloodshed. He'd dealt with many Psychics before—quietly, without the League's knowledge.
The League's hands weren't clean.
Aoki almost laughed.
This misunderstanding was too perfect. His enemy had just redirected their hatred onto an entirely different group.
After a brief clash, both sides disengaged.
Now, Aoki had a moment to scan the Heracross:
Heracross (Light Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 55
Type: Bug/Fighting
Ability: Swarm
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Endure, Revenge, Bulldoze
Basic Moves: Tackle, Bullet Seed, Feint, Leer, Horn Attack, Counter, Reversal, Fury Attack, Brick Break, Rock Tomb, Pin Missile, Take Down, Megahorn, Close Combat, Rest
Learnt Moves: Sleep Talk, Focus Blast, Low Sweep
TM Moves: Protect, Earthquake, Double Team, Stone Edge, Substitute