A week passed.
The League, Team Magma, and Team Aqua remained in a tense standoff for another seven days.
However, this week was not defined solely by the stalemate.
The League had finally extended their exploration routes to the immediate vicinity of Team Magma and Team Aqua's bases.
During this period, the League engaged in over a hundred skirmishes and battles with them, ranging from minor scuffles to significant confrontations.
These conflicts escalated from small-scale encounters between scouting squads to situations where even Steven himself nearly stepped in to fight Maxie and Archie directly, each incident threatening to erupt into an all-out war.
In the end, Team Magma and Team Aqua consistently chose to retreat, unwilling to confront the full might of the League head-on.
The League, also somewhat strained in terms of high-level combat power, could not afford to pursue them recklessly, as doing so risked falling into a carefully laid ambush. Therefore, after each brief but intense engagement, both sides would tacitly separate and return to their positions.
But an entire week of this relentless pressure represented a huge drain on resources and morale for both the League and the combined forces of Team Magma and Team Aqua.
Therefore, the final, decisive battle was undeniably drawing closer.
Team Magma and Team Aqua still had not found the Blue Orb and the Red Orb; they had already conducted thorough and exhaustive searches within their own controlled areas.
If they wished to continue their search, they would be forced to move outwards and upwards, but those areas had now firmly become the League's sphere of activity and influence.
So, after Maxie and Archie discussed the situation at length, they made a decisive resolution to launch a major offensive.
The initial premise for their calm standoff with the League was that the League was short-handed and stretched thin across the Hoenn region, unable to fully focus its strength against them.
Furthermore, they had initially been confident that the orbs were hidden deep within the uncharted depths of Meteor Falls, allowing them to search at their own pace and leisure.
However, after a full week, the situation had changed dramatically.
Numerous smaller, troublesome factions causing chaos in various towns across the Hoenn region had been gradually identified and eliminated by the League's coordinated efforts.
This meant the League would steadily have more personnel and resources to dedicate to the conflict in Meteor Falls, significantly increasing the pressure on the villainous teams.
Also, while the orbs were indeed deep inside the caverns, they were not located in the impossibly remote depths they had initially theorized.
A direct and massive clash was now inevitable.
...
League Camp.
"Over the past two days, the activity range of Team Magma and Team Aqua has gradually and noticeably expanded, and their counterattacks against our patrols are becoming increasingly fierce and coordinated. I estimate a full-scale battle might break out at any moment, so you all need to be mentally and physically prepared for that reality," Steven said, his sharp gaze scanning the faces of the people assembled below him.
Aoki and the others nodded grimly, their expressions serious.
They all clearly understood the current situation: it had become a critical test of endurance, a question of who, between the League and the coalition of Team Magma and Team Aqua, would be the first to give out under the immense strain.
"We must increase our patrol intensity during this critical period. Aoki, Steven, Phoebe, Wallace, the four of you, I need you to pay extra attention and be ready to respond to any major threat," Steven said, addressing the four powerful Trainers directly.
Now, Steven, Phoebe, and Wallace had all proven themselves capable and powerful enough for Steven to confidently entrust them with some of the more difficult and dangerous tasks.
Indeed, the harsh crucible of the battlefield was the best place to temper a person's spirit and skill.
As for Aoki, Steven trusted his instincts and survival skills even more than he trusted those of the seasoned Elite Four member, Lorelei.
On one notable occasion, Team Magma and Team Aqua had jointly set an elaborate trap, with executives Courtney and Shelly, along with two other high-ranking operatives, successfully ambushing Aoki's squad. Yet, against all odds, Aoki had still managed to escape with his life and warn the others.
Even someone of Lorelei's caliber and experience might not have been able to extricate herself from such a perfectly laid ambush.
This incident further proved that Aoki's innate ability to survive was absolutely among the very best within the entire Hoenn League.
The name "Aoki the Runner" resonated powerfully not only within the League's ranks, but even the members of Team Magma and Team Aqua acknowledged it with a mixture of frustration and respect.
Aoki's potent psychic abilities, synergistically combined with his Slowking's own powers, and enhanced through special training methods, allowed his Teleport skill to be executed in a near-instantaneous manner.
"Pink Flash" had also become an "affectionate nickname" for Aoki among the troops.
It was precisely because of this legendary incident that Aoki's prestige and reputation within the League officially surpassed that of Steven and the other two prodigies.
Everyone could see Aoki's formidable strength and quick thinking with their own eyes; no one could possibly disagree with his capabilities.
According to the task allocation Steven had outlined, Aoki once again ventured deep inside the complex tunnel systems of Meteor Falls.
After several days of intense and thorough exploration, the tunnels in this specific area had already been meticulously mapped and secured by the League.
Now, their mission was to push even deeper, to understand what exactly Team Magma and Team Aqua were so desperately searching for.
The wild Pokémon inhabiting these already explored tunnels had also been largely cleared out or pacified.
So, their travel speed through these familiar passages was now much faster and more efficient.
Aoki moved with purpose, heading directly towards the newly established boundary of the opposing side's activity range.
Many League outposts were strategically set up here; as soon as anyone from the enemy teams crossed the invisible line, the sentries could promptly raise an alarm, giving the League valuable time to react and mobilize.
Aoki briefly greeted the people stationed at the outpost with a nod and then, without hesitation, stepped into the known activity range of Team Magma and Team Aqua.
The sentries at the post showed no surprise at his actions.
Aoki conducting solo reconnaissance missions deep behind enemy lines was not a first or even a second time; it had become almost routine for him.
"Sir Aoki is truly young and promising. He's not even eighteen years old yet, is he? I have a cousin who's really pretty and has a wonderful personality. I wonder if there's any chance for her to, you know, marry up in the world," one of the on-duty sentries mused aloud, watching Aoki's retreating form.
The other person initially found the sentiment relatable, but quickly started to feel the statement was somewhat inappropriate and off.
"You? Give it a rest! Do you have any idea how many young ladies from prominent and wealthy families are already vying for Sir Aoki's attention? Can your cousin really compare to them?
In my considered opinion, Sir Aoki, being from a common background himself, probably isn't in any particular hurry to find a partner. After this whole Meteor Falls matter is concluded, Sir Aoki should rightfully take over a permanent position in the Elite Four. The current acting Elite Four member is still Sir Aoki's own teacher, so a worthy disciple inheriting the teacher's position would be another beautiful story for the history books," the other sentry rolled his eyes and said grumpily, his tone full of conviction.
From his words and his tone, one could clearly hear his immense respect and high regard for Aoki.
"I guess you're right about that. A genuine genius like Sir Aoki, along with the other prodigies Sir Steven, Lady Phoebe, and Sir Wallace—the existence and rise of these four young geniuses is simply the greatest fortune for our Hoenn region. As long as these four continue to grow and develop, the Hoenn region will definitely be the most stable and secure region for the next hundred years, without a doubt..."
Their own Pokémon stood vigilant, watching their surroundings with keen eyes, while the two men chatted and joked as was their usual routine during long watches.
It had been a relatively quiet while since anyone from Team Magma or Team Aqua had last attempted to cross the border.
Boom—Boom—
But just as the two sentries began to think it would be another ordinary, uneventful day, a series of continuous, massive booming sounds echoed menacingly from the depths of the tunnels ahead.
Then, to their horror, they saw a vast, seemingly endless wave of Pokémon, led by Trainers from Team Magma and Team Aqua, rushing towards their position at full speed.
Their expressions changed instantly, draining of all color.
The two men hadn't truly expected the worst-case scenario to actually happen, and certainly not with such overwhelming force.
Team Magma and Team Aqua had launched a full-scale, coordinated attack!
Their faces turned ashen with shock and dread, but their professional training took over; they immediately smashed the red alarm devices fastened to their uniforms.
Instantly, piercing red alarm lights flashed violently and urgently within the main Alliance base, casting a sinister glow on the cavern walls.
Level One Alert!
This signaled an all-out enemy deployment requiring a total response!
As soon as the piercing alarm sounded, personnel from nearby outposts, defensive fortification teams, and any Trainers performing tasks in the immediate vicinity all rushed towards the source of the alarm at their first possible instant.
But one look at the overwhelming, tidal wave of opposing Pokémon was enough to tell everyone the grim truth: their position was completely overrun.
With their current speed and limited defensive power, they couldn't possibly pose any meaningful obstruction to the advancing horde at all.
However, they weren't the only ones who had heard the urgent alarm.
There were also far stronger individuals operating in the vicinity.
The first to appear in a flash of light was a grim-faced Steven, his Metagross materializing beside him with a deep, metallic groan.
Then came Aoki, who had only left a short while ago, his hand firmly on his Slowking's back, his eyes flashing with intense blue psychic waves, as he reappeared in front of everyone using a rapid Teleport.
"Aoki! Quickly, use Teleport to take them away from here now!" Steven shouted urgently upon seeing Aoki appear, his eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and concern for the junior Trainer's safety.
Aoki glanced first at Steven, then at the small group of bewildered and terrified League personnel standing behind him, their own Pokémon forming a shaky defensive line.
He then broke into a wide, confident smile, trying to instill some calm. "Everyone, there is no need to be nervous. We've been anticipating and preparing for such a big battle for a long time. My Slowking will take you to safety now, but when you come back later, you'll all need to be ready and prepared for a serious battle."
With that, Aoki gave a reassuring pat to his Slowking's back. The dignified Psychic-type Pokemon immediately understood, teleporting next to the stranded personnel and enveloping them all in a soft, warm glow of psychic energy, preparing to warp them to safety.
"You're planning on staying behind here alone?!" Steven shouted, his voice filled with sheer disbelief and concern, his eyes searching Aoki's determined face for any sign of hesitation.