Pokémon Center
"Nurse Joy, please."
Aoki handed over his Poké Balls to Nurse Joy, the humanoid Pokémon-like woman who had dedicated herself to healing.
Not to mention, Nurse Joy was undeniably beautiful. But with so many identical Joys, the idea of pursuing one was unrealistic. If they were twins or triplets, maybe he could justify the thought… but an entire family of identical lookalikes? He valued his waistline too much for that.
"No problem, just leave it to me."
Nurse Joy smiled kindly as she took the Poké Balls and disappeared into the medical ward.
Meanwhile, Aoki turned to May. "Let's grab something to eat."
"Thank you, Big Brother Aoki."
May naturally followed, silently pleased to spend more time with him.
As they ate in the Pokémon Center cafeteria, Aoki opened his system log.
Catching that Pokémon hunter had earned him a silver treasure chest.
His heart pounded slightly with anticipation as he opened it.
Ding Dong! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully opened the Silver Treasure Chest!
- Obtained four Relic Orbs
- Unlocked location and access method of an ancient ruin
Aoki's fingers tightened around the four Relic Orbs that materialized in his system inventory.
They looked like ordinary stones, but their value was extraordinary—these were ancient keys capable of unlocking forgotten ruins.
And where there were ruins, there were treasures.
Perhaps even ancient Pokémon.
Although Aoki had been opening treasure chests and working as a researcher for years, wealth still eluded him. Training Boss Lairon, Froakie, and Torchic was expensive. To raise an Elite-level Pokémon properly, rare berries like Celadon Fruits and Rainbow Pokéblocks were necessities, not luxuries.
And if he ever planned to train a pseudo-Legendary in the future, the cost would skyrocket even further.
I'm still broke.
After finishing their meal and retrieving their healed Pokémon, Aoki made his decision.
"Let's go explore."
Journey into the Forest
"Brother Aoki, where are we going now?" May asked as they left the Pokémon Center.
She wanted him to say they weren't leaving yet. She wasn't in a hurry to go home—not when she could still travel with Aoki, even if just for a little longer.
Aoki, however, wasn't about to reveal his true destination. "We'll scout the area for rare Pokémon first."
After all, with so many trainers in the vicinity, he couldn't risk someone overhearing their actual goal.
May brightened. "Okay! Let's go!"
She followed Aoki with a wide smile as they ventured deeper into the forest.
The thick vegetation soon turned into a dense woodland. Sensing possible danger, Aoki decided to play it safe.
"Boss Lairon, come out."
With a flash of light, the massive steel-plated Pokémon materialized. Its heavy footsteps made the ground tremble slightly.
Feeling nervous, May also released Aron, who immediately locked onto Boss Lairon with wide, admiring eyes.
It wanted to evolve.
Seeing its enthusiasm, Boss Lairon raised its head high, deliberately exuding an aura of strength.
Aoki sighed. So even my Pokémon like showing off, huh?
After traveling deeper into the woods, they finally arrived.
The Hidden Ruins
Aoki's eyes gleamed as he took in the sight. The Ruins near Oldale Town…
These ruins had briefly appeared in the Pokémon manga, but they were largely unexplored in the anime.
Relicanth was rumored to dwell here—perhaps even other ancient Pokémon.
"Brother Aoki, is this… a ruin?" May hesitated, gripping Aoki's arm as she eyed the towering stone structure. "Is it dangerous?"
There were many ruins in this world, and most were far from safe.
Aoki smirked. "With my Boss Lairon? There's nothing to worry about."
Boss Lairon gave a prideful snort, stomping its foot with a loud clang, as if to reassure May.
Aron, predictably, looked even more awed.
"Alright, I trust you!" May nodded, feeling more at ease.
Aoki approached the ruin's entrance and retrieved the Relic Orbs. Following the system's instructions, he carefully placed the orbs into the carved slots on the stone door.
With a deep rumble, the ancient mechanisms activated, and the gate slowly opened.
"Brother Aoki, how did you know how to open it?" May asked, eyes full of curiosity.
Aoki smiled mysteriously. "I did my research."
May accepted the answer without question. She knew Aoki was incredibly knowledgeable, so she wasn't surprised.
Exploring the Ruins
As soon as they stepped inside, Aoki pulled out his camera and began snapping photos of the carvings and architecture.
Not because he was interested—far from it.
But Professor Birch might be.
Birch was a key figure in Pokémon research, and sharing these findings with him could help solidify Aoki's reputation.
With the photos taken, Aoki settled in. According to the manga's hints, a secondary door within the ruins would open once sunlight hit a certain mechanism—but that wouldn't happen until morning.
So for now, they needed to wait.
"May, we're camping here tonight. While we have time, let's train our Pokémon."
"Okay!"
May was eager to grow stronger. She might be new to battling, but seeing Aoki's skill had ignited a competitive spark within her.
Training Begins
With that, training commenced.
• Torchic flared its tiny wings, attempting to master Flamethrower. Its fire was strong, but it still needed more control.
• Froakie focused on refining Hydro Pump, struggling to sustain the powerful stream.
• Boss Lairon stood still, deep in concentration. It was trying to break through a threshold—to grasp the Profound Meaning of its own strength. But even with its Elite potential, the final step was always the hardest.
• Aron worked tirelessly, eager to catch up to its evolution. It mimicked Boss Lairon's training, though it had a long way to go.
Most Pokémon with Elite qualifications never reached their full potential. Their growth depended heavily on their trainers' resources and expertise.
But Aoki wouldn't let Boss Lairon fall into that statistic.
It was only a matter of time.
Dinner Time
After an intense training session, Aoki finally called for a break.
"Dinner's ready!"
At the sound of those words, Torchic was the first to rush over, eagerly grabbing its bowl and digging in.
Aron and Froakie followed, equally eager.
Among the food, Aoki had prepared a special treat—high-quality Celadon and Rainbow Pokéblocks. These rare treats were a staple in elite Pokémon training, and Aoki had given one to Aron as a special boost.
Though in the future, I can't afford to keep feeding it these every day.
Still, basic Pokéblocks would be enough for Aron's needs.
As the Pokémon ate happily under the dim glow of the ruins, Aoki leaned back, looking at the night sky.
Tomorrow, they would uncover what lay beyond the hidden door.
And maybe, just maybe, they'd find something truly extraordinary.