Honchkrow successfully entered the elite level, and the Golbats and Zubats in the sky were shot down.
As their numbers dwindled, the remaining Zubats and Golbats, realizing something was wrong, scattered and fled.
After all the Golbats had dispersed, Honchkrow flew back, looking very satisfied.
Aoki smiled and stroked Honchkrow's feathers, which had become smoother and softer over time.
After advancing for a certain distance, Aoki signaled for Tropius to descend.
It was still not suitable for the Pokémon, who had exerted themselves greatly, to continue traveling at night, especially since they hadn't eaten yet.
...
Two days later.
They arrived at the base of Mount Pyre.
Aoki successfully reached the location with Torchic.
It had taken two days because Aoki hadn't rushed the journey.
Along the way, Aoki discovered that since these routes were frequently traveled by Trainers, the levels of the wild Pokémon in the area were not very high.
Taking advantage of this, Aoki conducted battle training for Torchic and the others.
These weaker wild Pokémon served as excellent practice targets.
Even Larvitar, who had just entered the growth stage, eagerly threw itself into battle.
However, unlike Torchic, who was experiencing battle for the first time, Larvitar, despite its lack of prior combat experience, entered a frenzied battle state comparable to Aron.
Both were heavyweight Pokémon, and their fighting styles were somewhat similar.
Additionally, Aron and Larvitar had the closest bond, and Larvitar had learned many battle techniques from Aron.
With Larvitar's excellent control over Ground- and Rock-type moves, as well as its powerful inherited moves, it was not at all weaker than Mudkip in battle.
The wild Pokémon in the area were mostly around level 10 to 20, making them ideal opponents for Torchic, Aron, Poliwag, Mudkip, and Larvitar. They fought fiercely against these lower-leveled wild Pokémon.
When Pokémon above level 20 appeared, Weavile, who had been watching from the side, stepped in to help handle them.
This ensured a safe journey, while also greatly improving their strength.
Torchic and Mudkip had both reached level 21. With their status as Three Royal Starters, just a few more levels would allow them to reach their first evolution, giving them more versatility in battle.
Poliwag had reached level 15. Due to the environment, there weren't many opportunities for it to perform, so its level growth wasn't as significant as Torchic's.
Aron had reached level 18, having originally been level 16. After following Aoki for so long, it had finally fully recovered from the injuries and losses suffered during its reckless battles as a young Pokémon. Now that it was leveling up normally, the improvement in its strength was much more noticeable than before.
Even Larvitar, experiencing battle for the first time, had reached level 10, successfully catching up to Aoki's second-echelon Pokémon.
This marked the progress of Aoki's second-tier Pokémon.
Just in time, after a few days of accumulation, Weavile also successfully entered the elite level.
Following Honchkrow, it became the third Pokémon in Aoki's team to reach the elite level.
Now, Aoki's first-echelon Pokémon had gradually entered the elite level, and his overall strength had also risen to that level.
Meanwhile, the second-echelon Pokémon continued making small but steady level gains whenever possible.
Overall, Aoki had entered a balanced development phase.
This was an ideal situation.
At least Aoki no longer had to push his Pokémon to their limits just to survive, which could have otherwise hindered their potential.
Now, with stable development, each Pokémon could maximize its abilities.
Especially the second-echelon Pokémon—thanks to Honchkrow, they had a stable foundation for development, allowing them to grow even faster due to their solid potential.
Perhaps by the time Honchkrow and the others reached the Champion level, Torchic and the rest would have reached the pseudo-Champion level, forming a nearly perfect progression.
Aoki was quite satisfied with his current Pokémon development.
His main purpose for coming to Mount Pyre was also to evolve Haunter. If Haunter could evolve into Gengar, Aoki would gain an even greater advantage in terms of overall strength.
Moreover, Aoki possessed a Mega Stone, though he wasn't sure which Pokémon it was for. Since Gengar was capable of Mega Evolution, there was a chance it could be Gengar's Mega Stone.
If that were the case, all he would need was a Key Stone and a strong bond with Gengar to unlock Mega Evolution.
Aoki already had the Soothe Bell, ensuring a steady increase in their bond. His connection with Haunter had been cultivated back on the Trial Island.
Since Mega Evolution had yet to be discovered in the world, Mega Stones were incredibly rare, but obtaining a Key Stone was relatively easier.
Therefore, evolving Haunter was Aoki's top priority!
Mount Pyre was a sacred burial site for many Pokémon, most of whom had been the partners of Trainers.
Some had tragically fallen in battle, while others had reached the end of their natural lifespans.
Regardless of the reason, if given the opportunity, Trainers in the Hoenn region would lay their Pokémon to rest at Mount Pyre.
Over time, a vast number of Pokémon graves accumulated here.
As a result, Ghost-type energy became highly concentrated in the area, attracting many wild Ghost-type Pokémon.
These Pokémon would wander the mountain or linger around it.
If one visits Mount Pyre at night and encounters Ghost Pokémon, there's no need to be afraid. As long as one doesn't act inappropriately, Ghost Pokémon won't intentionally harm humans—at most, they might play some pranks.
However, if someone does something to anger the Ghost Pokémon of Mount Pyre, they could be in serious danger.
Because of the strong presence of Ghost-type energy here, many Trainers specializing in Ghost-types gather at Mount Pyre.
Whether to catch a Ghost-type Pokémon they excel with or to train their own Ghost Pokémon, it's an excellent place.
However, most Trainers only stay around the outskirts of Mount Pyre, as there's little danger there.
But if one were to venture into the inner regions of Mount Pyre, caution would be necessary—many aggressive Ghost Pokémon reside within, and ordinary people wouldn't dare enter without sufficient strength.
Standing at the foot of Mount Pyre, Aoki gazed up at the mountain, smaller than Mount Chimney, and fell into deep thought.
Phoebe, Hoenn's future Ghost-type Elite, had supposedly emerged from Mount Pyre, hadn't she?