Fighting against the Elite Four is something that many Trainers aspire to do but often find themselves unable to accomplish.
The title of the Elite Four does not necessarily mean that those who hold it are only at that level of strength—in many cases, their power far surpasses even that rank. This is especially true in the Kanto region, where the League headquarters is located, and where talent is abundant. The Elite Four of Kanto are so formidable that each of their strengths could rival the champions of other regions, such as Sinnoh. Of course, this does not rule out the possibility of exceptionally powerful individuals existing elsewhere.
One reason no Trainer in Kanto has ever secured the position of Champion is simply because the Elite Four are too strong. No one has been able to completely surpass them—not even those who come close.
Though some may mock Lance as the "Dodo Bird Champion" or the "Flying-type specialist," there is no denying his true strength. In later years, many would compare others to him as a benchmark for power—such as Giovanni, who defeated Lance in just a few moves, proving his own overwhelming might.
But that is a story for another time. For now, Aoki is thrilled at the opportunity to battle Drake, one of Hoenn's Elite Four.
Given Drake's strength, he likely wouldn't send out an overwhelmingly powerful Pokémon. Once the battle was agreed upon, the sailors cleared the deck, leaving ample space for the fight.
"Aoki, let me see what you're capable of!" Drake's expression turned serious. "If you impress me, I'll grant you what you seek. But if you fall short… well, I'll have to say the younger generation of Hoenn has disappointed me."
Aoki had stumbled upon this ship by chance, but Drake understood his intentions well enough—he wanted training methods for Dragon-type Pokémon. Drake wasn't one to hoard knowledge, but he would only share it if Aoki proved himself worthy. The exact standard? That was for Drake to decide.
Aoki's face hardened with determination. He wasn't surprised Drake had guessed his motives. After all, who wouldn't seek guidance from a Dragon-type master when they had a Dragon-type Pokémon of their own? Raising such creatures was no easy feat.
Not everyone was like Ash, casually giving away rare Dragon-types without a second thought.
Without a word, Aoki gave a firm nod.
"Good! Then let's begin!" Drake grinned, pleased with Aoki's confidence.
With that, he hurled a Pokéball, and a Pokémon encased in a thick shell materialized on the deck. It stood on four sturdy legs, resembling a powerful young drake, its eyes gleaming with battle spirit from beneath its armored plating.
Shelgon.
The Pokémon Drake had sent out was the evolved form of Bagon—Shelgon.
Aoki couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. He had gone through great lengths just to obtain a single pseudo-legendary, yet here was Drake, casually using one.
No—knowing Drake, this Shelgon was likely the offspring of his Salamence. That meant Drake had at least two fully evolved Salamence, possibly more. And if this Shelgon evolved in the future, Drake could field an entire team of them.
Aoki recalled that in the future, when Drake battled Ash, he still used a Shelgon. That meant he had at least four pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
Mass-producing Salamence? That was terrifying.
And yet, despite such power, Drake was only one of the Elite Four—not the Champion. Just how strong was Steven, the reigning Champion?
Steven didn't rely on type advantages. As a Steel-type specialist, his strength was undeniable. All Aoki could say was: Steven was on another level.
Activating his system, Aoki scanned Drake's Shelgon.
Pokémon: Shelgon (Dark Teal)
Gender: Male
Level: 49
Type: Dragon
Ability: Rock Head
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Outrage, Twister, Dragon Rush, Round
Basic Moves: Tackle, Rage, Ember, Leer, Bite, Dragon Breath, Headbutt, Focus Energy, Crunch, Dragon Claw, Zen Headbutt, Scary Face, Flamethrower
Learnt Moves: Draco Meteor, Dragon Dance, Dragon Pulse, Iron Defense
TM Moves: Focus Blast, Rock Tomb, Shadow Claw, Rock Slide, Rest
A level 49 Shelgon, dark teal in color—just one level away from evolving into Salamence and reaching pseudo-legendary status. Its inherited moves revealed its strong Dragon lineage, with three of its four egg moves being Dragon-type. This Shelgon was undoubtedly bred for battle.
It had already mastered two of the Dragon-type's most powerful techniques—Draco Meteor for wide-range destruction and Outrage for single-target devastation. This was no ordinary Shelgon.
While it might not be among Drake's top-tier Pokémon, it was still stronger than most of Aoki's team.
Unfortunately, Aoki's Weavile wasn't ready yet—and even if it were, he wasn't planning to reveal it in an official League battle. With Weavile's speed and surprise factor, it could potentially take down even a well-trained Dragon-type in one strike.
For now, that remained one of Aoki's hidden aces.
Which left him with only one real choice.
"Go! Slowking!" Aoki threw his Pokéball, summoning his trusted partner.
At present, Slowking was the closest to pseudo-champion level on his team. It also had a key advantage—being a fully evolved Pokémon, its base stats far outstripped Shelgon's. But Shelgon's dark teal coloration hinted at its potential, and once it evolved, the gap would shrink significantly.
"Slowking? I've heard it's your strongest Pokémon. Let's see if the rumors hold true." Drake smirked, unsurprised by Aoki's choice.
"Alright, Slowking! Ready? Activate your full psychic powers—use Nasty Plot!" As the challenger, Aoki made the first move.
Wisdom flashed in Slowking's eyes as its special attack sharply rose.
"In that case, Shelgon—start with Dragon Pulse! Consider it a greeting!" Drake's expression turned focused. No matter the opponent, he always fought with respect.
Shelgon's mouth emerged from beneath its shell, releasing a surge of blue-purple energy straight at Slowking.
"Slowking, intercept with Surf! Then set up Trick Room!"
While Shelgon was slow, Slowking was even slower. Trick Room would reverse their speed dynamics, giving Slowking the advantage.