Two days flew by in a blur of activity for Aoki and Murkrow.
The trainer and Pokémon lived each day to the fullest, maintaining a tight, orderly routine within their quiet routine.
If there was one major change to speak of, it was their appearance.
Having completed a full week’s regimen of Yellow Berry Blocks, Murkrow had finally climbed out of the deep pit of physical malnutrition.
Though it was hard to say if it had reached its absolute peak potential, Murkrow was highly satisfied.
Originally smaller than an average Murkrow, it had now grown to sixty centimeters in height—a full ten centimeters taller than its typical peers.
Its tight, jet-black plumage gleamed with a healthy luster down to the finest downy feathers, allowing its streamlined body to cut through the air even faster.
Its powerful wings radiated explosive strength; thanks to its daily wing training, it could now execute the Gust move flawlessly and had even touched the threshold of the advanced move, Hurricane.
Though it was larger and heavier, its speed had not decreased at all; in fact, it had grown even swifter.
Both its offensive power and speed had improved significantly.
While Aoki’s transformation was not as dramatic as Murkrow’s, his posture had visibly sharpened, and lean muscles were starting to define his frame.
He had kept pace with his own physical regimen every time Murkrow trained.
Though his clothes were still tattered, his bright eyes shone with sharp vitality.
Even the once-shabby Zubat cave had been completely transformed.
The cold stone floor was now covered with soft straw and dried leaves.
Two wooden racks stood against the wall, stacked with herbs and wild berries that Aoki had gathered during his outings.
A simple makeshift bed lay on the floor, lined with the pelt of an unknown wild beast.
“Murkrow, the effects of the Yellow Berry Blocks have fully manifested, and the regimen is complete.
Continuing to eat them won’t do much.
From now on, you can finally eat the Dark Speed Berry Blocks you’ve been dreaming about,” Aoki said with a smile as he watched Murkrow preening its feathers.
At the mention of the Dark Speed Berry Blocks, Murkrow froze.
Remembering the taste from before, it unconsciously swallowed and stared intently at Aoki.
Amused by Murkrow’s gluttonous expression, Aoki chuckled helplessly.
He retrieved the Dark Speed Berry Blocks he had prepared over the past few days from his storage space and placed them into Murkrow’s designated food bowl.
“You can eat your fill from now on.
There’s plenty.” Unlike the Yellow Berry Blocks, the Dark Speed Berry Blocks provided a subtle, continuous boost to a Pokémon’s growth.
They were packed with Dark and Flying-type energy, allowing the Pokémon to absorb more power the more it consumed.
Aoki was confident that Murkrow would rely on this very Berry Block to fuel its growth for a long time to come.
In truth, as intermediate-grade Berry Blocks, they packed a massive amount of energy.
Murkrow, who usually needed to devour several fish to feel full, felt completely stuffed after eating just a few blocks.
Savoring the perfect flavor, Murkrow clicked its beak.
If it weren’t already full, it would have eagerly eaten more.
While Murkrow enjoyed its lunch, Aoki quickly finished his own meal.
The afternoon was reserved for combat and exploring the forest.
Since the Team Rocket base lay to the west, there was no need to search in that direction.
Over the past two days, Aoki and Murkrow had been mapping the eastern woods, encountering various wild Pokémon and identifying several local territories.
These included a Spearow flock eight kilometers away and a Pidgey flock fifteen kilometers away.
The two populations were mortal enemies and frequently clashed.
However, due to their sheer numbers, Aoki didn’t dare provoke them.
The Spearow flock was led by a Level 22 Fearow, while the Pidgey flock was headed by a pair of Level 21 Pidgeotto.
The overall strength of both groups was closely matched.
Today’s goal was to explore the south.
Aoki set off light, bringing only Murkrow with him.
Given Murkrow’s current size, Aoki’s shoulder could no longer accommodate it.
Instead, Murkrow soared above Aoki’s head, keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings.
Aoki didn’t know the exact dimensions of Trial Island, but it had to be massive.
Despite being out of the Team Rocket base for so many days, he hadn’t crossed paths with a single soul.
Granted, not everyone stayed outdoors at all times; for instance, Kuga, the top scorer of the first test, only explored the forest during the day and returned to base before sunset.
However, that streak was about to end.
After walking three kilometers south, Aoki stumbled upon three trialists who had teamed up to explore.
They were currently resting under a large tree.
Murkrow spotted them first.
After alerting Aoki, the two quietly crept closer to the trio’s position.
The three sat in a circle, seemingly discussing something, with their Pokémon resting beside them.
The group was led by a chubby youth sitting in the center, whose partner was a Koffing.
Of the other two, one was very short and paired with an Oddish.
The last one was incredibly ordinary-looking, wearing a green T-shirt, and his partner was a Zubat.
“Hey, Fat Bro, is this the right direction if we just keep walking straight?” the shortest of the three asked.
The fat leader glanced at him, curling his lip.
“What, you don’t trust your Lord Fat?” his gaze filled with disdain.
An Oddish possessed almost zero combat capability at low levels and could be found anywhere in this forest.
“No, no, Fat Bro, how could you say that?
Of course we trust you!
After all, you’re a powerhouse who ranked tenth in the first test,” the youth in the green T-shirt chimed in quickly.
The fat youth was clearly pleased with the smooth-talking green-clothed youth.
The flattery hit the mark perfectly, as evidenced by the involuntary smirk on his face.
“Hmph, if it weren’t for my Koffing being unsuited for direct, head-on attacks, I would’ve ranked much higher,” Fat Bro huffed, though his tone had noticeably softened.
“Of course, of course!
With your strength, Fat Bro, you definitely belong in the top three,” the short youth quickly added, realizing his previous slip-up and hastening to flatter him.
Having been assigned an Oddish, he had captured it without much trouble due to its gentle nature.
However, an Oddish was undeniably a weak Pokémon.
Combined with the fact that this was his first time handling a Pokémon and he had no idea how to train it, finding a strong backer was his only hope of surviving this trial.
Seeing that the short kid was finally learning how to behave, Fat Bro nodded in satisfaction.
Though the short kid was weak, he was obedient, which was why Fat Bro had agreed to let him tag along.
After pausing for a moment, he said, “I spent all the points I earned from my ranking to buy a treasure map from the base’s exchange shop.
Although the map doesn’t cover a massive area, it clearly marks the territories of the surrounding Pokémon.
The Rattata pack we ran into earlier was marked right on it, which proves we’re heading in the right direction.” Not everyone had a clear plan like Aoki or knew exactly what they and their Pokémon needed.
Because of this, Team Rocket stocked the exchange shop with various treasure maps of varying quality and price.
There was no shortage of people like Fat Bro who were willing to gamble their points on one.
Clearly, the fat youth before them was exactly that kind of gambler.