The entire afternoon was spent training.
Both Murkrow and Slowpoke went through regular skill training, while Miltank not only provided occasional milk for the team but also focused on basic physical exercises.
Through conversations with Whitney, Aoki learned about Miltank's weaknesses and ways to improve them. Though the training wasn't overly intense, the results were clear.
As for Gastly, it battled aggressively against the wild Pokémon in the area. Since the surrounding Pokémon were lower in level, Gastly often ended up facing multiple opponents at once. Its naturally mischievous nature made it eager to pick fights, leading to close battles. Despite the challenges, it won each ti.
After just half a day, Gastly leveled up to fifteen.
Its level was low, so the quick progress was expected, but another key reason was its rigorous training back in Gastly's Cave on Trial Island. The structured practice in its early days helped build a strong foundation, and now, that past training was paying off. However, as its level increased, the benefits of that early training were beginning to wear off. Before long, its growth rate would slow, shifting to a more steady progression.
As for Aoki, after an afternoon of attempts, he managed to enter a ditative state for about thirty seconds before snapping out of it.
ditation required an empty mind, sothing that beca harder with age. The more experiences and thoughts one carried, the more difficult it was to achieve true emptiness. Aoki, with his countless calculations and plans, found this especially difficult. What was a simple exercise for others had beco his greatest challenge.
Still, he was gradually grasping the technique, though the ti it took him to reach a ditative state was many tis longer than normal. This made training his psychic abilities nearly impossible.
During training, Aoki also had Gastly take out the Skorupi egg and the Larvitar egg to check on them. The Skorupi egg was expected to hatch in two days, but the incubator still listed Larvitar's hatching ti as "unknown."
To the south of Goldenrod City was a well-known Pokémon breeding center. If ti allowed, Aoki planned to visit it the next day to see if they could determine Larvitar's incubation conditions.
If possible, his goal was to use the system to access the breeding center's database, expanding its stored knowledge and searching for similar cases of difficult-to-hatch Pokémon eggs.
Of course, this plan would depend on the circumstances when he arrived.
Brushing the dust off his clothes, Aoki signaled for the Pokémon to wrap up their training.
Thanks to Miltank's milk, none of them appeared overly exhausted. The nutrients it provided allowed them to recover quickly.
However, that didn't an they could train endlessly. Even if their bodies were replenished, ntal fatigue was another matter. The high-intensity training had already pushed them to their current limits.
Recalling Murkrow and Miltank into their Pokéballs, Gastly instinctively slipped into Aoki's shadow while Slowpoke walked alongside him.
Returning to the main road outside the manor took only twenty minutes this ti, much faster now that he was familiar with the route.
The sun was setting in the west, but Aoki wasn't heading back to Whitney's manor just yet. Instead, he made his way toward the center of Goldenrod City.
After half an hour of walking, he finally spotted the first car on the road. The sheer size of Whitney's family estate amazed him once again.
Eventually, he flagged down a taxi. The driver gave him a knowing look before taking him directly to Goldenrod City's Ga Corner.
Aoki knew this place well. It was one of the most famous gambling centers in the entire Johto region. In his past life, he had often visited, especially after mastering the use of his system.
One of his second-tier Pokémon had been obtained from here, but once he was caught using the system to manipulate the odds, he had to stop coming.
The exchange list at the Ga Corner was incredibly thorough, almost rivaling that of Team Rocket's black-market exchanges. The only limitation was that purchases could only be made with ga coins.
If this restriction didn't exist, many wealthy individuals would gladly trade massive amounts of Pokecoins for their ideal Pokémon. Of course, rarity and quality played a major role.
The Ga Corner never operated at a loss. The selection of Pokémon available for exchange was broad, but their quality varied. A lucky player might obtain a Pokémon with a green or even cyan-tier potential, but others might end up with one of red or orange quality.
It was just another form of gambling.
After all, Goldenrod City's Ga Corner was the heart of the region's gambling scene.
After paying the taxi driver 200 Pokecoins, Aoki stepped out with Slowpoke.
Before he could enter, however, two guards blocked his path. One pointed to a sign beside the entrance.
"Psychic-type Pokémon are not allowed inside."
Slowpoke, being a Water/Psychic-type, was affected by this rule.
It was a reasonable precaution. Psychic Pokémon could manipulate ga machines without physically tampering with them, making them a serious security risk. The Ga Corner strictly prohibited such behavior.
Aoki had montarily forgotten about this rule, so he hesitated for a mont before recalling Slowpoke.
Under the watchful gaze of the guards, he calmly stepped inside.
The mont he entered, the noise hit him like a wave.
A chaotic mix of shouting, cheering, and groaning filled the air, accompanied by the scent of tobacco, sweat, and food. The overwhelming atmosphere made Aoki want to sneeze.
The Ga Corner was packed with slot machines—the simplest form of gambling, yet one of the most addictive. The thrill of the gamble kept people hooked, whether they were casual players or serious trainers hoping to win big.
Even though it was close to dinnerti, the place was still full.
So players erupted in excitent when they won, drawing attention from those nearby. They proudly showed off their winnings, enjoying their mont of luck.
Others were not as fortunate. Defeated players sat slumped in their seats, either furious at their losses or too discouraged to continue. So pounded their machines in frustration, while others cursed under their breath.
The contrast between winners and losers was stark.
Taking in the scene, Aoki quickly noted that there were far more losers than winners.
Very few people walked out of the Ga Corner with their earnings intact.
The losers wanted another chance to turn things around. The winners felt emboldened by their success, eager to push their luck further. In the end, nearly everyone ended up empty-handed.
It was the perfect business model.
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