In fact, it was a very simple matter.
Since Aoki now possessed greater potential as a Trainer, and as someone without the backing of Steven's family, granting him the position of a League investigator would allow him to earn recognition while honing his skills. Simultaneously, the League would support Aoki and Verdanturf Town through various channels, ensuring he secured more resources.
It was worth noting that even Drake had begun his career as an investigator.
However, the position of League investigator sparked fierce competition among the factions below.
The Joy family argued that with their expertise in support and medical care, they could best assist Aoki. Among their ranks, they also boasted a particularly skilled Jenny who specialized in fieldwork.
Most Joys pursued careers as doctors or Pokémon nurses, but a rare few branched into other professions, such as Trainers.
The Jenny family countered that the Joys should focus on medicine—after all, the Jennys excelled at apprehending criminals to secure resources, and many of their members already served as investigators.
The third party involved was the previously neutral Stone family.
Their heir, Steven Stone, was Aoki's closest friend. Shouldn't Aoki naturally fall under the Stone family's oversight as an investigator?
In short, the three major factions nearly came to blows. They all recognized Aoki's extraordinary potential. If he developed normally, a future position among the Elite Four was practically guaranteed.
This very prospect left Adams deeply troubled.
Glancing at the composed figure standing beside him, Adams softened his expression, the squabbling of his subordinates momentarily forgotten.
Hadn't Aoki been the one to suggest retrieving Phoebe last time?
"Ahem! Let's table this discussion for now. First, grant him official status as the Verdanturf Gym Leader and allocate additional resources to demonstrate the League's investment in him. We'll settle the rest later. Meeting adjourned!"
Adams' decisive ruling ended the debate. Seeing his resolve, the factions reluctantly acquiesced, and the meeting concluded anticlimactically.
The person in question, Aoki, remained oblivious.
After a brief rest, Aoki mounted his Flygon and soared toward the Safari Zone's entrance.
The staff's eyes widened at the sight of over a dozen Elite-level Houndoom captured by Aoki. Though puzzled by his fascination with such Pokémon, their respect for him deepened.
This was a man not to be trifled with.
Even the staff knew the Houndoom pack's notorious ferocity within the Safari Zone—yet Aoki had seemingly cleared them out single-handedly.
Transferring the Drapion into his Pokéballs, Aoki departed on Flygon.
Though Regice awaited him, Aoki reasoned that haste might arouse suspicion. Nolan and Brandon, who had escorted Regice, undoubtedly knew its location. If Aoki followed too closely, it would only invite scrutiny.
Instead, after exiting the Safari Zone, he directed Flygon toward Eterna City.
Earlier, Gardenia, Eterna Gym's leader, had invited Aoki to visit, but he'd declined due to unfinished business in the Safari Zone. Now, challenging the Eterna Gym seemed ideal.
He wondered whether Gardenia herself would battle him or delegate to her apprentice.
In lighter spirits, Flygon carried him toward Eterna City.
Eterna City—a quaint settlement nestled between Jubilife City and Floaroma Town—boasted a modest population but remarkable longevity among its residents.
Its defining trait was its architecture: aside from the Gym, every building perched atop enormous trees, coexisting harmoniously with Flying-type Pokémon. Unsurprisingly, Eterna Gym specialized in Flying-types.
Upon arriving, Aoki was admitted without delay, and Gardenia greeted him personally.
When Aoki expressed his desire for a Gym challenge, Gardenia revealed that she intended to soon pass her title to her apprentice, Cheryl. She proposed a battle between Aoki and Cheryl, allowing her protégée to gauge her standing against rising talents.
In truth, Gardenia had ulterior motives. Aoki's rising prominence guaranteed increased League support. A match against him, even in defeat, would bolster Cheryl's reputation.
After all, when footage of Aoki's prior battle with Roxanne of the Rustboro Gym had surfaced online, her prestige had surged overnight.
This could be Cheryl's debut moment before assuming Gym leadership.
Gardenia even entertained a sliver of hope—if Aoki struggled against Flying-types, perhaps Cheryl might claim a round or two. That alone would legitimize her succession.
A full victory was beyond fantasy. Though Aoki's Flygon had seemed skittish earlier, its power was undeniable.
Thus, on the Gym's closed day, Aoki once again entered through the back door for a "thrilling" showdown with Cheryl.
Cheryl's skill level mirrored Roxanne's, but Aoki had grown exponentially in mere days.
Recognizing Gardenia's intentions, Aoki deliberately held back, crafting a spectacle of clashing strategies while ensuring Cheryl grasped the gap between them.
Afterward, Gardenia insisted on hosting Aoki for dinner, but he declined, fleeing as if pursued.
Her increasingly peculiar gaze unsettled him—sleeping outdoors seemed preferable to lodging in Eterna City.
By now, Regice would have reached its destination, and Nolan and Brandon, its "escorts," were likely in the bombarding zone. Aoki planned to head south from Eterna City, challenging Gyms in Jubilife City and Floaroma Town before setting sail.
Go find Regice.