The eastern suburbs of Hau'oli City.
Kukui Laboratory.
Li Wei had already explained his purpose to Professor Kukui: he wanted to challenge Totem Pokémon and obtain Z-Crystals.
Z-Moves were a battle system unique to the Alola Region, closely tied to the power of its islands.
There were no restrictions on where Z-Moves could be used. The awkward part was having to perform an embarrassing dance to activate them.
Then there was the special nature of Z-Crystals.
Z-Crystals were generally extremely durable.
But without the recognition of an Island Guardian or a Totem Pokémon, a Z-Crystal was effectively a single-use consumable.
The islands' special power had also given rise to a unique kind of Pokémon in the Alola Region-Totem Pokémon.
Other places also had enormous Pokémon,
Pokémon that could be called dominant members of their kind,
such as the Giant Onix Bruno had caught.
Before the Giant Onix,
all other Onix had to bow in submission.
Li Wei recalled that Ash had also encountered a giant Magikarp in Pokémon Journeys.
Was that in the Johto Region?
It didn't matter. Li Wei wasn't going to catch it anyway.
If he happened to encounter it, he could catch it.
But Li Wei wasn't going to go out of his way to search for it.
Pokémon like the Giant Onix and that giant Magikarp lacked one thing-a totem aura.
Only those with a totem aura were true Totem Pokémon. Otherwise, they were simply big.
Totem Pokémon were much larger than others of their species, especially species that were already tall, and their entire bodies were cloaked in a special aura-a totem aura.
There was another, even more unusual feature.
When Totem Pokémon battled, they would call their subordinates over to help.
So partway through a battle, it might turn into a Totem Pokémon ganging