The m, Naoki began anizing the Pokémon on the ranch for their m jog. Even Dolliv, who usually preferred to stay out of sight, was gently nudged into joining. Starting from the front steps, they jogged past the gss greenhouse and the orchard, cirg the edge of the pasture.

  Caught off guard by Naoki's suddehusiasm for exercise, the Pokémon exged looks of bewilderment.

  The more active Pokémon, like Koraidon, Cyclizar, Pawmot, Gogoat, and Dragonite, found the run easy a pace with ease.

  But for Pokémon like Indeedee, G Alcremie, Miltank, and Naclstack, who were used to a slower pace, the jogging was a challenge.

  Miltanks, panting heavily, finally decided rolling was easier than running. Curling up into a ball, they swiftly rolled along, making its way from the back of the group to the front.

  Nearby, Spectrier and Gstrier watched the spectacle from their stable, mung on carrots and enjoying the lively se.

  After pleting a p, Alcremie flopped onto the grass, pletely exhausted, a look of pure misery on its face.

  "Mree…"

  Naoki stood before the group, fag their puzzled expressions, and expined:

  "I'm sure you're all w why I asked you to start exerg today."

  Dragonite s big head. While it didn't mind the workout, it was certainly surprised by this new routine.

  "It's because I've learhat the stronger ahier a Pokémon is, the lo live happily in this world," Naoki expined.

  'Live longer?'

  The Pokémon blinked, looking at Naoki with puzzled expressions. Most of them didn't really uand what he meant by "lifespan."

  Sensing their fusion, Naoki tried to expin further. "Lifespan means the time we get to speogether. For most creatures, it's limited, and it varies based on who they are."

  He paused, realizing that a detailed expnation might only make them feel sad, so he softened his message. "In short, if we get stronger, we all be together for a long, long time."

  The Pokémon's expressions brightened as they grasped this idea, nodding with newfouermination. Even if they didn't uand every part, the st sentence was clear.

  As long as I bee stronger, I stay with Naoki forever!

  Naoki g the Pokémon in front of him. Some looked lost, while others had clear, uanding expressions. Indeedee, the g brother and sister Pokémon, appeared to grasp his words.

  Then, Pawmot raised its paw and chirped, "Pawmot?"

  Since all the transtion seeds had been ed, Naoki couldn't directly uand awmot meant.

  Seeing his fusion, Pawmot darted over to the gss greenhouse, calling for Calyrex to join them.

  With Calyrex's telepathic help, Naoki uood awmot was asking: "What about your lifespan, Naoki?"

  Naoki paused, then smiled softly. "Me? I'll live for about a hundred years."

  Seeing the puzzled faces, he crified, "That means I'll live to be a little over a hundred."

  But Pawmot, irely satisfied, pressed on. "Pawmot?" (What happens after a hundred years?)

  Naoki sidered his words carefully before expining, "In human terms, it likely meah. Death is when you leave this world forever."

  Hearing this, the Pokémon gathered in front of him looked downcast. They uood the cept of death, having seen it happen to other Pokémon during past events like the forest fire. They khat death meant closing your eyes and never waking up, and being id to rest in the ground forever.

  "But don't worry," Naoki tinued with a warm smile. "Even if I were to pass on, I'd still be with you. I'd e back as a ghost and stay by your side. I'd be with you forever."

  After all, ghosts were very real in this world, and if the gatekeeper of the spirit world—Dusknoir—ever came to guide him away, Naoki believed his Pokémon friends would stand by him. By then, the World Tree would have grown tall and strong, and he imagined living happily there with his Pokémon friends, watg over the ranch together.

  Pawmot's eyes glistened with tears. "Pawmot?" (Really?)

  Naoki nodded, reassuring them. "Of course, it's true!"

  At this, Dragonite swept him up into a big hug, relieved and overjoyed.

  "So," Naoki chuckled, patting Dragonite's rge, gentle cws, "ready to train hard?"

  "Awoo!" Dragonite nodded enthusiastically, determination rekindled.

  "The's keep going!" Naoki took a deep breath, smiling as he prepared to lead them again.

  However, the Pokémon stood still, gng at each other before making a series of chirps, growls, and sounds that Naoki couldn't quite uand.

  Koraidon stepped forward and took Naoki's hand, while the other Pokémon gathered around, f a tight circle around him. They nudged him forward, making it clear he was noart of this workout, too.

  Watg from the side, Calyrex ughed, transting the Pokémon's se with a warm tohey're saying, 'We want Naoki to live a long life too, so Naoki should train with us!'"

  Just as Naoki wished to be with them forever, they, too, wanted him to live a long ahy life so they could all stay together.

  Naoki couldn't help but smile, feeling a mix of humor and gratitude. "…So, I guess I've dug my own grave here?"

  ---

  Training wasn't just about exercise; it also required proper nutrition. With care, Naoki used the life-giving milk from Gogoat to prepare an array of nutritious meals for his Pokémon.

  The effects of the milk were almost as miraculous as the sacred Ash of Ho-oh.

  In a way, you could say that Pawmot and the others were practically dining on holy nourishment. With the vitality and power from these supplements, the Pokémon on the ranch showed remarkable transformations in just one week.

  That afternoon, Naoki gathered everyone from around the ranch to che their progress.

  Butterfree looked particurly vibrant. Its wings, delicate-lookirong, shimmered with a newfound brilliander the sunlight, their bck-veined patterns standing out boldly.

  Naoki ied it closely, jotting down observations in his notebook:

  [After extended ption of Milk of Life, Butterfree appears to have undergone a sedary development phase. Its wings are now sturdier and capable of geing strusts when it flies.]

  Satisfied, he moved on to che Cyclizar.

  "Raao~" Cyclizar stretched out its limbs in a pyful dispy of cooperation.

  "Hmm, Cyclizar's physique seems noticeably stronger," Naoki observed with a smile, noting the new muscle definition and its slight increase i. "If this were a game, Cyclizar would probably have earhe 'Big Badge' by now!"

  He chuckled to himself, doting Cyclizar's growth in his notebook.

  , he examined Koraidon.

  pared to the others, Koraidon's ges weren't as noticeable. Perhaps it was because Koraidon was already a powerhouse on the ranch? Its scarlet muscles, taut and powerful, would undoubtedly make any other Pokemon envious.

  Theuronite, giving its scales a curious poke.

  "Iing… its scales feel denser," Naoki murmured, noting that Dragonite's resilience seemed to have increased signifitly.

  "Perfect," he smiled, "soon I discuss the details of the Storm Trial and Lightning Trial with Dragonite and Pawmot. Judging by the timing, students from the Paldea Academy should be arriving here shortly."

  He recalled what Rika had mentioned about the Paldea League pnning to broadcast updates about the forest fire that had shocked the entire region. When the news aired, it would likely attract many traio learn about Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, so Naoki wao be prepared.

  At that moment, the nearby Miltank could hardly tain their enthusiasm, mooing and shifting impatiently, eager for their own checks.

  Naoki turned his head, catg sight of the Miltank trio, each brimming with energy aing out enthusiastic "Moo!"s.

  Naoki chuckled. "Alright, go ahead! Just be careful and watch out for other Pokémon!"

  "Moo!" The three Miltanks flexed their sturdy limbs, then curled into balls and started rolling joyfully across the grass.

  Watg them, Naoki jotted down a note in his journal:

  "After drinking the milk, the Miltanks seem to have boundless energy. They're always lively and use rolling as their exercise of choice."

  He couldn't help but pare them to the Skiddo that used to e tons of grassy treats and burn off the energy by dang around the pasture. However, Miltank had a more direct approach—rolling, rolling, and rolling nonstop.

  With enough training, Naoki mused, they might even bee as formidable as Whitney's Miltank, which had challenged many trainers with its formidable Rollout. The question was, could he traio match that level here on the ranch?

  While he mentally mapped out a training regimen for the Miltanks, Naoki tio che the other Pokémon's progress.

  Currently, there are around thirty Pokémon living on the ranch, excluding those who e and go.

  Among the residents were three Gogoats, three Miltanks, five Naclstack, and three bee. Alongside them were Cyclizar and Koraidon, G, and Pawmot, the Indeedee siblings, Butterfree, Dragonite, and Diglett.

  Then, of course, there was Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, along with His loyal steeds, Spectrier and Gstrier, and the royal tea set panions, Sinistea and Polteageist.

  Several Dragonite and Dragonairs fronite Isnd came to help out, though they didn't live on the ranch full-time. There was also the mischievous Gimmighoul, who hid in the ranch's cozy tavern and rarely made an appearance.

  All in all, it was an impressive roster of Pokémon to manage. Remembering eae's moves and preferences would be a challenge for most, but Naoki had long siarted a detailed observation log to record the moves, dietary needs, and overall ditions of eaon on the ranch. It was his way of making sure every Pokémon had the attention and care they deserved.

  By the time Naoki finished rec all the Pokémon information, the evening had already settled in.

  It was the weekend, and the Pokémon Tavern was closed, so after dinner, Naoki settled on the sofa with his Pokémon panions, tuning into the Paldea News el on TV.

  After a few minor updates, the broadcast finally shifted to a report on Kosaji Town.

  On the s, a female reporter, holding a microphone, faced the camera and began briefing the audien the forest fire that had struck the area.

  "…Today is May 22nd. Five months have passed sihat heartbreaking disaster. I'm sure many viewers are curious about the current state of the forest and the Pokémon who survived. So, today, we'll be taking a look at the recovery efforts here."

  On the s, the reporter pulled out a Poké Ball and released a rge Pokemon. She climbed onto its back, and together they took to the skies, flying toward the forested hills.

  As the camera panned over the ndscape, a lush, vibrant forest came into view, filled with tall trees and dense, healthy grass. The sight left the audieunned.

  "Wait, wasn't this ppletely destroyed by the fire?" someone in the audience excimed in surprise. "How could it look like this now?"

  "Yeah, trees don't grow back that quickly!" said another voice.

  "What exactly happened here?" came another puzzled remark.

  Just as the audience was steeped in fusion, the reporter and her Pokemon nded gracefully at the foot of the mountain.

  Upon seeing the se, the reporter smiled warmly. "It seems the recovery efforts here have been quite successful!"

  "I'm sure everyog is curious. This area suffered a devastating fire, yet now, it appears as if nothing happened."

  The audie home nodded in agreement.

  Without further suspehe reporter tinued, walking along the newly built path that wound up the mountainside.

  "As it turns out, shortly after the Paldea League sent teams to restore this forest, a legendary Pokémon with a passionate heart arrived. Uo bear the sight of the devastation, it used its immense power to revive the mountainside, bringing the forest back to life."

  "Wait, could that even be possible?" Viewers watg the broadcast were taken aback, their faces refleg disbelief.

  "What kind of Pokémon could restore aire forest?" another viewer murmured in awe.

  Ons, the reporter kept walking up the trail, narrating as she went. "In fact, there are stories of this Pokémon that have been passed down in Kosaji Town!"

  "Some say this Pokémon is the King of Bountiful Harvests, who blesses farmnds with fertile soil and brings abundant crops to those who believe in Him. Others say He was a kied ruler in aimes who would e to the aid of injured Pokémon."

  "It sounds almost like a fairytale, doesn't it? I was stunned when I first heard about it myself! But witnesses say they saw this Pokémon perf His miracle, and even ion's Champion was there to see it!"

  "And I imagine you'd like to see who this remarkable Pokémon is," she added with a smile.

  By now, the reporter had reached the top of the path, passing through a traditional tate and arriving at a newly structed shrine.

  In the ter of the shriood a statue of the legendary Pokémon. The figure depicted a serene expression, exuding kindness and wisdom.

  The reporter looked up at the statue, speaking in a reverent tohis is the Pokémon who restored this mountain to its former beauty. His name is Calyrex, known as the King of Bountiful Harvests in the legends of Kosaji Town. Doesn't He look friendly?"

  The camera zoomed in, capturing a close-up of the statue within the shrine.

  The statue of Calyrex, fag the s, seemed to smile gently, as if a warm greeting to everyone in Paldea.