Get Stronger by Pleasing Pokémon? Who Needs to Be a Trainer!

"Pidgey?"

Pidgey stared at the energy cube in Lin Feng's hand, unable to stop drooling.

But it managed to hold back and cautiously asked, "Pidgey...?" (Can you help me become stronger?)

"Hm?"

Lin Feng blinked in surprise, then asked, "How strong counts as 'stronger' to you?"

"Pidgey! Pidgey!" (There's a Spearow in the forest that evolved into a Fearow! It took over our territory and hurt many of my kin!)

Fury flared in Pidgey's voice.

Its territory had been seized, it had been forced to leave its home, and it was starving. As it spoke, hatred burned even more intensely toward the Fearow and its flock.

"All right. That's a request I can agree to."

Lin Feng nodded without hesitation.

A Fearow that had just evolved was probably around gym-level in strength.

Though Lin Feng's orchard didn't currently have any Pokémon at the gym level, he believed that training Pidgey up to that standard wouldn't take too long.

"Here, eat this, and you'll see for yourself whether you have the power to help your kin reclaim your territory."

With that, Lin Feng pulled out a Rare Candy.

"Pidgey?"

Hearing Lin Feng's promise, Pidgey didn't hesitate at all. It gobbled down the Rare Candy in a single gulp.

As a surge of power spread through its body, it turned to look at Lin Feng with wide, delighted eyes.

Lin Feng couldn't help chuckling. "So pure-hearted..."

Humans might offer verbal promises easily, but this little Pidgey accepted his word without question and ate anything he gave it without hesitation.

This Pidgey seemed so desperate it was throwing caution to the wind.

"From now on, you'll be in charge of watching over this orchard. If you're hungry, feel free to help yourself to any fruit. Your main job will be keeping out Pokémon like Rattata that try to sneak in."

Lin Feng released his Viridian Force, letting tiny green motes of light dance onto Pidgey's body.

The injuries left by Milotic's Water Gun healed completely in just a few seconds.

Come to think of it, this was Lin Feng's first time using Viridian Force specifically for healing.

He hadn't expected it to be quite this effective.

Pidgey flapped its wings experimentally, marveling at how its injuries had vanished in the blink of an eye. With a single beat of its wings, it soared into the sky.

Lin Feng wasn't worried about it flying off.

That Rare Candy was the key that bound it here.

"Congratulations, Host. Pidgey's happiness has risen from 10 percent to 60 percent. You have received ten bags of Golden Fertilizer, three Rare Candies, and one TM for the move Agility."

As expected, after only a short flight,

Pidgey perched itself atop a tall pine tree outside the orchard, its sharp gaze scanning the surroundings, already fully on alert.

"Water, land, air all sorted now."

Lin Feng clicked his tongue in satisfaction. Then he surveyed the layout of the orchard, planning where to plant the fruit trees he'd purchased.

Soon enough, he'd made up his mind.

The Oran Berries, which grew with thick foliage, would be planted along the orchard's perimeter fence to block prying eyes from outside.

After all, it was still too early to reveal the orchard's little secrets to the world.

The Sitrus Berry trees, which grew tall and straight, he chose to plant along the pathways, so that in summer, they'd cast pleasant shade over the orchard's entrance.

Both kinds of trees produced berries that helped restore Pokémon stamina.

Sitrus Berries yielded more fruit each year, while Oran Berries had slightly better restorative effects.

As for that lone Dragonfire Berry seed,

Lin Feng decided to plant it beside the reservoir.

Once he'd finalized the spots, he picked two spicy Rawst Berries and handed them to the Sandshrew, who had been sneaking longing glances at the berry pile the whole time.

"I'll need you to dig holes for planting at all the spots I marked, Sandshrew."

"Shrew! Shrew!"

Sandshrew beamed its goofy grin, carefully placed the two Rawst Berries on the edge of the field, and then began energetically digging where Lin Feng had pointed.

It preferred to finish its work before enjoying its snack.

Lin Feng didn't stop it.

He had to admit 

Sandshrew was an absolute ace at farm work.

Perhaps that was thanks to Grandpa Qin.

The old man was getting on in years, and couldn't handle heavy labor like he used to, but he disliked sitting idle. So Qin Shu's parents had bought a Sandshrew to keep him company and help lighten the burden around the farm.

Lin Feng didn't sit idle either. He fetched the tree saplings he'd bought from his storage capsule, complete with soil around their roots, and began planting them one by one into the holes Sandshrew dug.

Meanwhile, Milotic splashed water everywhere, lending its aid for irrigation.

Once the Sitrus and Oran trees were all planted,

Lin Feng asked Sandshrew to till another patch of ground, and planted the watermelon seeds he'd purchased.

Finally, seeing Sandshrew's bright-eyed look of anticipation, Lin Feng handed over a whole sack of Rawst Berries and told it that if it ever wanted more, it could come straight to the breeding center.

After all,

When it came to the Dragonfire Berry by the reservoir, he'd be using his stash of Premium Golden Fertilizer.

Ordinary Golden Fertilizer was fine to show off in front of Sandshrew.

But the premium stuff was downright miraculous.

[Premium Golden Fertilizer — Can accelerate plant growth by 300 to 1000 times.]

Even at the lowest estimate,

Premium Golden Fertilizer could make a plant grow in a day as much as it normally would in an entire year.

For all he knew, the Dragonfire Berry might start sprouting the moment he sprinkled it on.

Lin Feng took out the Dragonfire Berry seed. Under Milotic's curious gaze, he placed it into the hole beside the reservoir, gently covered it with a thin layer of soil, and then scattered the Premium Golden Fertilizer over it.

The moment the fertilizer touched earth, it sank in completely and vanished from sight.

Lin Feng couldn't help nodding at his Snivy. "Perfect! Just give it a month, and you'll be in for a treat!"

"Snivy?"

Snivy stared at the buried seed with curiosity and a bit of confusion.

"You'll find out in a month." Lin Feng gave a mischievous smile.

Right now, explaining would be pointless.

Snivy's ability, Contrary, didn't offer it much help at the moment anyway.

So saying nothing was, in Lin Feng's mind, the "kind" choice.

"Snivy..."

Snivy shot him a helpless look.

Its Trainer was such a tease...

Always stoking its curiosity.

"Oh right, there's this thing too."

Lin Feng pulled out a long, prism-shaped crystal in a pale blue hue.

Light rippled through its surface like flowing water, giving it an almost sacred glow.

Without a doubt, this was an S-class artifact the Ocean Crystal.

A legendary crystal said to power the mechanisms of the Ocean Temple.

"Milotic, come here. Take this and place it at the very center of the reservoir. Just bury it in the soil under the water."

"Miloo~"

Milotic lifted its head above the water, gently took the Ocean Crystal in its mouth, and swam downward.

The moment the Ocean Crystal touched the water, the entire reservoir seemed to shimmer, radiating waves of dense energy.

This glow continued until the Ocean Crystal was safely buried beneath the lakebed.

Seeing this, Lin Feng nodded in satisfaction.

With this Ocean Crystal in place,

the reservoir water would gradually transform into water rich with energy.

It would be an excellent aid for Milotic's future growth.

When Milotic finally surfaced, there was a faintly blissful look on its face. "Miloo~" (It feels so good... so comfortable...)

"There's also a Water Stone. Go ahead and absorb that too."

Lin Feng took a Water Stone from his system storage and handed it to Milotic.

Receiving this second gift, Milotic began trembling with emotion, as though it might start crying all over again.

After spending its youth struggling in muddy ponds,

it was overwhelmed to suddenly have such a wonderful living environment. It was happy, but also a little sorrowful remembering its past hardships.

Lin Feng gently stroked its head. "Life is only going to get better from here."

That calmed Milotic enough for it to sink back into the reservoir.

…

With Milotic's matters settled, Lin Feng turned his gaze toward the lush, overgrown pasture grass nearby.

He let out a sigh. "I still have to mow the grass..."

In that moment,

a powerful urge to acquire a Psychic-type Pokémon welled up inside him.

Or perhaps a Scyther wouldn't be a bad idea either...

At least then, he wouldn't have to do the mowing himself.

Though he was tempted to slack off, Lin Feng nonetheless picked up a scythe and got to work.

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