That afternoon, Naoki went into town and bought several rge bags of sunflower seeds from the seed shop. However, he didn't pnt them immediately. He po wait until the current crops were fully matured and harvested before starting the pnting cycle. Sunflowers could be pnted even iumn season, so there was no rush.

  With this pn, Naoki hoped to gather a substantial supply of sunflower seeds before the cold winter came. Oored, he could peel them whenever he wao unicate with his Pokémon, simply popping a handful into his mouth. As for any irritation from overindulging, he figured it could be banced out by eating plenty of fruits aables.

  At five o'clo the afternoon, Zack arrived to collect the day's produaoki had already prepared several ripe watermelons, goat milk from his herd, and a rge ister of Moomoo milk for him.

  Zack, grinning as he examihe bounty, remarked, "Looks like it's anood harvest season! I've been hearing simir things from the other farms around here."

  Naoki, curious, asked, "Has anyone's atured ahead of schedule?"

  Zack shook his head but smiled knowingly. "ly. But ever since you gave everyohat giant watermelon, folks around here have been more ined to believe in the King of Bountiful Harvests. A lot of the farmers have started buying statues from Kelly and pg them in their homes. People think that the King had something to do with the good harvests this season."

  Naoki: "…"

  He couldn't help but feel a little ed. Was the town beginning to rely too mu the blessings of the King of Bountiful Harvests? What if they fot the importance of their own hard work?

  Trying to entle reminder, Naoki said, "This is all still the result of everyone's hard work and effort."

  Zack caught the meaning and ughed, "Oh, don't worry! People know the story well. It's said that if folks get too zy, the King of Bountiful Harvests might grow tired of helping and take back the blessings. So, while we're thankful for the King's help, we're still putting in the effort ourselves."

  Hearing this, Naoki felt a sense of relief. Zack handed over the money for the day's goods. "Here's your payment. I've got to make my rounds and collect from the other farms now. See you tomorrow!"

  "See you tomorrow!" Naoki waved as Zack departed.

  With a g's igloo, Naoki decided to treat himself and the Pokémon to some chilled watermelon. Thanks to the Ice Stohe watermelons were perfectly chilled, their thick skins coated in a fine yer of frost. He took one, along with a few others, back to the house, ready to experiment with watermelon dishes.

  The first thing he made was a simple, refreshing watermelon juiaoki cut the watermelon, tossed the juicy red flesh into the blender, and soon had several cups of cold watermelon juice.

  He gnced down at the newly prepared juice:

  [Iced Watermelon Juice (B): A refreshing summer drink made from chilled watermelon.

  Effect: Heat Resistance (Level 1). After ption, grants resistao high temperatures and prevents heatstroke for 15 minutes.

  ent: A sweet, thirst-queng drink. Perfect for cooling off during a hot summer day.]

  The heat resistance effect was useful, though not surprising. Naoki remembered making simir dishes before, like hot soup noodles that granted cold resista was more or less what he had expected.

  , he tried his hand at watermelon shaved ice, fried watermelon rind, watermelon popsicles, and watermelon jelly. Most of the recipes were simply cooling or offered a minor stamioration effect. However, one recipe stood out:

  [Watermelon Jelly (C+): A chewy dessert made from freshly harvested watermelon.

  Effect: Watermelon Knight. After feeding it to a Pokémon, if they wear a helmet made of watermelon, they transform into a "Watermelon Knight," attrag the enemy's attention and l their attad defense during battle.

  ent: A smooth and delicious snack, perfect for all ages.]

  Naoki: "…"

  While it was amusing and could be useful iain situations, it wasly the groundbreaking effect he had hoped for. Looking at the pile of watermelon rinds left in front of him, Naoki decided to have a bit of fun.

  He ed one of the rgest rinds, cut off the excess with a knife, and fashio into a helmet resembling a motorcycle helmet.

  Naoki stepped outside, carrying the watermelon rind he had crafted earlier. Spotting Dragonite lounging on the grass, he called out to it.

  Drago up, blinking groggily, "Awoo?"

  With a mischievous glint in his eye, Naoki said, "How about something special to boost your strength?"

  At the mention of strength, Dragonite's eyes lit up with excitement. It nodded eagerly, "Awoo!"

  Naoki began by tossing a piece of watermelon jelly intonite's open mouth. Dragonite swallowed it quickly, lig its lips in satisfa. However, before it could ask for more, Naoki pulled out the watermelon ri, cealing a smirk as he pced it atonite's head.

  With a soft "puff," the watermelon rind ierced by Dragonite's horn, fitting snugly but hiriously on its head. The sight was so ical that Naoki couldn't tain his ughter.

  "Ouch…" Dragoilted its head, trying to catch a glimpse of itself but failing.

  Just then, Koraidon trotted over, instantly started ughing at the sight oh a watermelo. Its ugh echoed through the ranch, making Dragonite's eyes widen in disbelief. It looked from Naoki to Koraidon and back again, its expression growing more hurt by the sed.

  Tears began to form in Dragonite's eyes, its lip quivering.

  "Awoo." it whimpered.

  Naoki quickly suppressed his ughter, shaking his head. "No, no! It's not that we're ughing at you. It's just... well, your appearance is, adorable."

  Dragonite blinked, still uain.

  Sensing the o salvage the situation, Naoki leaned in and said, "You know how my food always has some special effects, right?"

  Dragonite nodded hesitantly. "Awoo."

  "Well, the jelly you just ate works like this," Naoki began, expining carefully. "If you wear that watermelo, it lowers your oppo's attad defense during battle."

  Dragonite's eyes widened, clearly ied. "Awoo?"

  Naoki tinued, "Think about it. If your oppo 't stop ughing because of how you look, they'll lose focus, right? And when they ugh, they 't defend themselves properly. Their muscles loosen up, and their strength diminishes."

  Dragoared at Naoki, then at Koraidon, who was still chug, and finally back at the watermelo. Slowly, uanding dawned on its face, and it nodded in agreement.

  "Awoo." Dragonite murmured thoughtfully, now seeing the helmet as a valuable asset.

  It carefully took off the watermelo and cradled it as if it were a prized possession. "Awoo!"

  Naoki grinned, waving it off. "Keep it. It's all yours."

  Dragonite beamed with pride, already treasuring the silly-looki.

  ...

  That evening, the ranch was filled with ughter and the st of watermelon. Naoki had prepared a gra: fried watermelon rind, watermelon juice, watermelon jelly, pork chops stewed with watermelon rind, and even watermelon sandwiches.

  By the time dinner was over, the Pokémon were sprawled out on the ground, groaning in pyful exhaustion. They were so full they could hardly move, and some, like Dragonite and Koraidon, vowed o eat watermelon again—at least for a little while.

  Seeing their appearanaoki showed an embarrassed smile on his face.

  ...

  Naoki sighed as he walked towards the underground cave, still chewing o few seeds. He had opeoo many watermelons today, and squeezed way too much juice, and now he was stuck trying to finish it all before it spoiled. After dinner, his Pokémon had run outside to enjoy the moonlight, but Naoki wasn't feeling sleepy yet. So, with a handful of seeds, he decided to visit the underground cave and chat with the Salt Pokémon.

  But as he made his way there, the effect of the transtion seeds started kig in again. Before he even realized it, all the Pokémon around him were suddenly very chatty.

  Dragonite, lying on the grass, stretched and remarked, "Awooo!" (The moon is so beautiful!)

  Cyclizar echoed the se with a pyful chirp: "Gaaaa! (How beautiful!)

  Even Koraidon, yawning zily, chimed in: "Agaa." (Sleepy already…)

  Overhead, Butterfree dahrough the air, humming softly, "Mmmmm~" (Hmmmm~)

  And the bird Pokémon flying above the ranch? They cawed bad forth: "Ga Ga Ga!" (It's getting dark, go home, go home!)

  But what really caught Naoki's attention was the chorus of voices from the other side of the river. The wild Psyducks were having their own versation:

  "Psyduck Psyduck!" (I really want to go swimming in the river!)

  Another one quickly responded: "Psyduck!" (You'll be washed away!)

  And then a third piped up: "Psyduck Psyduck Psyduck!" (There's so much delicious food growing oher side! I really want to eat it, Psyduck!)

  Naoki frowned, realizing that even the ambient sounds of wild Pokémon were now being transted by the seeds.

  'This is getting ridiculous,' he thought. 'I don't o hear everything!'

  And then it dawned on him: 'Wait, are they talking about stealing my crops?'

  He narrowed his gaze at the Psyducks across the river, and sure enough, several of them were eyeing his fields hungrily. When they notiaoki staring at them, their panic was instant.

  "Psyduck!" (Psyduck, we've been spotted!)

  Naoki sighed again. 'This transtion thing is both a blessing and a curse.'

  Pretending not to have heard their schemes, Naoki turned away and headed towards the Salt House. He desded the tuhat led to the underground cave where the Salt Pokémon resided. But as he he bottom, the sound of a fight echoed through the tunnel.

  Naoki went forward to ched saw that the Nacli that had not yet evolved was fighting with a Naclstack.

  Naoki wasn't surprised by the se unfolding before him. In fact, this was exactly what he'd suggested to Nacli some time ago.

  The st time Nacli had eaten a rge pot of fried soil, it still hadn't evolved. Disappointed for days, Naoki had provided it with a neroach: spar with other Pokémon. Through battling, it could gain experieoughen its body, aually meet the ditions required for evolution.

  Upon seeing Naoki arrive, both Nacli and Naclstack paused their sparring.

  Naoki cracked a handful of seeds and asked, "How are you feeling?"

  Nacli responded cheerfully, "Naacli~" (Feels great~)

  "Good to hear," Naoki said as he ied Nacli's dition. "Soon, you'll evolve into an even more powerful version of yourself."

  "Naacli~" (I'm so excited!) Nacli jumped up and down with joy. Remembering all that Naoki had done for him, it looked up at him with deep affe and shouted.

  "Naacli!" (I love Naoki the most!)

  Naoki blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned. He realized this was the purest expression of Nacli's feelings. With a soft smile, he replied, "Thank you. I like you too."

  Nacli's joy only grew, boung around iion.

  Naoki reached out to pat its head, intending to scoop it up into his arms, but just as he did, a brilliant light burst forth from its body.

  It was evolving.

  Naoki stepped back slightly, watg in awe as Nacli's form shifted and ged within the glowing light. The entire underground cave lit up with the iy of the evolution.

  When the light finally dimmed, a strong and mighty Naclstack stood before Naoki, fully evolved.

  At that moment, Naoki felt a wave of pride and joy. All five Nacli had now pleted their evolution into Naclstack.

  "Evolved! I'm so proud of you!" Naoki excimed, stepping forward to gratute the newly evolved Naclstack. He looked at the powerful Pokémon with a mixture of wonder and nostalgia. He couldn't help but remember the first time he'd met them, small and weak. Now, they were formidable, capable of standing their ground against anything.

  There is nothing more rewarding in the world, Naoki thought than watg a Pokémon evolve and grow before your very eyes.

  From a tiny, vulnerable creature to a strong and steadfast Pokémon—this, Naoki realized, is the real joy of raising and training Pokémon.

  He spent some time chatting with the group, gratuting eae, before notig that some of them were starting to look sleepy.

  "Then I won't disturb your rest. See you tomorrow!"

  "Stack~" (See you tomorrow~)

  Just as he stood to leave, a sudden rustling sound echoed from the er of the cave.

  'Huh?'

  Naoki was startled, w if there were other wild Pokémon drawn to the cave.

  Curious, he walked towards the sound and soon noticed a small mound of dirt oherwise ft ground.

  A faint noise came from inside.

  "Squeak, squeak, squeak!" (You 't see me, you 't see me, squeak!)

  Naoki: "..."

  He had thought the Pokémon had already left! But it was still here, hidih the earth.

  With a sigh, Naoki called out, "Diglett, e out! I see you!"

  In respohe little mound trembled, then hastily began to retreat further into the earth.

  Naoki, exasperated, called out, "Diglett, don't run! Stay and work for me. I'll make sure you're fed every day, as long as you help me plow the nd!"

  At his words, the fleeing Diglett froze.

  It cautiously poked its head out from the mound: "Squeak?" (Really?)

  "Of course it's true." Naoki grinned. "sider your past misdeeds of ruining the farmnd fiven. From now on, I'm officially hiring you to help on the ranch. Iurn, I'll provide you with three meals a day."

  "Squeak?!"

  Diglett's eyes widened with surprise and delight.

  Naoki couldn't quite uand the exact words it squeaked, but from its excited expression, it was clear the Pokémon was on board.

  "Then it's settled," Naoki said, his voice filled with satisfa. "You'll live here from today onwards."

  Digletts, like this one, usually underground. They rarely surface, as the bright sunlight weakens their bodies.

  "When I need your help, I'll call you," Naoki added.

  It erfect timing. He had pns to expand his sunflower fields, and with a Diglett skilled at tilling the soil, the task would beuch easier. Plus, he could cultivate more nd, leading to more crops and a greater ce for his pasture to flourish.

  Diglett squeaked eagerly in agreement.

  Naoki, intrigued, asked, "Where have you been hiding all this time?"

  He pulled out a handful of seeds and began to snack.

  "Squeak, squeak, squeak."

  The Diglett expihat it had been livih the area all along. Its was deep underground, weaving through tless small tunnels below the pasture. It had stayed out of sight, never ing to the surface because there hadn't been any food. But retly, the Diglett noticed the human above pnting crops, and curiosity drove it to iigate.

  Naoki nodded in uanding. So it had been here long before he arrived.

  "It's fine. You're wele to stay here," Naoki said kindly. Notig Diglett's gaze drift toward the Naclsta the distance, he reassured it: "Don't worry, they won't harm you. They're gentle Pokémon."

  "Squeak."

  The Diglett responded, seemingly relieved.