By the afternoon, the Diglett had mao dig a rge hole beh the salt house.

  The little Diglett anting with exhaustion; the scale of the project was immense, far beyond its usual digging.

  However, there still wasn’t enough stoo build stable walls for living. After digging out the underground space, they’d also o prevent the surface from colpsing.

  These s required careful pnning.

  Looking at the rge hole the mole had dug, Naoki began to think deeply.

  The Diglett, notig Naoki’s expression, looked at him with both hope and worry in its small eyes. "Squeak?"

  "Don’t worry, you’re essential to this project," Naoki reassured. He wouldn’t treat his employees unfairly until the job was done.

  Naoki took out the sandwich he had brought and pced it on the ground.

  Diglett happily scurried over and started eating the sandwiibbling at it in small bites.

  "I don’t have experience building underground caverns," Naoki muttered to himself. "If the ground colpses after we finish digging, it’ll be more trouble than it’s worth."

  As Naoki walked out, he thought, 'I’ll have to ask Kelly for advi how to prevent a colpse.'

  He headed into the ranch, pnning to get some ice from G’s ice celr to make smoothies.

  But at that moment, three boys and girls in school uniforms appeared at the ranch.

  "Huh?" Naoki was surprised to see them.

  The trio noticed him as well and started whispering loudly among themselves.

  "Is this the farm Carter mentiohe location of the Green Grass Trial?"

  "Huh? No way! The one who helped him train is a farmer?"

  "What the heck! Look, is that a Dragonite? How such a rare Pokémon be here?"

  Naoki’s heart lifted. 'It seems Carter has been spreading the word about my ranch.'

  After all the excitement of ret battles, the Pokémon—especially the Gogoat—had beeless, eager for a challenge. Maybe this was the perfect opportunity.

  Just as Naoki was about to approach the students, Pawmo swooped down.

  The three students’ attention was immediately drawn to Pawmo, who looked dashing in its red cape.

  The sight of Pawmo stuhe students, who were wide-eyed in disbelief at the se before them.

  One girl with short pink hair excimed, "Oh my gosh! Is that… Pawmo? Pokémon like Pawmo fly?"

  A boy with gsses adjusted them thoughtfully, Pawmo’s movements. "It’s probably usiromagic levitation."

  At that moment, audent noticed Koraidon.

  "What kind of Pokémon is that?"

  "I don't kher," one of the students murmured. "What is this pce, and why are there so many rare Pokémon?"

  Watg their stunned faces, Naoki couldn't help but feel amused. He stepped forward and greeted them, "Hello!"

  "Excuse us!" The three students were still polite, despite their surprise.

  They greeted Naoki first and then asked, "Are you the owner of this pce? We heard from Carter that you're holding a Green Grass Trial here to help Pokémon with their training."

  "That’s right," Naoki nodded with a smile. He noticed their uniforms and asked, "You and Carter are students from Naranja Academy, correct?"

  "No, I’m from Uva Academy," the girl replied.

  Naoki was a little surprised.

  The girl went on to expin how Paldea’s schools were divided into two academies—Naranja Academy and Uva Academy. Freshmen could choose betweewo based on their preferences after enrolling.

  Naoki nodded in uanding. Although it surprised him, he didn’t dwell on it much. After all, this was a world with both Professor Sada and Professor Turo. Se things like this were being normal.

  He looked at the three of them and asked, "So, are you all here to take part in the Green Grass Trial?"

  The trio nodded enthusiastically. They had seen how much Carter had improved, and his Delibird had bee signifitly stroheir curiosity iqued.

  What kind of training could create such dramatic ges in such a short time?

  They were itg to find out.

  "e with me," Naoki said, gesturing for them to follow. "But to participate irial, it'll cost you 2,000 Poke Dolrs."

  The three students exged fused gnces. "Didn't Carter say there wouldn’t be a fee?"

  Naoki expined, "The fee covers the healing services I provide for your Pokémon after the battle. No matter how serious the injuries are, they’ll be fully healed afterward."

  "Oh, that makes sehe trio nodded in realization.

  2,000 Poke Dolrs—equivalent to the cost of four bottles of Moo Moo Milk—it was a reasonable price. If it could help their Pokémon bee stronger, it was worth it.

  Seeing their thoughtful expressions, Naoki added, "Just remember, whether you or your Pokémon bee stronger depends on your perseverand uanding."

  "We got it!" they said, having already heard simir advice from Carter.

  "Alright the's begin!" Naoki said as he led them toward the battlefield.

  With a wave toward the goat pen, three eager Gogoat sprinted over, full of energy and ready for battle.

  The three students looked at the Gogoat in fusion.

  "Meh?"

  Naoki expined, "The Green Grass Trial has three levels. The first level is a one-otle with a Gogoat. The sed level is a 2v2 battle against two Gogoat simultaneously. The third and final level requires you to battle all three Gogoat at the same time."

  "Those who successfully pass the trial will receive a mysterious prize that helps Pokémon grow," Naoki announced.

  'A Gogoat battle?' the pink-haired girl thought, her eyes filled with fusion.

  She looked at the three Gogoat in front of her and asked, somewhat unsure, "Is the Green Grass Trial really just a battle against Gogoat?"

  This wasn’t quite what she had imagined. Although the Gogoat looked strong and impressive, they were still just Grass-type Pokémon. If she used a Pokémon with a type advantage rass types, wouldn’t this trial be easy?

  Naoki quickly guessed what the girl was thinking.

  He smiled and shook his head. "As a trainer, you must never uimate your oppo just because of type advantages or ability suppression. A true trainer always maintains the heart of an apprentice."

  The girl was taken aback by his words.

  'Not everyone say something like that!'

  "May I know your name?" she asked.

  "Of course," Naoki replied with a nod. "I am Naoki, as you see, the owner of this ranch."

  "Naoki." The girl silently repeated his hen nodded. "I see, Mr. Naoki."

  Naoki didn’t say much more and simply asked, "So, do you want to give it a try?"

  The girl hesitated briefly but then nodded with determination. She pulled out her Eevee-themed wallet and ted out 2,000 Poke Dolrs.

  As she handed over the mohe girl suddenly thought of something. "By the way, does oicket only allow me oempt?"

  Naoki shook his head. "You challehe Green Grass Trial as many times as you'd like until you leave the ranch. Once you leave, though, you’ll o buy a icket if you want tain."

  Naoki didn’t want to be too strict, as the Green Grass Trial was meant to satisfy the Gogoat’s desire to battle and release their energy.

  Selling siry tickets would likely disce many trainers from challenging the trial.

  However, he wasn’t too ed about trainers ing back repeatedly.

  'After all, not everyone handle losing over and over. Trainers like Carter are the exceptiohought.

  The girl nodded in uanding. "I get it."

  "Well the's get started!" Naoki stepped back, taking on the role of referee.

  One of the Gogoat stepped onto the battlefield, eager for the challenge ahead.

  The girl sent out her Pokémon—an imposing Avalugg.

  The battle officially began.

  The Gogoat instantly released a surge of Grass-type energy that enveloped the etlefield.

  In response, Avalugg retaliated with an Avanche, a heavy Ice-type attack that gathered id snow from the battlefield as it surged togoat. The immense weight of ice collided with the grassy terrain, tearing through the lush greenery and causing the grass-type energy to wane.

  Seeing the devastation, Gogoat grew visibly agitated. Its eyes narrowed as it eled even more powerful Grass-type energy, causing the battlefield to be quickly restored as if by magic.

  As the Ice-type Pokémon barreled toward it, two thick Vine Whips extended from behind Gogoat, shing out with incredible speed and force. The viruck Avalugg hard, causing the massive Ice-type to stagger. Avalugg’s rigid form, usually immovable, spun slightly from the impact.

  The girl blinked in disbelief. “What?”

  Gogoat gave a sharp cry, and the Vine Whips transformed, merging into a massive Power Whip, smming down at Avalugg with tremendous force.

  “Boom!”

  The battlefield shook as dust and debris flew into the air. When the dust settled, Avalugg y on the ground, seemingly knocked out from the overwhelming blow.

  The two spectators watched, dumbfounded. "??"

  "Was that… a vine whip? Is that really a Gogoat?" the girl thought, pletely shocked.

  Naoki calmly walked over and fed MooMoo Milk to Avalugg, helping it regain sciousness.

  After a moment, Avalugg’s eyes fluttered open, and it slowly rose to its feet, still shaken by the previous attack.

  Naoki turo the girl. "Do you want to tinue?" he asked.

  "Wait!" the girl said, still in disbelief. "Did Carter really fight against this Gogoat too?"

  "Yes," Naoki replied with a smile. "Carter is incredibly determined. He went through two days of intense special training with me and learned a lot from the Green Grass Trial."

  The girl nodded slowly, realizing how tough the challenge was. She checked Avalugg’s dition and decided, "We’re tinuing."

  The sed battle enced.

  Once again, it was Gogoat versus Avalugg. This time, however, the girl was more cautious. She had Avalugg refrain from using Avanche, knowing that it might get tangled up again by Gogoat’s devastating Power Whip.

  "Avalugg, use Body Press!" the girl anded, her voice firm.

  Avalugg let out a mighty roar and jumped high into the air. Its massive, weighty body blocked out the sunlight as it prepared to sm down on Gogoat with immense force.

  Gogoat’s eyes were locked onto the airborne Avalugg, but this time it was ready. Gathering a massive amount of Grass-type energy in its body, Gogoat prepared its move.

  The two boys watg the battle immediately sensed something was wrong.

  In the sed, they saw Gogoat begin to gather a glowing green energy in its mouth, densing into a massive bde of grass.

  "Whoa!"

  "What... is that?!"

  Their eyes widened in disbelief. No words could adequately capture their astonishment.

  With the bde of grass in its mouth, Gogoat charged straight toward the desding Avalugg.

  The two Pokémon collided violently in mid-air.

  The moment the massive grass bde struck Avalugg, the Ice-type lost its bance, plummeting to the ground with a heavy thud, creating a crater upon impact.

  Gogoat nded gracefully behind Avalugg, its eyes sharp with determination. The grass bde dissipated, and the Gogoat slowly turned around to observe the now incapacitated Avalugg lying i.

  "???"

  "Did it just knock out Avalugg i?!"

  The boy with gsses stared at the se, stunned. Despite his usual calm demeanor, he couldn't help but gasp at what had just unfolded.

  The girl was equally shocked.

  She gazed at Avalugg, which had clearly lost the battle, her mind grappling with the reality of the overwhelming gap in power between herself and Naoki.

  The difference felt insurmountable—like the distaween heaven ah.

  Her eyes shifted to Naoki, who simply smiled and asked, "Do you want to tinue?"

  The girl shuddered, shaking her head vigorously. "No, no way!"

  She knew her limits. If they tinued, her Pokémon would only suffer mainst this formidable Gogoat.

  'I'm not a masochist! Why would I want more of that?' she thought.

  Naoki looked a bit disappointed, having prepared twogoat for battle. Turning to the two boys, he asked, "What about you? Want to give it a try?"

  The boys, still startled by what they had just witnessed, shook their heads in unison. "Fet it! We'll pass for now!"

  The Dragonite h nearby, the mysterious Pokémon they had never seen before, the flying Pawmo, the roaming Naclstack, and this immensely powerful Gogoat. Everything around them screamed that this was no ordinary ranch.

  Naoki, notig their hesitation, sighed, feeling a bit lost.

  'They're too scared by the sheer power of Gogoat,' he thought.

  Refleg for a moment, Naoki decided to use the same motivational speech he’d used to inspire Carter.

  "What a pity," Naoki sighed. "You haven’t uood the true meaning of the Green Grass Trial."

  As expected, the trio’s curiosity iqued.

  "What do you mean by that, Mr. Naoki?" the girl asked.

  Naoki responded calmly.

  "My inal purpose iing the Green Grass Trial was to help traiest and develop the strength and character of their Pokémon."

  "Winning isn’t the main goal. The purpose is to gain valuable experience from the battle, to learn how to face powerful oppos, and to cultivate ce."

  "One day, when your Pokémon faces a tough oppo, it will remember this moment. It will know it survived a difficult trial, and it will be fearless in the face of any challenge."

  "Unyielding spirit and tenacious perseverance are essential to being a strong trainer—like the grass that grows wild and resilient, even in harsh ditions."

  "Carter learhis, which is why he improved so rapidly. It wasn’t about avoiding scars; it was about growing from them."

  Naoki paused, his words sinking in. "I don’t want you to leave here without learning something valuable from this trial."

  His reasoning afelt expnation resonated with the trio.

  The girl, refleg on Naoki's earlier words— 'A true trainer always has the heart of an apprentice'—realized this was no ordinary person speaking.

  "Mr. Naoki, you must be an incredible trainer!" she excimed.

  'Is he a gym leader? Or perhaps a retired Champion?'

  Not only was Naoki powerful, but he was also kind and humble, living a quiet life in the tryside yet still taking the time to pass on his wisdom to young trainers.

  'He’s a man of noble character,' the girl thought.