Morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft glow on i’s face and bringing a hint of brightness to the dimly lit room.
“Mm…”
Feeling the warmth on her skin, i groggily opened her eyes, still sowhat dazed.
These past few days on the farm had given her a rare taste of a relaxed daily life. The barbecue party a few nights ago had been especially enjoyable.
Since becoming a Trainer, she hadn't experienced such leisure for a long ti.
Every morning upon waking, she had to consider a whole list of things—her Pokémon’s training progress, the day's training plan, remaining funds, supplies needed before heading to the next city, and various other tasks.
Trainers were supposed to train while traveling.
But in this fiercely competitive world, "training while traveling"?
That was just a polite way of saying "intensive training, just in different locations."
Every day was spent in a state of high tension, keeping herself in peak condition, engaging in battles, and even providing psychological support for her Pokémon.
Yes, that was another essential skill for a Trainer.
Which was why most Trainers were incredibly good at talking.
Not necessarily with people—but definitely with Pokémon.
“Life here is nice…”
i rolled over, wrapping her arms around Serperior, who was curled up beside her, and buried her face in its soft, warm belly.
Unlike typical snake-like Pokémon, Serperior’s body wasn’t cold or slimy.
Instead, it carried a fresh, plant-like warmth—probably because it was a Grass-type Pokémon.
Feeling the smoothness of Serperior’s scales, i suddenly understood why Natsu liked to sleep while hugging his shiny Furret.
Because it was just too comfortable!
That being said, Natsu had recently ntioned that he wasn’t doing that as much anymore.
Which was strange.
Even in the sumr heat, when the air conditioning was on full blast, he still hugged Furret while sleeping.
Yet now, with autumn setting in and the nights growing cooler, he had stopped.
Really weird.
She’d have to ask him about it later.
As she was mulling over this, a soft hissing sound ca from beside her.
“Sssah?”
Serperior opened its eyes and glanced at i, sensing her movents.
Not waking up early again today?
These past few days, i had been sleeping in quite a bit.
“Just a little longer… Just a little bit…”
Her voice was muffled as she pressed her face against Serperior’s belly.
Ever since she beca a Trainer, truly relaxed days like these had been rare.
All of her classmates, as well as the Trainers she had encountered, were relentlessly pushing themselves, as if sothing was constantly chasing them.
This made i instinctively tense up, pushing herself to grow stronger.
Traveling, special training, encountering new companions, growing stronger, and challenging Gyms.
After battles, reviewing strategies, replenishing supplies, traveling, training, fighting, growing stronger.
Day after day of training could make one lose themselves.
At so point, she even forgot why she had set foot on this path in the first place. The passion and excitent that once fueled her seed to be wearing down bit by bit.
i had shown signs of this before.
Sotis, she didn’t even understand why she was working so hard.
Maybe it was just because everyone else was doing it, and she was unconsciously swept along.
But now, she felt much more at ease.
"Mmm."
Having spent the second half of the night sleeping against the wall, Dewott stretched its stiff body.
It stole a glance at i, and upon seeing that she hadn’t noticed, it carefully, ever so quietly, lay down on the floor, pretending it had been in that position all along.
Dewott thought sleeping against the wall looked really cool—super cool.
But i never liked it when it slept that way.
So, during the first half of the night, Dewott would sleep properly, lying down like it was supposed to. Then, in the second half, it would secretly get up and switch to leaning against the wall.
Muscle soreness?
That was just another part of training!
As long as i didn’t catch on, it was fine.
Just a few more minutes of rest, then it would head out for training.
That was Dewott’s plan.
Lately, though, it had been considering whether it should just sleep normally.
Waking up sore every morning and then pushing through a full day of training... That was practically torture.
"Pupu!"
"Chuu!"
Compared to their two seniors, Pignite and Steenee were brimming with energy.
Yes, in the past couple of days, Tepig had evolved into Pignite.
Unlike its previous small, Holland pig-like form, Pignite now had a more imposing presence.
It had grown in many ways, even showing a slight change in willpower after evolving.
Though it still had a lazy streak, at least it no longer collapsed in despair after just a few minutes of training.
Now, it actually completed its training sessions properly. And, following Slowking’s advice, it even focused on strengthening its weaknesses.
"Pupu!"
Glancing at the still-sleeping i, Pignite and Steenee, now quite used to this, quietly left the room, carefully shutting the door behind them.
It was rare to see i so relaxed. Letting her sleep in a little longer wouldn’t hurt.
They could handle their morning training on their own.
About half an hour later, i finally summoned enough willpower to free herself from the clutches of her blanket.
Sun-dried blankets had an almost magical grip.
No matter who lay on them, they’d find themselves tightly bound.
And since Cinccino was a cleaning enthusiast, it always made sure to air out the blankets on sunny days.
"Morning, Natsu."
Still a little groggy, i ca down the stairs in her pink pajamas. But upon spotting Natsu, she imdiately woke up.
Not because of her own pajamas. No, strictly speaking, not because of what she was wearing.
After staying here for several days, she had gradually relaxed, no longer as self-conscious as she had been at first.
Sotis, she even wandered around in her pajamas without a second thought.
Besides, her pajamas were quite modest—long-sleeved and full-length.
Wearing them at ho wasn’t a big deal.
What woke her up was Natsu’s pajamas.
"Natsu..."
"What is it, i?"
"You actually look... kinda cute right now."
i covered her mouth, giggling as she looked at Natsu in his shark-patterned pajamas.
Two nights ago, Natsu had ntioned wanting to buy so pajamas.
So, with the guidance of the modern, fashion-conscious i, he ended up getting this.
Well, to be fair, Natsu did have a soft spot for quirky pajamas.
When he showed i his top picks, they included a dinosaur onesie, a green frog pajama set, and... a sleeping bag.
Why was a sleeping bag among the pajama options?
Simple—because Natsu liked it.
That’s just how guys are.
When buying things, they either prioritize practicality or pure amusent.
And in this case, Natsu had clearly gone with amusent.
As long as it was wearable, that was good enough.
"Really? I actually like this pajama set."
Pulling at the hem of his pajamas and adjusting his apron, Natsu’s tone carried a hint of sothing hard to describe.
This was the first ti he had dressed like this in front of a girl.
It felt... weird.
But seeing that i didn’t seem to find it strange, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
In truth, he really did like this ridiculous little shark pajama set.
"It actually looks pretty nice."
"Natsu, you look really cute like this."
i grinned, quickly sitting down at the table.
It was quite a sight.
Guys liked looking at pretty girls.
But girls also enjoyed looking at handso guys.
Natsu simply smiled at i’s comnt, not offering any particular response.
There’s an old saying: If a girl says you’re handso, she might just be being polite. But if guys say you’re handso—bro, you really are.
"Alright, alright, enough flattery."
"Hurry up and eat, our beautiful, kind, gentle, elegant, generous, and considerate i."
"Oh my god, stop! That’s so embarrassing!"
This ti, it was i’s turn to feel shy.
For so reason, she felt a mix of embarrassnt and an inexplicable urge—an urge to smack Natsu.
And so, she did.
Her hand, no longer as delicate after all the training and traveling, lightly patted Natsu’s arm.
Not in anger—more like a playful gesture between close friends.
But the mont her hand withdrew, she suddenly realized that, given their current relationship, that might not have been entirely appropriate.
She quickly withdrew her hand and sat quietly at the table.
Fortunately, Natsu remained as oblivious as ever, seemingly unfazed by her actions.
i let out a long sigh of relief.
Thank goodness.
If Natsu had reacted with surprise, she might’ve had to crawl into a hole and disappear.
"Weird. I don’t usually act like this."
i lightly patted her own cheeks, confused by her emotions.
Sothing felt off about herself today.
Her actions, her feelings—none of it seed like how she normally behaved.
If this had happened any other day, she probably wouldn’t have reacted at all.
She also wouldn’t have any physical contact with a guy.
After all, i was a completely inexperienced, hopeless romantic.
Just a few months ago, she was still a lively, innocent high school girl.
Wait... that phrasing sounded a little weird.
"My face feels kinda hot."
"Did I catch a cold last night?"
Pressing the back of her hand to her cheek, feeling the warmth, i silently pondered.
For modern people, whenever they feel unwell—whether it’s a headache, stomachache, sore feet, aching waist, or even just general discomfort—the default explanation is always:
"Must’ve caught a chill from not covering up properly last night."
Of course, going to the hospital was still necessary.
Pain has a way of humbling even the most stubborn people.
“What’s wrong?”
Noticing i acting strangely, Natsu found it odd.
What’s up with this kid?
“It’s nothing, nothing.”
i waved her hands repeatedly, working hard to control her emotions before quickly changing the topic to brush past it.
Good, Natsu didn’t notice anything unusual.
Watching him clear the dining table, i let out a sigh of relief again.
It was really great that he hadn’t noticed anything.
But what i didn’t realize was that Natsu’s gaze had been sweeping over her, lingering on her cheek for two full seconds before he thoughtfully nodded, as if sothing had just clicked in his mind.
It had been ntioned before—Natsu was a pure-hearted boy whose single status had lasted as long as his lifespan.
No dating experience, no galga experience.
The only unrelated female he had the most contact with was his teacher.
Whether his mind was pure was debatable, but his body certainly was.
However, that didn’t an he was the typical dense protagonist.
Many ani leads have a special kind of obliviousness, especially when it cos to romance—they hesitate and remain frustratingly unaware.
Unfortunately, Natsu wasn’t like that.
He was the type who gave love-strategy advice to his dormmates, the tactical mastermind behind their relationships.
Even though this was his first ti being so close to a girl himself,
Basic analysis was still within his skillset.
Romance required brainpower—this much, Natsu understood.
About half an hour later, both Natsu and i were ready to go, having changed into their outfits for the day.
“The special training will last for another two or three days.”
“After that, we’ll need to report to the competition venue.”
Dressed in his usual style, Natsu looked at i, who was sitting obediently on the sofa.
Though calling it his "usual style" wasn’t entirely accurate—it was more like his recent usual style.
In the past, he had been too lazy to bother coordinating his outfits.
As a result, his wardrobe had been a chaotic mix—either all black or a random combination of cargo pants and sports T-shirts.
But lately, there had been so changes.
Under i’s suggestions, Natsu had started experinting with different styles.
Today, he wore a white mandarin-collar shirt layered with a beige wool cardigan, paired with pure black suit pants.
The overall look was relaxed and casual.
i approved of his top,
But as for the pants, she thought a matching color sche might be better.
Unfortunately, Natsu still preferred black pants.
Maybe a pair of gold-rimd glasses would complete the look?
i had actually suggested he try a more trendy style before,
But Natsu had firmly refused.
When it ca to clothing, he had his own principles.
Flashy outfits were absolutely unacceptable.
Natsu preferred solid-colored clothes.
At least for now.
Back in his chuunibyou phase, he had loved shirts with cat motifs on the back.
And jackets with mismatched colors on both sides.
i had no particular comnt on that.
Sotis, saying nothing was already saying a lot.
“Mm-hmm.”
“When the ti cos, we’ll be rivals.”
i nodded firmly, eyes burning with determination.
A fla called fighting spirit.
She had said before that she couldn’t imagine winning against Natsu.
Even if she sent out all her Pokémon at once, they’d be wiped out together—she had witnessed that scene many tis recently.
But!
A true Trainer never gives up so easily.
If she didn’t even dare to challenge him, then victory would never be possible.
Besides, her Serperior and the others had been training incredibly hard.
Even if she doubted herself, she had to trust in them.
Last night, i had held Serperior close, chatting with her partners for a long ti.
They talked about their hopes for the future, about the upcoming battle.
Compared to her own uncertainty, her Pokémon were brimming with confidence.
Whether they could win was uncertain, but they were eager to test the fruits of their training.
Just training alone wasn’t enough to satisfy Pokémon who had already tasted victory.
Though it might not sound nice to say—
That mont when an opponent falls, when their dreams and goals are shattered—
The exhilaration and fulfillnt from that mont are unparalleled.
Once you’ve experienced it, you can’t help but crave more.
Call it crushing soone else’s dreams, or whatever else.
It didn’t matter.
At the end of the day, battle is a cruel thing. No matter how many drears step forward, there will only ever be one champion.
The rest will beco stepping stones beneath the victor’s feet.
Thus, the hunger for victory was completely justified.
There was nothing shaful about it.
Every Trainer knew and believed in this truth.
After a long talk with her Pokémon, i fell asleep feeling content.
She knew the chances of winning were slim—probably impossible.
But that was sothing to worry about after the fight.
“Let’s go see how their training is going.”
Natsu and i each mounted a Gogoat and headed toward the training grounds.
Sure, teleporting there instantly with Gardevoir or Slowking would have been more convenient.
But life isn’t all about efficiency, is it?
If sightseeing was just about the view, you could just look it up on your phone.
Yet people still choose to travel in person.
Seeing a beautiful sight is the goal, but the journey itself is just as important.
“They’re probably already going at it full force.”
i could already picture Serperior and the others training with burning intensity.
Aside from the more playful trash-talk endurance training,
There was plenty of serious practice too—
Physical conditioning, move proficiency, new battle techniques, move combinations, simulated ergency responses in battle.
They were training diligently in all aspects.
Not just i’s Pokémon, but also the ones at Natsu’s farm.
Take that shiny Furret, for example.
Rather than helping Serperior and the others with special training,
It was more like it had simply included them in its own daily routine.
Whether they could keep up was another matter entirely.
Upon arriving at the training grounds, they were t with an unsurprising scene of intense action.
Serperior was working hard to adjust to its evolved body.
With the change in size, its fighting style had naturally shifted as well.
Its improved stats and new moves from evolution had opened up a range of new combat possibilities.
Pignite was going through the sa process.
As their Trainer, i had spent the past few days refining battle strategies for them.
She had considered their evolved battle styles before,
But those were just general guidelines taken from online research.
Every Pokémon was unique—no two fought exactly the sa way.
Personality, habits, physique, battle preferences—these all played a role.
So, the battle plans had to be adjusted accordingly, tailored to their natural growth and available moves.
i had been completely swamped with all this.
Normally, Slowking was very considerate and helped with everything,
But in this case, he showed no intention of interfering.
“I’m just a regular old Pokémon, man. Not my job to do a Trainer’s work.”
That was Slowking’s official stance in Coach Mode.
In reality, he just didn’t want to get involved in such a hassle.
At the end of the day, he wasn’t even i’s Pokémon.
Jumping into another Trainer’s battle planning seed inappropriate,
And it would probably lead to all kinds of future complications.
After all, devising strategies for one’s own Pokémon was a deeply personal task.
It required revealing all their strengths, weaknesses, and growth plans.
Asking soone else to do it was essentially handing over all your battle data.
Stepping into that space uninvited? Yeah… probably not a great idea.
Although there had been so subtle signs, Slowking still preferred not to get involved.
Not just signs—so what if they actually got married?
Marriage was never the end, but rather a new beginning.
The days ahead were long.
Who knew what would happen?
"Absol?"
Just as i and Natsu were discussing the upcoming tournant, Absol suddenly appeared before them, its face filled with unease and urgency.
"Absol?"
Natsu was a little surprised.
In truth, ever since being captured, Absol had never been particularly close to him.
It wasn’t that it disliked Natsu—it simply preferred being alone.
Much like so people who don’t necessarily dislike their classmates and can get along just fine with them, but when it cos to gatherings, they'd rather skip and enjoy a quiet al alone.
Most of the ti, Absol road the farm on its own, wandering around in deserted areas and putting on an aloof deanor as it pondered life.
It only showed up when Natsu specifically sought it out.
Even during altis, it preferred to find its own berries to eat.
Taking into account the eating habits of certain Pokémon, Natsu had set aside a section of the berry grove as a self-service dining area for the Pokémon on the farm.
The rest of the berries were sold outside—this portion would simply be for internal consumption.
That was the plan at the ti.
"Did sothing happen?"
Crouching down, Natsu gazed at Absol seriously.
Even if this Pokémon had so personality quirks, it was still an Absol.
And Absols never joked about things like this.
"Absol," it murmured.
Sothing is coming from the north.
That presence… it feels familiar.
It’s the Pokémon that destroyed the forest.
Lowering its head, Absol spoke in a hushed voice.
No matter how much it might despise that creature, there was no denying its power.
Right now, Absol was deeply unsettled.
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