Outside Fruitvale Village, the Bibarel tribe was resting on a grassy plain.
After waiting a long time, they finally saw their leader return, followed by dozens of Bibarel and over a hundred Bidoof.
These were the injured Pokémon from the village who hadn't needed intensive care.
As soon as they saw each other, both sides ran forward and joyfully embraced.
After such a brutal battle, no one had expected to see their comrades alive—and in better condition than themselves!
From their companions, they learned everything that had happened in Fruitvale Village.
They were shocked to hear that the village had taken care of their injured kin, and their favorability toward the village soared.
The Bibarel leader hadn't returned alone—he was accompanied by patrol members from the village.
Seeing them, the Bibarel and Bidoof were friendly and respectful, which helped ease the nervousness of the patrol members.
"I've come to bring you food," said Simon, pointing to the sacks of Pokémon food strapped to the backs of the Rhyhorn.
At the mention of food, the Bibarel and Bidoof lit up.
Though they had eaten a little in the Black Forest, they were still hungry.
As the sacks were opened, the rich aroma of Pokémon food wafted into the air, making the Bibarel and Bidoof salivate uncontrollably.
"Don't rush, there's enough for everyone," Simon said, then began distributing the food with the patrol.
Despite their wild origins, these Bibarel and Bidoof showed excellent discipline—a result of the Marina Knight Order's strict training.
Watching them now, Simon felt deeply moved. Who would have thought that just days ago, they had been enemies on the battlefield, yet now they were peacefully sharing food?
His eyes scanned the Bibarel before him, recalling the intensity of their past clash.
They were incredibly strong—so strong that Simon's eyes gleamed with desire.
If he could tame one of them, his strength would increase dramatically.
He now instinctively saw them as part of Fruitvale Village's tamed Pokémon population.
According to the trainer rules established by Aven, if a villager could earn a Bibarel's approval, they had the right to tame it!
And it wasn't just Simon—other patrol members shared the same look in their eyes, silently wondering how to gain a Bibarel's recognition.
This friendly atmosphere created a strong sense of camaraderie between the villagers and the Bibarel tribe.
Crunch crunch crunch~
The Bibarel couldn't resist the delicious food—they chewed voraciously, savoring every bite.
Unlike their last rushed meal in the forest, this time they could truly taste how delicious the food was.
Watching them eat, the Bibarel leader smiled contentedly.
Its gaze shifted to the patrol members.
If Fruitvale Village was willing to take them in, the Bibarel tribe would gladly stay.
As long as they could live with their kin, that was all the chieftain needed.
…
In a study elsewhere, Lady Mira sat in silence.
When she received news that Fruitvale Village had repelled the Marina Knight Order and captured nearly all of their core battle magical beast, even she was stunned.
It had been a decisive, overwhelming victory that revealed the hidden strength of Fruitvale Village.
"Princess Mira, it's true. Fruitvale Village defeated the Marina Knight Order head-on."
"Marina City even dispatched Pelipper—those that can summon storm clouds."
"Thousands of Bibarel and Bidoof, fighting in the rain, clashed fiercely with Fruitvale Village's Gloom battalion."
"At first, Fruitvale Village was on the defensive… until a single Cherrim summoned the sun."
Knight Commander Hunter repeated all the details he had heard in the village. The events were easy to confirm—many villagers had witnessed it firsthand.
The battle had been brutal, but it ended in a complete victory for Fruitvale Village.
What shocked Hunter the most, though, was the village's healing capabilities.
Normally, after such a battle, many magical beasts would slowly die from their injuries.
But this time, despite many severe wounds, the actual casualties were low—Fruitvale Village had saved nearly all the injured Pokémon.
"All the Cherubi evolved into Cherrim, and one summoned Sunny Day?" Mira caught the key point immediately.
Hunter nodded. He had been skeptical too, but it was the truth.
A species once considered nothing more than food, Cherubi now had the power to manipulate weather, just like Pelipper.
"Aven must have known. That's why he bought all those Cherubi," Mira said.
She paused briefly, then made a decision—order Johnson to begin collecting Cherubi in large quantities.
Now that she understood their potential, she wanted to help them change their fate as food.
She suspected other nobles with Cherubi had also realized their value by now.
The challenge was no longer in obtaining them, but in figuring out how to evolve them and help them master Sunny Day.
"During the follow-up pursuit, Fruitvale Village successfully captured almost all the magical beasts from the Marina Knight Order. Unfortunately, the knights themselves escaped by sea," Hunter continued.
He hesitated slightly when he reached the part about the Bibarel outside the village.
"Is Aven planning to tame the Bibarel?" Mira asked, falling silent.
To her, that sounded exactly like something Aven would do.
It was because of strategic moves like this that Fruitvale Village had grown so rapidly in strength.
She could easily imagine how much stronger the village would become after taming those Bibarel.
"Your Highness, Fruitvale Village's power is already exceeding projections," said Kevin, frowning.
Mira remained quiet for a moment, then gave a small smile.
"Azelf watches over this city. Aven will use this power to protect the southeastern border."
…
Half a day later, news of Fruitvale Village repelling the Marina Knight Order spread throughout Aspiration City.
Upon hearing it, many nobles were left in disbelief. The news was simply too shocking.
No one had ever thought to compare Fruitvale Village with Marina City—they were seen as being in completely different leagues.
Yet Aspiration City confirmed the report publicly, announcing to all lords that the Marina Knight Order had been repelled.
Originally, in response to the invasion, nobles across various territories had been preparing their knights for battle.
But with Marina City already beaten, there was no longer any need to rush to the front lines.
Still, many chose to send knights to investigate.
They were deeply curious about how Fruitvale Village had managed to win.
They also wanted to assess the village's current situation, which would help them decide how to interact with it going forward.
For some, it could even become an opportunity to launch a counterattack on Marina City—and gain military merit in the process!
…
At a cove near the Coastal Mountains on the Black Coast…
"Wing~ Wing~"
Overhead, Wingull called out, leading the way.
Buizel swam toward shore, carrying knights clinging to driftwood. Their faces were filled with exhaustion.
Once they reached land, the knights sighed in relief and began checking on their comrades.
During the retreat, they had been attacked by sea-dwelling magical beasts.
Thinking of the wounded or lost, their expressions darkened.
Soon, the survivors gathered. The adjutant ordered everyone to rest and began counting their numbers.
They had set out with a thousand-strong knight regiment. Now, only eight hundred remained.
Two hundred knights had died at sea.
They still didn't know the fate of their captain.
Recalling how Captain Paul had stayed behind to cover their retreat, many felt a tightness in their chests and tears in their eyes.
"Let's return to Marina City," the adjutant said, closing his eyes.
"I believe the captain is still alive."
His voice was heavy. He could already imagine the shockwaves that the news of this crushing defeat would send through Marina City.
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere along the Black Coast…
Hill stood soaked on the shore, his expression cold as he gazed at the churning waves.
Beside him, a drenched Mightyena shook the water from its fur.
"I'm sorry… Captain Paul."
"To take revenge, I must replace you as the leader of the Marina Knight Order."
"With the help of the sorcerer, I'll rapidly rebuild our strength—then we'll take the fight back to them!"
He took one last look at the endless blue sea, then turned and disappeared into the depths of the Black Forest, Mightyena by his side.
(End of Chapter)