"RHY! RHY! RHY!"
Having recovered a bit of stamina, Rhydon was in high spirits.
It could clearly feel that the gap between itself and the Nidoking leader was shrinking. Once it returned, it was determined to train even harder!
"Indeed, not bad at all. Looks like having Rhydon learn blacksmithing back then was the right choice." Aven nodded slightly.
From here on, he could use this as a foundation for targeted training, further refining Rhydon's special strength discipline techniques.
The bout between the Nidoking leader and Rhydon was only a small interlude.
After helping Rhydon restore its stamina, the excited Pokémon let out another roar and joined in the day's labor.
"RHY!"
Rhydon ran ceaselessly across the open fields, churning the earth in its wake.
No matter the occasion, Rhydon's Rototiller move was always just as awe-inspiring—and just as useful.
The freshly turned soil emitted a faint green glow, an irresistible lure to Grass-type Pokémon.
Oddish Number Seven led a large group of Oddish that had yet to reach the conditions for evolution, happily dashing about in the cultivated land.
Although Seven had chosen not to evolve during this evolution ceremony, the abundant energy still benefited it greatly.
Compared to before, the energy fluctuations it emitted had increased considerably, and its leaves had become an even more vibrant green.
"Petilil, it's your turn next!"
When it came to sowing seeds, Petilil was already extremely experienced.
Its body shimmered with green light as it skillfully levitated the berry seeds, steadily planting them throughout the tilled soil.
Afterward, Petilil used Grassy Terrain, directly accelerating the germination of the newly planted berry seeds.
Meanwhile, the Nidoking leader and its tribe were busy relocating the berry trees and fruit trees that had previously been moved away, replanting them in the fertile ground.
Under the nourishment of Rhydon's Rototiller and Petilil's Grassy Terrain, the transplanted trees were quickly shrouded in a faint green glow, their leaves becoming a more lustrous green.
During this process, the rangers also joined in the work. They held the berry trees steady while the Nidorino helped settle the roots back into the soil of Nidoking Valley.
As they replanted the trees, the rangers and Nidorino exchanged smiles, and a faint sense of warmth filled the air.
"From here on, the berry cultivation will be in your care," Aven instructed the rangers before him.
"With the Nidoking tribe's protection, your safety will be assured."
"In addition, I'll have the Torterra lead the Grass-type tribe to remain here and maintain order in the area."
"Also, Nidoking Valley is simultaneously a free-range habitat for Oddish. The valley holds a special power that gathers moonlight, which helps Oddish grow."
"On ordinary days, please look after these Oddish as well. Of course, if you want to capture other Pokémon, you're free to do so—that part is up to you."
Aven knew that planting berries in Nidoking Valley would be a tough job, so he made sure to take good care of the rangers working here.
"Lord Aven, we will fulfill your orders with utmost diligence!"
The rangers accepted the task in unison. Their eyes turned toward the distant Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀, filled with excitement.
They now understood that the purpose of growing these berries was to solve the Nidoking tribe's food problem, and they were certain they would have plenty of chances to interact with the Nidoking tribe in the future!
"Matthew, you need to continue recruiting rangers as well," Aven added, turning to the man beside him.
"The establishment of order in the Black Forest depends on the rangers' presence."
"And keep an eye on those beast hunters—they're ready-made candidates for ranger duty."
Hearing this, Matthew accepted eagerly. By now, he had completely fallen in love with the ranger profession. He enjoyed interacting with Pokémon and maintaining the harmony between humans and Pokémon.
Three days later, Aven left the Black Forest with the Nidoking tribe.
It had been over half a month since his last visit to the Black Forest, and now that matters in the northern part were largely settled, he planned to lead the Nidoking tribe into the Black Coast Forest.
The berry orchards there were waiting for the Combee to carry out manual pollination—something crucial for the upcoming trade war!
"Bzzz~ Bzzz~ Bzzz~"
Hearing this, the Vespiquen was brimming with excitement.
After all its efforts over this period, it had finally converted all of its energy into pheromones.
Now, at last, the time had come to enter the Black Coast Forest. It couldn't wait to reunite with its kin!
"Nidoking, we'll make a stop at Fruitvale Village first. There, we'll stock up on enough Pokémon food."
"Once we have the supplies, we can head straight into the Black Coast Forest. But you must promise me—on the way there, you'll follow my instructions."
At the mention of Pokémon food, the Nidoking leader nodded immediately, agreeing to keep its tribe in line and prevent any trouble.
After striking this simple agreement, Aven led the Nidoking tribe into the Safari Zone, then crossed the great river via the breeding house, entering his territory.
By the riverbank, construction on the castle was still underway. With the help of the Rhydon, the work was progressing at great speed.
The most time-consuming part of construction was transporting stone, but for Rhydon, that was hardly an obstacle.
Using their Rock-type moves, they continuously produced stone and reinforced it with Rock-type energy, making it strong enough for building.
With Rock Polish to finish the job, the stones were shaped to standard specifications. After much practice, the Rhydon had become adept at every task required for the construction site.
Thanks to the construction crew's efforts, the castle's outline was already visible, and it would not be long before it was completed.
When that time came, they could begin building the town—a modern town as Aven envisioned it, something he eagerly anticipated.
When the construction workers suddenly saw a large group of Nidoking crossing from the far bank, they were startled at first. Only upon spotting Aven did they relax.
They couldn't help but marvel—Lord Aven could even tame such powerful Pokémon! This made them truly appreciate the strength of Fruitvale Village.
Beside them, the master craftsman Thomas glanced at the Rhydon and slowly clenched his fists. Everything that had happened during this time had given him far too many pleasant surprises, stirring within him the beginnings of a decision.
"Nido~ Nido~"
As they traveled, the Nidoking leader took in the sights of human territory.
Whether by coincidence or design, Aven led them past three berry orchards along the way.
Seeing the blossoming trees that were just about to bear fruit, the Nidoking leader couldn't help but swallow hungrily.
"These berries are what your Pokémon food is made from," Aven explained.
"When the berries in Nidoking Valley ripen, I can help you process them into Pokémon food as well."
As Aven introduced the berry orchards within his territory, the Nidoking leader's eyes lit up at the mention of Pokémon food, nodding repeatedly.
"This is wheat. From wheat, we can make flour, which in turn can be used to make all kinds of food."
While Aven was explaining to the Nidoking leader, the serfs working the fields spotted him.
They immediately set down their tools and knelt, gazing at the Nidoking with fear but looking upon Aven with admiration, their hearts full of hope for the future.
Before long, Aven and the Nidoking tribe arrived at Fruitvale Village.
"Whew, it really is Lord Aven."
"When we heard the alarm earlier, we were on edge for quite a while."
Sutter came forward with the knights, followed by patrol members and trainers. The Gloom Corps had also assembled, clearly ready for battle.
"Good—your alertness is excellent," Aven praised.
"With Fruitvale Village's safety in your hands, I can rest easy."
He had deliberately not informed Sutter of his arrival, partly to test the village's defensive readiness.
Sutter had not disappointed him—between the knights, patrols, and apprentice trainers, they were already capable of fending off most threats.
"This is my duty," Sutter replied, then looked past Aven at the Nidoking tribe.
Seeing that Aven had brought them and other groups to Fruitvale Village, Sutter guessed there must be a significant reason.
"Yes, this time I'm bringing them to take over the Black Coast Forest," Aven said without hiding his plan.
Sutter's eyes widened—he hadn't expected that to be the goal!
Moments later, he was brimming with excitement, dropping to one knee in a knight's salute. "Lord Aven, your knight is ready to charge at your command!"
"No rush. My main focus this time is still the Vespiquen's hive," Aven shook his head lightly.
Seeing the knight's disappointed look, he continued, "But I'll need you to be well-prepared. When the time comes to conquer the Black Coast Forest, your charge will be indispensable!"
Lifting his head abruptly, Sutter restrained his excitement and accepted, "I will follow you unto death, my lord!"
Nodding to him, Aven's gaze drifted toward the distant Black Coast Forest and the bright blue sky beyond.
Unlike the northern Black Forest, his plan for the Black Coast Forest was to relocate all its Pokémon tribes into the Safari Zone.
The section of forest adjoining the Safari Zone would be preserved, but the portion on the opposite bank would be completely cleared, to be developed as human territory.
Just as the berry orchards in Nidoking Valley were arranged, the cleared land from the Black Coast Forest would be converted into berry plantations, helping to meet the territory's growing food and population needs.
Moreover, this section of the Black Coast Forest adjoining Fruitvale Village was difficult to manage. If dangerous Pokémon still inhabited it, they could pose a threat to the territory.
More importantly, Aven wanted to extend his territory's reach to the Black Coast itself, giving him direct access to the sea—a critical factor for the territory's growth.
With a coastline, he could fully develop maritime industries. The ocean's resources were incredibly rich, yet humanity in this world had only scratched the surface of exploiting them.
Even Marina City, right beside the sea, merely fished its waters without truly developing marine trade. Of course, the ocean's dangers played a large part in this neglect.
On that front, Aven knew he needed to find a solution—building a port and developing maritime trade.
As someone from the modern world, he understood all too well what that would mean for his territory.
(End of chapter)