Inside the castle, Aven carefully brought the Pokémon egg back.
Now that he had managed to produce a special batch of nutrient solution, he no longer needed to rely on the power of the Poison Swamp.
Although he could still linger in that swamp for a short time with the help of his Pokémon, it was never something he could maintain for long.
Back in the safety of the castle, he could finally focus on nurturing the egg in peace, while also perfecting and refining his own breeding methods.
As the egg continued to be cultivated, it wouldn't be long before a will was born inside of it. When that happened, it would become much easier for him to communicate with the life within, and to begin forming an emotional bond with it.
At the same time, with the successful reclamation of the Drapion's territory, the large-scale development of the entire Black Coast had nearly reached its conclusion. Everything was now progressing in an orderly manner.
At this very moment, in the study of the castle, Ranger Order Captain Matthew and Kale were reporting the latest developments in the reclamation work. They also needed to discuss and draft the next stage of the plan, based on the current circumstances.
"You've both done very well," Aven nodded with satisfaction.
"With this, there will be nothing left to hinder the clearing of the Black Coast Forest."
Then, with a more serious expression, he continued, "Now, winter is fast approaching. The beast tide that comes with winter will be our foremost concern."
As winter descended, the environment of Mount Coronet would grow ever harsher. Countless wild Pokémon would be forced to migrate into the Aspiration Mountain Range, and from there, they would inevitably spill into the Black Forest.
Once the fragile balance of the Black Forest was broken, displaced Pokémon would have nowhere left to settle. Inevitably, they would invade human territories once again, fighting for a chance at survival.
And so, another annual winter magical beast tide was bound to erupt. For the people living on the frontier, this represented an enormous threat; for the territory itself, it would mean severe losses.
The land to the east of Aspiration City was barren not because it was unfit for cultivation, but because every winter, the Pokémon tides would ravage the region. Crops simply couldn't survive until the following year.
If the problem of the winter magical beast tide could be resolved, then much of the eastern land could indeed be reclaimed for farming, enough to solve the majority of Aspiration City's food crisis.
"Do not worry, Lord Aven," Matthew assured him with confidence.
"The reclamation of the Black Forest is already underway. Once the Nidoking Valley is established as our defensive line, we will be able to completely block those Pokémon outside our borders."
Indeed, within Nidoking Valley now stationed not only large numbers of rangers, but also entire tribe of Nidoking and Gloom. With such a defense in place, Matthew was confident.
"Good," Aven nodded again. "With that entrusted to you, I am reassured."
"But remember, aside from defending against external Pokémon invasions, the order within the Safari Zone must also be preserved. Food is especially important. If the Pokémon there do not have enough to eat, they too will join the magical beast tide in search of survival.
"On the other hand, if we can secure their livelihood, then they themselves will become a solid shield protecting the Safari Zone!"
Aven's tone grew firm. This winter was a pivotal year for the Safari Zone. If they could endure this season, the long-term order would be stabilized.
Once the issue of survival was resolved, the Pokémon tribes would gradually blend into the Safari Zone, and through their interactions with humans, strong bonds of trust and affection could be established.
"Fessen, how are the preparations for winter supplies in the city?" Aven asked, turning to another aide.
Other than dealing with the beast tide, sufficient provisions for winter were just as crucial. He could not allow any of his people to go cold or hungry.
"Please rest assured, Lord Aven," Fessen replied.
"Thanks to the bountiful wheat harvest in the autumn, we have enough food to last through the winter. Furthermore, because of the forest reclamation, every household has already prepared a stock of firewood. This winter, not a single villager will freeze."
His voice brimmed with pride as he straightened his back. For those who had lived here under hardship, this winter would be unlike any they had ever experienced.
Kale, standing silently to one side, couldn't help but feel dazed as he listened to Fessen's report. His mind conjured the image of the impoverished people of Marina City. Compared to them, the residents of this territory truly lived far happier lives.
"In addition to winter supplies," Fessen continued, "this time, the village's Trainers will also participate in the defense. I believe that this winter, wild Pokémon will not be able to disturb the lives of our villagers at all."
"Excellent," Aven nodded in approval. "When the time comes, both the Breeding House and the Pokémon Center will also join in the defense."
With the potions provided by the Breeding House, and the healing services of the Pokémon Center, the entire domain would have no worries left, and could calmly face the coming winter.
…
Another winter drew near.
In the Black Forest, Leon patrolled with his squad of patrol knight.
At his side, his once-Rhyhorn had now evolved into a Rhydon.
Glancing at the towering Pokémon beside him, Leon couldn't help but feel a deep sense of emotion. He had never thought he would reach this point.
He tugged his thick cotton coat tighter around his body, and his thoughts drifted back to the previous winter, to the days when he had been stationed at Fruitvale Village.
It had been there that, under Lord Aven's training, his Rhyhorn had learned the move Rock Slide.
Not only that—he had also noticed how, after Aven's training, his Rhyhorn's physical attributes had greatly improved. Its potential had been fully drawn out.
From that day onward, its growth had been astonishingly fast. With the support of potions from the Breeding House, it had finally evolved into a Rhydon not long ago.
This achievement had caused quite a stir among the Aspiration City Knight Order. Riding on this success, Leon had been promoted to captain, now commanding his very own squad.
"I heard Sutter and the others already possess the power to defeat advanced-level Pokémon. Compared to them, I'm still far behind…" Leon muttered as he rode atop his Mightyena, casting his gaze southeastward.
Sometimes he regretted deeply—if only he had joined Fruitvale Village back then, his accomplishments today might have far surpassed what he had achieved. He wondered if it was already too late to switch over now.
"When this winter is over, I'll make a trip to Fruitvale Village," Leon resolved silently.
For the moment, though, he set such thoughts aside. At the forest's edge, he led his knights deeper within, continuing their routine patrol.
As the temperature dropped further and further, traces of Pokémon became increasingly frequent in the Black Forest. In order to secure food, wild Pokémon had no choice but to leave their original territories, wandering elsewhere in search of sustenance to last the season.
Leon studied the tracks carefully, following the Pokémon's trail. Sometimes they hunted, sometimes they drove them away. In any case, the Pokémon could not be allowed to encroach on human settlements.
"Captain, the tracks up ahead seem to disappear," a knight suddenly reported.
"The tracks… vanished? How could that be?" Leon frowned, following the knight to investigate.
Based on their earlier judgment, the Pokémon in question was likely a Skuntank. With its bulky frame, it was nearly impossible for it to move without leaving obvious signs behind.
Yet now, in the deeper part of the forest, the clear trail had abruptly ended—as if the Skuntank had simply vanished into thin air.
Leon stepped forward, his boots sinking into the earth and leaving a clear footprint. "Strange… don't tell me this Pokémon suddenly sprouted wings?" he muttered.
"You all stay here. I'll go ahead with Rhydon to take a look," he decided after a moment of thought, walking forward with heavy steps.
Beside him, his Mightyena padded silently, nose twitching as it tried to catch a scent. Yet nothing unusual could be detected in the air.
"Be careful, Captain," one knight called nervously, watching Leon and his two Pokémon advance.
But before Leon had even taken more than a few steps, the knights gasped in horror—Leon suddenly collapsed, falling stiffly to the ground without warning!
The sudden incident left them all stunned. They rushed forward to check on their captain, but as one knight sprinted ahead, he too crumpled lifelessly to the earth after only a few steps!
"RHHYYY!"
At that very instant, Rhydon let out a furious bellow!
With a heavy motion, it summoned massive boulders and hurled them into the forest ahead.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The deafening sound of impact shook the ground, trees in the distance cracking and toppling under the force.
Immediately after, Mightyena lunged forward, its body glowing faintly with ghostly light. With a single flash, another tree was felled in an instant.
And yet… the space ahead remained utterly empty. Nothing at all was there.
"What happened? Was something out there just now?" the knights cried, scanning the area with tense eyes.
But from beginning to end, none of them saw a thing. And yet Captain Leon and their fellow knight had undoubtedly been struck down by some kind of unseen attack!
After a long, nerve-wracking moment, another knight cautiously ran forward. This time, he successfully reached Leon's side, quickly lifting him up.
Placing a hand under his captain's nose, he sighed in relief upon feeling breath. Leon was still alive—but no matter how he called out, there was no response at all.
(End of Chapter)