Yozora quickly found the key to the reinforced iron cage from the skinny hunter and tossed it over to the old rancher.
After that, he began searching for resources. Unfortunately, the two hunters didn't have much on them—barely two million in total.
The skinny hunter carried about a million and some change, while the fat hunter was pitiful, holding only a few hundred thousand worth of goods.
As elite hunters, it was impossible that they had saved up only this little. Most of their real money was likely stored in their account cards.
Yozora sighed inwardly. If only I had Hypnosis… With that, he could simply put them under and have them willingly transfer all their funds.
For a moment, he wished he could fly straight back to the Land of Battle Souls and capture a Gengar that knew Hypnosis.
But it was just a fleeting thought.
Fuchsia City wasn't far ahead, which meant the Safari Zone wasn't far either.
He still planned to stop by the Safari Zone first before deciding whether to return to the Land of Battle Souls—or continue his journey.
Plans often failed to keep up with change.
"Oh? Not bad, this armored vehicle looks pretty solid." Yozora discovered a massive armored car inside the skinny hunter's storage gear.
"I don't need it, but it should fetch a hefty price on the black market. At least several million." He chuckled to himself.
And then there was the reinforced iron cage, durable and sturdy. That would also bring in quite a sum.
The old rancher released all the Miltank—including their queen—and immediately called the police.
Wooo—woo—
Officer Jenny arrived swiftly with her squad, taking away the two unconscious hunters.
Peace returned once more.
Under the bright moonlight, Yozora helped the old man repair the fences. Wiping the sweat from his brow, the rancher smiled.
"Young man, I can't thank you enough. Tell you what, you wanted one of my Miltank, right? I'll give you one—free of charge!"
"If it weren't for you tonight, my ranch might have been ruined beyond saving…"
With deep gratitude, the old man added generously, "Go ahead—pick whichever you like, except for Dahua!"
Dahua was none other than the Miltank Queen, the name he had given her.
For the ranch, Dahua was the treasure of the herd, a symbol of strength and protection. With her around, small-time troublemakers didn't even dare to step foot here.
"Old sir, I think you should consider bringing in a strong Tauros. For one, it can breed with Dahua. And for another, it can help guard the ranch. Otherwise, if someone drugs Dahua again, your whole ranch could be finished." Yozora suggested.
The rancher's eyes lit with agreement, nodding quickly.
He knew it was time to introduce a true bull king to his herd. Otherwise, Dahua would stay single, wasting her prime genetics without producing calves.
Besides, Tauros were far more affordable than Miltank. Even the strongest Tauros cost only a fraction of what an elite-level Miltank did.
The ranch had thirty Miltank in total. Aside from Dahua, who had Gym Leader potential, ten had elite-level potential.
The rest were mid to high-tier at best.
In the end, Yozora chose the youngest among the ten elite-potential Miltank.
[Miltank]: Mid-level, Elite Potential.
Compared to the others, this one was noticeably smaller. Next to the muscular Dahua, she looked especially delicate.
"Oh, this one's called Mei," the rancher explained. "She's just reached adulthood. She only produces about half the milk of the others each day. Are you sure you want her?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Yozora reached out and patted Mei's head. She didn't resist—on the contrary, she gave a sweet smile, looking as if she enjoyed the attention.
"Alright then, Mei, I'll be capturing you." Yozora took out a Research Ball and smoothly caught her.
His purpose in acquiring a Miltank wasn't for battle power, but to support his team. Miltank's milk could strengthen his Pokémon, helping them grow stronger.
That said, a Miltank still needed enough strength to serve as proper support.
The higher its level, the stronger it became—and the better the quality and nutrition of its milk.
Mei was young, which meant high potential. Yozora didn't need her milk production right away. Training her up in strength came first.
The next morning, thanks to the old man's warm hospitality, Yozora and his Pokémon enjoyed fresh milk and a nutritious breakfast.
Dahua truly was a treasure. Each morning she could produce enough high-quality milk for fifteen people.
Each portion was worth over three thousand yen!
The other Miltank produced only enough for ten people—or even just eight.
As for Mei, having just come of age, she produced only five portions a day.
"Grandpa!"
From afar, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen came charging in on a Tauros, kicking up a trail of dust across the fields.
"That's my grandson, Komai," the old man explained. "He's about your age. But in my eyes—whether it's strength or temperament—he's still far behind you."
He sighed, hurrying to open the gate for Komai and his Tauros.
"Oh? A guest?" Leading Tauros into the ranch, Komai glanced at Yozora, then at the Pokémon by his side. His eyes lit up, a flicker of battle spirit flashing within.
The old man was stunned.
He knew his grandson's personality well—arrogant and dismissive, never looking at others with respect. But today, seeing Yozora, he reacted completely differently.
"Komai, this young man is Yozora. Last night…" The old man introduced him, explaining what had happened.
He didn't go into detail, but emphasized how Yozora had easily defeated two elite hunters and saved the ranch from disaster.
"Oh? So that happened last night?" Komai's eyes widened in surprise, before he smirked. "But Grandpa, you don't need to exaggerate. If it were me here, I could have handled it just as easily."
The rancher shook his head, saying no more.
"So, you're Yozora? My grandfather gave you Mei, and you just accepted it? Do you really think you did something incredible—like saving our ranch from ruin?" Komai downed a bowl of milk in one gulp, then shot Yozora a sidelong glance, speaking with casual disdain.
The old man froze, utterly shocked that his grandson could spout such reckless nonsense.
"You ungrateful brat! This young man saved our ranch—he's our benefactor! And you dare talk like that? Outrageous!" the old man roared, furious at Komai's disrespect.
(End of Chapter)