That batch of Pokéblocks never ended up being sold for League Credits.
The next morning, while taking inventory, Lucas briefly considered bringing some into town to test the market.
But after looking at the three hundred pale yellow Pokéblocks neatly arranged on the tray, then glancing at the handful of Pidgey waiting for breakfast in the tree outside the window, he quickly changed his mind.
These Pokéblocks had been specially made using a recipe for Flying-type Pokémon.
Pidgeotto loved them.
The Pidgey loved them even more.
His “Flying Squad” currently consisted of only five Pidgey, but Lucas had a feeling that number wouldn’t stay the same for long.
Every day, Pidgeotto patrolled the orchard from dawn until dusk.
Whenever it returned, it often brought one or two new Pidgey with it.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he had a respectable flock of Flying-type Pokémon.
Rather than selling the Pokéblocks for a small amount of money, it made far more sense to keep them.
After all, an army wasn’t built overnight.
The berries in the orchard were ripening one after another, and although the bird problem had improved significantly, it hadn’t been completely eliminated.
Every day, the Pidgey tirelessly patrolled the orchard, chasing away Taillow and other wild birds trying to steal the fruit.
They deserved to be rewarded.
So Lucas divided the pale yellow Pokéblocks into several portions and stored them away for his Flying Squad.
The following days passed peacefully, flowing by like a quiet stream.
The Mareep grew astonishingly fast.
Only a week after hatching, they no longer needed to be bottle-fed.
On the first morning they were ready to graze, Lucas opened the gate to their enclosure.
The eleven little Mareep crowded nervously at the entrance.
They pushed and bumped into one another, but none of them dared to step outside first.
Finally, the boldest little ram cautiously stretched out one hoof and placed it onto the grass beyond the fence.
After hesitating for a moment, it stepped forward completely.
The remaining ten immediately rushed after it.
Soon, the entire flock scattered across the pasture in front of the farmhouse.
They lowered their heads and eagerly nibbled at the dew-covered grass.
Morning sunlight poured over the eastern hillside, stretching the eleven fluffy gray bodies into long shadows across the field.
They looked like eleven tiny clouds drifting over the earth.
Nearby, Ralts sat proudly atop one of the fence posts like a dedicated shepherd.
Its crimson eyes never stopped watching the flock.
Whenever one Mareep wandered too far, Ralts immediately hopped down and gently guided it back.
If another became tired after running around, Ralts would walk over and softly rub its head.
Watching the little Pokémon…
Lucas couldn’t help smiling.
Ralts treated the Mareep as though they were its own children.
Bulbasaur remained just as devoted to the orchard.
Recently, it had begun spending almost the entire day there.
Sometimes it climbed the hillside before sunrise and didn’t return until night had completely fallen.
At first, Lucas worried something might be wrong.
But after paying closer attention, he realized Bulbasaur wasn’t simply wandering around.
It was constantly using Growth to nourish the roots of the fruit trees throughout the orchard.
When Lucas checked its System profile, he discovered Bulbasaur had already advanced from Superior Early Stage to Superior Mid Stage.
Its progress was much faster than he had expected.
Pidgeotto’s recruitment efforts also achieved remarkable success.
Five Pidgey became eight.
Eight became twelve.
Twelve soon grew into more than twenty.
Every morning, instead of a tiny flock, an entire cloud of gray-and-white birds now soared above the orchard.
The constant sound of beating wings echoed through the hills like distant machinery.
Even more surprising…
Pidgeotto hadn’t only recruited Pidgey.
It had also brought home another Pidgeotto.
She was a female.
Slightly smaller than Lucas’ Pidgeotto, with lighter-colored feathers and a much more graceful flying style.
The first time Lucas saw her, he assumed another thief had arrived and almost chased her away.
Fortunately…
Before he could act, his own Pidgeotto flew over from a nearby persimmon tree.
The two circled the orchard together several times before landing side by side in the tallest Sitrus Berry tree.
From that day onward…
The female Pidgeotto never left.
The pair built their home high within the enormous canopy of the largest Sitrus Berry tree.
Situated at the highest point of the hillside, the tree’s thick branches formed a natural shelter.
More than twenty Pidgey and two Pidgeotto now lived there together.
Every morning they spread out across the orchard to patrol.
Every evening they returned to the great tree to rest.
Out of curiosity, Lucas visited the tree one afternoon.
Looking up through the dense leaves, he spotted several carefully built nests made from twigs and dried grass.
The birds were remarkably disciplined.
Not a single berry on the tree had been damaged.
Even the fallen fruit beneath the tree remained untouched.
Lucas knew immediately whose rule that was.
Pidgeotto had clearly established strict discipline among its flock.
These peaceful days also gave Lucas time to quietly observe his Pokémon.
Ralts and Bulbasaur got along exceptionally well.
There was no jealousy.
No competition.
Each simply focused on its own responsibilities without interfering with the other.
Pidgeotto’s relationship with Ralts was slightly different.
The two rarely spent much time together.
Yet whenever they crossed paths, Pidgeotto would gently tap Ralts’ horn with its beak before continuing on its way.
It was a simple greeting…
But a respectful one.
Lucas also found himself thinking more seriously about the future.
The farm had finally begun operating smoothly.
Bulbasaur managed the orchard.
The Mareep cared for the pasture.
Pidgeotto commanded an ever-growing Flying Squad.
Lucas himself could now produce Pokéblocks.
Everything was progressing well.
But…
The operation remained small.
If he wanted to expand…
He needed more capital.
More resources.
And better opportunities.
Money wasn’t everything.
But without money…
Running a farm was nearly impossible.
One morning after breakfast, Lucas opened Fujiyama’s notebook.
He flipped all the way to the final page.
Unlike the others, it contained no farming records.
Only a single sentence had been written in faint pencil.
«”If a farm wants to survive, it cannot rely only on what grows from the ground.”»
Lucas stared at those words for a long time.
Somehow…
He felt that when Fujiyama wrote them…
The old farmer had been facing a difficult challenge.
Quietly closing the notebook…
Lucas made a decision.
He was going to Petalburg City.
Not to buy supplies.
Not to sell Pokéblocks.
But to visit one place.
Devon Corporation.
There was no need to explain Devon Corporation’s reputation.
It was one of the largest companies in the Hoenn region.
Poké Balls.
Trainer equipment.
Countless Pokémon-related products.
Almost every Trainer owned something manufactured by Devon Corporation.
However…
Lucas wasn’t interested in shopping.
His destination was the Pokémon Egg Trading Center.
Besides manufacturing products, Devon Corporation also handled Pokémon Egg trading.
Although they weren’t a specialized breeding facility, countless Trainers brought Pokémon Eggs there every day for appraisal, evaluation, and sale.
The company’s first-floor lobby permanently housed a Pokémon Egg marketplace.
It might not have been as specialized as a Pokémon Day Care.
But its greatest advantage was the sheer number of buyers and sellers.
More people meant more opportunities.
Lucas intended to test his luck.
After all…
The All-Around Pokémon Comprehensive Analyzer he had purchased for one million League Credits wasn’t only useful for examining Pokémon he already owned.
It worked just as well on Pokémon Eggs.
As long as an egg hadn’t hatched, the System could reveal:
– Which Pokémon was inside.
– Its potential.
– Any rare abilities.
– Even inherited Egg Moves.
That was Lucas’ greatest advantage.
Most people buying Pokémon Eggs relied entirely on experience.
Or reputation.
Or simple luck.
There was no way to judge an egg’s quality just by looking at it.
Buyers had no choice but to trust whatever the seller claimed.
Lucas didn’t have that problem.
He could see the truth.
He could identify exceptional Pokémon Eggs, buy them cheaply, and later sell them for a profit.
Or…
He could hatch them himself and strengthen his growing farm.
As far as he could tell…
This was one of the safest and fastest ways to build wealth.
When Lucas left the farm, he brought only Ralts and several empty Poké Balls.
Bulbasaur stayed behind to care for the orchard.
Pidgeotto remained to command the Flying Squad.
Neither of them could leave.
Before departing, Lucas scanned Ralts with the System once more.
Its strength had officially advanced beyond Superior Peak and reached Pseudo-Gym Level — Early Stage.
An hour later, after hiring a taxi, the skyline of Petalburg City appeared through the car window.
Devon Corporation’s headquarters stood proudly in the heart of the city.
The towering silver-gray skyscraper featured a sleek glass curtain wall that reflected the morning sunlight.
At its rooftop sat Devon Corporation’s unmistakable logo—a stylized Poké Ball.
The original Lucas had lived in Petalburg City for more than ten years.
That symbol was deeply familiar.
The taxi pulled up in front of the building.
Lucas paid the driver, lifted Ralts onto his shoulder, and stepped out.
Standing at the foot of the grand staircase, he looked up at the enormous building towering above him.
It was even more impressive than he remembered.
Ralts gave a curious little cry.
Lucas smiled.
“Come on.”
“Let’s see if we can find ourselves a bargain.”