Five peaceful days passed on the farm like a gentle stream, flowing steadily without hurry.
During those five days, the eleven Mareep grew noticeably larger.
Every morning, as soon as Lucas opened the pasture gate, the little sheep would race across the field with excitement.
They happily grazed on the fresh grass, occasionally lifting their heads to bleat loudly.
Their voices had become much stronger than they were just a few days ago.
Ralts continued to stay by Lucas’ side, learning everything it could about managing the farm.
Bulbasaur remained devoted to the orchard.
Lately, it rarely returned to the farmhouse except during mealtimes.
Throughout the day, it continuously used Growth to nourish the roots of the fruit trees, and at night it slept peacefully beneath the largest Sitrus Berry tree.
Meanwhile, Pidgeotto’s Flying Squad continued to expand.
Over the course of five days, several more Pidgey joined the flock, along with another Pidgeotto.
This newcomer was male.
Although slightly smaller than Lucas’ own Pidgeotto, it possessed sharper eyes and darker feathers along its wings.
When it first arrived, it behaved quietly.
It settled into the great Sitrus Berry tree without causing trouble or challenging anyone.
Lucas’ Pidgeotto didn’t react much either.
It simply gave a brief greeting before flying off to continue its patrol.
Still…
Lucas couldn’t shake the feeling that the newcomer looked at his Pidgeotto with unusual intent.
On the morning of the fifth day…
The Makuhita Egg finally began to hatch.
Lucas woke earlier than usual.
Once again…
It was Ralts who dragged him out of bed.
Standing beside his pillow, Ralts repeatedly pushed his face with both tiny hands, nearly rolling his head from side to side.
“W-What is it this time…?”
Lucas groggily opened his eyes.
Ralts’ face was less than ten centimeters away.
Its crimson eyes held a familiar expression.
It was the exact same look it had worn before the Mareep Eggs hatched.
Excited.
Focused.
Full of anticipation.
Lucas instantly became fully awake.
Without even stopping to put on a jacket, he jumped out of bed barefoot and rushed downstairs.
The cold wooden floor barely registered beneath his feet.
The Makuhita Egg rested where he had left it on the table against the wall.
Everything looked normal…
Except for one thing.
A long crack stretched from the top of the shell toward its center.
It resembled a winding river cutting through stone.
Lucas crouched beside the table, holding his breath.
The crack slowly widened before his eyes.
From inside the egg came a rhythmic knocking sound.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Something inside was repeatedly striking the shell.
Beside him, Ralts crouched with its entire body tense.
Its tiny hands gripped the edge of the table tightly.
Its horn already glowed with the pale blue light of Confusion.
Clearly…
It was preparing to help clean the newborn the moment it emerged.
Suddenly…
The top of the shell burst open.
A tiny dark-brown fist shot through the opening.
Its fingers were tightly clenched.
The little fist swung twice before smashing into the shell again.
Another chunk broke away.
Then a second fist appeared.
With both fists striking together…
The egg split neatly down the middle.
A tiny Pokémon rolled free onto the soft blanket beneath.
It flailed its arms and legs before quickly flipping over.
Then…
It stood.
Steady.
Confident.
It was a Makuhita.
Its body was round and dark brown, almost like a small clay jar.
Its thick arms were noticeably larger than its short legs.
Both fists remained tightly clenched, as though it was ready to fight from the very moment it entered the world.
Its tiny brown eyes squinted against the light.
After wobbling slightly…
It steadied itself.
Its gaze slowly swept across the room.
Finally…
It stopped on Lucas.
The newborn stared at him for several seconds before letting out a deep, rumbling cry.
The sound wasn’t loud.
But it carried surprising power within the quiet farmhouse.
Lucas slowly reached out and gently rested a hand on its head.
Makuhita’s skin felt rough like fine sandpaper.
Yet beneath that roughness…
It was warm.
Solid.
Comfortingly alive.
By now, Ralts had already gone to work.
Using Confusion, it neatly gathered the broken eggshells and cleaned away the remaining birth fluid.
Moments later, it returned from the kitchen carrying a warm, damp towel.
Its movements were smooth and practiced.
After helping with eleven Mareep hatchlings, Ralts had clearly become an expert.
Lucas accepted the towel with a smile.
He carefully lifted Makuhita from the table and gently wiped its body clean.
Unlike the quiet Mareep…
Makuhita refused to sit still.
It constantly squirmed.
Twisted.
Reached for the towel.
At one point, it even grabbed Lucas’ fingers and attempted to bite them.
Its strength was astonishing for a newborn.
Lucas actually needed both hands just to keep the energetic little Pokémon under control.
After finishing the cleanup, Lucas opened the System Shop.
Instead of ordinary formula milk…
He purchased a bottle of Miltank Milk.
It was one of the best foods available for newborn Pokémon.
Nutritious.
Easy to digest.
Far superior to ordinary milk formula.
One bottle cost only 200 League Credits.
Although the price wasn’t unreasonable, Lucas had never bought it before.
The Mareep had done perfectly well on the formula recommended by Kaino Farm.
This time, however…
He wanted Makuhita to have the very best.
Lucas gently offered the bottle.
Makuhita sniffed it.
Nudged it curiously with its nose.
Then…
It latched onto the bottle and drank furiously.
Thirty seconds later…
The bottle was empty.
Makuhita looked up at Lucas.
Its tiny eyes clearly said,
“More.”
Lucas laughed and bought another bottle.
Then another.
And another.
By the time Makuhita finished its fifth bottle…
Lucas was already silently calculating the cost.
Two hundred League Credits per bottle.
Ten bottles…
Two thousand League Credits.
Enough money for Lucas himself to eat several good meals.
But Makuhita clearly wasn’t interested in saving him money.
It didn’t slow down until the eighth bottle.
It even hiccupped while drinking the ninth.
Finally…
After draining the tenth bottle…
It released the nipple.
Burp.
A loud, satisfied burp echoed through the room.
Then…
Without warning…
Makuhita collapsed directly into Lucas’ arms.
The impact nearly knocked him backward.
The little Pokémon had fallen asleep instantly.
Eat.
Sleep.
Nothing in between.
Lucas looked down at the tiny brown bundle sleeping peacefully against his chest.
Even in its dreams…
Its mouth still moved slightly, as though it were continuing to drink milk.
Ralts smiled before gently lifting Makuhita with Confusion.
It carefully placed the sleeping Fighting-type into the cozy nest Lucas had prepared on the sofa.
The nest consisted of several folded blankets, just like the ones the Mareep had used after hatching.
Makuhita rolled over.
Curled into a ball.
And immediately began snoring softly.
After making sure the little Pokémon was comfortable, Lucas scanned it with the System.
Makuhita
– Gender: Male
– Type: Fighting
– Ability: Thick Fat
– Power: Normal Initial
– Potential: Pseudo-Gym Level
– Moves: Tackle, Focus Energy, Close Combat, Bullet Punch
Lucas smiled with satisfaction.
The little guy’s future looked very promising.
Just as he turned toward the kitchen to prepare breakfast…
A sharp bird cry echoed outside.
Lucas looked through the window.
Two Pidgeotto stood facing each other on a nearby tree.
Their cries rose and fell with unmistakable hostility.
The surrounding Pidgey remained completely silent.
They perched motionless on nearby branches like an audience waiting for a performance.
Lucas frowned slightly.
Instead of rushing outside…
He opened the System Shop.
This time…
He purchased an Intermediate Flying-type Pokéblock.
Price:
1,000 League Credits.
He had always fed Pidgeotto the basic version, which cost only one hundred League Credits.
This new version was ten times more expensive.
Its color was a richer blue.
Its aroma resembled a forest after rainfall.
The nutritional value was far greater.
Holding the Pokéblock, Lucas walked outside.
He raised it toward his Pidgeotto.
Without saying a word.
Pidgeotto looked at Lucas.
Then at the Pokéblock.
After several seconds…
It flew down.
Landing gracefully on Lucas’ arm, it quietly ate the Pokéblock one bite at a time.
Lucas gently stroked the feathers on its chest.
He could feel its powerful heartbeat beneath them.
“Go.”
“Win.”
Pidgeotto answered with a proud cry.
The sound rang out like a bowstring snapping free.
With one powerful flap…
It shot skyward.
The wind from its wings tousled Lucas’ hair.
High above the orchard…
The battle began.
Every Pidgey had abandoned the nearby trees.
They gathered around the orchard like spectators filling an enormous stadium.
The challenger attacked first.
The newcomer folded its wings and rocketed forward from nearly twenty meters away.
Its speed was incredible.
Lucas could barely follow it with his eyes.
It wasn’t Quick Attack.
There were no afterimages.
It was simply using raw speed to increase the force of its tackle.
Lucas’ Pidgeotto didn’t dodge immediately.
Instead…
It flapped its wings directly against the incoming momentum.
Its body rose three meters into the air at precisely the right moment.
The challenger shot harmlessly beneath it.
The newcomer quickly recovered and circled back.
“Wing Attack!”
Lucas shouted.
His Pidgeotto instantly dived.
Brilliant white light coated both wings.
The challenger attempted to evade.
But…
Its injured right wing hesitated for just an instant.
That tiny delay proved fatal.
Pidgeotto’s glowing wing struck cleanly across its opponent’s left wing.
A sharp cry echoed through the sky.
Several feathers drifted downward.
The challenger barely managed to remain airborne.
Yet Lucas’ Pidgeotto didn’t pursue.
Instead…
It calmly climbed back to its previous altitude.
Lucas smiled.
It was making exactly the right decision.
Rather than chasing recklessly…
It waited.
Its opponent had already suffered an injury.
The longer the fight continued…
The more mistakes it would make.
Eventually…
An opportunity would appear.
The newcomer, however, had no patience.
With an angry cry, it launched another charge.
This one was even faster.
And far more reckless.
Its flight path became almost perfectly straight.
It had committed everything to speed.
“This is it!”
“Quick Attack!”
Lucas shouted.
His Pidgeotto became a streak of white light.
The two figures collided in midair.
For one brief moment…
White light and brown feathers intertwined.
Then…
Silence.
The challenger fell.
Its body spun helplessly through the air like a kite with a broken string.
Feathers scattered behind it.
Just before it struck the ground…
A soft blue glow caught it.
Ralts.
Using Confusion, it gently lowered the defeated Pidgeotto safely onto the grass.
Meanwhile…
Lucas’ Pidgeotto hovered above the tallest Sitrus Berry tree.
Its wings spread wider than ever before.
Brilliant white light erupted from its chest.
The glow rapidly expanded.
Soon…
Its entire body was engulfed.
Its feathers disappeared beneath the radiance.
Then…
New colors emerged.
Richer brown.
Brighter cream.
Longer wings.
A taller.
More majestic figure.
When the light finally faded…
Pidgeotto was gone.
Standing before them…
Was Pidgeot.
It was significantly larger than before.
Its wingspan had increased by nearly a third.
Cream-colored feathers covered its chest like soft clouds.
Three magnificent golden crest feathers flowed gracefully behind its head like a royal crown.
Its amber eyes had become deeper.
Sharper.
More dignified.
It silently looked down at the defeated Pidgeotto lying on the grass.
There was no arrogance.
No mockery.
Only calm confidence.
Pidgeot descended gracefully.
Unlike before…
It barely needed to flap its wings.
Its larger body glided effortlessly upon the wind.
Elegant.
Powerful.
Perfect.
Landing atop the farmhouse roof…
Pidgeot surveyed the entire farm.
The orchard.
The pasture.
The farmhouse.
The Mareep.
The gathered Pidgey.
The defeated challenger.
Bulbasaur watching proudly from below.
Lucas…
Standing beside Ralts.
Everything lay beneath its watchful gaze.
Pidgeot cried out.
Instantly…
The entire flock of Pidgey erupted into the sky.
They circled the farmhouse three times together.
Their joyful cries echoed across the valley like a grand celebration.
Lucas stood quietly in front of the farmhouse.
Looking up at the magnificent Pidgeot…
He couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
Beside him…
Both Ralts and Bulbasaur stared upward with obvious admiration—and perhaps just a little envy.
Meanwhile…
Makuhita remained fast asleep in its cozy nest inside the house.
Completely unaware that one of its companions had just evolved.
Afterward, Lucas treated the defeated Pidgeotto’s injuries.
In the end, the challenger chose to remain on the farm.
It had acknowledged Pidgeot’s strength and accepted its place within the flock.
Pidgeot, in turn, accepted the newcomer without resentment.
Peace returned to the orchard once again.
________________________________________
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