Not Being a Trainer This Time

Although Sceptile was defeated later by the Latios Tobias sent out, it had already done a great job.

But anyway, is this what the daily life of the Heroic Expedition Team’s journey is like?

Running around Helping Hand-ing Pokemon in need everywhere—it actually looks pretty fun.

Naoki had planned to watch for a while longer, but a sudden knock sounded from outside.

Seeing that things over by Teddiursa’s side were more or less settled, he hung up the call and went to open the door.

The one knocking was Mayor Thomas, sporting his white beard.

The old gentleman beamed. ”Good afternoon, Naoki!”

”Good afternoon, Mayor Thomas!” Naoki greeted him. ”Is something up?”

Mayor Thomas nodded and asked, ”Here’s the thing: the spring fishing tournament will be held the day after tomorrow. I was wondering, which event are you planning to enter this year?”

The spring fishing tournament...

Thinking of fishing, Naoki immediately remembered the Paldea Seafood Rice he’d eaten before.

One of that dish’s effects was to increase the eater’s chance of reeling in rare fish.

”Sure!” Naoki figured that since he’d just be lazing around at the ranch anyway, he might as well go over there and have some fun.

Mayor Thomas laughed. ”Excellent. The fishing hotshots in town have been wanting to test themselves against you for ages. You skipped the last two years, and this year those guys specially came to me and asked me to see whether you’d be joining.”

Naoki: ”...”

With Mayor Thomas spelling it out like that, Naoki instantly understood what was going on.

When he first came to the ranch, he’d needed money and had Koraidon help him blast a whole bunch of fish.

The townsfolk had always assumed those fish were all caught by him, so in the minds of the people of Porto Marinada Town, Rancher Naoki was probably some Fishing Master with god-tier technique.

The kind whose fishing skills had already reached a transcendent realm.

Naoki was momentarily speechless.

Mayor Thomas, however, was very pleased. ”The tournament will be held at Lake Verity, starting at eight in the morning the day after tomorrow. When the time comes, just use your fishing skills to completely win over those challengers!”

Naoki: ”...”

Looks like he had no choice but to bring out the Paldea Seafood Rice.

*

Meanwhile, in Treecko Forest of the Hoenn Region—

To express their gratitude to the Heroic Expedition Team, the Treecko had gathered Berries and were holding a banquet beneath the giant tree.

The elderly Treecko handed Teddiursa a Berry.

”Cha-fu!” (You’re amazing! You actually managed to bring the withered giant tree back to life!)

Teddiursa took it with both paws, happily shaking its head. ”Yima!” (That was all thanks to Naoki and Calyrex!)

Naoki? Calyrex?

Was that the human inside the Pokemon called Rotom?

Thinking that, Treecko asked directly.

Teddiursa shook its head, then nodded again. ”Yima yima!” (Naoki is Naoki, he’s the best human in the whole world! And Calyrex is also a really powerful Pokemon. He lives together with everyone at the ranch!)

Beside them, Mew bobbed its head in agreement. ”Miu～”

Treecko asked again, ”Cha-fu?” (Ranch?)

”Yima yima!” (That’s our home! There’s also an especially, especially big tree at the ranch—that’s the World Tree!)

Speaking of this, Teddiursa suddenly remembered the request Naoki had given them earlier.

It looked at the Treecko in front of it—these Pokemon were all Grass Type too, right?

So Teddiursa happily extended an invitation to the Treecko.

”Yima yima? Yima!” (The World Tree is really, really big. Naoki said he plans to build an Explorer Team Guild there, and a Pokemon Tavern, a Pokemon farm, and a Pokemon Restaurant. Would you like to settle on the World Tree? Everyone living together, it’ll be super lively!)