Not Being a Trainer This Time

But with Naoki willing to lend a Helping Hand, Leon was moved and earnestly said, ”Thank you.”

After saying these words, Calyrex flickered and went to the Glass Greenhouse to play on the phone.

Leon originally planned to stay another day at the Naoki Ranch, but the truth he learned from Calyrex made it impossible to linger.

Because the Galar Region is constantly facing a tremendous crisis.

Leon also decided to leave: ”Thank you very much for you and Calyrex’s help. I won’t stay at the ranch today, but when Galar’s crisis is resolved, I’ll come back to visit properly.”

Naoki was slightly taken aback but immediately understood Leon’s thoughts.

”No need to be so nervous, there’s always a way to solve it,” Naoki comforted.

”Hmm.”

Leon grinned again, returning to his cheerful demeanor.

”I’m off!”

He stood up and waved to Naoki.

Naoki escorted him to the ranch, and to prevent Leon from getting lost, he directly called for his family’s Dragonite delivery rider to help take him to the port.

The Rotom Phone can help Dragonite with navigation and location, so there’s no worry about Dragonite getting lost.

Dragonite gladly agreed, landed on the ground, signaling the human to climb aboard; it just needed to deliver this human to the destination like a package, which wasn’t any different from usual.

Knowing beforehand about Dragonite delivery at Naoki’s side, Leon wasn’t overly surprised.

He thanked Naoki once more, climbed onto Dragonite’s back, waved goodbye to Naoki, and then left.

With Geeta and Leon gone, the ranch returned to its usual calm.

Naoki went back home and started tidying up the house, which had been messed up by Pokemon.

There’s nothing at the World Tree needing his attention for now, allowing him to focus entirely on the ranch.

League Year 200, April 25th.

Early in the morning, Naoki went to the Apple Garden, trying to find a way to help the Applin evolve.

It’s well known that Applin has multiple evolution methods.

They evolve into different forms depending on the flavor of apples consumed.

If Applin eats a sour apple, it evolves into Flapple, capable of spitting strong acidic liquid.

Applin that consume sweet apples evolve into Appletun, exuding a sweet fragrance.

The apples grown at the ranch are very sweet, but seem not sweet enough for Applin’s evolution.

Looking at Applin disguised as an apple on the apple tree, Naoki fell into deep thought.

”Have you tasted all the apples here?” he asked.

Applin shook its head quickly, indicating it hadn’t, but felt that these apples weren’t sweet enough for evolution.

”I see...” Naoki murmured, having no choice but to purchase apples specifically for Applin’s evolution online.

However, Naoki had one more thing to do before that.

He took out the Rotom Phone, opened the Pokedex, and searched [Applin].

Soon after, information about Applin was displayed, with Rotom’s electronic voice automatically introducing:

”Applin, the Apple Core Pokemon, spends its entire life inside apples. When faced with bird-type Pokemon predators, it disguises as an apple to protect itself, possessing four evolution forms, Rotom!”

Upon hearing ”possessing four evolution forms,” Naoki was stunned.

What’s going on? Doesn’t Applin have only two evolution forms?

He quickly opened the Pokedex and found two completely new forms aside from Flapple and Appletun.

These were [Dipplin] evolved through honey apples.

And [Hydrapple], evolved from Dipplin.

Naoki clicked on Hydrapple, listening as Rotom introduced:

”Hydrapple, the Apple Snake Pokemon, with seven snake bugs living inside honey-made apples. The central snake bug commands, and occasionally, when they synchronize their thoughts, they release true power, Rotom!”

”Dipplin and Hydrapple?” Naoki was a bit surprised, ”Could these two new forms be those announced in the Indigo DLC?”

When he traveled through, the Indigo DLC hadn’t been released.

It seems now, whether it’s Ogerpon or Dipplin and Hydrapple, all are content from the DLC.

What surprised Naoki even further was the new move named [Dragon Cheer].

He searched online for this move and found out that this new Dragon Type move was developed by a teacher at Blueberry Academy.

Pokemon can’t learn it naturally; it requires Trainers to guide and assist in development.

Blueberry Academy...

Naoki felt this name sounded familiar.

He recalled carefully, realizing he heard it from Geeta.

Back then, Geeta said the Paldea League and Unova League collaborated to establish a new academy for Pokemon battles over the sea.

Additionally, Blueberry Academy and Paldea Academy conduct exchange activities each semester, sending students to mutually visit and learn.

”Interesting,” thought Naoki.

After a brief understanding of Applin’s new evolution forms, he focused his attention on the Applin before him.