https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-295-Shrine-and-Cemetery-The-Legend-of-the-Gravekeep-Hound-/12537372/
Chapter 296: Longevity
Chapter 296: Longevity
Early the next morning, Naoki began organizing the Pokemon on the ranch for a morning jog.
Even the usually tranquil Wigglytuff was forcibly dragged out by him, starting from the front door of the house, passing by the glass greenhouse and the berry garden, and then jogging along the perimeter of the ranch.
Facing Naoki's sudden initiative, the group of Pokemon felt both bewildered and perplexed.
Pokemon like Gurdurr, Tauros, Diggersby, Gogoat, and Salamence, who were naturally adept at running, found the exercise effortless.
However, for Pokemon like Chansey, Delibird, Wigglytuff, Miltank, and Claydol, who didn't usually get much physical activity, this was quite a challenging endeavor.
Miltank, in particular, was exhausted, and in the end, it resorted to using Rollout.
Its body curled into a ball, Miltank rolled swiftly around the ranch, moving from the back of the group to a position near the front.
In the stable, the duo of Yamask and Vanilluxe munched on carrots while observing the chaotic race unfolding before them.
After completing one lap, Chansey collapsed on the grass, her small face contorted in a pitiful expression of exhaustion.
"Mama..."
Standing before the Pokemon, Naoki addressed their confusion, explaining,
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I've suddenly asked you to start exercising."
Salamence nodded its large head, not opposed to the idea of training but clearly taken by surprise.
"It's because I heard that the stronger and healthier a Pokemon is, the longer it will live in this world, and the more powerful it will become," Naoki elaborated.
Live longer?
At these words, Salamence and the other Pokemon blinked, their faces reflecting their puzzlement.
To be honest, the concept of lifespan wasn't something they fully grasped.
The group of Pokemon gazed at Naoki, filled with questions, prompting him to elaborate on the concept of longevity:
"Lifespan refers to the amount of time we get to spend in this world. Most beings have a limited lifespan, but due to differences in species, some may live longer than others."
Naoki initially intended to delve deeper into the intricacies of the topic.
However, he reconsidered, thinking it unnecessary for the Pokemon to know such details, as it might only bring them unnecessary sorrow.
Thus, he shifted his explanation, saying, "Once we become stronger and healthier, we can stay together forever."
Upon hearing this, the Pokemon blinked, processing his words. While they might not have understood everything, they seemed to grasp the last part.
As long as they became stronger, they could remain by Naoki's side!
Naoki's gaze swept across the faces of the Pokemon before him, each wearing a unique expression. Some looked bewildered, clearly not comprehending what he meant.
Others, however, had clear eyes, indicating they understood the deeper meaning behind his words.
Take, for example, the siblings Mr. Mime and Mime Jr.
Naoki nodded at them, conveying his message without needing to speak aloud.
At that moment, the clever Diggersby spoke up, asking, "Ba mo?"
Naoki had run out of the translation snacks, so he couldn't directly understand what the Pokemon were saying.
Noticing his confusion, Diggersby looked around before dashing into the greenhouse and returning with a Wigglytuff who could translate.
Through Wigglytuff's translation, Naoki finally understood Diggersby's question.
"So, how long is your lifespan, Naoki?"
Naoki was taken aback for a moment before answering with a smile, "Me? I'll live to be a hundred years old."
Seeing that the Pokemon were still confused, he elaborated, "It means I'll live to be over a hundred years old."
Diggersby persisted, "Ba mo?" (And what happens after a hundred years?)
Naoki thought carefully before replying, "In human terms, I suppose I would have passed away by then. Passing away means dying and leaving this world."
Hearing this, the Pokemon before him looked saddened.
They understood what death meant; they had witnessed Pokemon perish in the fire.
Death meant never opening your eyes or speaking again, being buried forever in the soil.
"But don't worry," Naoki reassured them with a smile. "Even if I pass away, it's okay. I'll become a ghost and stay with you forever."
After all, ghosts existed in this world, and he believed that if the guardian of the underworld, Darkrai, ever came to take him away, everyone would protect him.
By then, the World Tree would have grown, and he could live happily with his Pokemon atop it.
Tears welled up in Diggersby's eyes as it asked, "Ba mo?" (Really?)
Naoki nodded, "Of course, it's true!"
Upon hearing this assurance, Salamence immediately wrapped its arms around Naoki.
"Now, are we ready to train obediently?" Naoki asked, gently patting Salamence's large claws, unable to hold back his laughter.
"Ou wu!" Salamence nodded vigorously.
They looked at each other and then let out a string of unintelligible calls.
Gourgeist took his hand, and the other Pokemon gathered around, prompting Naoki to join their exercise routine, whether he liked it or not.
Reaching Kingdra, who had witnessed everything, smiled as she translated for Naoki: "They said, 'We want Naoki to live longer, too, so let's exercise together!'"
Just as Naoki wanted to be with them always, they also wished for him to live a long life and stay by their side forever.
Naoki: "..."
So, had he dug a hole for himself?
The path of cultivation not only honed one's physique but also required sufficient nutrition.
Naoki used the life goat milk from his riding goat to prepare various nutritious dishes for the Pokemon.
The effects of life goat milk were comparable to the sacred ash of Tornadus.
Rounding up, Burmy and Wormadam were essentially consuming sacred ash as their daily meals.
Nurtured by these supplements, all the Pokemon on the ranch transformed within just one week.
That afternoon, Naoki called over the Pokemon who had been playing in the field to check on their current conditions.
Vespiquen displayed a vigorous spirit, her appearance more beautiful than ever. Her massive white wings, adorned with black veins, had become stronger and shone brilliantly in the sunlight.
Naoki observed carefully, making notes and drawings in his notebook to record Vespiquen's new state.
"[After consuming life goat milk for an extended period, Vespiquen seems to have undergone a second growth spurt. Her wings no longer appear fragile, and their enhanced strength enables her to generate more powerful storms.]"
After finishing his notes, Naoki moved on to inspect Motostoke.
"Gao~"
Motostoke obligingly stretched out its arms and legs.
"Hmm, Motostoke's physique has noticeably improved. It has gained quite a bit of muscle, and it seems to have grown taller as well. If this were a game, it would undoubtedly be a Motostoke wearing a Big Boss Badge."
Naoki jotted down these changes in his notebook.
Next, he turned his attention to Gourgeist.
In comparison, the changes in Gourgeist's body were not as noticeable, perhaps because its strength had already been at the pinnacle. Those crimson muscles all over its body would likely make even the neighboring Machamp envious.
"Salamence..." Naoki approached Salamence and poked at the scales on its body.
The texture had indeed become harder, likely enhancing its ability to withstand damage.
"Speaking of which, I should have a detailed chat with Salamence and Burmy about the Storm Trial and the Electric Trial soon. It won't be long before students from the Padaria Academy come running here."
After all, Shin Li had previously informed him that the Padaria League intended to broadcast the aftermath of the forest fire that had shocked the entire region.
Undoubtedly, Kingdra's presence would attract many Trainers, so he needed to prepare in advance.
At that moment, the Miltanks beside him could no longer contain their restlessness.
Naoki turned to look at them.
The Miltanks also turned to face him, their eyes sparkling with energy and enthusiasm as they called out, "Moo!"
Naoki: "Go ahead, but remember to be careful and not bump into the other Pokemon!"
"Moo!" The three Miltanks stretched their sturdy arms and then transformed into spherical forms, rolling excitedly on the grassy field.
Watching this, Naoki made another entry in his notebook:
"After drinking the life goat milk, the Miltanks seem to have an abundance of energy. They always appear lively and choose to move by rolling."
This situation was similar to how his riding goat used to consume a large number of Grass Balls and then expend energy by bouncing around in the grass field.
However, the Miltanks' method was much more direct.
Roll, roll, and keep on rolling without stopping.
Given more time, Naoki believed that it was possible for these Miltanks to surpass Officer Jenny's Miltank.
He suddenly thought of the troublesome Miltank in the games that gave players a hard time.
This raised a question: Could he replicate that in the ranch?
The answer depended on how proficient the Miltanks became at rolling.
As Naoki formulated a training plan for the Miltanks in his mind, he continued to inspect the changes in the other Pokemon.
Currently, there were a total of thirty Pokemon in the ranch, excluding Teddiursa and Mew, who were away on their journey.
Among them were three riding goats, three Miltanks, five Claydols, and three Combees.
The rest were Motostoke and Gourgeist, Vanilluxe and Alcremie, Glaceon and Wormadam, Mr. Mime and Mime Jr., Vespiquen, Salamence, and Diggersby.
This number was quite staggering when you thought about it, and it would be a challenge for most people to remember each Pokemon's moves and preferences.
Fortunately, Naoki had prepared observation notes a long time ago specifically to record the moves, dietary preferences, and physical conditions of the Pokemon on the ranch.
By the time he finished recording all the Pokemon's information, it was already evening.
It was the weekend, and the Pokemon tavern was closed, so after dinner, Naoki sat on the sofa with a group of Pokemon.
He turned on the TV and tuned it to the Padaria News Channel.
After a few appetizing starters, the TV screen finally showed footage from Drizzit Village.
A female reporter holding a microphone faced the camera and introduced the aftermath of the forest fire that had broken everyone's heart to the viewers at home.
"It's been five months since the heartbreaking disaster on January 22nd. I'm sure viewers at home are curious about the Pokemon who survived the forest fire, so today I'll take you to see how the area is recovering."
In the TV footage, the female reporter took out a red and white ball and released a large Electrivire, which she then rode as it flew towards the back mountains.
As the Electrivire flew, the mountains that had once been ravaged by the forest fire were revealed to the viewers.
However, it looked a little different from what they had imagined.
At that moment, as the viewers watched the lush, vibrant mountains filled with sturdy, tall trees and dense grass, their faces showed their surprise.
"What's going on? I thought the fire burned everything to the ground. Why does it look like this now?"
"That's strange. Trees shouldn't grow that fast, should they?"
"What's going on here?"
As the audience was puzzled, the female reporter slowly descended the mountain on the Electrivire.
Coincidentally, a grasshopper Pokemon walked by in the grass at that moment.
Seeing this, the female reporter smiled and said, "Looks like this place has recovered quite nicely!"
"I'm sure you're all wondering how this place could possibly look like nothing happened after such a terrible fire."
"That's right," the viewers at home nodded.
The female reporter didn't keep them in suspense for long.
As she walked up the newly built mountain path, she explained,
"The reason for this is that on the day the Padaria League sent people to rebuild these mountains, a legendary Pokemon with a compassionate heart came to this place. Unable to bear the sight of such devastation, it used its great power to bring the mountains back to life and restore the forest to its original state."
"How... How is that possible?" People exclaimed in shock.
Who was this Pokemon that could restore an entire forest to its original state?
On the screen, the female reporter continued, "It's incredible. I hear that the legend of this Pokemon is also spreading in Drizzit Village!"
"Some say it's the King of Abundance, who blesses farmers with bountiful harvests. Farmers who worship it are said to reap abundant crops. Others believe it to be an ancient king, a benevolent ruler who aids injured Pokemon."
"It's quite a mystery, isn't it? I was shocked when I first heard about it too! But I hear there were quite a few witnesses to the miracle, including our very own Champion."
"Speaking of which, I'm sure you're all curious about this Pokemon."
At that moment, the female reporter reached the end of the mountain path. She passed through the torii gate and arrived at a brand-new shrine.
Within the shrine was a statue of a Pokemon.
The statue depicted a Pokemon with a compassionate expression and a gentle smile.
The reporter faced the shrine and said softly, "And here it is, the Pokemon that brought life back to these mountains. Its name is Reishi, also known as the King of Abundance in the legends of Drizzit Village. Doesn't it look friendly?"
The camera panned slowly, moving past the reporter and focusing directly on the statue within the shrine, capturing it up close.
Reishi's statue faced the center of the screen, its face wearing a gentle smile as if it were smiling at the people of Padaria.
(End of Chapter)
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