https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-372-Hakuryu-s-Resolve-to-Get-Stronger-and-Help-Out-on-the-Ranch-/12537534/
Chapter 371: The Leek Duck and the Leek Garden, Sky Scale
Chapter 371: The Leek Duck and the Leek Garden, Sky Scale
The scorching sun bathed the ranch in warmth, and the air was heavy with the heat of summer.
Naoki stood by the Blizzard Pony's stable, enjoying the shade, his eyes fixed on the Leek Duck as it weaved nimbly between the wooden stake dummies.
The Leek Duck stood still, its eyes narrowed in concentration, holding the leek by its stem in its right wing.
Drawing, Noticing, Drawing the Sword, and Dragon Ascent...
In the next second, its figure transformed into a white blur as it surged forward.
"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!"
A rapid succession of strikes rang out as the dummies, already battered and worn, were cleaved in two by the Leek Duck's masterful Leek Art.
The white flash vanished, and the Leek Duck, now facing away from the dummies, sheathed its "sword." Its every movement exuded the air of a seasoned swordsman.
"Clap, clap, clap, clap!"
Witnessing the entire display, Naoki couldn't help but applaud. "It seems your swordsmanship has reached new heights!"
Could it be that through the constant cycle of forgetting and re-learning, the Leek Duck had gained a deeper understanding and insight into its original techniques? Naoki felt a sense of awe, thinking, "So, it can be done like that?"
The Leek Duck turned its head, giving a slight nod. "Ga!"
It lowered its head to look at the leek in its wing, a troubled expression on its face.
The constant practice had taken a toll on its prized weapon, and now the leek seemed ill-fitting for its wielder.
Noticing the Leek Duck's dilemma, Naoki raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Is there a problem with the leek?"
It was common knowledge that leeks were of utmost importance to Leek Ducks.
Without leeks, they would struggle to survive in the wild.
Thus, when faced with Pokemon attempting to steal their leeks, Leek Ducks would fight with all their might until their opponents were defeated.
However, scholars had also noted that the quality of leeks held by different Leek Ducks varied.
Some leeks could be used for extended periods, while others would deteriorate after a short time.
This often led to wild Leek Ducks engaging in battles to claim the best leeks.
Hearing Naoki's question, the Leek Duck waved the leek in its wing. "Ga."
Naoki quickly understood the issue.
That particular leek was no longer a good fit for the Leek Duck's current stature.
His gaze followed the Leek Duck, noticing how much it had changed since its arrival at the ranch.
The nutritious food and regular training had transformed its physique, making it stronger and noticeably larger.
As a result, the leek that had once been a perfect fit now seemed too small, like a child's toy in the hands of an adult.
What would the Leek Duck do in this situation?
The answer soon became clear.
After lunch, the Leek Duck approached him, seemingly with something to say.
Naoki popped a piece of the translation melon seed cake into his mouth and listened as the Leek Duck bid him farewell with a serious expression:
"Ga!" ("Naoki, I'm leaving!")
Naoki was taken aback for a moment before a possible explanation came to mind.
Sure enough, the Leek Duck's next words confirmed his suspicion.
Leek Duck: "Ga!" ("This leek no longer suits me. I'm going out to find a leek that fits my current self. Thank you for your help during this time!")
Naoki asked, curious: "Don't you want to learn those powerful swordsmanship techniques anymore?"
The Leek Duck shook its head and replied earnestly: "Ga." ("I've tried many times, but I still haven't been able to master them. Perhaps that power isn't meant for me.")
"Ga." ("However, during this time, I've also made significant progress. I've reached a level of mastery with my original techniques that has enhanced their power.")
"I see… These changes are somewhat expected," Naoki thought to himself.
As he looked at the Leek Duck, about to bid farewell, he felt a sudden twinge of reluctance.
He had grown rather fond of this Leek Duck's personality.
After a moment's thought, Naoki asked, "Where do you plan to look for a new leek?"
As far as he knew, Leek Ducks were not native to the Padia region, and he wasn't sure if this land had the right kind of leeks.
Leek Duck: "Ga." ("I'll just have to look around. I'm sure I'll be able to find one.")
Finding leeks was an innate skill that every Leek Duck possessed.
Naoki nodded.
Speaking of leeks, he recalled that seeds for leeks were also sold in Drench Town...
"What if I helped you by growing a leek garden here at the ranch, filled with leeks for you to choose from? That way, you wouldn't have to leave," Naoki suggested.
The Leek Duck was taken aback. "Ga?"
"Is that even possible?"
Naoki nodded confidently. "Of course. Who knows, I might even be able to cultivate a superior variety of leeks, tougher and more powerful than the average leek.
"Ga?" the Leek Duck asked, filled with curiosity.
Naoki understood its unspoken question and replied with a smile, "Of course, I want you to stay here at the ranch and live with us. I'm thinking that if I grow leeks for you, you won't have to go into the forest to search for them."
Hearing these words, the Leek Duck's expression softened.
In the past, it had been a wild Leek Duck, with no friends in the wild, spending its days practicing its swordsmanship under the waterfall.
Back then, the Leek Duck hadn't thought much of it, but now, the thought of returning to that solitary life filled it with boredom.
However, if it stayed at the ranch...
The Leek Duck turned its head to look at the two Pokemons who brought it the fruit platter every day, the brother and sister pair of Busybody.
As it turned out, the two Pokemons were also looking at it.
The male Busybody maintained a calm expression, nodding at it like an adult.
Meanwhile, the female Busybody revealed a smile and said, "Aye~"
The Leek Duck lowered its head, deep in thought.
After a moment, it nodded seriously and said, "Ga!"
"That's more like it!" Naoki reached out to pat the Leek Duck's head and asked, "Now, shall we head to town to buy some leek seeds for you?"
The Leek Duck nodded gratefully, "Ga!"
Naoki smiled faintly. Fortunately, he had nothing planned for the afternoon, so he could build a leek garden for the Leek Duck right here at the ranch.
The leeks grown could not only serve as the Leek Duck's weapon but also be used for cooking.
For example, they could make scallion pancakes.
Naoki went outside and drove his Pikachu car, ready to take the Leek Duck to town to buy the seeds.
Just as Naoki was about to start the car, Aerodactyl returned.
"What time is it now? Finally decided to come back, huh?" Naoki said sternly, looking at Aerodactyl.
Aerodactyl looked somewhat guilty and replied, "Roar..."
"Where are Haunter and Butterfree?" Naoki asked.
Aerodactyl quickly took out several Poke Balls and released Haunter, Butterfree, and Motocross.
Naoki glanced at them and, seeing that all the Pokemons were safe and sound, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he didn't get out of the car but instead looked at Aerodactyl and said, "We'll talk when I get back."
With that, he drove away from the ranch.
The Pokemons were left standing there, looking at each other in dismay.
Butterfree and Motocross wore worried expressions, and even Haunter's previous excitement had faded.
Could it be that Naoki was angry?
The Pokemons stood there, uncertain, like children who had done something wrong.
Haunter, Motocross, and Butterfree waited at the ranch for Naoki to return.
Several Pokemons whom they hadn't seen all morning, such as Cubone, Ice Eevee, and Frostine, came over to inquire about the situation.
Aerodactyl, feeling guilty, approached Golduck to ask about the situation: "Roar, roar?"
Golduck looked speechless: "Ah, gulp..."
Naoki drove to Drench Town and bought a batch of leek seeds from the Eiro Seed Shop.
On the way back, Naoki looked at the Leek Duck beside him and thought, "Having a Leek Duck with superior swordsmanship is also beneficial to the ranch."
Shearing the Woolly Sheep's wool was a tedious task, and perhaps he could ask the Leek Duck to help trim the sheep's wool.
With the Leek Duck's current skills...
An image flashed through Naoki's mind.
In the Woolly Sheep ranch, the Leek Duck held a leek in its wing, its expression cold as it faced a flock of Woolly Sheep.
The next second, it slightly lifted its wing, and a flash of white light passed by. One of the Woolly Sheep now stood naked, bleating shyly.
The shorn wool slowly fell onto the grass beside them.
"Pfft!"
Naoki couldn't help but laugh.
The Leek Duck turned to look at him, curious. "Ga?"
"Leek Duck, can you shear wool?" Naoki asked.
Shear wool? The Leek Duck looked perplexed.
Naoki explained, "It's like helping the Woolly Sheep with their shearing. When their wool gets too long, it becomes uncomfortable for them, so we need to trim it regularly. You could use your swordsmanship for that."
The Leek Duck understood.
It imagined the appearance of the Woolly Sheep in its mind and then nodded, "Ga."
This task would be quite easy for it.
"Really?" Naoki was surprised.
Wanting to repay Naoki, the Leek Duck patted its chest and assured him, "Ga!" It would take care of this from now on!
Naoki had never seen the Leek Duck shear wool before, and he had intended to let it try as soon as they returned to the ranch.
However, he suddenly remembered that he had just sheared the Woolly Sheep's wool a couple of days ago, and the new wool had not grown back yet.
"Then we'll let you try next time," Naoki said.
The Leek Duck indicated that it was no problem.
Soon, the car pulled into the ranch.
Naoki turned off the car and got out, with the Leek Duck following suit.
As he turned around, he saw the Pokemons standing in a line, apologizing for their earlier behavior.
He turned to Motocross, "And what about you, Motocross?"
Motocross: "Gao!" (I shouldn't have done something dangerous.)
Naoki then looked at Haunter and Butterfree.
Butterfree: "Fu Yi!" (I know I was wrong.)
Haunter cautiously observed Naoki's expression: "Poi...Poi Poi!" (We know we messed up...Please don't be mad, Naoki! We'll never do something like this again!)
Naoki helplessly rubbed his forehead.
"I'm not angry because you went out to play," he said.
The Pokemon looked at him.
Naoki continued, "But the condition is that you must not sneak out without telling me beforehand. Before you go anywhere, you need to let me know first."
"For example, if you want to go to Aerodactyl Island to play with the other Aerodactyls, just tell me, and I'll not only support you, but I'll also give you some snacks to share with them."
"If you sneak out without saying anything, it will only make people worry. Do you understand?"
Seeing that Naoki wasn't angry, the Pokemon nodded repeatedly, indicating that they understood.
Naoki waved his hand: "All right, you must be hungry after a whole night. Go find my sister, and she'll get you something to eat."
"Roar!" Aerodactyl hugged Naoki tightly and then happily ran off.
But soon, as if suddenly remembering something, it turned back, took out an object from the small bag it carried, and handed it to Naoki.
Naoki subconsciously reached out and took it: "What's this?"
He looked down and saw a pitch-black scale lying in his palm.
The scale shimmered with an otherworldly luster, feeling cold and hard to the touch.
Aerodactyl excitedly explained, "Roar, roar, roar!" (It's a scale given to us by Rayquaza! It said we could use this scale to call it, and then it would come to play with us!)
Naoki: "???"
"Wait, what did you say?" Naoki was taken aback.
Aerodactyl looked confused but repeated itself.
A tidal wave of shock surged through Naoki's mind as he stared at the scale in his hand, asking incredulously, "Rayquaza's dragon scale? You found it?"
Haunter: "Poi Poi!" (Rayquaza is a really nice Pokemon! It chatted with us for a long time and even showed us the ultimate moves it used to defeat Groudon and Kyogre!)
Motocross looked with admiration: "Whoa, so cool!"
Butterfree nodded vigorously: "Yi Yi!" (That's right!)
Naoki: "..."
His first reaction was that Rayquaza must have been so bored, chatting with these Pokemon for an entire night and a morning.
But soon, Naoki was amazed by Aerodactyl's incredible luck.
First, it had found Kyogre in the undersea cave, and now, after hearing about Rayquaza, it had gone and found Rayquaza and struck up a friendship.
This raised a question: What if he introduced Aerodactyl to other Legendary Pokemon? Intrigued, Naoki suggested to Aerodactyl, "Let me tell you about the legend of Arceus. Maybe you can go and try to find Arceus afterward."
Aerodactyl: "..."
"No, that won't work," Naoki shook his head. "Arceus is probably still sleeping in a different dimension."
What about Ho-Oh and Lugia, then?
If possible, he would love to tell Aerodactyl about the legend of Ho-Oh and the Rainbow Hero.
However, it was clear that these ideas were not very realistic.
Holding the scale in his hand and thinking of the Thunder Bird's feather and Lugia's feather, Naoki began to consider making a dish with Rayquaza's dragon scale to feed to the Pokemon.
But as he looked at Aerodactyl, he felt that this scale might be very important to it.
After all, it was a symbol of the friendship between Rayquaza and Aerodactyl.
Moreover, since Rayquaza had said that Aerodactyl could summon it with this scale, it implied that Rayquaza could sense the location of this dragon scale.
In that case, if he ground up the scale and made it into a dish, Rayquaza might not know how to react.
It might feel that Aerodactyl had destroyed their token of friendship and then cut off ties with Aerodactyl.
In a more serious scenario, it might even fly into a rage and come to attack them.
After some thought, Naoki abandoned the idea and returned the scale to Aerodactyl.
"Take good care of it," he said.
Aerodactyl reached out with its claw to take the scale: "Roar?"
Naoki suddenly thought of something interesting.
He said to Aerodactyl, "If you encounter Kyogre again and it tries to attack you, you can use this scale to summon Rayquaza for help."
(End of Chapter)
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