Chapter 694: Island Construction

Chapter 694: Island Construction (Combined, Requesting Monthly Votes!)

The next day.

"Ha ha!"

Jing He excitedly reeled in his fishing rod, gazing at the Stingray hanging from the hook with a satisfied smile.

This Pokémon, discovered and cataloged in the Galar region, is named for its shape, resembling a shuttle, with three tail fins that look like a propeller.

Stingrays are Water-type Pokémon, known for their incredible speed in water. Their evolved form, Sharp Beak, can swim at over 100 knots.

However, Stingrays have poor eyesight, so hunting mostly depends on luck.

While they are very fast, their speed is only in a straight line. If they need to turn, they become very slow, making them a favorite prey for Pokémon like Ancient Bird.

"Although it's not very rare, at least it's not a Magikarp."

Jing He was overjoyed.

What a good omen.

"This area is indeed rich in resources."

Before he could finish his thoughts, Jing He caught a second Stingray, then a third, a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth.

"No way."

Jing He, unwilling to believe his luck, cast his line again.

He thought he had a great start to the morning, but it seemed he had disturbed a nest of Stingrays?

On the other side.

Gengar, Male sat under a tree, a set of teaware arranged on the table, with a teapot steaming "gurgle gurgle."

"Gengar, gengar~"

Humming a little tune, he slowly began to prepare the tea.

Of course, the main attraction was the new teaware: the Bottomless Pot and two Liberation Teas.

The Bottomless Pot and Liberation Teas seemed quite calm, even a bit excited.

They had been in the sunken ship for so long that they had forgotten how long it had been since they last experienced the "baptism" of tea.

They were looking forward to it.

Soon, Gengar, Male fulfilled their expectations.

He tossed a bitter Vital Root into the Bottomless Pot, then poured in boiling water. The distinctive, slightly bitter aroma of the Vital Root quickly filled the pot.

Dada-dada—

The lid suddenly started to tremble. The purple little figure inside the Bottomless Pot seemed to realize something was wrong and struggled to escape.

No! This isn't tea! This is Vital Root!

Gengar, Male silently placed his finger on the lid, quietly counting the time.

"Gengar!"

It's about time!

Gengar, Male confidently picked up the teapot and poured it into the Liberation Teas.

Soon, two steaming cups of Vital Root Tea were ready.

The purple, chubby figure gently moved its fingers, pushing one cup in front of the Bidoof leader.

"Shoo-ri?"

The Bidoof looked at the tea with interest. Gengar, Male had already picked up the other cup and gently blew on it.

Huu—

Then he slowly took a sip.

Smack, smack, smack— Hmm?

It tasted pretty good, much better than before!

Seeing Gengar, Male take a sip, the Bidoof put aside its skepticism, picked up the teacup, and mimicked Gengar, Male, blowing and then sipping.

"Shoo, shoo-ri!"

The Bidoof's eyes widened, ready to spit it out, but then met Gengar, Male's teasing gaze and swallowed it back.

Its face gradually changed from its original reddish-brown to white, then green, and finally gray. It fell on the table, foaming at the mouth, with its legs still twitching.

"Gengar~" Gengar, Male smirked.

A leader, huh? Trying to act tough in front of me? You're not up to it.

He blew again and took another sip, finding it increasingly delicious and intoxicating.

This treasure was truly worth it.

"What's wrong with it?"

Jing He, giving up on fishing, walked back with his fishing rod and saw the Bidoof leader lying on the table, foaming at the mouth.

Gengar, Male nodded toward the Liberation Teas on the table.

"Normal-type Pokémon are immune to Ghost-type moves, right?" Jing He asked, puzzled.

The Liberation Teas shouldn't be able to harm the Bidoof, right?

Besides, the two Liberation Teas and the Bottomless Pot combined were probably not as strong as the Bidoof.

Gengar, Male shrugged.

"Gengar~"

That's right~

Saying this, he prepared another cup for Jing He and handed it over.

Jing He's expression changed, and he waved his hand.

"Cough, I'll pass. I still need to dig up some tree saplings and bring as many back as possible."

Whether the tea made by the Liberation Teas was unpleasant and sapped energy, or the tea made by the Bottomless Pot was said to be very flavorful, Jing He had no interest in trying it.

To put it bluntly.

It was like drinking the "bathing water" of the Liberation Teas and Bottomless Pot.

He wasn't Ardu, who enjoyed such things.

Fishing for a good mood, but too much can be harmful. After catching about a dozen Stingrays, Jing He gave up and returned to the tree fruit forest, grunting as he started digging up saplings.

To be honest, the efficiency in the Pokémon world was indeed high.

With the help of Pokémon, it took only two days to tidy up the originally chaotic tree fruit forest.

He obtained quite a few saplings and a very rare "Miracle Berry."

Considering that transplanting saplings should be done as early as possible, Jing He said goodbye to the wild Pokémon and the Bidoofs in the Ball Lake Plain in the afternoon and returned to the Crown Tusk Snowfield.

"If you have the time, take a trip to the Drearwood Forest."

Crown Tusk took the reins of Spectrier from Gengar, Male.

It had truly enjoyed riding Spectrier these past few days, but he didn't insist on taking the horse back.

He could always call on Spectrier for help when needed.

Crown Tusk still had some of its original power within Spectrier. Only by reuniting with both of its beloved horses could Crown Tusk's strength fully recover.

Reaching its peak, however, might be impossible.

Without sufficient "faith power", Crown Tusk's strength would never return to what it was as the King of Galar.

"Drearwood Forest?" Jing He, Male raised an eyebrow.

The Drearwood Forest lies in the southern forests of the Crown Tundra, but it is separated by continuous mountain ranges and glaciers. Even flying over is extremely difficult.

Not only is the Drearwood Forest deep within the forest, but it is also shrouded in dense fog year-round, making it notoriously easy to get lost.

The best route to enter the Drearwood Forest is through the town of Wyndon.

Others might not know what lies within the Drearwood Forest, but Jing He, Male was well aware.

The legendary heroes of the Galar region, Sword Dog and Shield Dog, are said to be sleeping in the Drearwood Forest.

Considering the stories Crown Tusk had shared about its past...

When Eternatus created the Night of Darkness, it likely worked together with Sword Dog and Shield Dog.

Now, asking Jing He, Male to visit the Drearwood Forest if possible...

Could it be that Crown Tusk has sensed signs of Eternatus's awakening?

"Right, for your Forge Adamant", Crown Tusk glanced at Forge Adamant beside him. "It should be quite helpful."

Forge Adamant?

Jing He, Male also looked at his little hammer girl.

The little one was standing with her hammer, head held high, looking around as if waiting for a big bird to appear in the sky.

Was this to have Forge Adamant "knock some sense" into the decaying sword and shield?

Jing He, Male seemed to understand Crown Tusk's meaning.

In the special episode, the protagonist, a master smith, had a significant connection with the decaying sword and shield.

Moreover, Sword Dog and Shield Dog are Steel-type Pokémon.

"If I have the chance, I'll go", Jing He, Male nodded without much hesitation.

He was willing to try anything that would benefit his Pokémon, especially now that his strength had improved.

After all, he had experienced the incident with the Ultra Beast Hoopa and seen many Mythical Beasts. As long as he didn't encounter behemoths like Eternatus or Necrozma, he still had some confidence.

Even with Eternatus...

If he could find the decaying sword and shield and awaken Zamazenta and Dragapult, dealing with Eternatus shouldn't be a problem.

For now, though...

He needed to return and plant the tree seedlings he had dug up, to prevent the success rate of transplantation from decreasing over time.

"If you have the chance, you can also visit Hoenn", Jing He, Male extended an invitation.

If Crown Tusk could descend upon his island, the resources on the island would likely grow exponentially.

Crown Tusk did not refuse Jing He, Male's invitation.

However, it sighed as it led Spectrier.

"Although my people have forgotten me, I still consider myself their king. Protecting them is my duty as a king."

With Eternatus becoming increasingly active and even Galar Particles appearing in the Crown Tundra, how could Crown Tusk leave the Galar region, which needed it the most, at this time?

Hearing this, Jing He, Male sighed inwardly, admiring Crown Tusk's sense of responsibility.

Indeed, this Cauliflower Head was worthy of being the King of Galar.

After bidding farewell to Crown Tusk again, Jing He, Male sought out the Butterfree colony as previously agreed.

After several days of deliberation, the Butterfree had made their decision.

They asked Jing He, Male to take three Butterfree, five Cascoon, and seven Wurmple away, while the Butterfree leader and the rest of the colony would remain on the land that had birthed and raised them.

This was a classic case of not putting all their eggs in one basket.

While Jing He, Male's strength was evident and the Butterfree could sense his goodwill, there was still some hesitation about an unknown place.

Jing He, Male did not force them and said he might return next time, bringing back the Butterfree that had lived with him for a while. At that point, the Butterfree could make their own decision again.

Thus, Jing He, Male, with Daiya and his Pokémon, set off for Hoenn, having gained much from his journey.

August 3rd, the weather was clear.

After getting off the plane and resting briefly at the café, he headed straight to the island with his Pokémon and "laborer" Daiya.

Although he had only been away for a few days, the island had undergone significant changes.

What was once a barren island was now covered with a thin layer of green grass.

The vibrant green was visible from a distance, radiating the island's burgeoning vitality.

"Great", Jing He, Male was visibly relieved. "Ride Ponyta and Diglett have really worked hard."

The scene before him confirmed that the island had completed its basic transformation and was now suitable for plant growth.

The ground, left behind by solidified lava, was rich in minerals but too hard for plants to take root. Thanks to the efforts of the Diglett, the hard lava rock had been transformed into nutrient-rich soil.

If this were not the Pokémon world, such a transformation would undoubtedly be extremely difficult and complicated. However, in the Pokémon world, not only was the transformation completed, but it also seemed relatively easy.

The Ride Ponytas covered the entire soil with grass, further confirming the current soil conditions on the island.

In addition to the grass,

The depression that Dratini and the others dug in the center of the island was now filled with a pool of fresh water. This ensured that the most basic water supply for daily life was met.

By adding some gentle Water-type Pokémon to the pond, the problem of stagnant water could be avoided.

After landing the aircraft,

Jinghe took out all the "harvest" from the Crown Tusk Plain.

This included Pokémon: three Butterfree, five Cascoon, seven Wurmple, and six Heracross. Of course, the tea set that Gengar "captured", including a Bottomless Pot and two Liberation Tea, did not count.

However, adding the two Diglett and two Ride Ponytas that were already there,

The number of Pokémon living on the island now surpassed twenty, marking a significant breakthrough!

In addition to Pokémon, there were also a large number of plant seedlings, especially tree fruit seedlings.

These included: one Miracle Berry, five Cheri Berry seedlings, two Pecha Berry seedlings, seven Leppa Berry seedlings, ten Oran Berry seedlings, three Lum Berry seedlings, and five each of Rawst Berry, Aspear Berry, Persim Berry, Sitrus Berry, and Iapapa Berry seedlings.

Additionally, from his own garden, he brought mature tree fruits: three Cheri Berries, three Leppa Berries, three Pecha Berries, three Chesto Berries, three Lumb Berries, and three Razz Berries.

In total, they would plant eighty tree fruit seedlings!

"Quite the project!"

Watching Gengar pull out the seedlings one by one from the shadows, Jinghe couldn't help but marvel.

But beyond the marvel, Jinghe felt more joy and satisfaction.

Finally,

Finally, they could plant the land firmly.

Eighty tree fruit seedlings, in terms of a farm's scale, was not particularly large.

Many farms measure their tree fruit production in the hundreds.

Like Grandpa Fu's farm, which reportedly grows tree fruits in the thousands.

That's a true large-scale farm.

Only such a farm could supply the high consumption needs of trainers like Jinghe.

However, even though it doesn't compare to those large farms, these eighty tree fruit seedlings, once fully mature, would greatly alleviate the pressure on Jinghe.

And the island is so large that there is plenty of room for more planting. Eventually, the island's tree fruit production would not only meet his and his Pokémon's needs but even have a surplus for sale.

This is a very good start.

"Gengar, move the Crown Tusk to the lakeside in the center of the island."

Jinghe began organizing everyone to get to work.

"Gengar~!"

After the Crown Tusk regained some of its strength, the power it exerted on the wooden statue became even stronger.

Even when the wooden statue was placed in the center of the island, the power from the "King of Fertility" could still cover the entire island, despite the distance.

Gengar lifted the wooden statue from the cultivated field and placed it beside the lake.

Then, while Jinghe called everyone to start planting the trees, he walked to the center of the island.

Near the wooden statue of the Crown Tusk, he dug a hole and took out the Miracle Berry.

According to the knowledge in Grandpa Fu's book, for tree fruits with high nutrient and environmental requirements, planting the entire fruit is a better choice.

As for the process of drying, soaking, and sprouting seeds, the special nature of the tree fruits allows this step to be skipped.

"Let's hope it grows."

After gently rubbing the Miracle Berry, Jinghe placed it in the hole and covered it with soil.

He then took out the Squirtle's water sprayer and sprinkled some water, moistening the soil.

Whether it would grow ultimately depended on whether the island's conditions could meet its growth requirements.

"Crown Tusk, please keep an eye on it", Jinghe said with a smile to the wooden statue.

Hum—

The wooden statue of the Crown Tusk faintly glowed with a crystalline green light, as if saying, "As you wish."

After planting the most important Miracle Berry, Jinghe turned to join the transplanting of the tree fruit seedlings.

It was summer, with high temperatures and strong sunlight, making it not the best time for transplanting.

However, these issues could be overcome to some extent.

Transplanting seedlings was much simpler than digging, especially since there was no need to worry too much about root damage.

Even more so,

With the help of the Crown Tusk's wooden statue and the Ride Ponytas, the leaves of a few well-conditioned tree fruit seedlings, which had been somewhat withered, visibly recovered.

While planting, Jinghe also comforted the Pokémon that were not quite adapted to the new environment.

Especially the six Heracross.

Although the Butterfree group also moved to a new environment, Jinghe had prepared them in advance, so they quickly calmed down.

However, the six Heracross were uneasy and scared by the fertile but still somewhat barren island, even with eighty tree fruit seedlings planted.

They huddled together inside apples.

To an outsider, it might look like a pile of apples.

Fortunately, Jinghe was skilled in communicating with and soothing Pokémon.

With the help of food, a safe environment, and Jinghe's gentle guidance, the six Heracross finally slowly ended their disguise and began cautiously observing their surroundings.

Jinghe had already examined the six Heracross. Four of them had the "Ripen" ability, while the other two had the "Swarm" ability. None of them had a hidden ability.

Because of the "Swarm" ability, these Heracross had a relatively higher demand for food.

So Jinghe had decided that if conditions allowed, the four Heracross with the "Ripen" ability would eventually evolve into Leavanny and Venipede, continuing to carry the "Ripen" ability.

The other two Heracross with the "Swarm" ability could evolve into Venomoth and Vigoroth, serving as the main force for breeding the Heracross population and helping protect the island.

Once the tree saplings were planted, it was foreseeable that when they grew and started bearing fruit, they would inevitably attract the attention of some wild Pokémon. Whether they flew in the sky or swam in the sea, they would all be potential threats.

Jinghe couldn't stay on the island for long periods to guard it. His responsibilities as a teacher and his goal of becoming the champion wouldn't allow him that luxury.

By then, the island would need to have some self-defense capabilities.

Butterfree could be one option, and the future Vigoroth would also be a good choice. Jinghe might even invite more wild Pokémon to live on the island, gradually expanding the population.

However, one thing was certain.

Before the island could fully sustain itself, he would need to invest more resources and funds.

But once they got through this "growth" period, the pressure would ease significantly.

"The problem is how to get through it."

Even if he didn't plan to train the island's Pokémon as rigorously as he did with Gengar and Nine-Tails, he still needed to meet their basic dietary needs. With over twenty Pokémon, even just their daily meals would be a significant expense.

"I was thinking about raising some Blissey and Miltank to expand the livestock, but it looks like I'll have to wait a bit longer."

The financial burden was too heavy for him to bear right now.

He wondered how long his savings would last.

Putting aside his complex thoughts, Jinghe planted a tree sapling, covered it with soil, and watered it. He clapped his hands and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Turning his head, he saw Snivy standing silently by the lake.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the lake's surface to sparkle.

Jinghe could almost see a special connection forming between Snivy and the "Miracle Berry" sapling he had just planted.

Hmm?

Using his Waveguide, Jinghe saw the connection more clearly.

It seemed that a Grass-type energy from Snivy was flowing through the roots into the "Miracle Berry" sapling. At the same time, energy from the sapling was being absorbed by Snivy's roots.

This was somewhat beyond Jinghe's understanding.

What was Snivy doing?

Was it establishing a connection with the "Miracle Berry" or the future "Giant Tree"?

Was it because of Snivy's "Forest's Blessing" ability?

But since Snivy didn't seem to be losing anything and might even gain something, Jinghe didn't interfere.

While the "Miracle Berry" and the future tree might be rare and valuable, they were insignificant compared to his own Pokémon.

Besides, Jinghe didn't think Snivy's actions would cause much loss. It seemed more like a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Both sides would benefit.

The only difference was that Snivy might feel a bit tired in the short term, but a good night's sleep should help.

"Could this be why the 'Miracle Berry' trees are so difficult to grow?" Jinghe felt he was starting to grasp something.

This could be a direction for research.

"Wait."

But before Jinghe could get too excited, he suddenly realized something.

"Putting that aside, this means that Snivy will need more energy, or more accurately, more food?"

Great.

You two are mutually beneficial and promoting each other, but the one bearing the cost is me!

Jinghe pouted, observed for a while, and, once he was sure Snivy was fine, decided to ignore it.

"Ride Ponyta, and Heracross, come help me. Let's plant some flowers."

He took out the seeds he had bought in advance.

Compared to planting tree saplings, these ordinary flowers were much easier to grow. All he needed to do was sprinkle the seeds on the prepared soil, water them, and have Ride Ponyta and the Heracross provide Grass energy, like creating a Grassy Terrain, to help the seeds take root and sprout quickly.

These weren't particularly valuable flowers; they were purely to meet the daily needs of the Butterfree.

"Maybe I can raise a group of Combee. Vespiquen are too dangerous, but a group of Combee would be fine. That way, we'll have both flower nectar and honey, and it won't increase the consumption too much."

The development and transformation of the island would proceed step by step. Jinghe already had a plan for how to develop the entire island.

But for the details, he would often jot down ideas as they came to him and gradually fill in the gaps.

For now, he could raise a few Combee, and once the flowers bloomed, they could collect honey.

He would also raise a few Lotad in the central pond to prevent stagnant water from breeding too many bacteria.

As for the rest, he could put it off for now.

Time flew by in the midst of busy days.

For several days, Jinghe shuttled back and forth between the café and the island.

Apart from his daily routine of training, studying, cooking, and sleeping, he spent most of his time on the island.

All eighty fruit tree saplings had been successfully transplanted.

Additionally, the previously cultivated farmland was mostly planted with various plants, mainly ice radishes, black radishes, and the Vital Roots that Gengar was so fond of, along with some herbs used for making potions and sprays.

Some open spaces were sown with a large number of flower seeds.

Thanks to the efforts of Jinghe and his Pokémon, all the transplanted saplings took root and grew well. The plants in the fields and the sown flower seeds also sprouted green shoots, with some even budding flowers.

The growth rate of plants in the Pokémon world was indeed astonishing.

Of course, the wooden carving of Crown Tusk, the Ride Ponyta, Heracross, and Snivy all played significant roles in this.

Despite planting so many different things, the total area they occupied was less than one-tenth of the entire island.

"Hiss~"

Snivy stood in front of the flower field, softly chanting with its arms raised. A wave of emerald energy spread from its feet.

The plants in the field grew visibly, and some flower buds slowly unfurled.

In no time, the island, which had originally been a sea of green, blossomed with a riot of colors, adding a touch of brilliance to the entire place.

Snivy’s aura was noticeably weaker.

"Buzz~"

The Butterfrees flapped their wings and flew into the fields, reveling in the long-awaited nectar.

The two Ride Ponytas glanced at each other, puzzled, wondering why Snivy could achieve this while they couldn’t.

Jinghe looked at Snivy, then at the small sprout that had just broken through the soil by the pond, and a realization dawned on him.

He smiled and said, "I'll make you all some flower pancakes for lunch today."

"Gengar!!"

Gengar immediately cheered.

Flower pancakes with tea were a perfect match!

Whoosh—

A large sailboat rode the waves and approached the island.

Genji, wearing a spacious captain’s coat, looked at the transformed island with surprise.

Jinghe really developed this island and planted so much so quickly?

"Flygon!"

Riding on Flygon, Genji landed on the island.

Stepping on the soft, thin layer of grass, he inhaled the faint floral scent, his surprise growing.

"Jinghe, you really have the potential to be a farm owner", Genji laughed, walking towards the busy Jinghe.

Jinghe, who had noticed the boat approaching, smiled, continuing his work, "Yeah, Grandpa Fu even said I was born for this. He regrets not meeting me earlier; otherwise, he would have passed down his legacy to me."

This made Genji laugh even harder.

"Flower pancakes?" His eyes lit up as he saw the food on the table.

He grabbed a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, then took out four Poké Balls.

Seeing the Poké Balls, Jinghe immediately stopped his work, his eyes widening with delight, "Lotad?"

Genji swallowed the flower pancake, drank some fresh tree juice, and then said, "Yes. Your first request was granted right away."

Jinghe immediately threw the Poké Balls.

Four Lotads appeared on the ground.

These Pokémon, bred in the League’s nursery, were not shy. After a brief observation, they happily ran towards the pond in the center of the island.

Lotads are Water and Grass Pokémon, with blue bodies and a green lotus leaf on their backs. They love clean water and have a natural ability to purify it. The lotus leaf on their backs also has anti-pollution properties, reducing dust from entering the pond.

Once in the pond, the four Lotads floated leisurely, looking very content.

Seeing this, Jinghe smiled with satisfaction and looked at Genji again.

"But, you, a member of the Elite Four, came all this way just for this?"

At that moment, another person squeezed in.

"Teacher Jinghe, save some for me", he said, grabbing a few flower pancakes and a cup of tree juice.

"Who are you?" Genji asked.

"Me?" He ate a flower pancake, "I’m Daiya!"

Genji looked at the dark-skinned Daiya, with his familiar red afro, and instantly understood that Daiya was working hard for Jinghe, his lips twitching, "Nonsense, Daiya isn’t as handsome as you."

"Really?" Daiya touched his cheek, believing it, "Well, I’ve just gotten a bit tanned lately."

Jinghe bit his lip, trying not to laugh.

Daiya had indeed been a great help these past few days.

Genji, no longer holding back, laughed heartily, leaving Daiya a bit confused.

After laughing, he finally answered Jinghe’s earlier question.

"It wasn’t a special trip; I just happened to be nearby."

He paused, becoming more serious, "But I also came to inform you that the preparations are almost complete. Choose a time and start soon."

Preparations?

The Champion’s Path!

Jinghe realized.

But looking at Genji, who seemed even more eager than him,

Genji, even if I clear the “Champion’s Path,” you still won’t be able to retire.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end