Naoki pced the Slugma's Poké Ball into his bag, pnning to i with it again after desding the mountain.

  As he turned around, he noticed Helian staring at him with an expression of shod disbelief.

  Naoki tilted his head, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

  Helian couldn't help but blurt out, "Is this how trainers from the Paldea region capture Pokémon? But… if that's the case, will the captured Pokémon even listen to your ands?"

  Naoki paused, sidering the question, then replied, "ly. I don't really rely on Pokémon for battles. I captured the Slugma because I like it. I want to take it home, care for it, and build a bond over time."

  Helian furrowed his brow, trying to process this cept. 'A collector-type trainer?'

  He had met trainers like this before—those who focused more on befriending Pokémon than battling them. However, the method Naoki used was still… unventional.

  Letting a Pokémon capture another Pokémon? That was unheard of.

  Seeing Helian's baffled look, Naoki chuckled and said, "You should try it sometime. Most Pokémon are kied and simple. If you show them care and offer food, there's a good ce they'll choose to be your partner."

  He paused before adding, "Of course, this works best with smaller, more docile Pokémon like Slugma or Eevee. For stronger or mgressive Pokémon like Tyranitar, you'll o prove your strength in battle to earn their respect."

  Helian listened ily, his eyes lighting up as if something had clicked in his mind. "I see! That's… actually really iing."

  Naoki smiled and turo leave, satisfied that he had shared something useful. Helian, who had been training in Hell Valley for a month, decided to apany Naoki down the mountain, pnning to stock up on supplies in Mossui Town.

  As they exited the Hell Valley area, the temperature immediately dropped, and Naoki sighed in relief. He pulled a water bottle from his backpad took a long sip while Helian put his shirt ba.

  When they passed the area where Naoki had first seeimid green Pokémon, curiosity got the better of him. "Helian," Naoki began, "have you seen any Pokémon uo Kitakami around here?"

  Helian scratched his head. "Hmm… nothing else es to mind. But there are plenty of Pokémohat we don't have in Sinnoh. I've seen Mimikyu, Hatenna, and Carbink around these parts. Did you spot something unusual?"

  Naoki nodded. "In the area just ahead, I saokémon I'd never entered before."

  Helian's eyes widened as he followed Naoki's gesture, but the realization seemed to spark instead of intrigue. "Wait… you went in there?"

  Naoki frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

  "That area is known as Oni Fang Cave," Helian expined. "The jagged cliffs and narrow paths make it incredibly dangerous. Locals call it that because the sharp roations resemble Oni fangs. People are waro stay away because it's easy to fall."

  Helian's tone grew more serious. "There's another reason people avoid it: they believe the Oni that killed the Three Loyal Pokémon resides somewhere in Oni Fang Cave. If anyone enters it, their life is said to be at risk."

  A shiver ran through Helian as he muttered, "An Oni with a mask… how terrifying. I hate folklore like this. It's too creepy."

  Naoki stood silent for a moment. 'A ghost wearing a mask…' The image of the green Pokémon holding the mask fshed in his mind.

  'Could that timid Pokémon really be the so-called Oni from the legends?' The idea seemed absurd. The creature had been so scared it ran away at the sight of him.

  Unless… the Oni was someone—or something—else entirely.

  Just then, a chilling wind howled from the dire of Oni Tooth Cave. As it swept through the valley, it produced an eerie, wailing sound remi of the cries of restless spirits.

  Helian shuddered, feeling the hairs on his neck stand on end. A cold sweat trickled down his back as he stammered, "L-Let's get out of here!"

  Naoki sighed, bemused by Helian's fear, but decided not to press further. He led Koraidon and Pawmot back down the mountaiually returning to Mossui Town.

  By the time they reached the unity ter, it was already four iernoon. Naoki bid farewell to Helian before heading io rest.

  The day, he was scheduled to visit Apple Hill with the vilge chief to explore the renowned apple orchards. After dinner, Naoki retired to his room to prepare for the day ahead.

  Curious to learn more about his new panion, he released the Slugma from its Poké Ball. Together with Pawmot, Naoki observed the Slugma and offered it an assortment of fruits and snacks.

  To his surprise, the Slugma showed no fear of him. It seemed cheerful and tent as it slowly devoured the fruits, sav each bite.

  Naoki mused with a smile, watg the little Pokémo.

  What caught his attention even more was the Slugma's natural heat. Shortly after being released, the temperature in the room began to rise, creating a cozy warmth.

  "Fasating," Naoki murmured as he watched the Slugma i with Pawmot. An idea sparked in his mind.

  "With this Slugma, I wouldn't need firewood to heat my firepymore. We could even design a work of heating pipes running through the house, just for it," he mused. "It could crawl through the pipes, moving freely between rooms and keeping the entire house warm in winter."

  The thought of su ingenious heating system excited Naoki. He imagihe Slugma being a cherished panion in the colder months, ensuring everyoayed fortable.

  Lost in thought, Naoki leaned ba his chair, his eyes fixed on Pawmot and the Slugma, who were pying together happily.

  Ohe Slugma Worm had eaten its fill, it seemed even more cheerful. It appeared grateful for Pawmot's warmth and friendliness and was eager to return the gesture.

  Suddenly, the Slugma's joy bubbled over, and puffs of white smoke burst from its glowing red body.

  "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

  Thick plumes of smoke filled the room, causing Naoki to cough and scramble to open the window. As fresh air swept iurned back to the Slugma, whiow looked flustered and apologetic.

  Naoki chuckled softly. "Why do I get the feeling this Slugma might not be the brightest?" he wondered aloud, shaking his head.

  Pawmot, ever empathetic, immediately stepped in to sole the Slugma.

  "Pamo, Pamo!" it chirped, patting its new friend on the back.

  The Slugma blinked in fusion before its expressihtened, being visibly happy again.

  Then, the familiar bang-bang-bang sounds filled the room as bursts of smoke puffed from its body.

  Naoki: "…"

  Not the smartest, clearly…

  But perhaps, Naoki mused, it recisely this simple and somewhat silly nature that made the Slugmawilling to befriend Pawmot. Just like children who have just started kindergarten, i and eager to ect.

  ...

  The m, Naoki joihe vilge chief on a visit to the local apple orchard.

  Standing at the base of the orchard hill, Naoki took in the sight of tless apple trees stretg out i rows. The sunlight reflected off the apples hanging from the branches, creating a picturesque se.

  "This is the Apple Hill!" the vilge chief said with pride. "The hill's open ndscape allows the sunlight to reach every tree, ensuring our apples gre, round, and full of fvor."

  Naoki looked closer at the apples hanging on the branches. Eae erfectly round, with a vibrant red hue and a shiny skin that made them look irresistible.

  The vilge chief plucked a feles from a nearby tree and hahem to Naoki. "Here, try ohese are Kitakami's pride and joy."

  Naoki accepted an apple and g it. Instantly, information about the apple surfaced in his mind:

  [Kitakami Apples: Renowned for their high quality, these apples are a world-famous specialty of Kitakami Township.]

  He handed one of the apples to Koraidon, who eagerly accepted it, and took a bite of his own.

  As soon as he bit into the apple, sweet, crisp juice exploded in his mouth, filling his senses with fvor. Naoki nodded in approval, sav the taste.

  "They're incredible!" he admitted.

  The vilge chief beamed with pride. "Of course! We put our hearts into growing them."

  Naoki turned his gaze to the apple orchard stretg out before him. The vibrant greenery, coupled with the care that clearly went into nurturing the orchard, filled him with admiration.

  'This truly is fertile nd,' he thought.

  As with the rice fields he had seen earlier, Pokémon were actively involved in the orchard's upkeep. Naoki spotted Mightyena prowliweerees, Seedot scampering through the grass, Bellsprout tending to saplings with their vines, and Scatterbug resting on the branches.

  Kitakami Township had clearly mastered the iion of Pokémon into agricultural development.

  The vilge chief followed Naoki's gaze and chuckled. "Those are some of the Pokémon who help us maintain the orchard."

  "Mightyena protect the orchard, sg off wild Pokémon who might damage the trees. Seedot patrols the area, warning Mightyena if something's amiss. Scatterbug keeps pests away from the trees, ensuring they grow unharmed. And Bellsprout—oh, they're particurly useful! They use their Grass-type abilities to nurture the trees and even help us harvest apples with their Vine Whip."

  Naoki houghtfully, impressed by the effit system. "Do farms in the Paldea region involve Pokémon in agriculture this much?" the vilge chief asked.

  Naoki thought back to the few farms he had visited. Some, like Mr. Elif's cherry orchard, did rely on Pokémon, but that was rgely because Mr. Elif had taken in wild Pokémon out of kindness. It wasn't the same structured approach as in Kitakami Township.

  "I think this is something I'll suggest to Mayor Thomas when I return," Naoki replied. "I share what I've seen here."

  He smiled, adding, "On my ranch, Dragonite uses Rain Dao water the fields, Diglett helps till the soil, Gogoat supports crop growth with its Grass-type energy, and Psyduck helps harvest fruits."

  "That's excellent!" the vilge chief excimed. He nodded enthusiastically, his admiration clear. "Pokémon truly are magical creatures. Their tributions have made life so much better for us humans!"

  Naoki smiled in agreement. "They really are."

  The group wandered leisurely across Apple Hill, taking in the picturesque ndscape.

  Along the way, Naoki noticed several vans parked along the road. Farmers and Pokémon worked side by side, carefully loading freshly harvested apples into boxes and stag them ly onto trucks.

  The vilge chief smiled warmly as he gestured toward the se. "These apples will soon be shipped all over the world—tions like Kanto, Sinnoh, Paldea, Unova, and Kalos—so people everywhere enjoy the fvors of Kitakami."

  "That's incredible!" Naoki excimed, genuinely impressed.

  In an era wheer wasn't yet widespread and ercial promotion relied heavily on neers and word-of-mouth, the fact that Kitakami apples had achieved global renown spoke volumes about their exceptional quality.

  The vilge chief tinued with a nostalgic smile. "There are many delightful things about our town, but it's a shame you didn't visit during the summer. If you had, you could've joined us for our Mask Festival."

  Naoki tilted his head slightly. "Mask Festival?"

  The chief nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, it's an annual celebration h the bravery of the three panion Pokémon. People from all over the town—and even trainers from ions—e to participate."

  He chuckled as he tinued, "Everyone wears masks and gathers at the shrine in the heart of Kitakami to celebrate. It's a lively event!"

  Naoki's thoughts lingered on the mention of masks. It seemed like so many aspects of Kitakami's culture, from festivals to its legends, were tied to masks. The image of the green Pokémon he had entered the day before—and the mask it held—fshed through his mind. Feeling a tug of curiosity, he asked:

  "By the way, Chief, are there any Pokémon uo Kitakami?"

  The question seemed to catch the vilge chief off guard, but he nodded. "Of course! The most famous ones are the three panion Pokémon who gave their lives to protect the vilge."

  Naoki listened ily as the chief listed their names: Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti.

  However, the green Pokémon Naoki had seen bore no resembo a dog, monkey, or bird. After some thought, he asked hesitantly, "Are there any others besides the three panions? I saokémon wearing a mask in the mountains. Is it also from Kitakami?"

  The moment Naoki finished speaking, the chief's expression darkened, his demeanor shifting dramatically. "A Pokemon wearing a mask, wandering in the mountains… Did you enter the Oni?"

  Naoki froze, taken aback. "Oni?"

  The vilge chief's voice lowered, trembling with fear. "That's no ordinary Pokémon. That's the vicious Oni from ends—the one said to have killed the three panion Pokémon!"

  Naoki's mind reeled. The timid Pokémon he had seeerday, c in fear, was supposed to be the same Oni from the stories? It didn't add up.

  He vividly recalled how it trembled when he approached, bolted away in panid left its mask behind. How could such a scared creature be a violent oni? Something about the legend didn't sit right with him.

  Still, the chief's fear alpable. "That ghost is brutal and dangerous!" he warned. "I strongly advise you to stay far away from Oni Mountain. If you provoke it, your life will be in grave danger!"

  Naoki couldn't bring himself to believe the chief's words. He trusted his own observations over the tales of the townspeople. The Pokémon he saw couldn't possibly be the ruthless ghost of the legend.

  Beside him, Koraido out an indignant growl. "Raao!"

  The vilge chief flinched, startled by Koraidon's sudden outburst. Instinctively, he took a few steps back, his face pale. "What… What's wrong with your Pokémon? Why is it angry?"

  Naoki pced a calming hand on Koraidon's side, gently soothing the Pokémon's agitation. "Easy now," he murmured. The a Pokémon seemed to sehat something about the chief's story didn't sit well.

  Koraidon snorted but relented, shifting bato a more ral stahe vilge chief exhaled heavily, relieved. He turned his gaze up the hill aured forward.

  "Just ahead is Loyal Three Memorial Shrine," he said, his voice steadier now. "That's where the remains of the three panions were id to rest. Would you like to visit it?"

  Naoki's curiosity deepened. "Yes, I'd like to see it."