Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

"Combusken, you did great!"

Rex walked over to Combusken and praised it.

Hearing its trainer's compliment, Combusken had a proud look on its face. However, the slight heaviness in its breathing and the twitch of its facial muscles betrayed that it wasn't in the best condition.

After all, it had been up against a group of Geodude. While they were wild Pokémon without much training, facing so many at once put immense pressure on Combusken.

During the battle, Combusken hadn't noticed the strain, but now, after defeating the Geodude, it felt the pain in its body and the exhaustion from the energy it had used up.

"Indeed, your Combusken has certainly undergone some rigorous training," commented Mai.

Mai had watched Combusken's entire battle and could tell that without intensive training, it would be impossible to develop such sharp battle instincts in Combusken.

"Combusken does train diligently. Let's keep moving."

Then, Rex and Mai crossed the path that had been blocked by the Geodude and approached a cave entrance that descended downward—clearly the entrance to the inner section of Meteor Falls.

"Mai, wait for me a moment."

Rex went back to where the Geodude lay, some of which were starting to stir, though they couldn't yet move.

When the Geodude saw Rex approaching, they thought he was still after them and displayed looks of fear.

"Victreebel, use Grassy Terrain!"

Without further ado, Rex called out Victreebel and had it use Grassy Terrain to heal the Geodude.

Once Victreebel had finished casting Grassy Terrain, Rex quickly returned to the entrance and motioned for Mai to follow him inside.

Mai was touched by Rex's actions, as she also often provided necessary care to wild Pokémon after battles, seeing it as a gesture of respect for life.

Descending the narrow, rough-hewn staircase, the light grew dimmer until it was completely dark.

At this point, Rex called out Carbink again, and with its Flash illuminating the way, they could see the path ahead.

The staircase wasn't long, and soon they found themselves in the inner section. While the lighting was still dim, it wasn't as pitch-black as before.

"Rex, now that we're here, we need to be cautious. Wild Pokémon could attack at any time, so let my Gallade take the lead."

Mai's demeanor had turned serious; she knew their journey was just beginning.

Rex didn't argue. He nodded at Mai and retrieved another Poké Ball from his belt. A flash of red light, and Machoke's muscular form appeared before them.

"Machoke, stay behind us and guard our rear!"

Rex instructed.

Machoke nodded in understanding and positioned itself a few meters behind Rex, ready to intervene in case of any threats from behind.

Mai was impressed as she observed Machoke. From its aura, she could tell that this Machoke was no less powerful than her Gallade—perhaps even stronger.

At that moment, Mai began to truly respect Rex's strength, realizing he might be a trainer with skills rivaling her own.

After walking for a while, Rex noticed the path within the cave was very winding, with complex intersections that could easily cause someone to lose their way. Fortunately, they had a map to guide them through these twists and turns.

Suddenly, a shadowy energy ball shot toward them, but Gallade quickly intercepted it, using Leaf Blade to slice through the Shadow Ball.

The sudden attack startled both Rex and Mai, but they soon regained their composure and began searching for the source of the attack.

After some time, they spotted a pair of eyes watching them from the shadows, locked in a standoff with Gallade.

"Strange, why is there an Umbreon here?"

Mai murmured.

Ordinarily, Eevee's habitat wouldn't be in underground caves, so it was unusual to find one of Eevee's evolutions in such a setting.

Especially since Umbreon loves to bask in the moonlight, and Meteor Falls' inner layer lacks any access to moonlight, making it far from an ideal environment for it.

"Rex, I'd like to capture this Umbreon. Is that alright with you?"

Mai asked Rex after observing Umbreon for a moment.

When trainers travel in teams and encounter a desired Pokémon, it's customary to check with the others to ensure they don't also wish to capture it.

Otherwise, repeated incidents could lead to the team falling apart; no one wants to travel with someone who only thinks of themselves.

"Of course, Mai. I'm not particularly interested in this Umbreon."

Rex replied readily.

Rex felt he already had enough Pokémon to care for. Unless he encountered a Pokémon that truly captured his heart, he wouldn't be quick to catch any more.

With Rex's consent, Mai didn't hesitate and directed her Gallade to battle the Umbreon.

Although Umbreon put up a strong fight, it was no match for Gallade, who quickly began to overwhelm it.

During the fight, Umbreon tried to escape, but with Gallade's sharp perception, it was unsuccessful. Gallade could use Teleport to instantly appear beside Umbreon whenever it attempted to flee.

Realizing it couldn't escape, Umbreon made a final desperate stand, using its excellent defenses to try trading blows with Gallade.

But the power difference was too vast to bridge. Although Umbreon managed to leave a few scratch marks on Gallade, it was ultimately struck by Gallade's Slash, hitting its abdomen and rendering it unable to continue.

Seeing the opportunity, Mai threw an Ultra Ball at the weakened Umbreon.

In its injured state, Umbreon couldn't resist, and after two shakes, the Ultra Ball fell still, signaling Mai's successful capture.

Mai's spirits were high after capturing Umbreon, her smile unwavering.

She had always wanted to catch an Eevee or one of its evolutions. The adorable appearance was irresistible to her, which is why she didn't hesitate upon discovering Umbreon.

After calming her excitement, Mai released Umbreon from the Ultra Ball and took out another Poké Ball, releasing Golduck.

Under Mai's direction, Golduck used Life Dew to heal both Gallade and Umbreon, clearly fulfilling the role of team medic.

With Life Dew's healing, Umbreon's injuries healed significantly, but upon regaining consciousness, it instinctively withdrew into the shadows to feel secure.

After offering it some Pokéblocks, Mai managed to gain Umbreon's tentative trust, though it was still somewhat wary of her. Earning the bond of a mature wild Pokémon requires patience, as they often have established personalities from their experiences in the wild, making the process more challenging than bonding with a hatched Pokémon.

(End of Chapter)