Early the next morning.

  Inside the plantation.

  “The water stream’s too strong! Slow it down, slow it down! Don’t flood my fields!”

  “Water Gun is your most basic attack skill. If you can’t even control this, how are you going to battle?”

  Ethan and Snivy were comfortably lounging under the shade of a Pecha Berry tree. Ethan was giving instructions to Squirtle, while Snivy extended its Vine Whip, snapping it relentlessly near Squirtle’s feet.

  Forced to dodge the vines, Squirtle had no choice but to keep moving around, spraying water in various directions, its face full of resentment.

  Earlier that morning, its Trainer had told it they’d found a great teacher—someone who was guaranteed to train it well.

  Out of curiosity, Squirtle agreed.

  When it saw that the teacher was the human from yesterday, it was initially delighted.

  But now...

  Squirtle’s frustration with Ethan had reached its peak.

  This wasn’t training Water Gun—it was blatant labor!

  And what was it doing? Watering his fields!

  Its water reserves were completely drained. Really, not a single drop left...

  After irrigating yet another patch of land, Squirtle’s cheeks had visibly sunk from the effort.

  "Alright, come take a break," Ethan finally said, having monitored Squirtle’s condition with his Insight Eye the whole time.

  Snivy’s Vine Whip stopped as well.

  Squirtle shuffled over, radiating nothing but pure resentment.

  [Pokémon: Squirtle]

  [Gender: Female]

  [Ability: Torrent]

  [Aptitude: Blue]

  [Individual Values: HP (18), Attack (20), Special Attack (21), Defense (25), Special Defense (24), Speed (16)]

  [Level: 6–8]

  [Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Withdraw]

  [Description: It doesn’t want to work anymore!!]

  [Friendship: -20 (It thinks you’re worse than its Trainer.)]

  [Happiness: 25 (A grumpy turtle forced to wake up early.)]

  "Here, have an Energy Block," Ethan said, pulling out a recovery Energy Block he had crafted.

  The block was made from berries he had purchased the day before.

  [C-Rank Energy Block

  Crafted using Wacan Berries and Clear Spring Water, this Energy Block restores stamina in a very short time. With prolonged use, it can permanently increase a Pokémon's stamina.

  Effect: Enhances a Pokémon's ability to comprehend moves after consumption.]

  The description was short and simple, but the implications were profound. Energy Blocks capable of permanently enhancing a Pokémon's stats were incredibly rare in this world—so rare that even money couldn’t always buy them.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Of course, Ethan wasn’t about to reveal the true value of this Energy Block to Squirtle. Instead, he adopted a gentle, coaxing approach.

  "Here, want to try a piece?" he offered casually.

  "Squirtle…" Squirtle grumbled with resentment, but its hunger had already reached critical levels. It reluctantly accepted the Energy Block and took a bite.

  In an instant, a refreshing and soothing sensation spread through its mouth. Squirtle’s eyes lit up with delight, and it devoured the rest of the block in seconds.

  The dull, lifeless look in its previously dim eyes was now replaced with a newfound sparkle.

  "No worries, there’s plenty of Energy Blocks to go around," Ethan said with a grin, generously offering more to his newly recruited "employee."

  After all, whatever Squirtle could eat, he would provide.

  [System Notification: Congratulations! You’ve raised Squirtle’s Happiness Level from -20% to 30%. Rewards: 20 bags of Golden Fertilizer, 3 Rare Candies, and a Clear Stream Essence (enhances the purity of a Water-type Pokémon's water moves and improves their mastery of Water-type skills).]

  Finally… utterly stuffed, Squirtle sprawled on the ground without a shred of dignity, its face radiating satisfaction.

  Ethan, seeing its blissful state, didn’t immediately "push it to work." Instead, he stood calmly, watching with a faint smile on his lips.

  This familiar scene brought a wave of realization to Snivy, who was observing from the side.

  Wait a minute… wasn’t this exactly how it had been lured in with Energy Blocks too?

  At the thought, Snivy couldn’t help but let out a silent sigh, resigning itself to the truth.

  Snivy had been wandering near human settlements after hearing from other Pokémon that having a Trainer meant faster growth, along with free food and shelter.

  It had been intrigued by the idea of finding a Trainer to grow stronger with.

  However, the proud Snivy had set extremely high standards for its potential Trainer. It had always imagined that the Trainer it chose would have to be exceptional—not just in battle strategies but also in breeding skills, someone who could truly impress it.

  But in the end…

  All it took was a few Energy Blocks to completely “win it over.”

  Ah, the unpredictability of life as a snake.

  "Squirtle?"

  After a good while, Squirtle finally snapped out of its post-meal daze.

  Its gaze toward Ethan had shifted. The resentment had mostly faded, replaced by a subtle, complicated emotion.

  How had he managed to inspire both love and hate in a simple turtle?

  "Ethan! Ethan! I’m here!"

  Emma’s cheerful voice rang out as she burst into the plantation, full of energy.

  Beside her was a familiar face—her grandpa’s Sandshrew.

  Compared to Squirtle, Sandshrew looked even more enthusiastic. Its expression was one of pure anticipation, as though it had been waiting for this moment forever.

  "I’m counting on you, Sandshrew~" Emma said sweetly.

  Seeing such a hardworking and eager “employee,” Ethan naturally responded with a satisfied smile. "There’s a bit more land to work on today, but don’t worry if you can’t finish. I’ll make spicy noodles for you later."

  "Sand!" Sandshrew nodded seriously, not needing any instructions. It immediately trotted off to the remaining land and started plowing on its own initiative.

  Meanwhile, Ethan stayed back, pondering his plans.

  For the remaining land, he decided to use half of it for growing forage crops, aiming to transform it into a lush grassland.

  But then Ethan reconsidered—was the grassland going to be too small?

  If it was just for raising Miltank, it would probably be fine. But if he wanted to eventually breed them, that meant introducing Tauros into the mix.

  And Tauros… well, they were notoriously energetic. A space this small would definitely be too cramped for their antics.

  Ethan also planned to plant a few birch trees and raise some Caterpie. He could collect the silk threads they spun, which could be sold for a good profit.

  His parents had done this before, and the silk they produced was not only valuable but also highly sought after.

  After all, in the Pokémon world, clothing wasn’t just a luxury—it was a necessity.

  If you didn’t wear durable clothes, venturing into the wild could be risky. A stray shockwave from a Pokémon battle might leave you... well, exposed.

  For men, it might not be such a big deal.

  But for women…

  Moreover, the type of silk Caterpie produced depended on the leaves they ate.

  For instance, Caterpie that fed on birch leaves would produce silk with a cooling effect, perfect for summer clothing...

  "Alright, it’s decided! Snivy, time to get to work!" Ethan declared with enthusiasm.

  "And you too, Emma! Come over here."

  One job for each helper, no excuses.

  Fertilizing, sowing seeds...

  Snivy and Emma, too, found themselves dragged aboard Ethan's metaphorical pirate ship.Left with no choice, they joined him in scattering forage grass seeds across the field...