Pokémon: Starting with a Pokémon Ranch.

Chapter 159 Big Brother in the Lake

However, Su Yu was still a little worried about sending only Squirtle to Hoenn. After all, Squirtle wasn't particularly strong in the ranch, and it might not be safe for it in a place like Hoenn.

After thinking it over, Su Yu decided to find a Pokémon to accompany Squirtle, and Caterpie seemed like a good choice.

After all, Hoenn is Rayquaza's homeland, so sending Caterpie might yield some unexpected gains.

Thinking this, Su Yu called over Squirtle and Caterpie and said to them:

"This Mr. Daigo is the Champion from Hoenn. He has a way to take you to the Hoenn region. Would you like to go?"

"Jenny?" Hoenn? That new region that just arrived a few months ago?

Su Yu nodded.

Squirtle immediately showed great interest in this. However, it also noticed the subtle details in the words.

Us? Su Yu, aren't you going?

"Me? I'll go after I've finished taking care of things at the ranch."

"If you two want to go, you can go ahead and scout it out first. I'll be there shortly."

Su Yu said with a smile.

"Hiss..."

Upon hearing that Su Yu wasn't going, the caterpillar immediately looked dejected. That meant it would have to be separated from Su Yu for a long time…

This was quite unbearable for it, given its deep bond with Su Yu.

However, since Su Yu wanted it to go, and it was going to scout ahead for Su Yu, Caterpie finally accepted the task and decided to go with Squirtle.

Squirtle had no objections either. It was used to being alone and, although it also considered this ranch its home, it was more like a grown-up, mature child who could tolerate a short separation from home.

After both Pokémon agreed, Su Yu looked at Steven.

In response, Daigo said:

"I will need to stay in Donghuang for a while longer, probably until early April."

"Until then, let them stay on the ranch. I'll come and take them with me when I return to Hoenn."

Upon hearing this, Su Yu nodded.

"Actually... besides having a friendly exchange with your champion, I have another mission in mind when I came to Donghuang," Daigo explained.

"That is to help your Donghuang take down a poaching gang."

Poaching gang?

Su Yu looked puzzled. What kind of poaching gang could force Donghuang to ask Daigo for help? Could it be that Donghuang couldn't handle them on its own?

Wait, could it be... the organization behind that poaching base that Zheng Ya and I took down earlier?

As Su Yu had predicted, Daigo explained:

"That poaching gang possesses technology that is suspected to be related to the spirit world, and they are able to hide their base within the Eastern Empire Alliance. Because they are extremely difficult to find, the Eastern Empire requested assistance from me and Furong."

Fuyou, also known as the Ghost-type Elite Four member of the Hoenn League, is said to be the second-ranked member of the Hoenn Elite Four.

"Speaking of which, that poaching gang seems to have improved their technology recently. It seems that with the arrival of Hoenn, many fragments of the spirit world were brought, which allowed them to obtain some new technologies."

"So recently, many places have issued warnings due to the anomalies in the spirit realm. You all still need to be careful lately, and deal with any unusual occurrences promptly."

Oh, I see...

Su Yu nodded.

Speaking of which, was the abnormality of the green onion in the green onion duck before also due to the abnormality of the spirit world fragment?

……

After setting up the tent.

Daigo then went to instruct Metagross on its training, while Su Yu sat on the grass with Dumbledore and the others, looking at the stars.

After playing until they were tired, they returned to their tents and fell into a deep sleep.

In the blink of an eye... several more days have passed.

For the past few days, Daigo has been staying at Su Yu's ranch, spending his days either training Metagross or digging for rocks.

After many days of training, Metagross has gradually mastered the power of Mega Evolution and has begun to use it skillfully.

During this time, Su Yu also took Daigo to Dawn Ranch, allowing the children there to meet this champion from Hoenn.

After all, when the child first met Su Yu, he asked Su Yu if he knew the league champion. And now, Su Yu can finally say, "I know him."

If I can't get the Donghuang champion, can't I at least get the Fengyuan champion?

Moreover, this Hoenn champion has also beaten up the Donghuang champion!

Upon hearing this news, the child immediately showed an admiring expression and clung to Daigo the whole time, almost driving Daigo crazy.

After returning from Morning Light Ranch, Daigo somehow acquired a set of diving equipment and, with Su Yu's permission, went to Moon Lake to dig for stones.

"So... Daigo actually likes stones in the water?"

Su Yu asked in confusion, he thought Daigo only liked digging for stones in caves.

Just as Daigo went to the lake to dig for stones, Ke Rui, who had been missing for many days, returned with one of his friends.

Ke Rui said to his friend:

"I've been to this ranch before. The fish in the lake there are huge. If we come today, I guarantee we'll catch a big one."

"Just you wait and see how skilled I am at fishing!"

"Come on, it's just an ordinary ranch, what big fish could it possibly have? Besides, with your skills... you'd be lucky to avoid going home empty-handed," Ke Rui's friend laughed.

However, while they were fishing by the lake, they happened to encounter Daigo, who had surfaced to get air, which startled them.

"This is... Feng, Feng, the champion of Hoenn?"

Ke Rui's friend also came from a well-off family, and happened to have watched Daigo's match against the Donghuang champion when Daigo first came to Donghuang.

In that battle, despite having the advantage of being a Fire-type champion, the Eastern Champion was still completely wiped out by Steven's Metagross, leaving a very deep impression on Ke Rui's friends.

Therefore, when Koei saw Daigo, his friend was quite astonished. Could there really be a champion lurking in such an ordinary ranch?

"Ke Rui, who exactly is the owner of this ranch you mentioned? How did he manage to get the Hoenn champion to come to the party?" the friend asked immediately.

Ke Rui: ? ? ? How would I know?

Following this, an urban legend spread that there was a chance to encounter the Hoenn Champion in Gulltown. It's unclear who spread this rumor, but Steven was portrayed as a mysterious Ghost-type Pokémon.

It is said that one must wait by a secluded lake at 3 AM for a chance to encounter Steven in the water. Furthermore, whoever meets Steven will be bestowed with a sword symbolizing the champion. Wielding this sword, the trainer will be invincible.

Su Yu: ...What lake fairy?

Following Ke Rui, Hoenn Elite Four member Fuyou also arrived at the ranch out of curiosity. She observed the ranch, wondering why Daigo had chosen to linger there for so many days.

"Could it be... because of a man?" Furong guessed it right away.

Hmm... the rancher of this ranch is indeed quite handsome, completely matching my aesthetic standards, so that's possible.

In addition, the ranch is well-managed and organized, which shows that the rancher is very capable.

Just then, Daigo returned from digging for stones. Seeing Fuyou, Daigo asked in confusion:

"Should we go now?"

Furong nodded:

"Yes, we've also located the last few poaching gang bases. We need your help with the next operation."

"Besides that... those fragments of the spirit world are also a problem. It seems completely beyond my capabilities, so I wanted to ask for your opinion."

"I see..." Daigo said, looking at Su Yu.

"I'm sorry, it seems I won't be able to stay for dinner tonight."

"As for Squirtle and Caterpie, I'll come back for them after I'm done with these things."

After saying that, Steven called back Metagross and Aggron, and left with Fleur.

(End of this chapter)