Pokémon: Starting with a Pokémon Ranch.

Chapter 282 Rayquaza's Trial, the Power of Bonds

"My test is very simple, and the theme is bonds."

"Hmm... Caterpie's test is over. It seems it trusts you completely, and you could say that it needs no other trainer than you."

Perhaps due to being separated from its original form for too long, its personality has changed. This Rayquaza is quite talkative, completely unlike the Rayquaza image Su Yu had in mind.

However, this Rayquaza is also more approachable and less aloof.

But then, changing the subject, Lie Kong asked Su Yu:

"And what about you, ranch owner Su Yu? As far as I know, there are many Pokémon on your ranch. And you treat almost all the Pokémon around you the same, without giving Caterpie any more attention."

Su Yu: "..."

"Isn't it right to treat everyone equally? It's wrong to show too much favoritism towards certain Pokémon."

"Moreover, my original intention in running this ranch was simply to gather more Pokémon and give them a wonderful home."

That's why he built facilities like Sky Restaurant and Convenience Store to enrich the lives of Pokémon, and even bought small houses for most of the Pokémon that needed them.

Because he knew that as the human who took in these Pokémon, he had an obligation to run the ranch better and make the Pokémon's lives less boring.

He himself is just an ordinary person who runs a ranch with some personal desires and loves Pokémon; he can't be perfect in every aspect.

"But you're right, Pokémon see me as their only one, yet I can't give them more in return..."

"From now on, I should definitely work harder to do more for them."

Su Yu reflected.

Upon hearing Su Yu's reflection, Lie Kongzuo burst into laughter.

After laughing, He changed the subject and said:

"Since you put it that way, let me see just how far you can go for your Pokémon."

With a wave of his hand, Lie Kongzuo sent Su Yu into the test.

……

Su Yu felt like he was having another dream.

In his dream, he became an ordinary trainer, not a rancher.

When he was ten years old, his father gave him a birthday present, which was a green caterpillar.

Although it was just a very weak Caterpie, Su Yu did not despise it, but instead embarked on the path of a trainer together with Caterpie.

They grew stronger together and lived together. During this time, Su Yu did not catch any other Pokémon.

When he was eighteen, a dagger suddenly shot out from the crowd and was swung towards Su Yu.

"A green caterpillar!"

Su Yu, holding the green caterpillar in his arms, was about to dodge. However, the dagger flew swiftly, reaching him in an instant.

Su Yu didn't hesitate to try to shield the caterpillar from the attack, but the caterpillar was faster and stronger than him.

Faced with danger, it rushed forward without hesitation and blocked the most fatal wound.

The dream vanished like smoke...

In his second dream, the caterpillar was still his tenth birthday present.

While Su Yu was battling with Caterpie, a cool-looking trainer suddenly appeared in front of him, took out a Dragonite Poké Ball, and expressed his desire to trade with Caterpie.

"Judging from your appearance, you must be a kid who just became a trainer, right? Dragonite is a pseudo-legendary, you're in luck."

The other party tempted him.

Faced with the temptation of Dragonite, ten-year-old Su Yu, an ordinary person, hardly hesitated. He refused the other party's invitation to trade, as he was already very averse to such things.

He felt it was a betrayal of Pokémon, and that it treated Pokémon as a commodity.

The dream faded away again...

Su Yu didn't know how many dreams he had experienced; the further he went, the less he could distinguish between dreams and reality. He also didn't know how many trials Lie Kongzuo had set up.

Until the very last dream...

At the invitation of a good friend, Su Yu and Caterpie traveled to a chaotic foreign land outside the League's jurisdiction, hoping to find a good job. However, as soon as the plane landed, Su Yu was imprisoned.

The other party issued a notice to Su Yu, saying that "only one of the human and the Pokémon can survive."

Upon hearing this news, eighteen-year-old Su Yu took one last look at the caterpillar and held it back from its restless state.

An experience from who-knows-where told Su Yu that if he didn't hold it down this time, the caterpillar would really die in his place.

That's why, after he turned ten, he worked hard to train his body, all for the sake of being able to subdue the caterpillar at this moment.

"You're a Pokémon, which is somewhat useful to these people."

"I'm human; kidneys are more valuable to them. So let me do it."

Su Yu smiled helplessly. If he had known, he wouldn't have believed his friend's empty promises and would have come here.

With that, Su Yu stood up and told his captors his decision.

Immediately afterwards, someone came and escorted Su Yu out.

……

When the image turns black and white, the dream finally stops repeating.

"So, I've passed the test?"

Standing up, supporting his back, Su Yu looked blankly at Lie Kongzuo.

Lie Kong nodded in agreement. In fact, there was no assessment whatsoever from the beginning.

Caterpie sees Su Yu as its only one because Su Yu has done so much for it. This bond doesn't arise out of thin air; it's Su Yu's actions that deepen their connection.

Therefore, Rayquaza had already acknowledged them. The reason for this assessment was that He wanted to see how far Su Yu could go for Caterpie.

"You have earned my approval, Su Yu. You are an excellent trainer. Furthermore, you value Pokémon equally, and are even willing to die for them."

"The same applies to caterpillars."

Lie Kong sat majestically on the path.

"I will completely dissipate, and after that, my true form may be able to sense the situation here."

"As for my power... I've placed it within bonds; use those bonds to unleash it!"

As the sound faded into the distance, the phantom of Lie Kong Zuo completely vanished. His words, however, left Su Yu quite puzzled.

It's been placed in the Bond Pact? Could it be a Bond Pact evolution like Ash's Greninja?

But why would I need bonds for no reason? The system's previous description of the dishes didn't mention it either.

Su Yu was unaware that this was actually Caterpie's request to Rayquaza. Because it didn't want to see Su Yu grow old.

During his fishing trip at sea these past few days, Caterpillar had many conversations with Old Man Hatchi. It was because of this that Caterpillar witnessed Old Man Hatchi's interactions with the long-winged gulls.

Normally, the stronger a Pokémon is, the longer its lifespan will be. So sooner or later, Su Yu and the Pokémon in the ranch will have a relationship like that of Old Man Hachi.

That's why, upon seeing Rayquaza, Caterpie made a request to it. In its view, Rayquaza was so powerful, it should be able to solve this problem, right?

However, Liekongzuo stated that this question was not within his area of ​​expertise.

But He knew that there was a way to form bonds to share life energy. The two people who formed the bonds could even empathize with each other's pain.

This method can significantly extend human lifespan. However, it is a burden for Pokémon, because it uses the life energy of Pokémon to prolong human life.

"Hiss~!" The caterpillar nodded in agreement without hesitation. The lamb's milk could help Su Yu live longer, and it felt it should do something for Su Yu in return.

"Even if it shortens your lifespan, would you be willing?"

Lie Kong asked in confusion.

The green caterpillar nodded.

"Alright, alright, then I'll help you. But before that, I need to put that human through a test so I can see if he's worth it."

"I'm helpless," said Liekongzuo. He thought, "If this human reveals a flaw during the test, then..."

Then the caterpillar should have seen through the other's true intentions. At that point, it will naturally regret its decision, right?

(End of this chapter)