Stepping through the back door, they entered a spacious area enclosed by gss walls. It resembled the backyard of Professor Oak's boratory in the anime, plete with a meandering river, lush grass, shady trees, a cozy cave, and a tranquil ke.

  Several Pokémon roamed freely, pying in the grass or rexing in the shade. Naoki's eyes sed the se, silently identifying eae: Miltank, Wooloo, Fletg, Rolycoly, Carkol, and Vanillite. These were all Pokémon suitable for raising on a ranch.

  The kind-faan, his back slightly hunched, led the way, introdug Naoki to the various Pokémon and animals on Happy Ranch.

  "I raised these youngsters myself," he said proudly. "They're all healthy and have excellent temperaments. They're just waiting for a new home on a loving ranch."

  Ihe pyful Pokémon looked at Naoki with curiosity as he followed the old man.

  Naoki's eyes were drawn to a group of Rolycoly clustered around a Carkol. "acli be raised?" he asked, surprised.

  "Of course!" the old man replied with a smile. "Don't uimate them. In aimes, they were very important Pokémon. For people living on this nd, these little ones were indispensable."

  Naoki recalled Nacli's unique properties and asked, "Because they produce salt?"

  "Exactly!" the old man nodded. "Their bodies are made of precious rock salt. As they walk, their bodies wear down, leaving behind salt trails. You collect this salt a a valuable supply of rock salt. Don't worry, this doesn't harm them. Their bodies regee new salt at will."

  "When they evolve into Naclstad Garganacl, the salt bees even more nutritious, ri minerals. Just sprihe salt from a Gargana an injured Pokémon, and no matter how severe the injury, it will heal!" the old man excimed.

  "And dishes made with this salt are even more delicious, fetg a higher price than even Moomoo Milk!"

  Intrigued, Naoki inquired about the price of a Nacli.

  "One Naclicosts 10,000 Pokédolrs," the old man replied.

  Ten thousand.

  It soueep, but Naoki quickly calcuted the potential value of a Nacli. With one, he would never o buy salt again. He could use it for his own cooking, sell the excess for a profit, and evehe salt for healing injured Pokémon. It was a worthwhile iment.

  However, for Naoki, who was still financially straihe price was a bit too high at the moment.

  He sighed inwardly, fingering the bills in his pocket. He would have to wait until his crops were harvested. Perhaps he could try his lu the back mountains and find some rare ingredients to sell in the meantime.

  But her fishing nor fing was a sustainable solution. In the real world, fish poputions in a body of water were finite, and overfishing would deplete them unless he found new fishing spots.

  A map of the surrounding area materialized in Naoki's mind. To the west of the ranch, beyond Mesagoza, y the vast Paldeaeeming with seafood. To the north, beyond the back mountains and a dense forest, was Casseroya Lake, a haven for freshwater fish.

  "While I wait for the crops to grow, I could ask Koraidon to take me to these pces," Naoki mused, already pnning his adventure.

  If he remembered correctly, the rare Dratini could be found in Casseroya Lake. Dratini evolved into the powerful and intelligent Dragonite, a valuable asset to any ranch.

  Once his ranch was thriving, he could even expand into delivery services, allowing townspeople to order fresh milk directly from him.

  "Once he evolves into a Dragonair and then a Dragonite, he'll be incredibly fast. I could even have him help with deliveries!" Naoki thought aloud, a wide grin spreading across his face.

  The old man tio lead him through the ranch, showg various unique Pokémon.

  There were the milk-produg Miltank, the fluffy Wooloo, the olive oil-yielding Smeargle, the fruit-pig Swablu, and the cream-produg Alcremie.

  The Alcremie, entirely made of cream, exuded a sweet, entig aroma that promised pure delight. Naoki couldn't help but swallow several times as he approached.

  His rea startled the Alcremie, who quickly hid behind a tree, trembling as if fearing it might be eaten.

  The old man chuckled. "Don't be afraid, little one," he soothed. "This is the new rancher in town."

  Reassured by the old man's words, Alcremie slowly emerged from its hiding spot.

  The old man smiled and expio Naoki, "Alcremie are very special Pokémon. There are currently 63 firmed forms, each produg a different fvor of cream. This one here makes vanil cream, but there's ahat makes caramel cream!"

  Naoki's stomach grumbled at the thought.

  After pleting the tour, they returo the front desk. The old man pulled out a price list from a drawer. "Let's see what kind of animals and Pokémon you'd like to buy," he said.

  Naoki sed the list, noting the prices for eaon.

  Ordinary Animals: Rooster 600, Hen 800, Duck 800

  Pokémon: bee 2500, Fletg 2500, Vanillite 2600, Swablu 3000, Wooloo 10,000, Miltank 20,000, Nacli 10,000

  Feed: Chi Feed 5, Moomoo Milk 10, Sweet Berries 10, Salty Berries 10

  "How much is a serving of feed?" Naoki asked.

  "About two kilograms," the old man replied. "The feed is made from berries, salt, flgs, and redients. One serving should st a Pokémon about half a month."

  He then proceeded to expin each item iail.

  "Chi feed is made from flour mixed with grains. One portion sts about a month. Cow and sheep feed is simply dried grass. Miltank and Wooloo do much, so one serving sts them about half a month," the old man expined.

  "bee and Swablu, oher hand, don't need you to provide food. Just give them a pce to stay, and they'll find their own food. Swablu will even bring back various fruits and berries for you."

  "bee are different. They live in hives, and raising them requires a flower field on your ranch."

  "Once you have a flower field, they'll colleectar from it every day and bring it back to the hive to make honey."

  Naoki nodded, abs the information.

  "I currently have about 14,500 Pokédolrs left," he said, "enough to buy ten hens and a rooster."

  That had been his inal pn, with the remaining money froceries. But now, looking at the Pokémon around him, he decided to ge his strategy.

  He would reduce the number of hens and purchase an Alcremie and a Smoliv instead. Alcremie could produce cream, which he could use to make Grass Cake, and Smoliv could produce olive oil, saving him money on fuel.

  That would leave him with 9,400 Pokédolrs.

  "Alright, I'll buy three hens, a rooster, four servings of chi feed, and three servings of Sweet Berries." The remaining money would be saved for emergencies.

  "So, three hens, a rooster, an Alcremie, and a Smoliv," Naoki firmed.

  The old man smiled and nodded. "Very well. I'll have someone deliver them to your ranch ter today."

  Naoki began to expin the ranch's location, but the old man stopped him. "No need," he said, "I know where it is."

  Naoki was surprised. "Oh?"

  The old man smiled wistfully. "Yrandfather and I were friends. I often visited him when he was alive. I even held you in my arms when you were a baby, though you probably don't remember."

  "I see," Naoki replied, a warm feeling spreading through him.

  The old man then squatted down and rummaged uhe ter, emerging with a clear gss jar.

  He hahe gss jar to Naoki. "This is rock salt produced by a Garganacl. Take it bad try it!"

  Naoki examihe jar, filled with fine pink salt.

  Pure Rock Salt: A top-quality seasoning produced from the fiips of a Garganacl. tains rich minerals and trace elements, with the magical ability to heal wounds.

  Garganacl spri on injured Pokémon, and in just a moment, their injuries will be healed.

  Therefore, many Pokémon gather around Garganacl to lick its mineral-rich salt.

  This precious seasoning is very expensive. When added to food, it grants the dish the additional effect of "Physical Recovery."

  "This... is too expensive," Naoki protested.

  The old man waved his hand dismissively. "Think of it as a gift to celebrate the ranch's reopening. Yrandfather and I were close friends. It's my duty to look after you in his absence."

  The old man's insistence left Naoki with no choice but to accept the generous gift. He thahe old man sincerely.

  "Naoki, was it? Yrandfather would be proud to see the ranch restored to its flory. Keep up the good work! And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."

  Naoki hen bid the old man farewell and rode Koraidon back to the ranch.

  A short while ter, a sixteen-year-old girl with round cheeks, pigtails, freckles, and rge, bright eyes arrived at the ran a tricycle den with goods.

  She looked at Naoki, aiting for her, and asked timidly, "Are you the new rahat Grandpa mentioned, Mr. Naoki?"

  Naoki nodded. "That's me."

  The girl, visibly relieved, parked the tricycle on the grass and cpped her hands. Two small, adorable Pokémon emerged from a box on the back.

  The one on the left was a light pink Pokémon covered i cream, with two strawberry-like appendages on its head—an Alcremie.

  The one on the right resembled an olive, with light green skin, a few leaves sprouting from its head, and a yellow fruit growing in the ter—a Smoliv.

  The two Pokémon timidly peeked out from behind the girl, their eyes wide with apprehension.

  "Don't worry," the girl reassured them. "Mr. Naoki is a kind person. He'll take good care of you."

  "Alcre... mie..."

  "Smo... liv..."

  The two little creatures remained hesitant. However, their fear seemed to be directed not at Naoki, but at the rge, crimson Pokémon looming beside him—Koraidon, with its intimidating appearance.

  The girl was at a loss. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Naoki," she apologized.

  Naoki, following their gaze, uood their apprehension. He cleared his throat and decided to give Koraidon a task. "Koraidon," he said, patting its head, "go see where Cyclizar has wandered off to, and bring it baeet its new friends."

  Cyclizar was happily chasing butterflies in the fields, a faaoki was well aware of. But he o remove Koraidon from the se for the time being.

  "Koraidon!" Koraidon obediently turned and loped off to find Cyclizar.

  With the intimidating Pokémon gone, Alcremie and Smoliv visibly rexed.

  "Smoliv..."

  "Alcremie..."

  The girl, realizing the source of their fear, enced them, "Go on now."

  Alcremie and Smoliv cautiously approached Naoki. To avoid overwhelming them, Naoki squatted dowly stroking their heads. "Wele to Naoki Ranch, Smoliv and Alcremie," he said with a warm smile.

  The Pokémon, sensing his kindness, responded with happy expressions.

  The girl stepped forward. "I'll leave them in your care, Mr. Naoki. Please take good care of them."

  Naoki nodded. "I will."

  "Oh, and Mr. Naoki," the girl added, "my grandfather asked me to tell you that the oil Smoliv produces before evolving into Dolliv is very bitter and not suitable for ption. It only bees delicious after evolving."

  "This Smoliv has been with us for almost a year, so it should be close to evolving."

  Naoki was surprised but nodded in uanding.

  The girl, relieved, unloaded several boxes of feed from the tricycle and then lowered a cage taining three hens and a rooster.

  "Where is the chi coop?" she asked.

  Naoki, after pg Alcremie and Smoliv ihe house to acclimate, stepped forward to lift the cage. "Let me take that."

  "Oh, thank you!" the girl said gratefully, pig up a box of feed and following him.

  Ohey reached the chi coop, Naoki opehe cage, and the hens eagerly rushed out. They explored their new home, peg at the ground and familiarizing themselves with their surroundings.

  The girl pced the feed box on the ground. Naoki ope and poured the tents into the silo, which could be accessed directly from ihe house. It was a ve setup for feeding the chis.