Sonia pulled a Poké Ball from her belt. With a flash of white light, a large bird Pokémon appeared in front of her, its feathers dark and metallic like tempered steel, its eyes cold and sharp.
"Corviknight, take me down there," Sonia instructed, pointing toward the valley below.
If everything she suspected was right, then the cave beneath them was the final destination, the hiding place of the fourth hero.
Corviknight gave a low caw, unfurled its massive wings, and with Sonia aboard, tilted forward and dove into the valley.
As the wind whipped across her face, Sonia's Rotom Phone suddenly began to ring. She reached for it quickly and answered. Leon's face popped up on screen.
"How's your investigation going?" Leon asked.
"I've just arrived at the site mentioned in the mural. I'm heading in now," Sonia replied. Then she teased with a smile, "And you? Don't tell me you're lost again."
"Of course not!" Leon shot back. "I'm just... still puzzled. I can't figure out what Chairman Rose really wants by using Eternatus."
"Don't worry. We already know the truth behind the Darkest Day, don't we?" Sonia replied. "Even if Eternatus awakens again, we've still got you, the unbeatable Champion."
Leon blinked at her words, caught slightly off guard.
Sonia continued seriously, "And we have the Sword and Shield heroes too. I believe the reason we've been seeing so many wild Pokémon undergoing Gigantamax transformations lately is because of Eternatus. It didn't cause this in the past, so that means something is changing now."
"You're saying Eternatus is gradually stirring... and we need to be ready before it fully awakens?"
"Exactly," Sonia nodded.
Leon's face grew solemn. "Got it."
"All right then, I'm heading into the ruins. Let's catch up later!" Sonia said, ending the call.
She hopped off Corviknight's back and gazed up at the massive cave entrance before her.
—
Back in Wyndon City, Leon leaned against the wall, deep in thought after the call.
Just then, a familiar voice interrupted his focus.
"Champion Leon?"
He turned to see a tall woman approaching. She wore a burgundy short jacket, a black skirt, stockings, and a pristine white coat.
Leon blinked in recognition. It was Oleana, Chairman Rose's secretary.
"What a coincidence," she said with a polished smile. "What brings you to the Wyndon Stadium today?"
"Just scouting for promising new Trainers," Leon replied, keeping his tone neutral.
"I see," Oleana said. "In that case, I won't hold you up."
She turned and walked away gracefully. But as soon as she was out of Leon's sight, her expression darkened.
She ducked into a quiet alley, pulled out her phone, and made a call.
"We've identified the intruder from the energy plant incident."
—
Early the next morning, Naoki and his Pokémon began preparing for the evening's Harvest Festival night market.
After thinking it over the night before, Naoki had made his decision on what to sell.
Candied haws!
If there was one thing the ranch had in abundance, it was a wide variety of berries and fruits, especially apples from the orchard on the far side of the river.
Thanks to Naoki's careful cultivation, the apples were premium quality. Each one was round, crisp, sweet, and juicy, on par with the famous apples from Kitakami.
"Mie?"
Alcremie waddled over, eyeing Naoki curiously. He was already boiling syrup in a large pot. Alcremie tilted its head and wondered if Naoki was making a new dessert.
Excited, it hopped up and stood in the bowl of syrup, poking its face over the rim to watch.
Hearing Alcremie's voice, the other Pokémon assumed that Naoki must be making something delicious for them again. In an instant, the entire ranch came alive.
Pokémon who had been napping or training stopped what they were doing and rushed over, surrounding Naoki with eager eyes.
Pawmot, Eveelutions, Flutter Mane, Ogerpon....
"I'm making candied haws," Naoki said with a warm smile, glancing around at the curious crowd of Pokémon. "Have any of you heard of it?"
"Ma-ma?"
Alcremie tilted her head in confusion. She hadn't heard of it, but the name alone sounded delicious!
Naoki chuckled softly, turning his attention back to the pot. The syrup had just finished boiling. He carefully set it aside to cool slightly, then reached for a basket full of freshly picked fruits and ripe, glossy apples from the orchard.
After washing the fruit, he removed the stems and cores, then sliced them neatly in half. He threaded the fruit pieces onto bamboo skewers with practiced ease, dipped them into the shimmering syrup, and rolled them gently until every piece was coated in a glistening amber glaze.
"Glaceon, could you help me out?"
"Bu-yi!"
Glaceon stood on tiptoe and blew out a stream of cool, misty breath. The syrup instantly solidified into a beautiful, glassy shell.
In seconds, a string of candied haws was ready. The glistening fruit shone under the morning sunlight, encased in clear, crackly sugar like gemstones in a glass sculpture.
It looked less like food and more like art.
[Candied Haws (C)]
A traditional snack made by coating tree fruit in rock sugar syrup. Sweet with a hint of tartness. Loved by Pokémon with a sweet tooth.
Cooking Effect: Sweet Syrup Lv.1 – Slightly boosts the quality of syrup, honey, or juice produced by Pokémon that naturally brew such substances.
Commentary: "It's said that candied haws are sour—but hidden in the sourness is sweetness."
As Naoki admired his work, the dish's attributes surfaced in his mind.
Boosting the quality of syrup, huh?
There weren't many Pokémon that brewed ingredients in the Pokémon world, only a few came to mind: the Applin line with their tree sap, the sweat secretions of the Dewpider line, the honey produced by Combee and Vespiquen…
Still, even a small buff could make a difference. Why not?
Naoki held up the candied haws triumphantly.
Alcremie's eyes sparkled with wonder. "Miee!" she squealed, practically bouncing in place.
"Want to try one?" Naoki asked gently, picking a stick and handing it to her.
Alcremie sniffed it, gave it a cautious lick, and then took a bite.
The second the flavor hit her tongue, her eyes lit up in joy.
"Alcremie!" she exclaimed, twirling with delight.
"Paa-mo!"
The rest of the Pokémon couldn't take their eyes off her. Watching her enjoy the treat made them even more eager to taste it for themselves.
Naoki laughed and began distributing the remaining sticks.
The candy shell gave a satisfying crack as each Pokémon took a bite. The sugary coating, rich with the sweetness of rock sugar, paired perfectly with the fruity tang inside. A few even let out delighted chirps or squeals as they tasted the vibrant flavor.
Within moments, the sticks were clean.
And just as quickly, a dozen wide-eyed Pokémon turned back to Naoki with hopeful stares.
They wanted more.
"Alright, alright," Naoki said, laughing. "I'll make another batch."
And so began the assembly line.
Naoki dipped and coated while Glaceon cooled the syrup. Behind them, Koraidon, Cyclizar, Pawmot, and others waited in orderly rows.
As a result, the entire basket of fruit that Naoki had carefully prepared was devoured by the greedy Pokémon at the ranch before he even had a chance to bring it to the market.
Even the pot of syrup he had painstakingly boiled down was nearly gone.
Naoki stood there, speechless.
"..."
He couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth. These Pokémon were just too greedy.
But deep down, he knew it wasn't out of selfishness, they were just so happy eating together, one after another joining in for a taste.
Seeing that they had accidentally gobbled up all the ingredients for his market stall, Pokémon like Pawmot gave him awkward, embarrassed smiles.
"Awoo~!"
Dragonite stepped forward first, lifting Naoki's empty fruit basket in its large claws. Without waiting for orders, it flapped its wings and took off toward the orchard to gather more apples and berries.
The rest of the Pokémon quickly rushed to follow, eager to make it up to Naoki. Even Iono's Pokémon joined the effort, scattering across the orchard and calling out cheerfully as they picked the ripest fruit.
Iono sat comfortably on the living room sofa, smiling as she watched the scene unfold from the window.
"Thank you all for your hard work!" she called out.
Naoki, shaking his head with a grin, said, "Good thing none of them have the Gluttony Ability."
Once the whole team was fed and satisfied, Naoki finally had some peace to get back to work preparing the real batch of candied haws for the evening festival.
By 5 p.m., after an early dinner, Naoki was packed and ready. He carried a tray of freshly made candied haws and set off toward the night market set up under the grand wind-swept shrine of plenty.
Koraidon, the ever-reliable powerhouse, carried two large crates effortlessly.
Alcremie sat proudly on Naoki's shoulders, Pawmot behind them with a supply bag slung over its back, packed with drinking water and simple snacks in case they got hungry during the night.
Far behind, Gholdengo and Ogerpon trailed close together.
By the time the group arrived, most of the other vendors were already setting up. The air was filled with the warm glow of lanterns, the chatter of families, and the scents of grilled skewers, roasted sweet potatoes, and berry pies.
Many stallkeepers recognized Naoki and waved.
"Evening, Naoki!"
"Good evening, Mr. Chris!" Naoki replied with a smile as he began setting up his display.
He unpacked the rows of candied haws, placing them neatly into a wooden mold designed to keep them upright. The glossy syrup glistened in the soft amber light, and the vibrant red fruits looked like miniature crystal sculptures, enticing, colorful, and utterly festive.
"Your little one must be coming soon, huh?" a shopkeeper nearby asked with a grin.
"Congratulations in advance, you're about to be a dad!"
"Thanks. Just four months to go," Naoki replied with a small nod and a proud smile.
He glanced around.
There was an older man selling Magikarp out of a clear fish tank, a vendor displaying wooden Calyrex carvings, stands offering colorful Pokémon masks, takoyaki grills sizzling with aroma, stalls for props, and even handmade Poké Balls on display.
In short, the market had everything. The festival night market stretched in a long row along the shrine path, glowing under warm lantern light and buzzing with energy.
Seeing it all, Naoki couldn't help but sigh with nostalgia. "When I first moved here four years ago, Kosaji Town wasn't nearly this lively. It's changed so much."
The fertile farmlands and growing commercial scene near the sea, had recently attracted people from across different regions. In the past two years, a few high-rise buildings had even started going up.
At this rate, Naoki thought, it won't be long before Kosaji Town becomes Kosaji City.
"I've seen this before!" Iono chimed in with a grin. "Levincia City was just like this. Then they built a port, and the place just took off. Give Kosaji a few years and someone's bound to propose a port connecting it to other regions."
"That would make travel a lot easier," Naoki said, nodding as he took in the vibrant scene. "Time really flies."
From across the street, waves of foreign tourists and traveling trainers filtered through the crowd, many accompanied by their Pokémon. Youthful and full of energy, they explored the festival stalls with wide eyes and happy hearts.
Some of the younger trainers were immediately drawn to the Ogerpon and the dazzling golden Gholdengo, Naoki had stationed at the front of the stall.
"Poni!" Ogerpon chirped proudly as she pointed to the neatly lined-up rows of candied haws. Her sparkling pitch made the stall impossible to ignore.
One teenage trainer, a boy with an Eevee riding on his shoulder, realized it might seem rude to linger without buying anything. "Uh, how much are these candied haws?" he asked quickly.
"Three hundred Poké Dollars per skewer," Naoki replied with a smile.
"Three hundred? That's cheap!" the boy exclaimed.
Eevee, already drooling, gave a little hop and pawed at its trainer's face. It definitely wanted a taste.
"I'll take three!" the boy said eagerly.
"Coming right up!" Iono stepped in to handle the payment while Naoki packed up the candied haws in waxed wrapping and handed them over.
One Tree Berry cost about 20 Poké Dollars, and a bag of rock sugar for syrup ran around 500 Poké Dollars. Factoring everything, each skewer still netted over 200 Poké Dollars in profit.
This was a gold mine.
Naoki had actually hesitated earlier, thinking 300 might be too steep and had considered lowering it to 200. But this reaction? Maybe he'd underestimated how much people were willing to pay for a sweet, nostalgic snack.
"Looks like we're going to make a fortune tonight!" Iono said excitedly.
Just then, a sudden wave of gasps rippled through the crowd.
Naoki turned toward the commotion, and saw it.
Rows of fire torches lit up the winding path leading up the mountainside to the Shrine of Plenty, each flame igniting in order like a blooming trail of light.
The Harvest Festival had officially begun.
...
Bonus @1000
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