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"Anyway, you should rest and recover here for the time being. There aren't any volcanoes nearby that can help you quickly return to your peak condition. If you fly out while you're weakened, someone might really capture you, you know?"

Moltres was unusually quiet. It merely nodded and said nothing more, as though it had something on its mind.

Luo Mu crouched beside Moltres's right wing and carefully lifted a corner of the bandage to inspect how well its wounds had healed. He nodded in satisfaction.

Although the orange flames burning on Moltres's wings were still listless, its external injuries had healed quickly. Most of the wounds had nearly closed up.

Only because it had not taken in any nutrients, coupled with its body likely using all its strength to repair its injuries on its own, its energy recovery was somewhat slow.

This problem was easy enough to solve.

He could find Moltres some items or held items containing high-quality Fire-type or Flying-type energy for it to absorb, or use expensive ingredients to make medicinal meals that could effectively replenish its energy.

Unfortunately, Luo Mu was temporarily unable to provide any of those things.

Not only did the farm's construction require money, but there were also nine mouths and one egg at home that needed feeding. His savings had also been whittled down by Iono's antics, leaving him with only sixty thousand League currency.

He had one foot over the edge of bankruptcy.

The next day, at the Experimental Field in the farm area.

Luo Mu crouched in the strawberry patch, stroking the lush green stems and leaves with a smile on his face.

Today was the fourth day since the strawberries had been planted. He did not know how long strawberries would have taken to grow to this stage before he transmigrated, but with Eldegoss cultivating them on schedule and in proper amounts, they should only need another half a month to a month before budding, flowering, and bearing fruit.

In this world, Grass-type Pokémon were truly an enormous help to agriculture.

However, Eldegoss's energy was limited. Aside from the failed potato field, there were still four plots of tomatoes, eggplants, cabbages, and cucumbers waiting for Eldegoss's attention.

Making a single Pokémon cultivate all of them was far too exploitative. Unfortunately, Gossifleur still had some time before evolving, so Luo Mu could only do his best to supplement Eldegoss's nutrition and tell it that there was no need to rush the crops' growth. Letting them grow naturally was fine too.

After leaving Serperior, Eldegoss, and the two Gossifleur that were still temporarily carefree to look after the fields and prevent passing Wild Pokémon from eating them, Luo Mu headed to the area beneath yesterday's battlefield between Dragonite and Moltres—the Lake Area.

Dragonite's Thunder had not only struck Moltres. Even more lightning had been unleashed onto the ground.

Normally, Dragonite and the others consciously restrained the power of their moves so they would not alter the surrounding environment too much.

This enormous pit had been created under Luo Mu's instructions.

"Meow."

Luxray paced over. On closer inspection, its fur was still standing on end, with electric currents occasionally wandering across it.

Luo Mu did not stroke its fur as usual, because touching Luxray with bare hands in this state could easily char his palm.

Looking at Luxray, Luo Mu asked, "How was the absorption of the remaining electricity?"

Luxray twisted around and looked at the large pit behind it. After confirming for the fourth time that no residual electricity remained, it turned back and nodded at Luo Mu.

"Good work." Luo Mu gave a slight nod. Only after receiving Luxray's confirmation did he dare step into the very center of the pit.

Luo Mu's nostrils twitched slightly as he smelled the lingering scorched odor in the air. He looked around and fell into thought.

Though it was called a large pit, it was not much bigger than an ordinary fishpond. Once filled with water, it would probably be around three meters deep, with an area of roughly four or five mu.

Still, it would be enough during the early stages for raising fish and housing smaller Water-type Pokémon.

As for a genuine lake, he would slowly expand it after the farm had developed to a certain point and built up some foundation, until it truly deserved the name "Lake Area."

Luo Mu had already considered how to fill the Lake Area with water.

His farm connected to the wilderness of South Area 4. After traveling a considerable distance farther ahead, one would reach the South Paldea Sea.

There were also several lakes in the wilderness of South Area 4 that were relatively close to the farm and could supply water. Luo Mu planned to investigate the area today. If it proved suitable, he would have Swampert divert part of the water from one of those lakes, then fill the water channel back in afterward.

There was only a little more than a week left before Naranja Academy began, so he had to finish the farm's basic construction during that time.

Luo Mu returned home with Luxray and began organizing the supplies he would need for exploring the wilderness.

This trip was not only for investigating whether the lake environment was suitable for diverting water. Luo Mu also planned to return to his old trade and "hunt for treasure" in the wild.

Back when he had first transmigrated here, he had earned his first funds in the wilderness. Luxray and the others had been raised to their current level largely thanks to the many opportunities to find valuable items in the wilderness of the Paldea Region.

Luo Mu swapped the canvas bag he usually carried for a larger backpack that was even more worn and covered in signs of use.

Since he could not afford a spatial backpack, this was already the largest-capacity backpack he had.

Luo Mu was full of confidence for this trip, and the source of that confidence was the Golden Finger in his mind, which had little presence otherwise.

Luo Mu reminded it in his mind, "Remember to notify me if you detect anything good."

No problem. In exchange, you must remember our agreement!

The corners of Luo Mu's mouth lifted slightly. "Keep yourselves in good condition every day, continue training, and don't let your strength go to waste, right?"

"Since I promised you, I'll naturally do it."

Although he was communicating with the system, Luo Mu did not stop moving. Once he had checked all the needed supplies, he immediately called Luxray, which was lying nearby, and walked out of the house.

Rather than setting off right away, Luo Mu went around the front door to the back of the Small Western-Style House. A simple shed had been set up there, and the recovering Moltres was sleeping beneath it.

Moltres was crouched like a hen, its flaming wings tucked in. Beneath it, the Pokémon Egg incubator stood quietly.

The sight looked so much like a hen incubating an egg that Luo Mu could not help letting out a snort of laughter.

Moltres: "?"

Moltres, which had been resting with its eyes closed, gave Luo Mu a strange look. Its instincts told it that this human was thinking something rude.

The usually hot-tempered Moltres ultimately held back from getting angry. It definitely was not because Luxray at Luo Mu's side was even more troublesome than Dragonite—the Luxray that had carried it by the neck for an entire day and night. Moltres simply could not be bothered to argue with Luo Mu, that was all.

That was what Moltres silently hypnotized itself into believing.