A Temporary New Member

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

Moltres was unusually quiet. She merely nodded and said nothing more, as though something weighed on her mind.

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

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

Only, because she had not taken in any nutrients and her body was likely devoting all its efforts to repairing her injuries, her energy recovery was somewhat slow.

This problem was easy enough to solve.

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

Unfortunately, Luo Mu could not provide any of those things for now.

Not only did the farm's construction require money, but there were also nine mouths and one egg at home to feed. His savings had also been whittled down by Kofu's antics until only sixty thousand League currency remained.

He could be said to have one foot over the edge of bankruptcy.

The next day, in the farm area's experimental fields.

Luo Mu crouched amid 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. Although he did not know how long strawberries from before his transmigration would have taken to grow this large, under Whimsicott's timely and measured care, it should only take another half month to a month before they budded, bloomed, and bore fruit.

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

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

Making a single Pokémon cultivate all of them was far too exploitative. Unfortunately, Hoppip was still some time away from evolving, so Luo Mu could only do his best to supplement Whimsicott's nutrition and tell her that there was no need to force the fields to grow so quickly. It would be fine to let them grow naturally.

After leaving Serperior, Whimsicott, and the two Hoppip, who were still temporarily in their carefree stage, to tend the fields and keep 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 discharged into the ground.

Normally, Dragonite and the others consciously restrained the power of their moves so as not to alter the surrounding environment too drastically.

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

"Meowrr."

Luxray padded over. Upon closer inspection, his fur was still standing on end, and occasional electric currents could be seen wandering across it.

Luo Mu did not stroke Luxray's fur as usual, because touching Luxray barehanded in this state could easily char his palm.

Looking at Luxray, Luo Mu asked, "How much of the residual electricity did you absorb?"

Luxray turned and glanced at the huge pit behind him. After confirming for the fourth time that no residual electricity remained, he 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 scent in the air. He looked around and fell into thought.

Though it was called a huge pit, it was not much bigger than an ordinary fish pond. 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 for raising fish in the early stages and housing smaller Water-type Pokémon.

As for a proper lake, he would wait until the farm had developed to a certain extent and built up some foundation before gradually expanding it, until it truly deserved the name "Lake Area."

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

His farm connected to the wilderness of South Province, and after traveling a long distance farther ahead lay the South Paldean Sea.

There were also several lakes in the wilderness of South Province close enough to the farm to divert water from. Luo Mu planned to inspect the area today. If it proved suitable, he would have Swampert divert part of the lake water here before filling in the water channel again.

There was only a little over a week until Orange 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 needed for a wilderness expedition.

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

Back when he had first transmigrated here, he had earned his first funds in the wild. The reason he had been able to raise Luxray and the others to their current level was largely because there were so many opportunities to find valuable items in the wilderness of the Paldea region.

Luo Mu replaced the canvas shoulder bag he usually carried with a much more worn, heavily used backpack.

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

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

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

[No problem, but in exchange, you must remember our agreement!]

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

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

Though he was communicating with the system, Luo Mu did not stop moving. After checking that he had everything he needed, he immediately called over Luxray, who had been lying nearby, and left the house.

Rather than setting off at once, Luo Mu went around from the front door to the back of the small western-style house. A simple shed had been set up there, and the injured Moltres was sleeping beneath it.

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

The sight looked so much like a hen incubating eggs that Luo Mu could not help snorting with laughter.

Moltres: "?"

Moltres, who had been resting with her eyes closed, gave Luo Mu a strange look. Her instincts told her that this human was thinking something disrespectful.

Moltres, usually so hot-tempered, managed to hold back from getting angry. It definitely was not because she could not beat the Luxray beside Luo Mu—a Luxray even more troublesome than Dragonite, who had carried her by the neck for an entire day and night. It was simply that Moltres could not be bothered to argue with Luo Mu.

Moltres silently hypnotized herself with that thought.