"Gulp, gulp, gulp!"

  Sato downed aire gss of Moomoo Milk in one go. Whether it was the effects of the milk or just his own state of mind, he felt pletely at ease after drinking it—like the whole world had bee a better pce.

  Looking around at his Pokémon, who had also eheir fill of Moomoo Milk, they were sprawled out on the ground, utterly rexed with blissful expressions.

  "So, kid, what do you think? My farm's Moomoo Milk isn't just talk, right?" Howard chuckled, stretg his back as he put down his owy gss.

  "It really does relieve mental fatigue. Thank you for the hospitality," Sato replied, expressing his gratitude.

  "Grandpa! Miltank No. 27 is ag up again! My Miltank couldn't stop it!"

  At that moment, a pink-haired little girl rushed into the room, panting heavily.

  "I told you not to mess with it. Were you up to your tricks again?"

  Howard sighed, raising his hand as if to knock her on the head, but halfway through, he let it drop.

  "I didn't do it on purpose…" the little girl muttered, looking pitiful.

  "Sato, e with me to check it out."

  "Alright."

  Upon arriving at the ranch, Sato immediately noticed several Furret standing guard, surrounding a wildly rolling Miltank, preventing it from causing further destru.

  "Clefable, use Gravity!"

  "Clefa~"

  A newly pink Pokémon appeared at Howard's side, and the moment it arrived, an invisible force pressed down on the rampaging Miltank, slowing its movements signifitly.

  "Clefable, use Aromatherapy to calm Miltank No. 27!"

  "Clefa~"

  A soothing fragrance spread through the air. Not only did the rolling Miltank gradually e to a halt, but even the surrounding Furret and the frightened Miltank in the area visibly rexed.

  It was only then that Sato noticed something unusual about Miltank No. 27—its skin was a light blue!

  A rare Shiny Pokémon!

  "Ha ha ha! Sato, my Miltank No. 27 is impressive, isn't it? It's even rarer than your Larvitar!" Howard boasted proudly.

  "Hmm. Does it have any special abilities?" Sato asked, more curious than impressed.

  "Not really, aside from the fact that it's stantly harassed by Whitney because of its color and has a bit of a bad temper. Other than that, it's the same as a regur Miltank."

  Sato nodded but felt a slight tinge of disappoi.

  A Shiny Pokémon was indeed valuable in terms of rarity, but if it had no signifit differen strength, it didn't hold much appeal to him.

  "Sato, I remember you pyed quite a role in that whole Rocket Team i. You seem pretty strong, so why haven't you challenged my Goldenrod Gym yet? Are you scared of my strength? Ha ha ha!"

  Howard teased, ughiily.

  "Leader Howard, while I am a Trainer, I'm not challenging the Johto League."

  "Oh? You're strong enough—why not give it a shot? The League ference is meant for young Trainers like you. If you don't pete now, you might never get the ce again!"

  Howard seemed genuinely ed, wanting to uidance.

  "I bee stronger without participating in the League. Also, I have personal reasons."

  "Well, if that's how you feel, I won't push you. But keep in mind, if you ever want to work within the Pokémon League, these tour records are quite useful. Some positions even require them as a hard qualification!"

  "Thank you, Leader Howard, but—"

  "Never mind, never mind! Ha ha! I guess old folks like me just love to ramble. You young ones have your own paths to follow—I get it."

  "…Mm."

  "That said, since you're so fident, how about a battle with me? You probably haven't had an official Gym match yet, right? Why not experie?"

  Sato thought for a moment. It was true—he had never participated in a Gym Battle before.

  Then, recalling Clefable's precise trol of Gravity and its wide-range Aromatherapy, he immediately agreed.

  At Goldenrod Gym, the young Whitney acted as the temporary referee, attempting to sound serious as she annouhe 3v3 battle rules in her childish voice.

  "For my first Pokémon, I choose… Tauros!"

  "Taurooos!"

  A powerful, muscur bull Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield, sn heavily through its nostrils, already eager to fight!

  Reizing that Howard's Tauros was of Elite-level strength, Sato silently put Larvitar's Poké Ball bato his belt and iossed out Haunter's.

  "Your Haunter is quite strong, Sato! You have the first move!" Howard csped his hands behind his back, brimming with fidence.

  "Alright. Haunter, use Sludge Bomb!"

  Haunter moved immediately upon hearing the and. A deep purple sludge bomb shot out like a bullet, flying straight toward Tauros.

  "Dodge it and use Scary Face!"

  Smack! Smack! Smack!

  Tauros whipped itself three times with its tails, its hind legs kig off the ground. In the blink of a had already closed the distao Haunter!

  Incredible burst speed!

  "Now, use fuse Ray!"

  "Kehehehe!"

  Scary Fad fuse Ray nded simultaneously! Haunter's greatest asset—speed—was signifitly reduced, but at the same time, Tauros was now fused.

  "Haunter, use Toxic!"

  "Tauros, use Rest!"

  The moment the purple toxins spshed onto Tauros' face, it groaned in pain, already enraged by its fusion. This time, it pletely ignored Howard's and.

  "Sludge Bomb!"

  "Rest!"

  The Sludge Bomb nded a direct hit once again, and with the effects of Toxic beginning to take hold, Tauros suffered signifit damage.

  However, this time, it finally obeyed and successfully fell asleep!

  "Haunter, use Toxic again!"

  "Tauros, use Sleep Talk!"

  With Haunter's speed reduced, Sleep Talk activated first. Taure head suddenly glowed with a crystalline blue light—Zen Headbutt!

  "Haunter, ge tactics—Protect!"

  "kehehe kehe!"

  A green protective barrier formed just in time, blog Tauros' Zen Headbutt.

  Even so, the sheer impact of the attack sent a chill down Haunter's spine—if that had nded, its frail defenses would have been shattered instantly!

  "Tauros, Sleep Talk!"

  "Curse!"

  "keheh…!"

  Haunter's eyes fshed with a fierce glint. It kly what Sato nning. Against a Tauros that could repeatedly use Rest, dragging the battle into a war of attrition wasn't ideal. It was better to end it quickly!

  As Tauros flicked its tail and y down, preparing to sleep again, Sato sighed in relief—his luck wasn't too bad this time.

  The Curse attack took effect. Tauros' brows furroain racked its body, but it didn't wake up. Without hesitation, Sato issued the and.

  "Haunter, use Dream Eater!"

  "Tauros, Sleep Talk!"

  "Kehehe-Keheh!"

  Haunter's eyes gleamed with excitement as it moved to devour Tauros' dreams—but at that moment, Tauros suddenly woke up, causing Dream Eater to fail. However, the Curse effect tio drain it!

  "Tauros, use Zen Headbutt!"

  "Haunter, vanish—go invisible!"

  As soon as Tauros awoke, Haunter instinctively pulled back. Its battle instincts were razor-sharp, and it effortlessly dodged Zen Headbutt. Meanwhile, the Curse tio sap Tauros' strength.

  "Then use Rest again!" Howard sighed.

  Haunter roving to be far more troublesome than he had anticipated, but he had no iion of giving up!

  "This is exactly what I was waiting for! Haunter, use Mean Look! Then Toxic!"

  Sato grinned, victory within his grasp!