Leaving Steelrock Town, Haruki headed south.
He had calculated the distance: it would take about two days to reach Floaroma Town.
But for the sake of training, he didn't take the League-maintained roads. Instead, he dove straight into the forest.
Marowak followed close by, step by step, its eyes under the skull scanning the surroundings constantly.
Half curiosity, half vigilance.
Trainer and Pokémon walked until noon. Confirming that there was no one nearby, Haruki finally released Beldum, who had been cooped up for days.
"Bel~"
Freshly released, Beldum seemed a little dazed. It hadn't seen such bright sunshine in a long time.
But before long, Beldum was frolicking everywhere, playing wildly like it was seeing the world for the first time.
"Keep an eye on Beldum. Don't let it wander too far."
Haruki gave a quick instruction, then set up a table and chairs to prepare lunch.
The first day of the journey deserved a bit of ceremony; it wouldn't do to just slap something together.
Marowak, although not much larger than Beldum, had seen far more storms. Especially now that it had evolved, Beldum became even more obedient around it.
Haruki watched for a moment and, seeing no issues, turned his full attention to making lunch.
Soon, a hearty meal was ready.
Beldum, tired from playing, flew back and stared unblinking at Haruki…
Or more precisely, at the food in Haruki's hands.
"This is for you two. Take your time. Eat up!"
Haruki distributed specially prepared nutrient-rich Pokémon food to Marowak and Beldum, then sat down at the table himself.
Reflecting on the busy hour just spent, he silently decided this would be a one-time luxury. Next meals would be simpler.
"Alright then, let's eat!"
One Trainer and two Pokémon began to feast amid the fresh breeze and dense forest, creating an idyllic atmosphere.
Rustle~ rustle~
Suddenly, a sound came from the nearby bushes. Haruki and Marowak immediately turned to look.
As for Beldum?
Oh… it was still stuffing its face without a care in the world.
"Marowak."
Haruki gave Marowak a glance, and Marowak immediately grabbed its Thick Club, ready to strike at any moment.
The bushes continued to shake. Whoever it was made no attempt to hide.
Finally, a head popped out.
A round white head with two sky-blue ears, and yellow circles on its cheeks, sniffing the air with a blissful expression.
It was Pachirisu!
Haruki's heart leapt with joy, he hadn't expected to encounter one of these.
Pachirisu -the EleSquirrel Pokémon- was the perfect blend of looks and cuteness, a dream pet that high-society ladies scrambled to acquire. It was relatively rare in the wild.
Of course, its signature move Follow Me had also earned it the nickname "White Devil."
In short, very valuable.
"Want a bite?"
Smiling, Haruki separated a portion of the food and placed it at a distance, then slowly backed away.
The Pachirisu before him was surprisingly bold. It actually inched forward bit by bit.
When it got within about a meter, it suddenly darted forward and began devouring the food enthusiastically.
It looked like it had been starving for a long time.
Haruki didn't disturb it. Instead, he silently prepared a second portion, placing it closer this time.
After all, the first portion was only a taste.
Sure enough, as soon as Haruki set down the second serving, Pachirisu ran over without hesitation.
Caution? What was that? You couldn't eat it, so who cared.
For the third serving, Haruki boldly placed the food right beside Marowak and Beldum.
The still-hungry Pachirisu lifted its head, crumbs clinging to its mouth. Its round little eyes blinked rapidly, then it eagerly headed for the third bowl.
Haruki chuckled. 'This Pachirisu is something else.'
'If it stayed wild in the forest, it might not survive the dangers of the world. So, let's find a human to take care of you~'
Smiling to himself, Haruki gave Marowak a signal.
Marowak pulled a face but still resignedly walked up behind the Pachirisu. It watched quietly as Pachirisu finished the last bite of food.
Then, it lightly tapped Pachirisu with its Thick Club.
Bonk!
Pachirisu froze, a large bump instantly forming on its head.
A second later, Pachirisu's eyes spun into swirls, and it toppled over stiffly.
"Pity none of us are any good at sweet-talking. Otherwise, it wouldn't have needed to be this violent."
Haruki sighed regretfully, then took out a Poké Ball and captured Pachirisu.
Marowak rolled its eyes and went right back to eating.
As for Beldum?
Oh, it was still busy stuffing its face.
Having captured a Pachirisu that practically delivered itself, Haruki's already good mood soared even higher.
Glancing at the overstuffed Beldum lying on its back, Haruki gave it a nudge.
"Old Iron, any Pokémon that show up next are your responsibility."
"Bel?"
A big question mark popped up over Beldum's shiny head.
'Old Iron? Who's that? I'm new! Shiny and brand new!'
But when it came to a fight, Beldum wasn't one to back down.
They had already ventured deep into the forest, where the chance of running into humans was nearly zero.
Perfect for Beldum's field training.
After all, even if it was a rare shiny pseudo-legendary hatchling, hiding it away forever without battle experience would never make it truly strong.
And sure enough, as they pushed deeper into the dense woods, the number and variety of wild Pokémon increased dramatically.
Unlike Marowak, who lived by a "don't mess with me, I won't mess with you" philosophy, Beldum simply charged headfirst into everything.
Usually, all it took was a single line to start a fight.
"You got a problem?"
Watching Beldum send a dazed Bidoof flying with a headbutt, Haruki realized it was time for some training on how to pick its battles.
"Hey, Iron, come here."
"Bel?"
Beldum blinked its big eyes. Honestly, being called "Iron" sounded way cooler than "Old Iron."
'It sounded youthful!'
Watching Beldum suddenly bouncing up and down, Haruki decided he needed to let it out more often.
The poor thing was practically going crazy from being cooped up.
…Back to the point.
Haruki pointed to a Burmy huddled timidly nearby.
Beldum immediately understood and lunged.
"Stop!"
"Bel~"
"Now look carefully," Haruki said. "That Burmy over there… do you think it's strong?"
Beldum blinked and studied carefully. Its observational skills, which would become psychic abilities after evolution, were already quite good.
After a moment, Beldum nodded slightly.
"And if you beat it, will it make you stronger?"
Beldum hesitated, blinked again, and then shook its head.
"Bel~ [It might help a little, but not much.]"
Amazingly, Haruki actually understood what Beldum meant and continued smoothly.
"Not just 'not much', it's basically impossible to get stronger!"
"Bel?"
Beldum stared up at him with wide, curious eyes.
Seeing this, Haruki carefully organized his thoughts and continued.
Unnoticed, even Marowak had quietly crept closer, listening intently.
"There are lots of ways to grow stronger. But for now, three methods suit you best.
Eat: consume high-quality, nutrient-rich food.
Train: engage in targeted, strategic training.
Fight: battle against powerful opponents who can push you to your limits.
And weak opponents… will never make you stronger."