Aoki ran over and came to the side of Blaziken.
He took out a Pokeblock and offered it to him, then let him sit on the ground to recover his strength.
At the same time, he took out several bottles of healing spray and treated the injuries of Mr. Fu's Gogoat.
As a Breeder, these simple treatments were not difficult for Aoki.
Soon, the Gogoat opened its eyes.
Only then did Aoki begin to treat the wounds on Blaziken's body.
Uncle Fu stood by with a smile, watching Aoki busying himself, stroking the old friend beside him with one hand and nodding continuously.
He's a nice guy.
After finishing everything, Aoki patted the shoulder of Blaziken sitting on the ground as a compliment.
"Mr. Fu, thank you so much," Aoki said.
"Brother Aoki, do you want to come with me to the top of the tree and take a look?" Uncle Fu said with a smile, without making any comments on the battle.
Aoki nodded.
After recalling Blaziken, he followed Master Fu to the top of the tree.
The treetop was where Mr. Fu usually lived, and occasional gym battles also took place there.
After all, this tree was, strictly speaking, a gym.
Walking up the winding stairs, following Uncle Fu with his hands behind his back, they reached the top of the tree.
A large platform stretched across the treetop, with a battle field in the center. Next to the tree were some plants that Master Fu usually tended to.
After arriving, he took out a pair of scissors and trimmed the plants carefully.
It was clear that these plants were thriving, a testament to Uncle Fu's attentive care.
At the edge of the venue, on a small platform, there was a tiny library filled with books.
"When I have nothing to do, I read books, drink tea, and tend to my plants here," Grandpa Fu said with a smile.
He led Aoki to the round table in the middle of the small library.
A gym staff member, perhaps an apprentice, brought up two cups of tea.
The fragrant aroma of the tea made Aoki feel more alert.
"Come, try this tea. I grow it myself." Uncle Fu picked up his cup, gently blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface, took a sip, and after a moment, his face relaxed in satisfaction.
Aoki also picked up the teacup and took a sip. A feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time washed over him.
Since coming to this world, he had never drunk tea.
Though this tea was slightly bitter, it brought back memories of Earth.
After drinking, he felt a little more at ease.
Noticing the change in Aoki's expression, Fu's smile widened.
"Brother Aoki, you're usually under too much pressure. You need to relax sometimes. There are many wonderful things in this world—you should experience them more," said Master Fu.
As a man nearly a hundred years old, he could see the weight Aoki carried, no matter how well he hid it.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, warming their skin. The bitterness in their mouths slowly faded into sweetness.
As they drank tea, the old man and the young Trainer fell into conversation.
Aoki asked Mr. Fu many questions about plant cultivation—things not found in books, knowledge gained only through decades of experience.
Then, Master Fu handed Aoki a handwritten book containing his personal notes on planting techniques.
Being of an older generation, he preferred writing by hand rather than using a computer, finding it a form of meditation.
When Aoki left, Uncle Fu gifted him a large bag of tea—all homegrown.
Tea could ease fatigue, a fine drink indeed.
Aoki accepted it gratefully.
After leaving the gym, Aoki did not return to Laverre City but instead headed toward the other side of the mountain.
Uncle Fu stood atop the tree, watching Aoki's figure grow distant, before turning back to his plants.
Aoki set foot on Route 12.
Route 12 was known as the Pasture Road, home to many ranches—including those raising Gogoat and Skiddo, the Pokémon Aoki cared for.
Of course, these ranches were privately owned.
However, aside from the domesticated Pokémon, small groups still roamed the wild.
These wild Gogoat and Skiddo were strong, too much for the ranchers to capture, so they were left alone.
Fortunately, they weren't aggressive—they simply grazed near the pastures from time to time.
Aoki's targets were the wild Gogoat and Skiddo.
Stealing from the ranches was out of the question—both as a League member and as a Trainer.
Besides, these Pokémon would serve as excellent training partners for Blaziken.
Other Grass types also lived here—Sawsbuck, Deerling, and more—all fine choices.
All the knowledge gained from Master Fu was recorded by the system and relayed to Porygon's subsystem, ensuring better care for the plants and Grass-type Pokémon on the island.
As he walked away from Laverre City, an endless sea of grass stretched before him.
The green fields merged seamlessly with the blue sky.
Countless Pokémon roamed freely.
This place was a paradise for them.
Aoki avoided the League's official path—most Pokémon there belonged to ranchers, and catching them was forbidden.
The area was sparsely populated; once off the main road, encounters were rare.
Aoki released his team.
Blaziken, Lairon, Pupitar, Poliwhirl, and Swampert.
Swampert had been eager to participate in the Gym Battle, but since it was over, he'd have to settle for battling wild Pokémon instead.
Most wild Pokémon here were Grass-types, which Swampert struggled against—but he didn't care.
The fields teemed with life—Carnivine soaking up sunlight, Sunflora swaying in the breeze, Oddish, Jumpluff—common sights.
Rarer were the herds of Gogoat and Skiddo.
Blaziken led the charge, striking first at a Carnivine.
Next would be capturing the wild Gogoat and Skiddo.
These wild Pokémon were surprisingly high-leveled.