In the distance, the patrolling knights finally allowed themselves to relax after seeing the reunion in the Nidoking tribe.
"This crisis... it's finally over, isn't it?"
"Matthew, Oddish... thank you both for your hard work," Aven said, letting out a long breath.
"I only did what I should have."
"None of this would've been possible without the time you bought us, Lord Aven."
Matthew lowered his head, his emotions filled with genuine admiration. He had already learned everything that had happened from the patrolling knights.
When the Nidoking tribe invaded, Lord Aven had actually stepped forward and challenged the leader of the Nidokings head-on. Even though he hadn't witnessed the battle between Torterra and the Nidoking leader himself, just hearing about it made his blood boil with excitement!
At this moment, all the patrolling team members wore similar expressions. They all knew very well that Torterra's actual strength couldn't possibly compare to that of the Nidoking leader.
And yet, Lord Aven had managed to amplify Torterra's strength by channeling the power of several other Pokémon into it, allowing Torterra to burst forth with battle power far beyond its own limits!
This kind of battle strategy was something they had never even heard of before. But now, they understood—this was the battle style of a true Pokémon Trainer!
In the hearts of these patrol members, the seed of becoming a Trainer was deeply planted. They were certain that once the events of today's battle spread, many more Trainers would begin to emerge within this territory.
The sky had fully brightened.
Outside the Black Forest, the Bibarels remained stationed at their post.
In the distant grasslands, the Nidoking tribe had not yet left.
However, the entire tribe now appeared calm and quiet. They simply lay in the grass, silently resting.
Within the protective circle of the tribe, the Nidoking leader and the two little ones were also resting.
Just before sunrise, the heavily injured Nidoran♂ had finally woken up, putting the minds of its companions at ease.
Back in the riverside Pokémon Breeding House, after staying up and working tirelessly through the night, Aven collapsed into bed and immediately fell asleep.
Lying sprawled in a starfish position across the large bed, he took up nearly the entire space, leaving Petilil and Ralts squeezed into the corners.
Thus, a peaceful day passed.
The next morning arrived bright and clear. After a full day of rest, Petilil had fully recovered.
After all, Grass-type Pokémon had incredibly strong regenerative abilities. Coupled with Petilil's own powerful healing powers, recovering fully wasn't too difficult.
Torterra, who was resting in the backyard, was in similar condition. Thanks to Petilil's healing and a full day of rest, it had more or less recovered as well.
"I wonder how the Nidoking leader is doing."
"Without any treatment and relying solely on its own natural recovery, it probably won't be able to fully recover anytime soon."
"There's also Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀. Those two little ones still need further medical attention."
Aven stretched lazily, washed up, ate a quick breakfast, then grabbed the medical kit and headed out in the direction of the Black Forest.
Following close behind him was Petilil, who had knowingly put on her nurse's uniform, looking every bit like a tiny assistant ready to help.
Once again, Aven led his Pokémon to the former battlefield. The Bibarel leader, upon seeing Aven arrive, immediately came over to greet him. It had dutifully stood guard here throughout the entire day.
Although it was now clear that the Nidoking tribe was no longer a threat to the village, they still couldn't afford to relax. They needed to hold the line firmly.
After praising the Bibarel leader for its diligence, Aven crossed the defensive line and continued walking toward the distant Nidoking tribe.
On the outskirts of the tribe, Nidoran♂, Nidoran♀, Nidorino, and Nidorina were all lying down and resting.
Upon seeing Aven approach, they immediately became alert and stood up. But when they noticed Torterra and Petilil following on his back, their eyes all narrowed in shock.
Yesterday's battle had left a deep impression on them—Torterra's overwhelming power had been burned into the minds of every single Pokémon present, filling them with a profound sense of awe.
And now, that same powerful Pokémon appeared before them again without a single scratch, while their own Nidoking leader had only just recovered enough to move around.
"ROAR!"
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed across the grassland.
Immediately, the surrounding Nidoran and Nidorino line Pokémon all stepped aside, revealing the figure of the Nidoking leader.
Striding forward, the Nidoking leader paused when it saw Torterra, momentarily stunned. But then its gaze shifted to Aven.
"Take me to see Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀," Aven said calmly.
The Nidoking leader quickly nodded and led Aven into the heart of the tribe.
At the sight of this, Torterra and the others immediately tensed up. But walking at the very front, Aven's expression remained calm and composed.
As he walked swiftly through the Nidoking tribe, Aven's eyes swept over the surrounding Pokémon with a composed gaze.
From their expressions, he could tell that none of them harbored any hostility—clear proof that his actions yesterday had earned the full respect and recognition of the Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and the rest of the tribe.
"Ralts~"
At that moment, Ralts sat beside Petilil.
The red horn atop its head twitched slightly, and it began sensing the emotional fluctuations emanating from the surrounding Pokémon.
Just as Aven had guessed, it didn't detect any hostility. On the contrary, some Pokémon were even radiating feelings of friendliness.
For example, the Nidoking leader at the front emitted a complex mixture of emotions—kindness, gratitude, and respect—all directed toward Aven, showing that it had developed a genuine fondness for him.
Soon, Aven passed through the tribe and arrived at a spot surrounded by resting Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀.
The two little ones were already awake. When they saw Aven, their eyes suddenly shrank in alarm and they growled softly, a cautious glint in their eyes.
"Nido! Nido!"
Seeing this, the Nidoking leader quickly explained the situation to them.
When they learned that it was Aven who had saved them, the two Pokémon froze, their expressions shifting as they began to carefully examine Aven from head to toe.
"Looks like you're both recovering pretty well," Aven said with a warm smile, taking out two bottles of nutrient juice and handing them to the two little Pokémon.
"Nido?"
They called out in confusion.
As the wooden bottles were opened, a faint, pleasant aroma wafted through the air.
Gulp~
Tempted by the scent, even the other nearby Nidoran began swallowing instinctively.
Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀ hesitated at first, but with their father's encouraging look, they cautiously took a sip from the bottles.
The moment the nutrient juice hit their tongues, both of their eyes lit up. They quickly began licking the bottles eagerly—it was just too delicious!
Indeed, there wasn't a single Pokémon that could resist the allure of nutrient juice.
Aven chuckled quietly to himself and began inspecting the two little Pokémon up close.
After a full day of rest, both had made significant recovery. Nidoran♂, due to a bone injury, still couldn't move freely, but Nidoran♀ was already capable of walking around on her own.
After finishing his examination, Aven took out a few bottles of medicine from the medical kit. After mixing them, he handed them over to the two Pokémon.
Thinking it was more delicious juice, they drank it without hesitation—only for their expressions to twist in shock as the bitter taste hit their tongues.
"Bitter medicine works best," Aven said with a smile.
Petilil then stepped forward and used her life energy to provide additional healing to both Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀.
Once the treatment was complete, the two Pokémon's conditions improved further. Nidoran♀ could now trot around in small steps, while Nidoran♂ was able to stand and walk, albeit slowly and with effort.
Seeing all this, the Nidoking leader once again expressed its deep gratitude toward Aven. It then looked at him expectantly, clearly hoping for some treatment of its own.
But Aven simply pretended not to notice. After another quick check on Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀, he turned and walked away from the Nidoking tribe, leaving the leader watching in silent disappointment.
"Lord Aven! Why did you go into the Nidoking tribe's territory?!"
Simon, who had rushed over after hearing the news, was shocked. Even though the Nidokings now seemed calm, they were still powerful Pokémon—there was always an element of danger.
"Relax. The Nidoking won't harm me," Aven said as he patted Simon on the shoulder. "Besides, I've got Froslass and the others protecting me."
Simon opened his mouth to argue but gave up after a moment, only adding a few more words of caution. He still didn't like seeing Aven take risks, and Aven responded with a few perfunctory nods.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Aven's tone shifted: "Simon, go prepare some Pokémon food to be delivered to the Nidokings."
"Pokémon food?" Simon blinked in confusion.
"Yes. For the duration of their stay here, provide the Nidoking tribe with Pokémon food," Aven said, nodding. After thinking a bit, he added, "Ask Uncle Mike to prepare some high-quality food as well."
Hearing this, Simon paused for a moment, then suddenly realized what Aven was planning. His eyes lit up with excitement. "Lord Aven, you're trying to—"
"Mm. I want to give it a try."
"Even if it doesn't work, we'll at least leave a strong impression on them."
Aven smiled and nodded. Just like he said before—whether it was nutrient juice or Pokémon food, Pokémon simply couldn't resist them.
If he could win over the Nidoking tribe using just Pokémon food, that would be ideal. Even if he couldn't completely subdue them, it wouldn't be a loss.
After all, he already planned to slowly incorporate the area between the Black Forest's edge and the Nidoking Valley into the territory of the Pokémon Breeding House.
If he had the help of the Nidoking tribe, this plan would proceed much more smoothly. Pokémon food could serve as a trade commodity between them.
With a strong enough relationship, and with Pokémon food as payment, the Nidokings would likely be willing to lend a hand now and then.
Moreover, the resources within the Nidoking Valley could be traded for with food as well.
And maybe one day, once their relationship was strong enough, Aven could negotiate with the Nidoking leader to allow Trainers to enter the valley and befriend members of the tribe who wished to travel.
That way, even if he couldn't directly subdue the entire tribe, he could still gain access to the opportunity to befriend Nidokings and Nidoqueens—which, to a certain extent, would make the Nidoking Valley a de facto part of the Safari Zone's territory!
"Yes, that settles it. Go make the preparations," Aven instructed.
After giving Simon a few more orders, Aven turned back toward the Pokémon Breeding House to refine his plans.
But suddenly, he paused mid-step, as if recalling something. A rare, chilling gleam appeared in his eyes.
"Oh, right—send someone to summon Matthew. Tell him to come find me at the Breeding House."
Although the immediate crisis brought by the Nidoking tribe had been resolved, it was time to settle the score with the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild. That account was long overdue.
(End of Chapter)