Pikachu was now standing in front of Su Yu, its yellow fur still faintly crackling with residual electricity. Long ears tipped with black twitched slightly, red cheek pouches rising and falling as it breathed, and its lightning-bolt tail swayed behind it with undisguised emotion. Staring at the freshly evolved Pokémon, Su Yu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. Every time he witnessed a Pokémon evolve, an old habit resurfaced—he wanted to pull out a Pokédex and listen to that familiar mechanical introduction. Of course, Pokédex still existed in this world, but they had long since been reduced to an official app. Download it, scan a Pokémon, and all the information would pop up neatly on screen. Useful for ordinary Trainers, perhaps, but completely unnecessary for him. Su Yu already knew them all. If anything, he himself was the Pokédex—just a very human one.
Pikachu, meanwhile, had fully snapped out of its earlier rage. The moment the evolution finished, the anger that had fueled it seemed to evaporate, replaced by excitement and a nonstop stream of indignant complaints aimed squarely at its Trainer. Su Yu waved a hand lazily, cutting it off midway. He told Pikachu he understood, that he'd heard enough, and that there was no need to stay angry. Then, as casually as if discussing the weather, he added that since Pikachu had evolved, they could continue fighting—and that he'd help it find an Everstone later. After all, it probably didn't want to accidentally touch a Thunder Stone someday and turn into a round, chubby Raichu.
That single sentence changed everything. Pikachu froze for a moment, then nodded furiously, eyes lighting up with agreement. Yes. Exactly. Becoming Raichu meant getting fatter, and that was unacceptable. The fact that Su Yu brought it up on his own made Pikachu beam with joy, even giving him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. In that instant, all dissatisfaction vanished. Sure, this Trainer was questionable in many ways, but at least he understood what truly mattered.
With the issue settled, Su Yu picked up the pace. Pikachu followed closely, energized and eager, challenging every Pokémon they encountered along the way. After evolving, its strength had clearly risen a notch. Most wild Pokémon in this area weren't particularly aggressive or powerful to begin with, and Pikachu handled them surprisingly well. Its combat experience grew rapidly, and it developed a very… pragmatic fighting style. Spot a Pokémon, greet it with a Thunderbolt. If that didn't work, try Thunder Shock. If the opponent was still standing, rush in while it was paralyzed and punch first, ask questions later. It wasn't elegant, nor was it honorable, but it was effective.
Bug-types and Flying-types fell one after another, littering the path behind them—mercifully stunned rather than seriously injured. Pikachu wisely avoided Ground-types altogether, knowing its limits. There were no large flocks of Pidgey or Fearow around, thankfully; otherwise, things could have gone very differently. By the time Pikachu was exhausted and slumped onto Su Yu's shoulder, its confidence had grown noticeably. Su Yu stopped the training there and accelerated forward alone.
Before long, they entered Beedrill territory.
Perhaps due to Su Yu's "enthusiasm" during his last visit, the Beedrills were extremely alert this time. The moment he stepped deeper into the area, sharp buzzing filled the air as Beedrills swarmed around him, surrounding him from all directions. Pikachu instantly tensed up. There were far too many of them. Then, a larger Beedrill flew out from the group—the very same leader Su Yu had subdued with Psychic power not long ago. Its compound eyes burned with indignation, veins bulging, tears even gathering at the corners. Anyone could see how deeply wronged it felt. First the honey was taken, and now this human dared to come back again?
When Su Yu greeted it calmly and suggested they talk, the Beedrill snapped back immediately, raising its twin stingers in refusal. There was nothing to discuss. If it couldn't fight him, then it would at least hide once he left.
Seeing the hostility, Su Yu sighed internally. He admitted that what he'd done before wasn't exactly polite, but explained that he hadn't come this time to cause trouble. Then he dropped the key point: the mountain now belonged to him. He planned to turn it into a massive orchard and a breeding ground for Pokémon. That meant the future of the wild Pokémon living here—Beedrill included—had to be addressed.
The reaction was instant. The Beedrills erupted into chaos, buzzing wildly at the implication that their home was gone. Su Yu released a sliver of his Psychic power, deep and oppressive, instantly forcing silence. Once they calmed down, he continued, explaining that he had no intention of driving them away. On the contrary, he was offering cooperation. They would help watch over and care for the orchard once the fruit trees were planted. In return, he would provide food, energy cubes, and fairly exchange for the honey they produced.
Simple terms. Mutual benefit.
Su Yu looked directly at the Beedrill leader as he finished. For him, the logic was straightforward: let the Pokémon work, provide for them properly, and everyone profits. Free labor, yes—but well-treated free labor. And Beedrill? They were just the beginning.