7:00 PM – The movie ended.
The lights in the screening hall suddenly came on.
The audience's suppressed excitement burst out all at once. Voices filled the theater as people eagerly discussed the film with their companions.
Hayato Sora and his group were no exception.
Korrina's cheeks were flushed red with excitement as she kept praising Diantha and Gardevoir in the movie. Their acting was amazing.
Combined with their already outstanding looks, the pairing created an extraordinary kind of chemistry.
"Big Diantha is so beautiful! And Gardevoir is beautiful too!"
"Brother, can we watch it again?"
Already transformed into Diantha's little fangirl, Korrina grabbed Hayato Sora's arm and shook it while pleading.
"No," Hayato Sora said, shaking his head. "I've already been away for quite a long time. The ranch only has the Mudbray watching it—I can't relax if I stay out any longer."
"Alright…"
Korrina looked disappointed for a moment, but quickly bounced back to her energetic self. She was the type who never got stuck in gloomy thoughts.
She excitedly shared her thoughts about the movie with Hayato Sora and even said she planned to get Diantha's autograph someday.
Serena would definitely be jealous.
After taking Korrina to a nearby restaurant for dinner, Hayato Sora escorted her safely home.
When they parted, Hayato Sora wore a tired smile.
There was no helping it—Korrina was like a little perpetual-motion machine.
Her mouth never stopped talking, and Hayato Sora had to respond every so often. Of course he would get tired.
Even Cinccino, the most energetic Pokémon on the ranch, had its ears drooping from exhaustion.
The other Pokémon had already retreated into their Poké Balls early on. Even the clingy Cyclizar was no exception.
Watching Korrina go home, Cinccino finally relaxed in relief.
"Cincci~"
(Scary human… even I'm no match for her.)
"Are you okay, Cinccino?"
Hayato Sora waved his hand in front of its eyes.
Cinccino shook its head, rubbed its eyes, and let out a huge yawn.
It was sleepy.
Hayato Sora picked Cinccino up, released Cyclizar, and pointed toward the road home.
But in his mind, he couldn't help worrying.
He had been away for several hours—what was happening at the ranch? Had the Mudbray eaten properly?
Cyclizar seemed to sense Hayato Sora's thoughts and unconsciously sped up.
When they passed the Miltank Ranch, Hayato Sora also picked up the money stored there along with a message left by Gario.
It was too dark to read clearly now—he would check it after getting home.
Riding Cyclizar, Hayato Sora soon returned to his ranch.
After walking a few steps inside, he spotted three flickering lights in the distance.
Just as he was wondering what they were, the Mudbray spotted him and excitedly ran over.
The three glowing lights drew closer and closer.
"Mudbray—!"
From afar, Hayato Sora could hear their somewhat urgent cries for help.
His heart skipped a beat, thinking something had gone wrong.
But when he saw their current appearance, his expression became rather strange.
"Mudbray! Mudbray!"
The Mudbray tugged at Hayato Sora, asking him to look at the glowing light on their bodies—it was keeping them from sleeping.
"This is… the light of evolution."
Taking a closer look, Hayato Sora quickly understood.
This was the light that appeared when Pokémon evolved—said to be the blessing of the Creator God.
The Mudbray tilted their heads in confusion.
"Mud?"
Seeing their bewildered expressions, Hayato Sora rubbed his forehead, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Other Pokémon longed desperately for evolution.
Yet these Mudbray were trying their best to resist it.
Even so, they couldn't suppress the light of evolution completely. That alone showed how much energy they had accumulated.
Squatting down, Hayato Sora carefully explained things to them.
He told them that after evolving, they would become tall and powerful Mudsdale.
The Mudbray's eyes immediately lit up.
If they became Mudsdale, they could use Bulldoze with even greater power and help Hayato Sora better.
Then they wanted to evolve.
They wanted to help Hayato Sora.
"Are you sure?"
Hayato Sora asked again. Not every Pokémon desired evolution.
"Mud!" ×3
The Mudbray nodded vigorously.
Hayato Sora gently stroked each of them.
"Then stop suppressing the power inside you. Try to accept it."
The Mudbray finally stopped restraining their energy.
An immense Ground-type energy surged outward like ocean waves.
"Mudbray!"
The white light covering their bodies grew brighter and brighter—like three small suns illuminating the darkness.
At that moment, the power they had accumulated day after day finally burst forth.
Under the blessing of the Creator, their very life forms leapt to a higher level.
"Cincci?"
Cinccino stared wide-eyed, both envious and slightly worried.
Hayato Sora patted it reassuringly.
"No need to worry. The Mudbray have more than enough buildup to complete their evolution."
After all, they ate pumpkin porridge every day, and every couple of days they even had mud cakes and mud cookies.
A tremendous amount of energy had long been stored inside their bodies.
Buzz—
The earth trembled.
It resonated—almost as if celebrating.
Ripples of Ground-type energy spread outward, instantly covering the entire ranch.
Their instinctive use of Bulldoze activated, subtly nourishing and transforming the soil of the ranch.
At the center of everything, the light surrounding the Mudbray gradually merged into their bodies.
Their forms began to change.
They grew taller and larger.
Thick black hair sprouted from the tops of their heads and extended down their backs.
The black hair formed thick braided strands, decorated with unique orange patterns.
But their most distinctive feature was their powerful legs, shaped like thick boots.
With a single kick, they could easily turn a truck into scrap metal.
Their once-dopey expressions had become firm and steady—giving the impression that nothing in the world could shake their composure.
"Brrr!"
Having just finished evolving, the three powerful Mudsdale ran toward Hayato Sora.
The rumbling of their footsteps made the ground shake like an earthquake.
Now Hayato Sora understood why certain roads in the Alola Region prohibited Mudsdale.
They were literally road destroyers.
Each step they took could easily punch huge holes into asphalt.
Suddenly surrounded by three giant "babies," Hayato Sora curiously touched and examined them from all sides, constantly asking how they felt.
The Mudsdale replied that they felt great.
Their bodies felt lighter, and they could now use Bulldoze with much greater power.
"You've grown so big that the Mudbray shed can't hold you anymore."
Hayato Sora said apologetically,
"It's too late to do anything today, so you'll have to make do for one night. Tomorrow I'll expand your stable."
The Mudsdale rubbed against him one by one, indicating that it didn't matter.
Only then did Hayato Sora tell them to rest.
He also sent the other Pokémon to sleep before finally returning to the cabin and opening Gario's message.
At the same time, he didn't forget to record the day's finances.
Alliance Calendar – February 12, Year 198
Expenses: 1,536
(Movie tickets, dinner, and other expenses)
Income: 3,400
(1,000 from strawberries, cabbage, and mung beans; 2,400 from three bottles of tulip nectar)
Remaining Funds: 104,936
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