Pokemon: A New Path-Land Purchase[492]

The man landed in the ranch, riding on Charizard, with Naoki and Koraidon following closely behind.

"The owner of this ranch is a young man. Not long ago, his family moved to the Kalos region, and they decided to sell this place. The asking price is 2 million Pokédollars."

2 million…

For such a large piece of land, including a villa, that price was actually quite reasonable.

"Let me take a look around first," Naoki said. He had experience in assessing properties like this.

"Of course. Take your time." The man nodded.

Naoki began inspecting the ranch, and he quickly realized that the facilities were well-maintained.

There was a barn for Miltank, a pen for Wooloo, a stable, and small kennels for Pokémon like Lillipup, typically used as ranch guard dogs.

Even more impressive was the vast open pasture, designed for Tauros to run freely.

The moment Naoki saw the wide grasslands, his heart was moved.

"The previous owner raised fifty Tauros here. They would charge across the fields every day—it was truly a spectacular sight!" the man said, glancing at the sprawling greenery.

Naoki nodded in understanding, then asked, "What about farmland? Is there any land suitable for crops?"

"Of course," the man replied, leading Naoki to a large plot of land that had been left untended.

"However, due to Alola's tropical climate, some crops from other regions don't grow well here."

"The local farmers in Alola usually grow coconut trees, guava, mango, bananas, pineapples, coffee beans, and sugarcane."

Naoki knew that coffee beans could be sold as Alolan coffee, and sugarcane could be refined into sugar, both of which were highly valued exports to other regions.

As he listened, he carefully observed the land, taking note of its fertile soil and abundant sunlight.

Alola had a tropical marine climate—mild temperature variations, warm and humid weather all year round, and consistent rainfall.

Because of this, vegetation flourished, with towering palms and dense tree ferns dominating the landscape.

With the outdoor tour complete, it was time to inspect the villa.

Though it was called a "villa," it wasn't overly extravagant.

Standing three stories tall, it was far more spacious than the house Naoki currently lived in.

The interior was fully furnished, with a living room, kitchen, dining room, multiple bedrooms, a guest room, a study, a wine cellar, and even an extra-large bathroom.

After walking through every part of the home, Naoki finally nodded in approval.

"This is the one."

After confirming his decision, the two returned to Melemele Island.

The islands of Alola were relatively close to one another. Even with an ordinary Flying-type Pokémon, it wouldn't take more than twenty minutes to travel between them.

And with Pokémon like Charizard and Koraidon, the trip was even faster.

Naoki paid the full amount, and soon after, he received both the deed to the land and the property certificate.

From that moment forward, the ranch and villa officially belonged to him!

Leaving the real estate office, Naoki looked around the bustling streets, considering what gifts he could bring back for the Pokémon at his ranch.

Alola was famous for its regional specialties, and among them, one stood out the most—Malasadas.

Naoki took Koraidon to a street vendor and purchased several large bags of Malasadas, preparing to take them back for the Pokémon at the ranch to enjoy.

In addition, he picked up some coconuts and pineapples, tropical fruits that were rare in the Paldea region.

After finishing his shopping, Naoki planned to head to a secluded lake to contact Giratina and ask for help in opening a portal to the Distortion World.

However, just as he was about to leave, a familiar voice called out.

"Naoki?"

He turned around and saw Geeta, dressed in a bikini, standing not far away with a look of surprise.

"What a coincidence!" Naoki greeted her with a smile. After all, he had heard from Iono earlier that Geeta was vacationing in Alola this year.

Geeta tilted her head. "Are you here for a vacation too?"

Naoki shook his head. "No, I just had some things to take care of. I'll be heading back soon."

He deliberately left out the fact that he had purchased property in Alola, so Geeta wouldn't think he was running away from his responsibilities.

Sure enough, she let out a subtle sigh of relief after hearing his answer.

A small smile appeared on her face. "In that case, don't let me keep you! If you need anything, just let me know."

Naoki knew that Geeta had helped him quite a bit in the past—whether it was giving him an Eevee Egg or assisting with his treasure-hunting adventures.

Thinking of this, he returned her smile and nodded. "Thanks. And I won't disturb your vacation, Champion!"

Geeta clasped her hands together and chuckled softly.

"I'm really looking forward to your wedding with Iono! Let me be a witness when the time comes!"

Naoki: "…Isn't that a bit early?"

Something about Geeta's expression struck him as odd.

Recalling their conversation during the fireworks festival, Naoki suddenly realized that Geeta seemed unusually concerned about the topic of marriage.

However, before he could press further, Geeta shook her head gently.

"Time passes quickly. Look at how much the world has changed in just three years. Before you know it, we'll all be old."

Naoki, intrigued, asked sincerely: "So, Champion, do you plan to get married?"

If he remembered correctly, Geeta would be turning thirty in a few years.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.

She responded thoughtfully. "Maybe… once I find the next Champion of Paldea, I'll consider it. But that depends on fate."

Naoki: "…"

After parting ways with Geeta, Naoki used the Distortion World to return to Paldea.

By the time he arrived at the ranch, the blizzard had finally stopped.

As he and Koraidon stepped inside, carrying large bags of Malasadas and tropical fruit, they were greeted by Pawmot—and no one else.

Naoki looked around in surprise. "Where is everyone?"

Pawmot raised a tiny paw. "Pawmot!" (We're playing hide-and-seek!)

Naoki immediately understood.

He smiled and set down the bags, calling out: "Alright, time to take a break! I brought some delicious treats from Alola—come and try them!"

The very next second, Pokémon of all shapes and sizes burst out from every direction.

In the blink of an eye, a large crowd of eager Pokémon had gathered in front of Naoki, eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.

Naoki chuckled and began taking out the Malasadas and other tropical treats from his bag, distributing them among his Pokémon.

Cyclizar eagerly took a Malasada in its claws and took a bite. Its eyes widened in delight—it loved the crispy outer layer and the soft, warm filling inside.

Greavard picked up a tropical fruit, happily munching away while wagging its tail like an excited puppy.

The Indeedee siblings accepted the pineapple from Naoki. Having seen this fruit before, they skillfully peeled it, carefully removing the spiky exterior before sharing the sweet, juicy flesh inside.

Meanwhile, Flutter Mane picked up a coconut with its ghostly wing claws.

It looked at the round fruit for a moment, then glanced left and right—before opening its mouth wide and taking a huge bite, imitating the way a Pawmot would nibble on a berry.

CRACK.

The sound was sharp and jarring.

The coconut didn't budge.

But Flutter Mane's eyes instantly widened in shock—it had definitely hurt its teeth.

"Fluuuuuu!"

Flutter Mane immediately recoiled, covering its tiny, aching fangs with its wing claws in disbelief.

Naoki: "…"

How could it think biting a coconut would work?

Suppressing a laugh, Naoki quickly stepped forward to check Flutter Mane's teeth.

Thankfully, the teeth of ancient Pokémon were incredibly strong, so it wasn't actually injured—just a little too ambitious.

Naoki sighed in relief and patted its head. "Next time, let's open it properly first, okay?"