The castle district of Ambition City.

  In the center of a vast pza stood a statue.

  The statue was retively small, its body entirely gray, with a blue face and a red gemstone embedded in its forehead.

  If Samuel were here, he would immediately recognize it—it was none other than Azelf, one of Sinnoh's Lake Guardians, the legendary Pokémon that embodies willpower!

  Azelf grants people the resolve to follow through on their decisions, earning it the title of the Benevolent Spirit.

  This city worships Azelf, and only those with a kind heart can receive its recognition and become the lord of Ambition City.

  Mira was the one chosen in this generation, earning her the title of the most compassionate ruler.

  The weather was pleasant today.

  White clouds shielded the sun, and a cool breeze blew gently through the streets.

  Summer was nearing its end, signaling the arrival of autumn—the season of harvest.

  "What a perfect day for a nap."

  Letting out a huge yawn, Mira stretched zily.

  Then, her gaze nded on the towering stack of paperwork before her, nearly half her height. Her shoulders slumped.

  "No, I can't sleep yet."

  Forcing herself to focus, Mira took a sip of invigorating tea brewed from Chesto Berries, pushing away the drowsiness.

  She reached for a Cherubi Berry and popped it into her mouth. These berries, grown from Cherubi, were packed with nutrients that helped ward off fatigue.

  Her eyes drifted back to the document on her desk, where the words "Autumn Harvest" were prominently written.

  Autumn was fast approaching—the season when wheat and Berries would ripen. For any territory, this was a critical time.

  "This winter, I will not let my people go hungry."

  Clenching her fists in determination, Mira dove into the paperwork, her brows furrowing and rexing intermittently as she worked through the documents, occasionally scratching her head in frustration.

  Knock, knock.

  At that moment, a knock came at the door.

  Mira immediately straightened up, her voice calm and composed. "Come in."

  With a soft creak, the door opened, and Kevin stepped inside, cd in armor, his expression slightly tense.

  Upon seeing her chief knight, Mira rexed a little. "Kevin, do you have any updates on the disappearances?"

  Kevin bowed first, then shook his head, his expression grave. "Your Grace, we have a problem."

  He proceeded to report his findings from the recent investigation. "I suspect the culprit is using the power of a Monster."

  A Monster… Mira's expression grew solemn. The abilities of these creatures were unpredictable, which would make tracking the culprit even more challenging.

  "There's no need for excessive concern, Your Grace. Under the watchful eyes of the city guards, there haven't been any new disappearances for some time," Kevin reassured her, sensing her unease.

  "That's a relief. The guards have done well." Mira exhaled, then added, "But we must continue searching for the missing. As their lord, it is my duty to protect them."

  Kevin gave a slight bow in acknowledgment. After reporting a few additional matters, the knight turned and left the castle hall, his heavy armor cnking with each step.

  "Ah… I really can't afford to rest."

  Watching Kevin leave, Mira slumped back slightly, took a deep breath, and returned to her work.

  Creak!

  Just as the door had fully closed, it abruptly swung open again.

  Kevin, who had just departed, rushed back in with hurried strides.

  Mira instinctively sat up straight, her gaze questioning her knight.

  "Ahem, what is it, Sir Kevin?" Mira did her best to maintain her regal demeanor.

  Kevin lowered his head slightly and spoke in a deep tone. "Your Grace, Baron Reiser has been attacked…"

  ...

  The Slums.

  Samuel was inside his rundown home, checking the fermentation process of his Oran Berries.

  As he opened the container, a faint fruity aroma wafted out. The once-decayed Oran Berries had now completely dissolved into the liquid.

  With a gentle shake, the nutrient-rich mixture inside rippled slightly, releasing a unique fragrance.

  "The fermented Oran Berry solution… it's ready!"

  Satisfied with the results, Samuel nodded. The next step was to refine this solution into a proper growth fertilizer.

  With that in mind, he untied a sack he had brought back, revealing rich soil within.

  He had dug up this earth from an orchard, ensuring it contained the necessary nutrients for Oran Berry growth.

  Now, he needed to mix the soil with the fermented Oran solution, then proceed with composting and other refining steps.

  "Almost there… just two more weeks, and the growth fertilizer will be complete." Samuel nodded in satisfaction.

  After finishing his preparations, he tidied up and set out for Berlitz Farm to continue his pn.

  With the fertilizer nearly ready, the next challenge was figuring out how to market it.

  Upon arriving at the farm, Samuel, as usual, headed toward the Berry groves, intending to check on the Pokémon living there.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Suddenly, the sound of battle reached his ears.

  A fight? Why would there be a battle on the farm?

  His footsteps halted as he scanned his surroundings, trying to determine the direction of the commotion.

  The Berry grove…

  As soon as he identified the source, his expression shifted, and he sprinted toward the grove.

  Chirp, chirp, chirp!

  As he neared, he heard frantic bird cries.

  A strong gust of wind suddenly kicked up, scattering leaves from the Berry trees and forcing Samuel to shield his eyes.

  Using his arm to block the wind, he kept moving forward.

  The first thing he saw was Berlitz standing at the grove's edge. Beside him stood a knight in armor.

  Then, his gaze shifted to the battlefield, just in time to witness a Starly diving from above—its opponent was a Luxray!

  Berlitz's Luxray?

  What was going on? Why was Berlitz's Starly fighting his own Luxray?

  Samuel struggled to make sense of the situation, his gaze sweeping the area for clues.

  Then, he spotted a Petilil standing calmly near a Berry tree, its expression eerily serene.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  The battle raged on.

  Starly soared into the sky repeatedly before diving at full speed, unching attack after attack at Luxray.

  But to Samuel, Luxray seemed to be toying with its opponent like a cat pying with a mouse. Each of Starly's assaults was effortlessly blocked, sending it tumbling backward.

  Still, the stubborn Starly refused to back down, regaining its bance midair before unching another reckless charge, determined to defeat its opponent.

  "That's enough—Luxray, use Thunder Shock!"

  At that moment, Berlitz, who had been silently watching, finally issued a command.

  Luxray nodded slightly before unleashing a surge of electricity toward the descending Starly.

  The electric current enveloped Starly mid-flight, its body convulsing as it was engulfed in sparks.

  When the energy dissipated, the scorched Starly plummeted to the ground, struggling to rise but unable to do so.

  Starly had lost the battle.

  No—more importantly, Samuel needed to figure out why they were fighting in the first pce.

  His thoughts raced as he took in the scene before him.

  -----

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