Chapter 314: Hiro’s Big Adventure (Part 2)

Though he was still a bit nervous, Hiro gradually relaxed after seeing how calm and confident Rex remained. Soon, he was curiously looking around at the surrounding environment.

As they continued deeper into the grove, the chubby boy was completely at ease. He now knew the Taillow wouldn't harm him—not with the big brother here to protect him.

"Huh? Big brother, what kind of Pokémon is that on the rock?" Hiro pointed a pudgy finger toward a sunlit boulder up ahead.

There, several Shuckle were sprawled out, lazily soaking in the sun, unmoving and completely relaxed.

Ever since Rex brought them to this orchard, the Shuckle had been living a dream—no predators, unlimited berries, and plenty of peace.

"That's a Shuckle. They make really delicious juice," Rex explained as he followed Hiro's gaze and saw the sunbathing Pokémon.

Seeing how interested Hiro looked, Rex led him closer to the rock where the Shuckle were resting.

"Hey, Shuckle, wake up! I came to see you!"

Rex lightly tapped one of them on its shell as he spoke.

The group of Shuckle slowly blinked open their tiny eyes and, realizing it was Rex, excitedly wiggled and slid off the rock—they hadn't seen him in a while and were clearly glad he was back.

"Can I get some of your juice?" Rex asked as he placed three glass cups in front of them.

The Shuckle didn't hesitate. Each one extended its tube-like limb above the cups, and thick, sweet-smelling liquid began dripping steadily into them. Soon, all three glasses were full.

"That's good, thank you!" Rex said, signaling them to stop.

"Alright, time for you all to try this juice—it's amazing!"

Rex handed the glasses to Hiro, Chimchar, and Bagon, gesturing for them to taste.

"Thank you, big brother! I won't hold back then!"

Hiro grinned and eagerly took a sip. The moment the juice touched his tongue, his eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he gulped down the rest, clearly loving the flavor.

Next to him, Chimchar sipped quickly but neatly, while Bagon took an oversized gulp and nearly downed it in one go. This time, however, Bagon took a moment to savor the flavor in its mouth before swallowing, then licked its lips in delight.

After all three had finished, Rex waved goodbye to the Shuckle and continued leading them deeper into the grove—toward the heart of the Taillow territory.

The further in they went, the more Taillow appeared. Being watched by so many made even Hiro, Chimchar, and Bagon feel uneasy.

That was the power of a Pokémon flock. A lone Taillow wasn't much, but when gathered in numbers, even a Salamence would avoid provoking them—they could wear down nearly anything with sheer persistence.

Eventually, they arrived at the center of the territory. Rex counted over ten Swellow, each strong and well-trained thanks to his own Swellow's rigorous leadership.

"Um… h-hi there!"

Despite the pressure from so many powerful Pokémon, Hiro managed a nervous smile and greeted the Swellow. His courage, small as it was, seemed to make a good impression—their sharp, watchful eyes softened slightly.

"You all wait here. I'll be back soon."

Rex didn't want to risk any accidents—he was about to fetch a Taillow egg from the nursery, and that was not a place to bring visitors.

"Um, big brother… are you going to get a Taillow egg for Seria?"

Hiro hesitated before speaking up, though he already knew the answer. He'd overheard Rex's conversation with Seria earlier, and though his reason for tagging along had partly been Bagon and Chimchar, it was also because he secretly wanted a Taillow egg too.

Unlike Seria, Hiro's chances of getting one were much slimmer. His parents disliked Pokémon, and even if he brought an egg home, it might be sent right back.

"Yes," Rex answered without pretense. "Seria wanted to buy a Taillow egg, so I'm getting one for her."

"Big brother… could you… maybe sell me one too? I'll pay you when I get home…"

Hiro's voice was full of hope, his chubby face practically glowing with anticipation.

"You kids have way too much money," Rex joked, glancing at Hiro. "I do admire how much you love Pokémon, though. But are you sure your parents will even let you keep one?"

"I… I'll talk to them. I promise I'll work it out!"

Hiro's hesitation vanished as he looked up with determination.

"Alright, I'll give you one too. Just like Seria, you can take it home first. If your parents agree, have them come to the farm to pay for it later."

Rex didn't press further. He smiled gently, having made his decision.

"Really?! Thank you, big brother!!"

Hiro leapt for joy, his excitement nearly bursting out of him.

Rex then made his way alone to the area where the Swellow flock kept their eggs. There were over twenty Taillow eggs at the moment.

He picked out two with the strongest life signs, planning to give them to Hiro and Seria. He liked those two kids—they had genuine hearts.

Whether their families agreed or not was out of his hands. If not, maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

When Rex returned, he walked straight up to Hiro, carrying the eggs.

"Is that one mine, big brother? Can I hold it?"

Hiro pointed excitedly to one of the eggs.

Rex wasn't sure how he chose that one, but he didn't mind. He pulled out two incubators from his pack, placed the eggs inside, and handed Hiro the one he picked.

With the incubator's protection, Rex wasn't worried about the egg being damaged.

(End of Chapter)

TN: Again, I apologize for translating the wrong name. Polteageist is suppose to be Shuckle. I'm vry sorry for misinformation on what I've given in this novel while translating this.