Chapter 77: The Uprising

"These are three Pidgey."

Maki handed three Poké Balls to Nurse Joy at the Orange City Pokémon Center.

"Understood. The corresponding BP points will be credited to your account after verification. Please be patient."

Nurse Joy accepted the Poké Balls with a smile. Since the BP points would vary depending on the condition of the Pokémon, some time was needed for confirmation.

After completing his identity verification, Maki was about to head to his room to store his belongings when Nurse Joy called out to him again.

"Excuse me, are you a visiting Trainer?"

With Maki's distinctive and memorable appearance, Nurse Joy was certain she would remember him if they had met before, which prompted her question.

Maki paused momentarily before turning back. "Yes, is there something you need?"

"Oh, nothing urgent. Just a reminder—it's best to avoid the mountains behind Orange City for now, as there may be some danger."

"Huh? What happened?"

Maki asked curiously. The mountainous area behind Orange City was well-known for its abundant Fire Stones and Thunder Stones. An issue arising in such an important location was unexpected.

"Recently, there have been multiple instances of wild Pokémon outbreaks in the mountains. Unless absolutely necessary, I advise against heading there."

Since Nurse Joy didn't seem inclined to elaborate further, Maki decided not to press the matter.

Although the mining operations in the area were linked to Team Rocket, all related business dealings were officially handled by Silph Co. Team Rocket had no direct involvement.

Maki trusted Silph Co.'s operations and doubted any major issues would arise—especially since the majority of the Evolution Stones mined there ultimately belonged to the Pokémon League. There was no need for him to be concerned.

"Pokémon outbreak?"

Maki pondered for a moment, suspecting the issue was related to Evolution Stone mining.

After all, a location rich in Fire Stones and Thunder Stones would naturally attract large numbers of Fire-type and Electric-type Pokémon to settle there.

However, resource extraction inevitably disrupted Pokémon habitats. Most Pokémon uprisings occurred due to dissatisfaction with human activities in their territories.

Still, Maki figured the League had encountered such situations many times before. It was only a matter of time before things were brought under control.

"Too bad this place doesn't produce Sun Stones. Otherwise, I could try finding a high-quality one here."

Maki smiled as he spoke to the Cottonee floating beside him. Sun Stones were necessary for Cottonee to evolve into Whimsicott. While he didn't need one immediately, having a spare wouldn't hurt.

"Cotton?"

"Speaking of which, once you evolve, you'll grow arms and legs, right? That should make things a lot more convenient."

"Cotton!"

Cottonee eagerly nodded. She had already seen pictures of Whimsicott in Maki's possession. If there was anything she was most excited about, it was gaining limbs after evolution…

After all, lacking hands made many tasks inconvenient. She often envied Charmander for being able to hold and eat Pokéblocks with ease.

However, Maki wasn't in a rush to obtain an Evolution Stone. If needed, he could simply ask Giovanni to send him one—ensuring top-tier quality.

After storing his backpack and other belongings in his room, Maki headed to the department store again.

Due to making a large batch of Pokéblocks previously, he still had plenty left for Dragonite. However, his supplies for Charmander and Cottonee were running low.

This trip to Orange City was a perfect opportunity to restock.

"I'm sorry, but the berries you requested are currently out of stock. It may take a few more days before new stock arrives."

"Out of stock?"

Maki was momentarily surprised. Unlike Pokéblocks, berries weren't particularly rare. Why would they be unavailable?

Noticing his confusion, the store clerk sighed and explained, "You're not from around here, are you?"

"Nope."

Maki sighed as well. This was the second time today someone had asked him that.

"Then you might not be familiar with Orange City's situation. The soil here isn't well-suited for berry cultivation. Even if berries were planted, the returns would likely be unprofitable. As a result, most of our berries are imported. Since demand is relatively low, each shipment is kept small."

The explanation made sense. Not everyone made their own Pokéblocks—most Trainers simply purchased them pre-made.

In regions where berries naturally grew in abundance, it wasn't an issue. However, in a place like Valencia Island, there wouldn't be much of a stockpile. Storing too many would also risk spoilage.

"Could the shortage have something to do with the mountain situation?"

Maki recalled Nurse Joy's warning and made the connection.

"Oh, so you already know!"

The clerk looked surprised.

"Nurse Joy mentioned something about a Pokémon outbreak, but that's all I know."

"That's exactly it." The clerk shrugged helplessly. "Wild Pokémon in that area have been getting aggressive, and the supply trucks carrying berries happen to pass through there. Avoiding the route would require taking a much longer detour."

"Is there anywhere else in Orange City where I can buy berries?"

Having understood the situation, Maki asked if there were any alternatives.

"That, I'm not sure. But most places are probably out of stock. However, while berries are unavailable, Pokéblocks are still in full supply. If you need, you can just buy those."

Since berries were primarily used to make Pokéblocks, the clerk suggested them as an alternative.

"No thanks, but I appreciate it."

After thanking the clerk, Maki left the department store and checked several other shops nearby. Unfortunately, the situation was the same. Even when he found some berries, they were either unsuitable for his needs—or outrageously overpriced!

Fortunately, according to the department store clerk, a new shipment would arrive in a few days. Maki's current stock could last until then.

If necessary, he could buy regular Pokéblocks as a temporary solution, though he wasn't sure if Charmander and Cottonee would like them.

"What is the Pokémon League even doing?"

After running around fruitlessly, Maki felt somewhat frustrated.

Something about this situation seemed off. The strange part was—wasn't the outbreak affecting too large an area?

With that thought in mind, Maki returned to his Pokémon Center room. He opened his backpack and took out a special device.

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