Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rex!" Mai apologized, feeling a bit sheepish.

They'd spent quite some time taming the Umbreon, which made her feel a bit guilty.

"Mai, you're being way too polite. We're a team now, so we're in this together," Rex replied, sitting comfortably on a large rock. He didn't seem rushed at all and watched with interest as Mai and Umbreon interacted.

"Alright then, let's keep going. We should find a good spot to set up camp," Mai said, sensing Rex truly didn't mind.

As they ventured deeper, the duo encountered increasingly powerful Pokémon: Lunatone, Solrock, Dusclops, and even a Dragon-type Shelgon. Though Shelgon is often mocked as a "disgrace to Dragon-types" by players in the games, it's no weakling here in the real world, standing out as a top predator in this area.

Neither Mai nor Rex intended to catch it—they're both drawn to Pokémon with appealing appearances, and Shelgon's looks just didn't meet their criteria. Ultimately, Rex dispatched his Combusken to face it in battle.

Compared to the Geodude horde they had encountered earlier, Shelgon was definitely stronger. Combusken only managed to beat it after using its speed to gain an edge. The intense battle fueled Combusken's fighting spirit, and it relished the evenly matched fight, especially since it gained some strength afterward.

However, Combusken sustained considerable damage due to Shelgon's Overcoat ability. Thankfully, a nearby Victreebe; was able to heal it, helping it recover quickly.

After some exploration, they finally found a great camping spot.

The entrance to Meteor Falls is at the mountainside, with the entire cave system winding within the mountain. Rex and Mai's current location was actually beneath the mountain's belly.

The mountain's interior is crisscrossed with waterways, and their chosen campsite was near an underground lake. This lake, while not very large, had a swift current, indicating it's part of a flowing water source, meaning they wouldn't need to worry about their water supply.

Although underground, it wasn't dark here; in fact, the area had a soft glow, which was why they found it suitable for camping. They preferred to be in places with light.

This was due to the glowing algae growing along the lake and on the cliffs around them. While each algae plant emitted only faint light, together they illuminated the area well enough to restore a semblance of daylight.

The underground lake was teeming with Water-type Pokémon. Within moments of lingering by the lake, Rex spotted Magikarp, Barboach, and Goldeen. Whether rarer Pokémon might be lurking below would be for him to discover.

After picking a camping spot, Rex and Mai set up their tents.

Once the camp was set, Rex started a fire and fetched some water from the lake, ready to prepare their dinner. Mai had packed some instant meals, but after tasting Rex's cooking, she had little desire to eat them and planned to save them for when they ran out of fresh ingredients.

Soon, Rex served up a hearty stew. Though the ingredients were a bit of a mix, the aroma was enticing. Mai's stomach growled at the smell, and she blushed, but Rex pretended not to notice and simply handed her a bowl of stew with a smile.

They'd only had some noodle soup for lunch, so after a long afternoon hike, they were both starving. Rex was too hungry himself to tease her about it.

After a satisfying dinner, they started planning tomorrow's route.

Reviewing the map, Rex realized they were close to a spot marked as a possible Mega Stone location. They planned to explore that area the next day.

Of course, Rex didn't fully trust Professor Birch's map. Any marked locations were likely already explored, and the chances of finding something valuable there were slim. Still, these spots provided some direction, and he could also explore nearby areas for hidden treasures.

They didn't stay up too late. In the underground, where there's no natural day or night, Mai soon began yawning and headed to her tent to sleep.

Spending the afternoon focused on underground exploration had left Mai, who wasn't as physically resilient, feeling exhausted.

Rex, however, wasn't tired yet and still needed to complete his All Star Fitness training exercises—a daily goal he set for himself whenever conditions allowed.

Soon, he began assuming poses that defied normal human flexibility, accompanied by rhythmic breathing.

The breathing techniques are crucial in All Star Fitness training. When the movements are paired with precise breathing, the practice effectively builds physical strength.

Gallade, guarding Mai's tent, was intrigued by Rex's routine. It wondered why Rex would make such strange poses.

As a Fighting-type Pokémon, Gallade could tell how challenging these moves were for a human. If its Trainer, Mai, attempted them, she'd likely struggle with even the simplest position.

Bound by its duty to protect its Trainer, Gallade didn't interfere. However, while it kept an eye on the surroundings, a bit of its attention remained on Rex.

By now, Rex had been training for an hour and a half. His muscles had fully seized up, but he pushed on thanks to his "Life Energy" ability—without it, he wouldn't dare push his body so hard.

Drenched in sweat, Rex looked exhausted. A small pool of sweat had even formed beneath him, a testament to his intense effort.

Parched and exhausted, he slowly crawled back to his tent in an awkward pose, earning Gallade's admiration. It respected Rex's dedication to training.

For Gallade, a Fighting-type Pokémon, blood and sweat symbolize true effort.

Once inside the tent, Rex used his power to heal himself. With Gallade nearby, he couldn't openly use his abilities outside, but the tent offered some privacy. Even if Gallade sensed the Life Energy, it would simply assume another Pokémon had helped Rex recover.

Feeling revitalized, Rex clenched his fists, sensing his strength had grown just a bit more.

Every time he finished this training, the immediate results motivated him to endure the pain and continue training in All Star Fitness daily. (End of Chapter)