Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

After making an unexpected discovery, Rex decided to abandon digging on his own and instead focused on searching through the rock fragments discarded by the Aron.

The Aron showed no resistance to Rex's actions. They simply ignored him and continued mining. To them, rare minerals were the priority. As long as Rex didn't compete for those minerals, they had no interest in the other discarded materials.

Rex's unusual behavior soon caught Mai's attention. When she inquired about it, Rex openly shared his plan.

The two agreed that they should occasionally sift through the piles of discarded rock fragments left by the Aron. They speculated that there might be a chance to find a Mega Stone among the debris.

After all, compared to their own inefficient digging efforts, taking advantage of the Aron's labor was far more rewarding. It saved them energy and greatly increased their productivity.

Surprisingly, the discarded fragments contained some valuable finds. Although there were no rare minerals, they found several Evolution Stones, a pile of Star Pieces, and even a Fire Gem.

While they didn't discover the Mega Stone they desperately wanted, the fact that these items were essentially free made them quite happy.

Of course, the Aron were equally pleased. Rex noticed that the appearance of their outer shells had improved, indicating that they had gained significant benefits from their mining efforts.

One Aron even began showing signs of evolution. If it successfully evolved into Lairon, it would undoubtedly become the leader of the Aron group.

Rex had observed that this group of Aron lacked a true leader. They simply lived together instinctively because none of them had the ability to dominate the others.

However, once the first Lairon appeared, the dynamic would change. Unless there was an exceptionally gifted Aron among them, it would be rare for any Aron to surpass its evolved form.

"Rex, should we head to the last marked location? There's not much time left."

Although scavenging from the Aron had been fun and rewarding, Mai felt regretful that they hadn't found a Mega Stone.

It had been over 20 days since they entered Meteor Falls. If they didn't move to the last marked location soon, their underground adventure would have to end.

Despite Rex already finding a Mega Stone, Mai still held onto the hope of obtaining one for herself.

This location had yielded many treasures, but there was no sign of a Mega Stone.

Mai pinned her hopes on the final marked spot, believing it was her last chance to make the month-long underground exploration worthwhile.

Even though Mai tried not to show it, she had privately considered quitting the expedition several times.

The dark, miner-like lifestyle had pushed her mental endurance to its limit. If not for the allure of a Mega Stone and the occasional discoveries that boosted her morale, she might have already given up.

"Alright, we'll head to the last marked spot tomorrow morning."

Rex, too, was weary of this lifestyle, though his mental resilience kept him from breaking down.

He could sense the fatigue in Mai's eyes, so he quickly agreed to her suggestion.

The next morning, Rex and Mai packed up their campsite early. However, before leaving, they offered some rare minerals to the Aron as thanks for their assistance.

While the Aron might have considered the items Rex and Mai collected as worthless, those same items held significant value for the two humans. It was only fair to show their gratitude.

The Aron wasted no time forming a circle around the pile of rare minerals and happily devouring them.

Just as Rex and Mai were about to leave, the Aron showing signs of evolution suddenly emitted a bright white light.

The light was dazzling in the dim cave, forcing Rex and Mai to shield their eyes. When the light faded, they saw the newly evolved Lairon.

The Lairon stood before them, its rhino-like body covered in steel armor. Its deep gray skin and sky-blue eyes gleamed.

Steel plates with ridges adorned its back, each plate featuring circular holes. Its lower jaw sported flat protrusions, and its sharp teeth protruded from its mouth.

The Lairon, now the leader of its group, approached Rex and Mai, carrying its discarded shell from evolution. It gently placed the shell in front of them as a gift.

Although the shell held value for the Lairon, as it could consume it for additional nutrients and stabilization, it chose to give it to Rex and Mai as a token of gratitude.

Exchanging glances, Rex accepted the heavy gift and placed it in his backpack. Though the shell wasn't particularly valuable to them, they didn't want to reject the Lairon's kind gesture.

With the Lairon and Aron watching, Rex and Mai departed from the marked location and headed toward the final destination.

The last marked spot was located in the northwest corner of the cave's deepest layer—essentially the heart of this underground world.

Rex had high hopes for this location. He speculated that fewer trainers would have explored such a remote area, increasing the likelihood of valuable treasures.

Whether his assumption was correct remained to be seen. For now, their priority was reaching the site as quickly as possible.

(End of Chapter)