Seeing that the mission rewards had arrived, Yuuto no longer paid any attention to the Samurai Youth.
Let him cry. Let him wail.
He turned around directly, naturally taking Delia's hand in his left and Misty's in his right. Both girls had been watching the scene—Delia with a gentle smile, Misty still fuming.
"Let's go. This place is bad luck."
"Mhm!"
The two girls nodded obediently and followed him out of the woods without looking back.
As for whether that chubby kid would actually turn over a new leaf later? That was none of Yuuto's business. He had delivered the beating and the "education" the boy needed; he had done more than enough. If the kid still refused to change, there would naturally be other "kind-hearted people" or "righteous Trainers" in the future who would use their fists or their Pokémon to help him understand the world better.
Respect his fate.
Bless his choices.
Anyway, it wasn't his own kid, so Yuuto couldn't be bothered to waste another second on him.
Moving away from the unlucky spot where the Samurai Youth was still sobbing, the air in the forest immediately felt much fresher. Delia's and Misty's moods clearly brightened.
"That idiot… at the end he cried so hard his snot started bubbling, haha!"
"And he calls himself a samurai… he's more honest than anyone when he's getting beaten up."
Misty kept complaining, still worked up.
The three of them talked and laughed as they traveled along the path through Viridian Forest for most of the day. The sun gradually sank westward, and the light filtering through the trees grew dim.
"That's about enough. Let's stop here for today."
Yuuto checked the sky and chose a relatively flat, open clearing near a stream.
"We'll camp here."
"Got it!"
Delia and Misty answered cheerfully and immediately began pulling tent components from their backpacks. After traveling with Yuuto for some time, their tent-pitching skills had become quite proficient.
Yuuto wasn't idle either. He first helped the girls secure the main supports of the tents, then cleared a space in the center of the clearing. He gathered a few stones to build a simple fire pit, preparing for cooking later.
Once the basic tasks were done, he walked over to a slightly quieter large tree and sat down against its trunk.
He sank his mind into the system space.
[Super Flight Berry × 2]
Two berries. He needed to plan their use carefully.
One was already reserved for the future Butterfree. That decision had been made long ago.
Caterpie → Metapod → Butterfree.
The final evolution was a dual Bug- and Flying-type, which perfectly met the berry's usage conditions.
The other one… His gaze shifted to the familiar Poké Ball at his waist.
Without much hesitation, he decided to give it to Pidgeotto.
In the current team, the consistent Flying-type battler was Pidgeotto. It would be the absolute main aerial force going forward and a core combat asset. It had shown impressive aptitude and comprehension ever since it was a Pidgey, and its calm, efficient performance against Heracross earlier had only confirmed its potential. Investing in it right now offered the highest return.
As for whether he would capture other Flying-types later? He would cross that bridge when he came to it. Good things should be used where they could improve strength most effectively in the present.
Decision made, Yuuto stopped hesitating and released Pidgeotto.
The bird emerged full of energy. The "battle" earlier today had barely counted as a warm-up; at most, it had stretched its muscles. Still, its appetite was excellent as always.
Seeing the fruit in Yuuto's hand, Pidgeotto knew immediately it was feeding time. The master was treating it again.
"Eat up. This one's for you."
Yuuto held the Super Flight Berry up to its beak.
Pidgeotto didn't hesitate. It opened wide, snatched the fruit, tilted its head back, and swallowed it in one clean gulp.
The whole process was quick and decisive.
Once the berry was down, Pidgeotto smacked its beak and tilted its head at Yuuto, clearly asking for more. Its eyes were bright and expectant:
*The taste is good. Is there more? I don't… feel quite full yet?*
Yuuto couldn't help laughing at the expression.
"Maybe I should rename you Snorlax-otto."
Even as he teased, his hands were already pulling out the high-grade Pokémon food he kept on hand. He poured a generous handful onto a clean, broad leaf.
"Here, eat your fill."
"Pidge~!"
Pidgeotto gave a cheerful cry and lowered its head, pecking rapidly at the nutrient-rich pellets.
It ate quickly.
At first, Yuuto watched with a fond smile.
But soon, that smile froze.
Something was wrong.
Was he imagining it?
Why did it feel like… Pidgeotto's size was increasing?
Not the slow, natural growth of leveling up.
No—this was visible to the naked eye, like a balloon being steadily inflated!
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