After a simple investigation of the surroundings, Cain discovered that apart from the high level and complex variety of Pokémon in the area, there wasn't much difference between this place and the forest where he had trained before.
After all, the ecological chain here had already stabilized.
Fortunately, he found a relatively safe meadow.
Although there was no shelter from the wind or rain and nowhere to hide, at least the area was secure.
Cain chose an elevated spot where there weren't too many wild Pokémon and decided to spend the night there.
He took out a tent from his backpack along with some basic outdoor survival equipment. Since it was the first day on Mythical Island, he decided not to light a fire, as the environment wasn't completely safe.
This time, Cain had purchased a sturdier tent with a special camouflage pattern that allowed it to change colors based on its surroundings. For example, in the meadow, the tent's light green color blended well with the nighttime environment.
He then scattered some powders around the tent to repel insects and ward off certain weaker Pokémon. This would help keep bugs and low-level Pokémon away, though the effect was limited to that.
After distributing food and Pokéblocks to his Pokémon, he also released his five small companions.
For this expedition, Cain had brought all his Pokémon along—not because he needed their help in battle, but so he could train them better while they stayed by his side.
Sometimes, Cain thought about the possibility of finding a truly reliable Pokémon trainer to serve as his support. They wouldn't need to do much, just help Cain take care of the Pokémon he wasn't actively carrying.
After all, he now had over a dozen Pokémon. If he captured some high-level wild ones, he'd have even more Pokéballs to manage.
For now, Cain could handle the five from the veteran group and the five from the rookie group, making a total of ten Pokémon. But he wouldn't always limit himself to these.
For instance, he had recently captured Floette, a support Pokémon that improved his team's survival capabilities in the field. Should he train her as well? If so, to what level?
Primary battle Pokémon, like Honchkrow, definitely required his direct attention. But what about secondary ones, like Tropius or Gyarados—how should he handle them? After spending so much time together, he wasn't just going to release them, right?
Gyarados, after living comfortably with Cain, probably wouldn't want to leave either.
So, while keeping it long-term wasn't a problem, Cain still felt he should train it a bit.
Thus, the need to find someone who could take care of these minor tasks was becoming increasingly apparent.
After dinner, all the Pokémon ate their usual Pokéblocks. Eating them once or twice didn't make much difference, but long-term consumption significantly boosted their development.
However, Cain now had two Pokémon with enormous appetites, and Pokéblocks alone wouldn't suffice.
Those two were Aron and Larvitar.
Fortunately, Cain had purchased a large quantity of valuable minerals from Steven, which should be enough to feed both for a while.
He watched as Aron and Larvitar sat together, eating rocks larger than themselves, crunching loudly with each bite.
Even though the rocks were extremely hard, Cain had tried using his psychic abilities to leave a mark on them but couldn't. Yet Aron and Larvitar devoured them like cookies, savoring every bite.
Torchic, curious, watched them eat so happily. Cautiously, it approached and pecked at one of the rocks Larvitar was eating.
The result was clear: Torchic immediately began to cry.
Meanwhile, Larvitar ate even more contentedly. At first, it was worried someone might steal its food, but seeing that only Aron and it could enjoy these rocks, it felt more at ease.
Midway through its meal, Larvitar held its rock with one hand to keep it from falling and used the other to touch the small red backpack on its back, ensuring it still carried the Fragment of Groudon's armor.
Only after confirming it was still there did it continue eating in peace.
After finishing their massive rocks, neither Aron nor Larvitar showed any change in size.
It was as if they had steel mouths and diamond stomachs.
These stones, which came from Steven's collection and were quite valuable, would run out in two months at this rate.
And as the Pokémon grew and required more food, the consumption would accelerate even further.
This is why raising a pseudo-legendary Pokémon was so challenging.
Take Larvitar, for example—it already required massive amounts of energy and nutrients daily, and it wasn't something simple Pokéblocks could solve; it needed high-quality food.
However, not everyone could afford to train a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
After dinner, it was time for daily training.
Even Floette, who had just been captured, had to participate.
During dinner, Floette had also enjoyed some delicious Pokéblocks, though due to its small size, it didn't eat much.
While it didn't need as much food as Larvitar and Aron, that didn't mean it had less energy.
Floette's training involved continuously using the move Grassy Terrain.
Cain had noticed that while Floette was already very skilled at using support moves (surpassing his expectations), she still hadn't reached her full potential.
The move Grassy Terrain, in particular, was not yet fully mastered.
If it could master this move soon, Cain would have fewer worries about his team's safety.
A Pokémon that acts as a walking healer would be even better than a portable Pokémon Center.
Of course, this only worked for healing superficial wounds and relieving fatigue, but Floette could handle that without issue.
(End of Chapter)