At five in the evening, Zack arrived at the ran his trusty truck, right on schedule.

  Naoki, with the help of Koraidon and Cyclizar, was just finishing pnting the st fruit tree sapling. As he watered it, Zack's booming voice came from behind him.

  "You did all of this?! Wasn't that a bit too fast? It's beehan a day!" Zack excimed, his eyes wide with astonishment as he took iransformed ranch.

  The once-rown fields were now cleared aiculously ahe soil moist from ret watering.

  Naoki turned around, a smile pying on his lips. "This is all thanks to them," he said, gesturing towards Koraidon and Cyclizar.

  Zack's jaw dropped as he noticed the sed Pokémon standing beside Naoki. It was a creature he had never seen before: tall, muscur, with powerful limbs and a thick tail.

  "What in Arceus' name is that?!" Zack excimed.

  As a seasoruck driver who had traveled extensively across the region, Zack had entered tless Pokémon. He was familiar with every species native to Paldea. He wasn't a Pokémon trainer, but he often enjoyed battling trainers he met on his routes, especially those who had graduated from the prestigious Naranja Academy.

  But this Pokémon... it was pletely fn to him.

  Naoki wasn't surprised by Zack's rea. After all, besides Professor Olim, no one else had ever entered Koraidon.

  After a moment's sideration, Naoki decided not to reveal Koraidon's true identity. "I'm not sure where it came from," he said holy. "It showed up at the ranch st night with some injuries. Cyclizar and I helped it, and it seems to have decided to stay and help out iurn."

  "I see," Zack murmured, nodding. He observed Koraidon's demeanor and added, "It seems quite fond of you. You must be destio meet."

  Satisfied with the expnation, Zack turned his attention to the shipping tainer. "Did you find any bck truffles today?" he asked, hoping to tiheir profitable partnership.

  "No truffles today," Naoki replied, "but I did cate fish."

  He stepped uhe eaves, retrieved the bucket brimming with fish, and prese to Zack.

  Zack squatted down, peering into the bucket. His eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa! So many?!"

  For a beginner rahis guy's fishing skills were impressive.

  "Let's see..." Zack released his Pokémon, a trusty keldurr, and instructed it t ss fish tank from the truck.

  "Bass, Carp, Whiscash, Finneon... Wow! There are even two Rainbow trout! Those are rare and hard to catch! You're quite the angler, aren't you?" Zack excimed, his admiration evident. He stood up and gave Naoki a thumbs-up. "Fantastic haul!"

  Naoki responded with a modest smile, slightly embarrassed by the praise.

  Zack pulled out his ledger and began to tally up the catch.

  "A Bass is 300 Pokédolrs, a Carp is 120... a Rainbow trout is 1,200. Hmm, the total es to 3,680 Pokédolrs."

  After finishing his calcutions, Zack put away his ledger, took out his wallet, and handed Naoki the payment. "Excellent work! I hope we tihis successful partnership."

  As Naoki accepted the money, he thought to himself, It seems that fishing is a reliable source of ine in the early stages, no matter what world you're in.

  Zack turo leave, his stop being other ranches and farms to collect their goods for delivery to the Mesagoza Market and surrounding towns. But then, he paused, as if remembering something important.

  He turned back to Naoki and asked, "By the way, have you thought of a name for this ranch?"

  Name?

  Naoki was caught off guard.

  Zack grinned. "A good name bee the ranch's signature, you know. It'll help more people hear about it! The town also holds a harvest festival each year where all the nearby ranches pete to see who grows the best crops. The winner receives a mysterious grand prize from the town!"

  Naoki uood. He hadn't yet settled on a name for the ranch, but he was always decisive. After a few seds of ption, he decred, "Let's call it Naoki Ranch!"

  It was simple, straightforward, and memorable.

  "Named after yourself? I like it! Naoki Ranch it is!" Zack beamed. "I look forward to the day this name is known throughout all of Paldea!"

  Naoki chuckled, a warm feeling spreading through him. After Zack left, Naoki turned back to survey the newly anized farmnd.

  Upourning from the back mountain, he had noticed the soil had settled, so he and his Pokémon panions quickly pnted all the crop seeds he had purchased.

  There were various types of seeds, and Naoki, being a stickler for order, had divided the field into ses based on the crop type: potatoes, turnips, radishes, spring wheat, strawberries, cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

  Additionally, he had bought several fruit tree saplings: Oran Berries, Pecha Berries, Cheri Berries, and Leppa Berries. These were pnted in a separate area, designated as a dedicated orchard.

  on berries in this world fetched low prices. For instance, Oran Berries only sold for 20 Pokédolrs eaaoki didn't io make money from them. Instead, he po use them to create snacks like berry cakes, berry yogurt, and berry pies for Cyclizar and Koraidon.

  After hours of bor, Naoki was exhausted, but a sense of aplishment filled him as he looked over the ly arranged fields.

  "We pnted quite a lot for our first time," he remarked, worried he might mix up the different crops. After a moment's thought, he decided to make some wooden signs to bel each se, ensuring he could easily identify them.

  He remembered seeing a saw in the back shed, but it was getting te. He would make the signs tomorrow.

  Naoki stretched his sore muscles and kicked off his mud-caked boots, rinsing his face at the outdoor faucet. As he turned, he noticed Koraidon and Cyclizar, both covered in dirt from head to tail.

  He sighed good-naturedly. "Stay still, I'll hose you down!"

  The two Pokémon obediently stood in pce as Naoki sprayed them with the hose, washing away the grime. Once , they both shook themselves simultaneously, sending a shower of water droplets over Naoki.

  He couldn't help but chuckle. They reminded him of pyful dogs, shaking off after a bath.

  With this amusing thought, he returo the house, grabbed a towel, and dried off Koraidon and Cyclizar before ushering them inside.

  Naoki meticulously swept and mopped the wooden floors until they gleamed, ensuring no trace of dirt remained. From now on, he would be sure to ge his shoes before entering the house.

  By this time, it was already evening. Koraidon and Cyclizar sprawled zily on the floor, Cyclizar yawning sleepily. Koraidon g its past self with a hint of amusement.

  The house was bathed in warm light as Naoki, fy slippers, stood at the stove, preparing dinner. He wao try a new recipe, but the day's bor had left him drained. He decided to keep it simple, quickly frying up a steak and assembling sandwiches with toast, lettuce, and ham.

  "Diime!" he announced, setting the ptes in front of the two Pokémohen grabbed his own sandwid settled at the desk, pen in hand, to plete the rest of his ating for the day.

  Spring, Year 198, Day 6

  Ine: Fish +3,680

  Expenses: 0

  Remaining Funds: 32,490

  After updating the ledger and finishing his meal, Naoki flopped onto the bed with a tented sigh.

  Sleep.