Pokemon: A New Path

Naoki accepted Steven’s generous gift with gratitude.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any Pokémon on the ranch that could make use of the Mega Stone. While there was a Mareep residing near the World Tree, it would be quite a while before it could evolve into an Ampharos.

Moreover, even if there were a suitable Pokémon, the Mega Stone alone wouldn’t be enough to trigger Mega Evolution. The Trainer also needed to possess a Key Stone, and Naoki didn’t have one. On top of that, the Mareep at the World Tree wasn’t officially his Pokémon; it was more of a friendly neighbor than a team member.

For now, the Mega Stone would serve as a beautiful piece of Naoki’s growing stone collection—or perhaps it could be used in the future to trade with another Trainer once Mega Evolution became more widely understood.

“…”

Despite its potential, the immediate lack of a suitable Pokémon left Naoki feeling a little wistful. If only his Dragonite, Koraidon, or Pawmot had corresponding Mega Stones of their own. It was a fun thought, but alas, no such stones existed.

Oh well. If Steven was thoughtful enough to bring him a special stone, Naoki figured he should give him something from the ranch in return.

“By the way,” Naoki asked, “how’s Metagross doing?”

He recalled that Steven’s Metagross had faced Groudon and Kyogre at the same time—a feat that would test any Pokémon’s endurance.

Steven looked a bit surprised by the question, but answered promptly. “That battle took quite a toll on Metagross, but thanks to prompt medical attention, it’s fully recovered now.”

“I see!” Naoki stood and retrieved a small package from his storage. Setting it on the table, he gestured toward it.

“What’s this?” Steven asked, puzzled.

Naoki explained, “This is one of my ranch’s specialties. We call it ‘Life Goat Milk.’ It’s remarkable for instantly restoring a severely injured Pokémon’s health. No matter how serious the condition, this will help. Since you’re a Trainer and your Pokémon battle often, I thought it might come in handy.”

Steven blinked, taken aback. “Is that so?”

Naoki didn’t elaborate further, simply smiling. “Take it. It may come in useful someday.”

Faced with such a kind offer, Steven couldn’t refuse. He accepted the Life Goat Milk with gratitude.

Although Steven didn’t stay long—other matters in Hoenn still required his attention. He left the ranch with the package in hand, touched by Naoki’s thoughtful gesture.

As Steven’s private plane took off, Naoki stood by, quietly pondering the two suitcases of cash he’d received.

“Well,” he muttered, “President Stone’s generosity is certainly… direct.”

...

Aboard the private jet, Steven couldn’t resist opening the package. Inside was a jar adorned with an illustration of a playful Gogoat, accompanied by the name: “Life Goat Milk.”

“Life Goat Milk,” Steven murmured to himself. He felt like he’d heard the name before.

Curious, he pulled out his Rotom Phone and did a quick search. Instantly, a flood of results appeared.

[Shocking! A 70-year-old man drank Life Goat Milk and…]

[Unbelievable! The miraculous effects of Life Goat Milk rival in-game revival potions!]

[A must-have! Life Goat Milk saved my Pokémon in the wild when I couldn’t reach a Pokémon Center!]

As he scrolled further, Steven found an interview video featuring someone he recognized.

A tall man with fiery red hair and a casual demeanor appeared on the screen: Alder, the Champion of the Unova region.

Steven blinked in surprise. What connection did Alder have to this miraculous milk?

He tapped on the video to play it.

A reporter appeared, excitedly interviewing Alder.

[Reporter: Mr. Alder, this is incredible! Your Volcarona looks as vibrant as ever! I understand it had been struggling with internal injury. How did you manage to heal it so completely?]

[Alder: Haha, it’s all thanks to the Life Goat Milk from Naoki Ranch. Volcarona was in critical condition, but once it had the milk, it made a full recovery.]

[Female Reporter: Life Goat Milk from Naoki Ranch? Wow! That sounds like it works wonders!]

[Alder: You bet! If you want to try Naoki Ranch’s special life goat milk, just head to his online store and place an order!]

Steven: “…”

What's with this strong advertising style?

Steven had heard rumors about Alder’s Volcarona before. It was said to have been gravely injured, beyond what modern Pokémon medicine could heal. And yet now, not only had it returned to its full strength, but it had also achieved an unprecedented breakthrough.

Pondering this, Steven turned his attention to the jar of Life Goat Milk sitting in front of him. A newfound appreciation flickered in his eyes. He suddenly realized just how valuable this milk really was.

Curious, Steven opened his online shopping app and searched for Naoki Ranch’s store. When he found it, he saw that the Life Goat Milk was completely sold out.

“Is it really so popular they have to limit how much people can buy?” Steven muttered, raising a brow.  

He tried placing an order anyway, but a notice popped up: the store didn’t support delivery to his region.  

Steven: “…”

Just as he was about to give up, the page refreshed, and to his surprise, the Hoenn region now appeared as a valid delivery option.

Steven blinked. “What’s this…?”

At the same time, an announcement appeared on Naoki Ranch’s store page:  

[Naoki Ranch Shop: Good afternoon, dear customers! Starting today, we are lifting the delivery restrictions for the Hoenn region! You can now place your orders!]  

The announcement sparked a flurry of discussion online.  

Netizens from other regions quickly noticed something else: Dragonite Express, the shop’s delivery service, had suddenly opened up routes to Hoenn.  

What could this mean? Discrimination, plain and simple!  

Frustrated customers flocked to the store’s message board, urging the owner to open delivery routes to their regions too. They wanted to enjoy the convenience of Dragonite Express as well.  

But the store owner’s response was clear:  

[Dear customers, we apologize for the inconvenience. For the safety of our delivery Dragonite, we are currently unable to provide shipping to other regions.]  

The response caused an immediate stir. Some sharp-eyed netizens pointed out the underlying reason: the store only began offering deliveries to Hoenn after the local criminal organizations had been eradicated.  

Naturally, this left people from other regions feeling slighted. “There are no villains in our area! Why can’t we get deliveries too?”  

But netizens from regions like Kanto and Johto knew better. They quickly fell silent.  

The members of that organization particularly like to steal or rob Pokémon from traveling trainers, especially rare Pokémon that are rarely seen in normal times.

With that in mind, the Kanto and Johto netizens wisely decided to keep their complaints to themselves.

...

You can also support me on patreon and can read upto 60 chapters ahead @/Keepsmiling818