Garchomp followed Kirlia as it glided toward the Pokémon breeding area.
Compared to the breeding zone in Ironblood Fortress, Garchomp could immediately feel that the vitality here was far richer and more vibrant. Life pulsed through the air, thick and gentle, as if every inch of the land was quietly breathing.
"Kir~ lia~"
Kirlia continued chattering with Garchomp as it guided the dragon toward the rocky hill.
"Grrr–roar!"
The Pokémon trailing behind Garchomp were extremely excited.
Back when they had stayed in the breeding zone of the Ironblood Fortress, many of the weaker members of their tribe had been sent back to the Pokémon Domain by Aven in advance, just in case the frontline battle exposed them to danger.
Now at last, they were finally returning home—finally able to reunite with their families and companions. They could hardly wait.
At the base of the rocky hill, the surroundings were covered in soft dunes. A great number of Ground-type Pokémon lived here.
The Trapinch were the picture of comfort, rolling around and frolicking in the sand, digging out one pit after another and piling sand into little mounds.
"GOOON!"
Just then, the Trapinch heard a familiar cry echoing from the sky.
They raised their heads—and instantly saw the fast-approaching silhouette of the Flygon. The moment their eyes registered who it was, they froze mid-movement, and then their expressions erupted into pure joy.
Without a shred of hesitation, the Trapinch all rushed toward the direction Flygon was descending from, tripping over each other as they crowded together, greeting the Flygon in mid-air with excited embraces.
At the same time, one could see, farther across the ground, the massive figures of Onix and Graveler emerging from the distance, charging straight toward the dunes.
As they drew closer to the rocky hill, the sound of metal clashing against metal echoed more and more distinctly.
Garchomp lifted its head and immediately saw two blazing suns suspended in the sky, dispersing the lingering early-spring chill.
"That's the Rhydon squad, they're currently training," Kirlia explained.
"Training!"
Hearing that word, Garchomp's eyes lit up.
One of its biggest reasons for returning to the Pokémon Domain this time was exactly this—to receive training from Lord Aven!
With that thought, its speed instantly increased. It bounded up the hill, quickly arriving at the forge built along the rocky slopes.
Inside, the Rhydons were currently undergoing training. Flames burned over their fists as they used their arms like massive hammers, striking the metal laid out atop the forge's anvil again and again.
"Rhyy~"
The moment they noticed Garchomp approaching, the Rhydons all paused mid-swing.
Their eyes sharpened with alertness as they stared at the unexpected newcomer. From Garchomp's body, they could feel an overwhelming threat—one strong enough to activate their instincts.
They exchanged glances as if receiving the same message, then simultaneously dropped into combat stance. With a heavy stomp, they caused the entire ground to shake violently.
Witnessing this, Garchomp narrowed its eyes. As a land dragon, the horn atop its head possessed the ability to sense vibrations. Even without looking, it could clearly feel the tremors rising from underground.
Moments later, the ground suddenly split apart as a Rhydon with its entire body burning with fire, burst out from beneath the earth, radiating with intense pressure.
Behind it emerged several Onix. The stones composing their long bodies were charred black in many places, covered in marks left behind by extreme heat.
This was Aven's own Rhydon accompanied by a group of Onix currently training with it. They had all been burrowing underground, repeatedly tempering themselves through brutal heat and immense pressure.
"RHHHYYY!!"
As soon as Rhydon appeared, it immediately turned its attention toward the presumed enemy in the distance.
While underground, it had sensed the alarm of its companions and had rushed out without hesitation.
However, upon seeing the familiar Garchomp standing there, Rhydon halted abruptly. Recognition flashed in its eyes.
This was the comrade who had once fought alongside it.
Back during the battle at the frontline fortress, it was Garchomp who had summoned the sandstorm. Together with Rhydon, Nidoking, and Drapion, it had held back three king-level enemies. That memory was seared deeply into Rhydon's mind.
"Garrrr!"
Garchomp burst into a wide grin upon seeing Rhydon.
Power suddenly surged from within its body as strong energy ripples erupted outward. Dragon-type energy gathered along its claws as it lunged toward Rhydon.
Seeing this, Rhydon immediately countered with a flaming Fire Punch empowered by the force of Rock Slide, colliding head-on with Garchomp. The two Pokémon clashed again and again, sending shockwaves rolling through the forge.
Although Rhydon had undergone strict and grueling training recently which had its strength having grown significantly, it was still far from being able to match a king-level Garchomp. Within seconds, it was forced into a disadvantage.
Even so, Rhydon's body, forged through relentless exposure to extreme heat and crushing pressure, was astonishingly durable. Despite taking repeated heavy blows, it remained standing, refusing to buckle.
"Rhyy!?"
The Rhydons watching from afar were completely stunned. It was their first time witnessing their leader being overpowered so directly.
"BOOM!"
After another heavy impact, Rhydon was sent flying.
This time, Garchomp did not pursue. Instead, it stood there grinning broadly.
"RHY!"
Rhydon got back up, cracked its shoulders, and grinned in return.
The two battle-hungry Pokémon were merely greeting each other in their own way—this brief exchange was their shared language, their mutual understanding.
"Kir~ lia!"
At that moment, Kirlia suddenly teleported into the middle of the field.
The moment Garchomp saw Kirlia, its battle intent evaporated instantly. It obediently walked to Kirlia's side.
The Rhydon squad and the other Pokémon in the area also relaxed upon seeing Kirlia. They now understood that Garchomp was not an intruder.
"Rhy!"
Rhydon approached Garchomp, patted its shoulder, and extended an invitation for Garchomp to join their training.
Seeing this, Garchomp agreed happily. It followed Rhydon toward the forge, curiously observing the Pokémon hammering metal.
Before long, the atmosphere shifted into one of cheerful camaraderie. When it came to training, Garchomp and Rhydon had endless topics to bond over. Upon hearing about their regimen of heat-and-pressure tempering, Garchomp immediately expressed interest in trying it.
Soon, under Rhydon's guidance, Garchomp and several Onix burrowed underground together to experience the intense heat and pressure of the deep earth.
"Kir~ lia~"
Kirlia floated gently in mid-air.
Its psychic power spread outward, sensing the conditions of the Ground-type Pokémon across the region.
After reuniting with their kin, everything had settled down peacefully. The Pokémon were quietly examining their new environment, getting familiar with the area where their companions lived.
Satisfied that everything was in order, Kirlia vanished on the spot. In the next instant, it reappeared inside the castle—then teleported again.
After continuously refining its spatial abilities, Kirlia's Teleportation was now powerful enough to cross half of Fairhaven Town in a single jump. With Aven's mental presence as an anchor point, it could appear beside him instantly.
At this moment, Aven was escorting Captain Kevin and the others into the Pokémon battle arena, where an intense match was currently underway.
The two battling Pokémon were only ordinary mid-rank monsters, but under the trainers' direction, the fight was fierce and strategic, immediately captivating the knights' attention.
This kind of Pokémon battle was completely different from the monster gladiator fights they were accustomed to. Within defined rules, trainers coordinated closely with their Pokémon—countering, adapting, and reading the flow of battle. The excitement was overwhelming.
"So, this is the kind of battle that belongs to Pokémon trainers… I didn't expect even the ordinary trainers in the Pokémon Domain to be this skilled," Kevin exclaimed.
Although he had never personally witnessed Aven's own extraordinary battle style, he had heard plenty of tales. Aven had once even commanded Lord Azelf to defeat Darkrai!
But seeing that even regular trainers could battle in such a refined and tactical way genuinely surprised him. His eyes roamed around once more. He could sense that all of this must have been honed through countless battles.
"I've decided," Kevin declared, "During our stay in the Pokémon Domain, the knights will use this battle arena as our primary training method!"
This decision would later greatly increase the number of battles inside the arena, even sparking a trend. The visiting lords began to regard Pokémon battles as their favorite form of recreation.
Compared to magical beast pits, Pokémon battles were far more captivating. This sport—beloved in the future world—was destined to become popular here as well.
Aven, however, did not remain with Kevin and the knights. The moment Kirlia arrived, he silently slipped away from the arena and reappeared inside the castle.
Next, he planned to visit the Ground-type Pokémon. But first, he needed to prepare enough Pokémon food. Since they had only just arrived in the territory, they needed to be properly welcomed.
"Your Highness Aven, we have already prepared all the Pokémon food," Matthew said respectfully.
Matthew had long grown accustomed to his role as a ranger. He managed the safari zone and other breeding zones with admirable efficiency.
One of his most important responsibilities was ensuring that every Pokémon's food supply was stable—and balancing that supply with the Pokémon's labor and activities.
"Good. Then let's head out," Aven nodded.
Hearing that, the rangers behind Matthew lit up with excitement. They had been eager to visit the Ground-type Pokémon for quite a while now.
(End of Chapter)
TN: I tried posting the Legendary Trainer who Farms but it got blocked. I don't know why since there is one here already, maybe because I updated 50 at once idk but the novel is pretty good that it seems a waste not to be read. Anyway I'll try again this week or next week.
Also I just finished this novel yesterday on my patreon for those interested.