Naoki immediately called over the Dragonair who had not yet returonite Isnd and served them generous portions of the Paldea seafood rice he had prepared.

  The Dragonair's eyes sparkled as they took in the aromatic dish brimming with the essence of the sea. They curiously leaned forward, sniffing the delectable aroma with their rge snouts, before happily pig up a shrimp and sav it.

  "Drra!" (Delicious!)

  At a nearby table, Koraidon and Dragonite also began enjoying their portions of the vibrant seafood dish. The pael, filled with rich fvors and the happiness of shared meals, was a feast not only for the pate but for the eyes.

  Dragonite, particurly ented by the dish, eagerly picked up its pte and began dev the ri rge, hearty bites, leaving the pte spotless. The rest of the Pokémon joined in the meal, eating with equal enthusiasm.

  Watg the joyful se, Naoki smiled warmly. This, he thought, was the true purpose of cooking: bringing happio those around him.

  Turning his attention to the Dragonair, Naoki crouched to their level and said with a knowing smile, "Tomorrow m, I'll take you all to a special pce for some interaining."

  "Drra?" The Dragonair tilted their heads, their curiosity piqued.

  Naoki chuckled, deliberately leaving them in suspense. "You'll see whe there."

  The m, after Calyrex nurture the World Tree, Naoki got to work preparing more Paldea seafood rice for the day's training session. Though the dish greatly enhahe effectiveness of special training in the sea, its effects only sted three hours. To ehe Dragonair had enough energy for the entire session, he packed extra portions in advance.

  The Dragonair were eager and had already gathered around Naoki by the time the sun had risen. Their anticipation alpable as they encircled him.

  "Alright, we'll set out soon!" Naoki assured them, carefully pag the prepared pael into tainers. He also grabbed his fishing rod and a small bucket, deg to spend the training sessioing the dish's effects on fishing while the Pokémon trained.

  For this session, Naoki chose to switstructors. Instead of Koraidon, Dragonite would lead the special training. With its ability to summon storms and create o whirlpools, Dragonite was the perfect choice to challenge and guide the Dragonair in their exercises.

  After seg everything, Naoki climbed onto Koraidon's back, signaling the Dragonair and Dragoo prepare for takeoff. However, before they could leave, the Eevees pying in the pasture notiaoki gearing up and rushed over to him.

  "Buee buee!" (Take us with you!)

  Naoki gnced down at the excited group of Eevees swarming around him. "I'm heading to the beach to help the Dragonair with their training," he expined.

  "Buee buee buee!" (We want to go too!) the Eevees chorused, their eyes sparkling with hope.

  Naoki chuckled softly. These Eevees hadn't left the ranch sihey'd hatched, and their curiosity was uandable. After a moment's thought, he nodded. "Alright, you e, but you have to promise to behave and not wander off. Got it?"

  "Bu-yi!" (We promise!)

  "Alright then, climb aboard!" Naoki said, patting Koraidon's back.

  With delighted cries, the Eevees quickly cmbered onto Naoki, finding spots on his shoulders, arms, and p until he was pletely surrounded by their fluffy forms. Naoki adjusted his arms protectively around them to ehey wouldn't fall.

  "Hold on tight, everyone!" Naoki said, preparing for takeoff. He gnced over at Dragonite and the Dragonair, who were ready to apany him.

  "Raao!" Koraido out ahusiastic cry.

  In about three mihe group arrived safely at their destination.

  Naoki turned his head, surveying the surroundings. The beach was retively quiet during the day, with only a handful of fishermen scattered along the shore, their fishing rods pnted in the sand.

  He recalled his st visit to this beach when he had brought Dragonite and the others to enjoy the summer fireworks festival. This time, however, the atmosphere was tranquil.

  As Koraidon nded gracefully on the golden sand, the group of Eevees quickly jumped off Naoki, their wide eyes brimming with excitement. The sight of the glimmering sea and the endless expanse of sand fasated them—it was their first time experieng such a view.

  Naoki pulled a small stool and a folding fishing rod from his backpack. Turning to G, Umbreon, and Koraidon, he instructed them with a smile, "I'm ting on you three to look after the Eevees. Let them enjoy pying in the sand, but make sure they stay out of the water."

  "Buyi~" G responded with a calm nod.

  "Ah, gah!" Koraidon added enthusiastically, puffing out its chest in assurance.

  The trio of Pokémon thehe excited Eevees a short distance away, where they began building sand sculptures with pyful energy. Naoki gnced over at the happy group, satisfied that they were in good hands.

  He therieved the still-ael from his backpad fed it to the eager Dragonair.

  "Dragonite," he called to the rge, dependable Pokémon. "They're under yuidanow. Take them to the sea and use your powers to create a tidal wave so they undergo special training."

  "Awoo!" Dragoted its belly fidently, signaling its readiness for the task.

  After the Dragonair fiheir meal, Dragonite led them toward the sea. Ohey reached a siderable distance from the shore, Dragonite plunged into the water with a mighty spsh.

  The se was idyllic: sunlight refleg off the waves, the soft cries of Wingull eg in the distance, and the rhythmic sound of the tide rolling onto the beabsp;

  Naoki cast his fishing rod toward the horizoling into a fortable position on his stool. Behind him, the Eevees were eically pying in the sand uhe watchful eyes of their caretakers. Naoki allowed himself to rex, enjoying the serenity of the moment.

  Suddenly, the buoy attached to his fishing line bobbed sharply.

  "A bite!" Naoki excimed, his focus snapping back to the fishing rod. He pulled hard, reeling in a white fish-like Pokémon with wavy yellow markings on its body. It soared out of the water in a graceful arding on the sand near Naoki.

  "Is that a Tynamo?" Nahe Pokémon immediately.

  Tynamo itself wasn't particurly famous, but its evolved form, Eelektross, was renowned for its strength aility. Naoki recalled how some trainers referred to a Tynamo's transformation into Eelektross as a metaphor for a trainer's own growth and development.

  The tiny Pokémon flopped about on the saing a faint but sharp electric current in a bid to escape. Naoki winced as the weak electricity tingled against his hand. Deg not to stress the Pokémon further, he gently released it bato the sea.

  At that moment, a sudden otion drew his attention to the o. Far from the shore, a violent whirlpool had formed, its swirling waters creating an intense current.

  The Dragonair were already in a, fearlessly diving into the whirlpool.

  The seawater surged around the Dragonairs, tempering their bodies as they pushed against the relentless vortex. To them, it felt as though the world had dissolved, leaving only the r whirlpool and the deafening sound of rushing water in their ears.

  Amid this iy, a peculiar sensation stirred within the hearts of the five Dragonairs. It was as though they could distinctly sehe flow of the water surrounding them, a newfound awarehat sparked a flicker of uanding. One Dragonair, enthralled by the sensation, instinctively began swaying its body in rhythm with the water's currents.

  The moment its body moved in sync, a sudden, powerful wave of energy erupted from within, causing the surroundier to vibrate in response.

  However, the ued force rippled through the vortex, catg the other four Dragonairs off guard. Still deeply focused, they had no time to react before the water's turbulence overwhelmed them. The whirlpool pulled them under, pummeling them mercilessly with its fierce currents.

  The instigator of the anicked upon realizing the chaos it had caused. Watg its panions struggle against the powerful currents, it let out a distressed cry and surged forward in an attempt to help them.

  "Woo!" the Dragonair roared, determination bzing in its eyes as it rushed toward its floundering panions.

  But just as it reached out to grab them, the Dragonair froze, struck by a sudden realization: it had no hands.

  For a brief moment, it hesitated, but then, a thought formed in its mind: If I need hands, I'll grow them!

  As the thought solidified, a brilliant white light enveloped the Dragonair, radiating outward with intense energy. The evolution light was s it dispersed Dragonite's whirlpool entirely.

  Within the radiant glow, the Dragonair's form shifted and transformed. Moments ter, the light faded, revealing a majestic Dragonite in its pce.

  Without missing a beat, the newly evolved Dragoretched out its powerful arms, swooping in to catch its four panions just in time. With care and precision, it cradled them in its strong embrace, lifting them above the turbulent waters.

  ...

  Meanwhile, time passed swiftly for Naoki as he focused on his fishing. When only five minutes remained of the three-hour training session, he gnced down at his fishing bucket, now brimming with his catch.

  Peering inside, Naoki noted five flopping Magikarp and two dull-looking Feebas.

  He chuckled softly, remembering how a few aggressive Bas had made their way into the bucket earlier. However, their fiery tempers quickly turhe situation chaotic. The feisty Pokémon had uhemselves at Naoki, striking his chest repeatedly until he had no choice but to release them bato the water.

  Now, the bucket only held the docile Magikarp and the sluggish Feebas, both of which cked the ferocity of the Bas. These two types of Pokémon were so pcid that they hardly resisted being caught, instead accepting their fate with a resigned air.

  Examining his cataoki couldn't help but muse, "With these Magikarp and Feebas, I could almost cospy as the festival Magikarp seller."

  He sighed wistfully. "It's a pity I didn't mao reel in a Gyarados or Milotic…"

  Both Pokémon were rare in the shallower waters he beach. To find them, he'd o venture much deeper into the sea—a task for another day. Still, Naoki felt satisfied with his efforts.

  The Pael of Paldea had worked wonders, amplifying his fishing luck. Though it was teically his fortuhat had improved rather than his skill, the results spoke for themselves.

  "This might be my ticket into summer's fishing petition," Naoki mused with a smile.

  In previous years, he had avoided the petitioo his ckluster fishing abilities. Early on, it had been Koraidon's efforts that brought in the fish for the ranch, though the townspeople mistakenly believed Naoki himself was the talented angler.

  Naoki had once been given the honorary title of "Fishing Master" by the townspeople—though it was more exaggeration than truth.

  But now, with the blessing of his special Pael de Paldea, his imagination ran wild. He pictured himself at the uping fishing petition, skillfully reeling in fish after fish, including rare araordinary Pokémon. A crowd of townsfolk would gather around him, their faces alight with amazement and admiration.

  "What a true Fishing Master!" they would excim.

  Naoki's daydream tly interrupted by the jerking motion of the float on his fishing lihe float bobbed wildly—another fish had taken the bait!

  He grabbed the rod and began to pull. However, the line didn't budge. The resistance was immense.

  This is a big one! Naoki thought, his heart pounding with excitement.

  He braced himself and increased his effripping the rod tightly as he struggled to reel in whatever had taken the hook.

  The otion quickly drew the attention of nearby fishermen. Seeing the tension in the line and the activity on the surface, they instantly knew Naoki had hooked something enormous.

  "e on, young man!" one of them shouted.

  "Don't give up! Fishing is a test of patiend perseverance!" another added.

  "You've got this!" they cheered.

  Enced by their enthusiasm, Naoki gritted his teeth a pulling. But just as he felt he was making progress, the line suddenly sed.

  Before he could process what was happening, a massive figure burst out of the water with a spsh. The sunlight reflected off its wet, e body as it soared into the air.

  It was a Dragonite.

  Not just any Dragonite—a cheerful, slightly mischievous-looking Dragoh a radiant smile and a fishing hook csped in its mouth.

  Naoki froze. "Huh?"

  Behind him, the fishermen stood in stunned sileheir mouths agape iical "O" shapes.

  The Dragonite nded gracefully on the beach, its tail swishing happily as it spat out the hook.

  "Dragonite?" Naoki blinked, dumbfounded.

  The fishermeed into chatter.

  "This young man actually caught a Dragonite?!"

  "What kind of fishing skills does he have? That's unheard of!"

  Naoki's own Dragonite soon flew over from the sea, carrying four drippi Dragonairs in its strong arms. As it approached, realization dawned on Naoki.

  "Dragonair?" Naoki called, addressing the Dragonite.

  The pyful Dragonite wagged its tail and gave a delighted cry. "Awoo!"

  Naoki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You were the one on the line? Were you pying a joke on me?"

  Dragonite chirped happily in response, clearly uant.

  Naoki turo the fishermen, whose expressions had shifted from awe to fusion. "It's just my own Dragonite," he expined sheepishly. "It was messing with me."

  At that moment, one of the fishermen reized Naoki's Dragonite. "Wait a mihat's the milk carrier Dragonite from town!"

  Another fisherman's face lit up in reition. "Are you… Naoki from Naoki Ranch?"

  Naoki nodded with a modest smile. "That's me."

  "Ah, that expins everything!" the fisherman said with a grin. "I've heard a lot about you, young man! They say you're a Fishing Master. Last spring, didn't you supply half the seafood market all by yourself in just two weeks?"

  Naoki's smile stiffened. "That's... definitely an exaggeration."

  The fishermen, however, were clearly impressed. They began discussing amongst themselves, and a petitive glint appeared in their eyes.

  "You've got some serious skills, kid," one of them said. "You should join us for a fishing petition sometime."

  Naoki could only manage a wry smile. "Sure… Maybe ime."

  With that, the fishermen started pag up their gear—it was noon, and time for them to head home.

  As they left, one of them turned back to Naoki and waved. "Don't fet! We're expeg you to show us those skills ime!"

  Naoki chuckled softly and waved back.

  He finally let out a sigh of relief. The fishermen's reas had been so over-the-top that it left him feeling amused and a little embarrassed.

  He turned back toward the sea, gently releasing the Magikarp and Feebas he had caught. Watg them swim away, he smiled, satisfied that his fishing trip had still been fruitful.

  With his fishing rod now packed away, Naoki turo his Pokémon and asked, "So, what did you all gain from today's special training?"

  "Woo!" (We're so close to evolving!) came the enthusiastic reply from the four remaining Dragonairs, who had not yet evolved.

  Their eyes sparkled with fidend anticipation. They could feel it—their strength growing, their bodies preparing for the transformation they longed for. The training in the o whirlpool had pushed them to their limits, and now evolution seemed closer than ever.

  Meanwhile, the newly evolved Dragonite could hardly tain its excitement. Its e body practically glowed with pride as it realized its new role on the ranch. From today onward, it would officially join the ranch's delivery team, w alongside the other senioo help Naoki with the daily tasks.

  Naoki caught the eager gleam in Dragonite's eyes and couldn't help but chuckle. "What kind of Pokémos so excited about work?" he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

  "Work is tough, you know," Naoki said, raising an eyebrow at the enthusiastic Dragonite.

  But Dragonite shook its head vigorously, its eyes bzing with determination. "Awoo!" (I'm not afraid of hard work!)

  Naoki paused, his expression softening. He couldn't help but admire Dragonite's enthusiasm. It wasn't just about wanting to work—it was about wanting to tribute, to be a part of the team that supported the ranch.

  "Alright then," Naoki said with a small smile, patting Dragonite on its head. "If you're that determined, I'll make sure to prepare even more delieals for you and everyone else. You're all w so hard, and I want to make sure you're rewarded for it."