By the time Naoki finished his work on the ranch, it was almost noon.
Having such a massive watermelon in the ranch was certainly an eye-catcher.
Before making lunch, Naoki went to the field again and walked around the giant watermelon, occasionally stopping to observe it and sometimes reaching out to pat it.
[Giant Watermelon: A type of giant crop, created through the combination of Gogoat's grass energy and some mysterious power.]
Looking at the description of the watermelon, along with everything that happened yesterday, the source of the "mysterious power" was already obvious.
After pondering for a moment, Naoki went back inside and started preparing lunch.
Today's lunch was the usual—fried steak and sandwiches—with the addition of Lucky Pudding, honey lemonade, bread, and fruits. Though not extravagant, it was a favorite of his Pokémon.
The thick-cut steaks, fried with just the right amount of fat, were tender and juicy. The sandwiches, with lettuce, tomatoes, and meat patties, were nutritionally balanced. Even the regular berries provided plenty of nutrients for the Pokémon.
After lunch, they enjoyed honey lemonade, sitting in the shade under the eaves, nibbling on bread and fruits. Even the proud Glaceon showed a contented expression.
A group of Pokémon—Koraidon, Cyclizar, Dragonite, Pawmo, Glaceon, and Alcremie—all sat in a row under the eaves, oldest to youngest, each holding a glass of lemonade.
Seeing this, Naoki smiled, shook his head, and sat at his desk, starting to think about who to invite for tomorrow's event.
First, he decided to invite Mayor Thomas, who had always been kind to him. The old man had been helping him since he first arrived and had even gifted him the Cyclizar.
Next, there were the townspeople he knew.
Kora, who lived by the forest; Ivan, the postman; Hugh and his family, who ran the seed shop; the old man at Happy Ranch and his granddaughter, Rachel; and Zack, who came to the ranch to collect goods daily.
Finally, there were the owners of nearby farms.
For example, the Eliff family of Eliff Cherry Orchard, Thunder Ranch, Light Green Ranch, and Mr. Matsuda of Three Rivers Ranch.
Naoki drafted invitations like the town did for festivals, then he called Dragonite and stuffed the invitations in its little red mailbag.
Dragonite looked puzzled as Naoki placed the mailbag around its neck.
Naoki smiled and said, "Please take these letters to Mr. Elif at Elif Cherry Orchard and to Mrs. Dantes and Hugh in town."
Delivering a letter?
Dragonite nodded, accepting the task eagerly, and flew off to the town with ease.
Meanwhile, Naoki picked up the phone and contacted Ivan.
Since Naoki had only been to Elif Cherry Orchard and wasn't familiar with the other ranches, he decided to ask Ivan for help in delivering the remaining letters.
Ivan, who was at work, rushed over as soon as he got the call.
Naoki handed him the rest of the letters and asked, "Are you free tomorrow morning?"
"Tomorrow morning?" Ivan looked surprised. "Is something happening? Do you need help with something?"
Naoki shook his head, smiling. "No, I just want to invite you to the ranch. I'm hosting a watermelon tasting event at 9 a.m."
"Watermelon? But it's not watermelon season yet, right?" Ivan asked, puzzled.
Ivan was right—the watermelons should have just been planted this season. While it's possible to grow crops in greenhouses, Naoki Ranch didn't have one yet.
Curious, Ivan glanced around the ranch and spotted something massive in the farmland.
His eyes widened. "Is that... a watermelon?"
Naoki chuckled. "Why don't you go check it out?"
Ivan hurried over to the field and circled the gigantic watermelon, reaching out to touch it. He quickly noticed that the watermelon was still attached to the vine and hadn't been picked.
This meant one thing—it was real!
Ivan was in disbelief. "How in the world did you grow this?"
"Do you really want to know?" Naoki asked with a grin.
"Of course, tell me!" Ivan glanced around and whispered, "I swear I won't tell anyone."
"Follow me." Naoki led Ivan to the shrine where the statue of the King of Bountiful Harvests stood. "All of this is thanks to the blessings of this Pokémon."
Ivan stared at the statue of the Pokémon with the oversized head. "What kind of Pokémon is that?"
Naoki explained, "It's the King of Bountiful Harvests, a legendary Pokémon that blesses crops with abundance." He shared the legend of the King of Bountiful Harvests with Ivan.
Naoki added that part of the giant watermelon's growth was due to Gogoat's grass energy, but if one made offerings to the King of Bountiful Harvests, they too could receive blessings for a bountiful harvest.
With Ivan still reeling from the revelation, Naoki added, "If you or your family grows anything, you can place a statue like mine and offer your thanks. The King of Bountiful Harvests might bless your crops, too."
Ivan swallowed hard and nodded. "Wow... there are Pokémon with powers like that?"
Quickly, he asked, "Where did you get your statue? I want one for my grandmother's garden! She loves growing fruit trees and flowers."
"Uh... I made it myself," Naoki said thoughtfully. "But you might be able to buy it at Kora's store after a while."
Naoki had already planned to work with Kora again. His idea was to mass-produce the statue of the King of Bountiful Harvests. He would provide the design, and Kora would handle the wood carving, which would then be polished and sold to nearby farmers.
Ivan nodded, "I'll definitely check it out later!"
Since he still had work to do, Ivan didn't linger at the ranch. After collecting the letters from Naoki, he turned and left, needing to finish his deliveries before dark.
Once Ivan was gone, Naoki contacted Mayor Thomas via video call and invited him to the watermelon-tasting event. Mayor Thomas was happy to accept and said he'd surely attend.
With the invitations settled, Naoki felt relieved.
By the time everything was taken care of, it was already 4:40 in the afternoon. Standing in his pasture, looking at the wide expanse of green grass, Naoki thought to himself, "The only thing left is to set up the venue."
There weren't enough tables, chairs, or benches at the ranch. He couldn't just have everyone sit on the grass to eat watermelon; that wouldn't be proper.
Naoki started to worry, realizing it was impossible to gather so many tables and chairs on such short notice.
Just then, the sound of a truck engine echoed from outside the ranch.
Naoki turned to see Kora pulling up in a truck, with Ivan following close behind on a Cyclizar.
Kora parked the truck at the ranch, directing her super-strong Pokémon partner to unload everything from the truck.
Naoki walked over, curious, and was surprised to see that the truck was loaded with event decorations—tables, chairs, benches, and even celebration balloons.
Naoki stood there, a bit bewildered. "What's all this?"
Ivan walked up, threw his arm around Naoki's shoulder, and, with a grin, said, "Well, since it's your first time hosting an event, Kora and I thought you might need some help. You don't have much experience, and probably not enough tables and chairs, so we figured we'd help you set up the venue. What do you think?"
"You two really saved me!" Naoki said gratefully.
Kora, with a playful smile, chimed in, "Of course, I'm charging you for this!"
Naoki blinked, "How much?"
"Five watermelons!" Kora laughed, counting the number of people on her fingers. "One for each of the two Pokémon, one for each of the two old builders, and one for me."
Naoki quickly caught on and laughed. "Alright, I'll make sure you get them!"
Kora grinned, "Great! Now, come help set everything up."
With that, Naoki, along with Koraidon and Cyclizar, went to help move the tables and chairs.
Ivan and his Cyclizar joined in to assist, while Glaceon, Alcremie, Butterfree, and Pawmo were busy blowing up balloons nearby. Kora was overseeing everything, ensuring the setup went smoothly.
Everyone, along with their Pokémon, worked together to decorate the venue. They set up tables, chairs, and benches, adorned the ranch with colorful ribbons, and hung balloons on the Naoki Ranch sign.
By 5 p.m., Zack arrived to collect his goods.
He took one look at the scene and exclaimed, "Wow, it's really lively here!"
Then, like the others, his eyes fell on the massive watermelon.
Unlike Kora and Ivan, after a moment of surprise, Zack muttered, "I wonder how much this giant watermelon would sell for in the market?"
Ivan chuckled, "Uncle Zack, a family of three wouldn't be able to finish a watermelon that size!"
Zack nodded in agreement, then turned to Naoki with a grin, "In that case, make sure you save me a spot for tomorrow!"
"Of course!" Naoki assured him with a nod.
As the evening set in, Naoki invited Kora and Ivan to stay for dinner at the ranch. Together with their Pokémon, they had a cozy barbecue under the stars.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, night had fully fallen.
Gazing at the fireflies gathering by the river, Ivan sighed contentedly, "Nature really is beautiful, isn't it?"
Naoki, rubbing Dragonite's full belly, added, "You could always come out to the countryside and run your own ranch, you know."
Ivan laughed and shook his head. "Nah, I don't have enough Pokémon to help with the work. I'd probably wear myself out in no time."
Naoki grinned, "It's not that bad, really."
Ivan, who had been lying on the grass due to overeating, suddenly sat up, as if recalling something.
"To be honest," he said, "I've never seen a ranch grow this fast. It's only been a few months, but it looks completely different!"
Kora nodded in agreement. "Do you remember Ray from Thunder Ranch?"
"I've met him," Naoki confirmed.
Kora continued, "It took Ray nearly two years to get his ranch to where it is now, and here you are, achieving the same in under four months!"
Naoki pondered for a moment and said, "Maybe it's because I can catch Pokémon myself?"
His ability to capture powerful helpers like Koraidon, find Pokémon like Gogoat, and Nacli from the wild had saved him both time and money, contributing significantly to the ranch's rapid growth.
"That makes sense," Ivan agreed, lying back down. "Most people don't have a Pokémon like Koraidon to help. Running a ranch takes a lot longer without that kind of support."
Naoki smiled, glancing at Koraidon and reaching out to pat its head.
After a while, Kora said, "It's getting late. We should head back."
Naoki stood up to see the two off. As the truck drove away, the ranch returned to silence.
After a busy day, Naoki felt a bit tired, so he went to bed early, wanting to be in top shape for tomorrow's event.
The next day.
Naoki got up early. After he and his Pokémon had breakfast, the guests who received invitations the previous day started arriving at the ranch one after another.
The first to arrive was Mayor Thomas.
He wore a formal suit, clearly showing how much he valued today's event.
Naoki greeted him and, upon seeing the enormous watermelon, Mayor Thomas rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"Oh my! I swear, this is the biggest watermelon I've ever seen in my life!"
Naoki smiled and said, "You'll get used to it in time."
He then explained the day's preparations to Mayor Thomas and invited him to cut the massive watermelon.
Mayor Thomas gladly accepted.
There was still quite some time before the event would officially begin, and Naoki originally planned to have Mayor Thomas sit down and rest for a bit.
In addition to the watermelon, Naoki had prepared a wide array of desserts and snacks.
Pudding, MooMoo Milk, Honey Buns, and Sweet Cream Smoothies.
However, Naoki was surprised when Mayor Thomas politely declined.
Like a family elder, the mayor began helping Naoki greet visitors from the town.
With Mayor Thomas' arrival, it felt like a switch had been flipped, as people started arriving in groups of twos and threes at the ranch.
The old man from Happy Ranch arrived with his granddaughter Rachel. Hugh, the seed shop owner, also arrived with his wife, Abby.
Naoki didn't see their daughter, Bell, and assumed she must still be in her room, avoiding the event.
Next came Ray from Thunder Ranch, Lucy from Light Green, and the owner of a nearby farm.
The Elif family of three from Elif's Cherry Orchard arrived, along with Ivan riding his Cyclizar, Kora, and Zack.
The last to arrive was Madame Dantes, her gray hair framing her kind face, accompanied by her husband.
Naoki saw the gentle old man approach, carrying a cloth bag.
Madame Dantes handed Naoki the bag of cookies with a warm smile. "I baked these this morning. Would you like to try some?"
"Thank you for your help," Naoki smiled as he took the bag, accepting Madame Dantes' kindness.
This lovely old lady always liked to make treats like cookies and give them to Dragonite to take back to the ranch.
Seeing that most of the guests had arrived, Naoki asked Dragonite and Koraidon to work together to lift the huge watermelon and bring it over to the lawn.
"Ah, woo~"
"Raao"
The two Pokémon cheerfully agreed. They flew over to the field and carried the gigantic watermelon back.
The crowd's attention was immediately drawn to the enormous watermelon. People gathered around it, their faces filled with amazement.
Madame Dantes gasped, covering her mouth in surprise: "Oh my! This is incredible!"
Ray from Thunder Ranch was equally astonished: "What a massive watermelon! How did you manage to grow it?"
The old man from Happy Ranch stood silently, holding his granddaughter Rachel's hand, staring at the huge fruit.
Rachel's eyes sparkled with admiration: "Mr. Naoki is amazing!"
Hugh, the seed shop owner, trembled slightly as he asked, "Are these really the watermelon seeds we sell in our store?"
"Absolutely, Mr. Hugh," Naoki replied from the side.
Everyone turned to face the young man responsible for growing the gigantic watermelon.
"How did you manage that?" Ray asked, his voice filled with curiosity and awe.
As Naoki looked at the crowd, all eyes filled with wonder and disbelief, he suddenly felt like a missionary in a robe, standing before a congregation and declaring, "Believe in my Lord, and you shall receive eternal life."
Though a bit embarrassed, he knew he had to continue. After all, the event had been planned for a long time.
Naoki cleared his throat and, under the expectant gazes of the crowd, began to speak slowly:
"All of this is thanks to the blessings of the King of Bountiful Harvests."
"The King of Bountiful Harvests?" someone in the crowd quickly chimed in.
Naoki looked over to see it was Lucy from Light Green Ranch.
He nodded. "Yes, the legendary King of Bountiful Harvests, an embodiment of abundance."
Naoki then shared the tale of the King of Bountiful Harvests, emphasizing how this Pokémon could make flowers bloom, enrich the soil, and ensure bountiful harvests.
"The King of Bountiful Harvests has a kind heart," Naoki continued. "It can see into the past, present, and future, and it brings good fortune to those who believe in it."
As Naoki spoke, he inwardly cringed, feeling more and more like a charlatan. He quickly cleared his throat again and changed the topic:
"Mayor Thomas, shall we begin slicing the watermelon?"
Before anyone could respond, Mayor Thomas had already approached the podium with a smile.
Holding a watermelon knife, he said, "Let us thank the King of Bountiful Harvests for blessing us with such a delicious watermelon this season."
————
In the Galar region, within the Crown Tundra.
The King of Bountiful Harvests suddenly felt a warm surge of energy flow through His body.
It was a feeling He hadn't experienced in a very long time, a sensation born from the faith of humans.
Feeling His body grow warmer, the King of Bountiful Harvests teleported to a vast, seemingly endless, snow-covered field.
With a light step on the snow, His eyes glowed with a soft blue psychic light.
Through the folds of time and space, He saw a gathering of humans, celebrating joyously, and His faithful follower standing before them, passionately proclaiming His existence.
"The great Lord of Plenty."
"The embodiment of abundance, the Pokémon with a heart full of love."
"Let us give thanks to the King of Bountiful Harvests."
Hearing these words and witnessing the scene, the King of Bountiful Harvests was deeply moved.
In all His long years, this was the first time a human had ever done something like this for Him.
"I never imagined that my little believer would have such faith in me," He thought, touched.
He truly is devoted.