John's idea was straightforward: turn Berry-growing into a goldmine. His inspiration? The Berries from the game.
While the berry trees planted earlier had been cleared for the collection, John remembered how quickly those trees grew in the game—just one or two days. Even though their yield was modest, producing only three or four fruits per tree, their rapid growth and minimal care requirements made them a practical venture. All they needed were seeds, water, and time.
With this in mind, John wasted no time putting his plan into motion.
Step One: Sourcing the Seeds
His first move was to scour the Treasure App for rare fruit tree seeds. The app was a haven for rare and exotic items, and John quickly secured what he needed. His excitement grew as he envisioned the massive potential profits.
Meanwhile, his other priority loomed: completing his tree fruit homework.
"Combusken, let's hustle!" he called out.
They sprinted through the forest on Trial Island, tracing the directions the red-haired senior had given him. Her advice proved spot-on—within fifteen minutes, John found a grove of Lum Berries.
After gathering his required samples and making detailed notes for his assignment, John headed back to the harbor. Professor Daisy was already waiting to check off submissions. Boarding the first ship back to school, John spent the ride refining his notes and finishing the last touches on his report.
Step Two: Planting
By the time John returned to his dorm, it was nearly five in the evening. The Treasure App delivery service had already dropped off his purchase.
"Fast service as always," John muttered, giving the service a mental five-star review. He opened the package to reveal 18 neatly packed boxes, each containing a rare fruit tree seed. These fruits weren't ordinary—they each had the power to reduce damage from specific Pokémon types. From Bug to Dragon, every type was covered.
John marveled at his investment. Though the 18 seeds had cost him over seven million Pokedollars, he knew the potential returns were staggering.
Powering up his Gameboy, John navigated to Route 117, west of Mauville City, where he knew four fertile patches of soft soil awaited him. The area, once home to Wepear Berries, was now primed for his plan.
He selected four of the rare seeds and planted them carefully. Using his Wailmer Pail, he watered each one, ensuring the soil was moist enough to promote growth.
"I remember these trees grow in about two days," John muttered, watching the freshly planted seeds with a satisfied grin.
Satisfied with his progress, John began mapping his next steps. There was no shortage of land in the game. He decided to plant the remaining rare fruit trees in other regions to maximize his output.
Step Three: Expanding the Operation
John spent the next hour trekking from Littleroot Town to Mauville City, scouting for more fertile patches. Along the way, he found 17 additional plots of soft soil, bringing his total to 21.
One by one, he planted the remaining 14 rare seeds. For the last three plots, he planted common seeds—Oran, Cherry, and Chesto Berries. These would serve as a baseline for comparison against the rarer varieties.
By the time he finished, the sun had set, and John was thoroughly exhausted. But the hardest part was done. Now, all he had to do was wait.
Step Four: Watching the Fruits of Labor Grow
Twelve hours later, John checked on his first trees. The Oran, Cherry, and Chesto trees had grown as expected, each yielding three to four fruits. Nothing extraordinary, but it was proof the soil was fertile.
The rare berries bushes, however, remained dormant. Not a single sprout.
"Rare Berries probably have a longer growth cycle," John reasoned, suppressing a flicker of doubt.
By the twenty-fourth hour, his patience was wearing thin. The soil was still undisturbed. "Did I mess up?" John frowned, pacing nervously.
But at the thirty-sixth hour, his fears were dispelled. The rare fruit trees had skipped the budding stage entirely and were now showing strong, healthy branches. By the forty-fourth hour, they were in full bloom, and by the forty-eighth hour, they were laden with ripe, shimmering fruit.
John couldn't contain his excitement as he harvested the fruits. Each tree had produced three or four fruits, the same yield as the common trees. After replanting one fruit from each tree for the next cycle, John was left with two or three fruits per tree.
Step Five: Counting the Profits
With 18 rare trees producing a total of 42 to 63 fruits and each fruit valued at 250,000 Pokedollars, John did the math. His earnings ranged from 10.5 million to 15.75 million Pokedollars in just two days. Averaging it out, John estimated a cool 13 million.
"Thirteen million in two days!" John exclaimed. His heart raced at the thought. "That's almost 200 million a month!"
For someone who'd started by scavenging and earning scraps, this felt surreal. From a measly one million Pokedollars a month in his early days to 60 million with his Thief + Trash Squad 2.0, this leap to 200 million was staggering.
And yet, John saw even greater potential.
"Why waste time planting all 18 types?" he mused aloud. "If the growth cycle is the same, I could just focus on the most expensive ones."
The Haban Berry, valued at 330,000 Pokedollars, caught his attention. If John planted only Haban trees, his monthly income would soar to between 207.9 million and 331.85 million Pokedollars. A conservative estimate of 260 million was still a massive jump.
And that wasn't the ceiling. John remembered Mulch—a special item that boosted berry yield. Though it was exclusive to certain regions like Johto and Kalos, it offered untapped potential for scaling profits. If he could access those regions, he could multiply his earnings even further.
Additionally, as he progressed in the game and unlocked new cities and gyms, more land would become available for planting. With eight gyms in total, John was only halfway through his journey.
"The possibilities are endless," John murmured, his eyes gleaming with determination. He could already envision doubling, even tripling his income as he expanded his farming empire.
Two billion Pokedollars a month? That was within reach. Four billion? Not impossible.
John smirked, the path before him clear.
"Berry grower, huh?" he said, chuckling to himself. "This might just be the best job in the world."
With profits soaring and opportunities multiplying, John's worries about expenses faded into insignificance. Whether it was paying for another trip to the Dragon's Nest or funding extravagant pursuits, money was no longer an obstacle.
If money could solve it, John knew he'd find a way.