Leon felt he had gained a new understanding of Fruitvale Village.
What impressed him most was the deep bond between the villagers and the magical beasts.
Those Mightyenas that didn't even wear beast gear were so friendly toward the villagers, and the villagers were equally kind to them. The fact that they had even resisted the Knight Order for the sake of these Mightyenas said it all.
Peter—a young patrolman from the village—clearly admired knights. He often came to ask them for advice on how to train magical beasts.
Oh right, speaking of Peter, Leon suddenly remembered that training manual he saw at Peter's house. He'd heard it was written by Aven, and there was one sentence in it that had left a deep impression on him:
As long as you treat your Pokémon sincerely, they will repay you in kind...
No explanation was needed—he understood that "trainer" referred to beast tamers, and "Pokémon" to magical beasts.
It was a strange term, but somehow it felt perfectly fitting. He had never seen his Rhyhorn as a savage beast. Referring to it as a "Pokémon" felt just right. To him, Rhyhorn truly was his Pokémon.
A trainer was someone who captured, trained, and cared for Pokémon—and lived alongside them.
Compared to beast tamers, who focused on dominating and controlling magical beasts for battle, he much preferred the idea of being a "trainer." According to the manual's description, he might already be one himself.
Boom, boom, boom! Just as he was deep in thought, a group of Rhyhorn charged across the grassy field ahead, running freely over the wide expanse.
Leading the group was Aven's Rhyhorn. Leon had heard it once belonged to a noble family and pulled a carriage—but was later brought to Fruitvale Village by Aven as payment for a healing service.
It was hard to believe that this same Rhyhorn had once paired up with a Petilil and defeated the captain's Rhydon. Even now, Leon found that battle difficult to believe. After all, that was a Rhydon!
In the Knight Order, Rhyhorns were common, but Rhydons were few and considered one of the Order's strongest forces.
If only I could find out how Aven trained his Rhyhorn… The thought quietly crept into Leon's mind.
He recalled how Aven's Rhyhorn could command the power of the earth—how it could make the ground roll beneath its feet, raise thick walls of earth with a stomp, and unleash terrifying shockwaves with a heavy step. The memory alone stirred his heart.
If his Rhyhorn could master that kind of power, then perhaps... perhaps he could challenge the Knight Captian himself.
"Migthyena, just like that—use Pursuit!"
Suddenly, a voice called out from the grassy area outside the village.
Leon looked over and saw Peter training with his Migthyena. Yes, Peter had said he was now a certified trainer.
As Peter shouted, a faint, eerie glow flickered over the Migthyena's body. Its speed suddenly surged, and in a flash, it vanished from where it stood.
So fast… Leon's eyes narrowed. He'd seen many Migthyenas in action from the scouts' units, but under that glow, this one moved even faster than them.
"What kind of move is that?"
"If all of the Knight Order's Migthyenas could learn that…"
Leon felt his breath quicken slightly.
For magical beasts, learning moves typically relied on self-discovery and comprehension.
However, he knew there were some methods to speed up the process. The Knight Order had several techniques, but they were extremely demanding.
Since Peter's Migthyena could use that move, it meant he likely possessed a method to teach it.
While Leon was lost in thought, Peter—sweating and panting—walked over with his equally exhausted Migthyena. He plopped down beside Leon on the grass, hands behind his head, gazing leisurely at the Rhyhorns running across the field.
"What are you thinking about?"
Turning his head, Peter looked at the knight beside him. He had a good impression of Leon—this knight didn't have the arrogance typical of nobles.
"Nothing much…" Leon shook his head and sat down on the grass too. Then, suddenly, he added, "Sometimes, I really envy you."
"Envy?"
"You knights envy us villagers?"
Peter raised an eyebrow in confusion. He didn't understand what a young knight like Leon could possibly envy. Usually, only those from good families could afford the cost of knight training.
"I saw the strength of your Migthyena.
Us knights, we've trained since childhood, and it takes years of effort to tame magical beasts and learn to ride and fight with them.
But you… you haven't had your Migthyena for long, and it's already that strong."
Leon's words came from the heart. There was something discouraging about being surpassed—especially by someone who had started much later.
"You're talking about its strength?"
"Well, it was already strong when I captured it," Peter replied, shaking his head. A gentle look appeared in his eyes as he continued:
"After all, they've been surviving in the wild. And you know how harsh it is out there. Without some strength, they'd have long since become food for other beasts."
Leon gave a small nod. But deep down, he felt something unusual.
The Knight Order usually raised their magical beasts from young to ensure strong bonds with their mounts. While some did tame adult beasts, they were the exception—and it usually required beast gear and overwhelming strength to dominate the creature.
But Peter clearly hadn't taken that route. He had earned the Migthyena's trust.
As that thought crossed his mind, Leon glanced at the large, obedient Migthyena lying calmly beside Peter. Once again, that sentence floated into his heart:
As long as you treat your Pokémon sincerely, they will repay you in kind.
"Aven… just what kind of person are you?" Leon's gaze grew complicated. That training manual Aven wrote now seemed to carry a profound and mysterious wisdom.
(End of Chapter)