Departure After Being "Trolled"

Early in the morning, Yuga continued his routine of training with his Pokémon. With no more Miltank to take care of, he felt incredibly relieved.

Now that he had the Miltank, Yuga decided it was time to leave Goldenrod City today. After all, he had spent quite a bit of time here.

Yesterday, upon hearing from Grandpa Milton about the attacks on various Day Cares by Team Rocket members during the exchange conference, Yuga immediately called Reggie to inquire if he had encountered Team Rocket.

Thankfully, Reggie informed him that he and his grandfather had safely returned to Sinnoh without any incidents. Yuga's worries were put to rest.

Speaking of which, Yuga had also become involved with Team Rocket now, but he wasn't overly concerned. Since he wasn't from the Johto or Kanto regions, and Team Rocket's influence in the Hoenn region wasn't strong, Yuga didn't need to worry too much.

After having breakfast with Grandpa Milton, he said, "Since you've decided to leave, I'll show you how I take care of all these Miltank."

What does he mean? Is there something about taking care of Miltank that I don't know? Is Grandpa Milton continuing to share his experiences with me?

With a heart full of questions, Yuga followed Grandpa Milton to the pasture.

First, they fed the Miltank.

Grandpa Milton held a large horn, and after a single blow, all the Miltank lined up one by one. They grabbed their own plates, filled them with the appropriate amount of Pokémon food, all without Grandpa Milton lifting a finger.

So, was all my effort in the past few days in vain?

Next was cleaning the pasture.

After breakfast, the Miltank went to a specific spot one by one to relieve themselves, leaving the pasture spotless. So, how did all that waste end up on the playground in the previous days?

Lastly, they brushed the Miltank's fur.

Using the same horn as before, the Miltank formed a line, each one receiving a small brush from Grandpa Milton. They started brushing their own fur, helping each other with the hard-to-reach spots.

What about the time I spent tirelessly brushing their fur until my arms almost broke? Where are the gentle and obedient Miltank during grooming? Is this all a trick?

At this point, Yuga truly felt like a fool for his actions in the past few days.

Just think about it, how could Grandpa Milton manage all these Miltank on his own without these methods? And these are Pokémon, intelligent creatures! How could they need their owner to do everything for them like the cows in my previous world? I've been so naive.

Lastly, Grandpa Milton took Yuga to watch the Miltank's bathing activity. Using the same horn again, Grandpa Milton didn't even lift a finger.

Yuga was on the verge of kneeling down. Grandpa Milton, are you a wizard? Can we still have a good time together? I even praised you for being so thoughtful yesterday, but it turns out you were just leading me on.

No wonder Whitney looked at me so strangely before.

"You see, everything requires using your brain," Grandpa Milton said and left, leaving Yuga perplexed in the wind.

It's my own fault for lacking a brain, and your test was indeed a true test.

When Yuga left, it was already noon. Grandpa Milton and Whitney insisted that he and Rand stay for lunch before allowing them to leave.

Before departing, Yuga used Poké Balls to recall his 50 Miltank and transferred the payment for the Miltank to Grandpa Milton.

Initially, Grandpa Milton was reluctant to accept the payment. Yuga had saved Whitney's life and they had spent these days getting along well. Moreover, Grandpa Milton was already quite wealthy, so he wasn't concerned about receiving a few Miltank.

However, Yuga was determined to pay. Grandpa Milton's wealth was his own business, and since they weren't related, it didn't feel right to accept such a significant gift without any real connection.

As he was about to leave...

"Grandpa Milton, take care of yourself. When I have a chance, I'll come visit you in Johto," after spending these days with Grandpa Milton, Yuga felt like he truly was his own grandfather.

Yuga had never had a grandfather in his previous life or this one. Both his grandfathers had passed away at a young age, and Yuga was too young to have many memories of them.

"I know, I know. Hurry up and leave. You might miss the boat back to Hoenn," Grandpa Milton pretended to be impatient, but he was actually quite reluctant to see this hardworking and ambitious young man leave.

Yuga knew that Grandpa Milton was just putting on a tough exterior but was soft-hearted inside. He shook his head with a smile and turned to Whitney who was standing nearby. "Whitney, make sure to train well in the future and don't let your grandfather worry about you, okay?" Yuga had come to think that Whitney was quite a good girl.

Despite Whitney's somewhat lazy and spoiled personality, she was genuinely kind-hearted and innocent. Moreover, she had been taking her training seriously lately, making her a good girl overall.

"I know. You must come to visit me when you have time!" Since she was about to part ways with Yuga and Rand, Whitney was feeling a bit unhappy and her words came out in a subdued manner.

Yuga patted her shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry, I will. Grandpa Milton, we're leaving." Saying this, he left with Rand.

The journey back was no different from the journey there, but his mood was markedly changed. Yuga tucked away the sense of loss from saying goodbye and regained his spirits. Life is always made up of countless meetings and partings, and one must learn to face them with equanimity.

The trip back to Hoenn was smooth. Yuga and Rand took a boat from the Goldenrod City pier back to Lilycove City, and then a plane back to Verdanturf Town. The return journey took less time than the initial one.

As they disembarked the plane and saw the familiar scenery, Yuga glanced at Rand and asked, "Rand, what are your thoughts on this trip to Johto?"

Rand pondered for a moment and replied, "I've broadened my horizons."

Yuga was almost floored by his response. Couldn't he have said a few more words? Who hasn't broadened their horizons by now?

However, Rand's answer was accurate. He was still young and hadn't reached the age for official Pokémon training according to the League's rules. His strength wasn't the most crucial thing at this point; learning was.

This trip to Johto had exposed him to many things he hadn't seen before and taught him knowledge he didn't possess before, expanding his worldview.

Whether as a Pokémon Trainer or an ordinary person, having a broad perspective and knowledge were crucial. They always influence your choices and the direction you move forward in.