When Snorlax heard Yui and Karen calling its name, it seemed a little confused—but still waddled over to them slowly.
Since Rex was often away from the farm, it was usually Yuli and the others who took care of feeding Snorlax, so it had grown quite fond of them. Life at Rex Farm suited it just fine.
"Snorrrlax!"
Thinking it was mealtime, Snorlax plopped down in front of the girls, raised its chubby paws, and pointed at its mouth expectantly.
"You little glutton—I just gave you a Pokéblock today!"
Rex couldn't help but laugh and gave it a light kick.
Snorlax patted its round belly and, realizing it was already full, scratched its head and prepared to lie down for a nap.
"Not so fast, Snorlax. You're coming with them for a while—keep them safe, alright?"
Rex spoke seriously.
With the farm now guarded by Shaymin and Diancie, its defenses were more than enough to hold off even legendary Pokémon for a time. Snorlax's role at the farm had become less critical, which made it the perfect choice to act as a guardian.
Rex had considered this before the rescue. With Snorlax by Yui and Karen's side, they'd have the strength to overcome most dangers.
Snorlax was tough and incredibly resilient—it could take hits that would fell most Pokémon. That kind of tanky endurance made it ideal for protecting them.
And besides, Rex had his own responsibilities. He couldn't always be there to save them in time. Building their ability to survive on their own came first.
"Really, Rex?"
Yui and Karen were thrilled but couldn't help double-checking.
"Of course. I've already given you Snorlax's Poké Ball. With it by your side, you'll be able to handle a lot more trouble."
Rex patted Snorlax's belly and smiled.
"This is great! If we'd had Snorlax with us earlier, that guy never would've gotten away with hurting us!"
Yui cheered and flung herself onto Snorlax, her voice full of righteous indignation.
Yuli, off to the side, finally seemed to relax a little. Though she had been persuaded to let them continue their journey, she had remained deeply uneasy. After all, Rex couldn't always be there to swoop in.
With Snorlax watching over them, she felt far more at ease.
She had seen Snorlax go toe-to-toe with a Machamp before and knew that its strength wasn't far off from that terrifying Swampert.
Snorlax, having understood Rex's instructions, stood up straighter than usual. It patted its belly with both hands, its face serious—as if saying, Leave it to me!
As long as it wasn't starving, Snorlax was agreeable to just about anything—and it liked Yui and Karen anyway.
Rex and Yuli spent the night at the campsite with the girls before returning to Rex Farm the next morning. Yui and Karen, now with Snorlax in tow, set off to continue their journey.
The incident had tempered their hearts. They now had a deeper appreciation for the importance of strength.
Yui, who had previously been somewhat casual about training, now threw herself earnestly into honing her Swellow and Shroomish.
Swellow and Shroomish, feeling guilty for having been too weak to protect their Trainer, dropped their usual playful demeanor and began training seriously.
This was one reason many Trainers chose to travel. In school, training was safe—but it lacked the life-and-death tests that shaped conviction and resolve.
Yui and Karen didn't retreat after what they'd gone through. Their decision to keep going marked a true step forward on the Trainer's path.
If they stayed this determined, their future would be bright.
"Sir, Eck has been captured by a League Trainer and turned over to the authorities. The two men we sent with him were also arrested."
In a lavishly furnished office at Hunter HQ, a young man in a suit reported respectfully to his superior.
"So, Eck finally tripped up. I'm honestly surprised he lasted this long with how flashy and reckless he was."
The middle-aged man in a casual shirt took a drag from his cigar and spoke without much interest.
"What should we do?"
The younger man asked.
"Eck may be arrogant, but he did complete a lot of high-level assignments. He's been useful. If there's any way to get him out, give it a shot."
After thinking for a moment, the older man agreed to allocate some resources for a possible extraction.
"Understood, sir. And what about the Trainer who beat him? Should we teach him a lesson?"
"Find out who he is first. If he took down Eck, he's probably no pushover."
"Got it. I'll begin the investigation."
With that, the suited man turned and left, ready to gather intel on Rex before making any further moves.
The Hunter organization operated more like a task platform than a tightly-run syndicate. They didn't care much about individual hunters—many Trainers joined every year just to access its resources.
Eck was one of the few considered part of the organization's core, which was why they were even considering a rescue. But they wouldn't go too far—crossing the Pokémon League wasn't something they took lightly.
As for Rex, if he didn't have some sort of backing to make the organization wary, he would likely be targeted in retaliation.
Most likely, the Hunter Guild would just list the matter as a bounty mission on their platform and let someone else take the job.
Unaware that he'd already been marked by the Hunter Guild, Rex had returned to Rex Farm—and begun preparing to break through into the rank of Martial Artist.
Though he looked lean and youthful on the outside, his body was well-defined beneath his clothes, and his handsome face radiated confidence and energy.
His eyes were clear and deep, as if they could see through everything. His steps were swift and steady, each movement crisp and decisive.
Having mastered the All Star Fitness Body Training Technique, and after a period of focused training, Rex was now ready to push past his limits and enter the Martial Artist realm.
This would be his first step into the extraordinary—and he was determined to succeed in one go, unlike Rocky, who had wasted years stuck at the threshold.
(End of Chapter)