"Sol~"
Absol pressed down her silver-glistening sharp claws, standing expressionlessly on the spot.
Well, it seemed she had worried too much.
She originally thought this farm owner would be overwhelmed by the Murkrow attack, and eventually, the whole farm would be left in a mess by these "robbers"... Although her strength couldn't cope with so many opponents either, if it really came to a critical moment, she would have lent a helping hand.
Only now it seemed that the anticipated difficult resistance had turned into a one-sided crushing victory, not needing her help at all.
"So amazing, Brother Hakuya drove these guys away so easily..."
Just as May stood with her hands on her hips watching the group of Murkrow scurrying away in disgrace, unable to suppress her joy, she turned her head and saw the lonely and cold figure with white fur, red eyes, and a scythe horn held high preparing to leave without a word.
"Eh?"
At this moment, witnessing the farm owner repel the gang of "robbers" with ease, the Absol, radiating a lonely and cold aura all over, held her head high and left only a solitary back view disappearing into the vast twilight of the setting sun.
Her movements were swift and unattached, just like when she came.
"Tink~"
Tinkaton blinked, looking like she wanted to say something but stopped.
Although Absol had maintained a high and cold appearance from beginning to end, both the warning from afar and the subsequent intention to help made Tinkaton's favorability towards her soar, regarding her as a partner she could fight side by side with.
"Hmm... She should be living at the foot of Mount Coronet. Maybe we'll meet again in a while."
Hakuya reached out to rub the little guy's head and said softly.
Because of their ability to predict disasters, the Absol clan had been feared and disliked by people for a long time, named the Disaster Pokémon.
Especially in the past when superstition prevailed, people even believed that their appearance would invite disasters, so they drove them all deep into the mountains.
The fact that this wild Absol left so decisively was probably also influenced by this.
"However, she really is a guy who says one thing but means another~"
Hakuya recalled the figure of Absol hurriedly coming to warn him just now, shook his head with a smile, and sighed.
Unlike the Murkrow clan, who were cold by nature and fond of snatching, although Absol were also regarded as ominous, their personalities were actually very gentle.
Not only would they help guard the fields, but they would also inform people of coming disasters in advance like just now.
Since he couldn't strike up a conversation this time, wait until the next meeting and see if he could keep that Disaster Beast on the farm...
Of course, this operation of harvesting Pecha Berries, apart from getting to know an Absol who looked cold on the outside but was gentle on the inside, also completed a system mission and obtained a Rainbow-quality Reaper Cloth. The harvest could be considered bountiful.
"Alright, we can go back to make wine now."
A moment later, Hakuya finished harvesting all the remaining Pecha Berries in the grain field and greeted the girls and Pokémon behind him.
Calculating the time, Cogita and Miss Gardevoir probably had already bought the yeast back.
...
The foot of Mount Coronet.
Twilight deepened, and the afterglow of the setting sun plated the rugged mountain rocks with a gold rim. Absol leaped lightly onto a giant rock, her sickle-shaped horn gleaming with a chilling light in the twilight. As a Disaster Pokémon, she had long been accustomed to walking alone in the mountains and forests.
At this moment, the mountain wind howled past.
Absol looked down at the winding path below, the darkening sky reflected in her red pupils, but her thoughts drifted back to the farm just now.
—That farm owner named Hakuya was so strong that he could even disperse a group of over a hundred Murkrow so calmly.
—And unlike those humans who always looked at her with disgust and disdain, believing her appearance would bring bad luck and disaster, there was not a trace of fear in his gaze, only undisguised sincerity.
"Sol~"
The evening breeze that suddenly blew up rolled a few fiery red maple leaves, gently landing on her snow-white fur.
The cry of a Noctowl came from afar. Absol shook her pure white fur, suddenly feeling that her heart in her chest, which should have been silent as ice, was now rippling with an indescribable feeling.
She took one last look in the direction of the farm at the foot of the mountain, then turned and leaped onto the rocks. With a few vigorous jumps, her agile figure disappeared into the rugged and winding stone path.
Meanwhile, deep in the twilight forest on the other side.
"Caw ah?"
Failed—?!
The leader, who was meticulously grooming her feathers in the nest, frowned slightly upon hearing the news brought by her lackey.
When she flapped her wings and flew out of the nest, seeing the dejected Murkrow one by one, her expression completely broke.
—The lackeys who had originally set out valiantly were now invariably hanging their heads. Especially the few guys who arrived late at the end, their feathers were messy and their spirits were flagging, as if they had lost their souls.
Hmph... Dispatching so many troops but failing to loot any food, returning empty-handed aside, yet getting beaten into such a miserable state by that farm owner alone. It simply ruins her reputation as the great Honchkrow's lackeys!
Truly a bunch of good-for-nothings!!!
Honchkrow slapped the table in fury.
...
The first step in wine brewing is selecting grain and husking.
First, full and mildew-free Pecha Berries must be selected as raw materials, then husked into brown rice by hand or machine. If a more refined taste is desired, further milling into polished rice is possible.
Since the farm didn't have relevant machinery and equipment, this step could only be handed over to Miss Gardevoir to complete with psychic power.
"System, claim reward."
In the gap of waiting, Hakuya didn't forget the mission reward just now and recited silently in his heart.
[Mission Completed: Defeated the invading Murkrow swarm and protected the bountiful Pecha Berry field]
[Mission Reward: Reaper Cloth (Rainbow)]
"This is the Reaper Cloth? Its appearance feels no different from an ordinary rag~"
Unlike gems and incense glowing with golden light in the past, this cloth was tattered, full of cracks and wear marks everywhere. If thrown on the street, most people would probably think it was just a useless piece of trash.
At this moment, Hakuya turned the Reaper Cloth over and over in his hand, thoughtful.
In his impression, the Reaper Cloth was generally an item used to evolve Dusclops into Dusknoir. He had never heard that this thing had a direct relationship with the Spirit World.
The so-called Spirit World refers to the world after death, where many ghosts and Ghost-type Pokémon live.
For example, Dusknoir is called the porter of the Spirit World in the Pokédex, responsible for sending the "lonely ghosts" wandering in the wild back to the world after death. In the anime, there have also been terrifying incidents of Litwick luring people to the Spirit World.
"Could it be that this cloth can open the door to the Spirit World?"
Hakuya turned the Reaper Cloth over and over under the light, such a bold idea involuntarily arising in his heart. But after observing it many times and still failing to see any clues, he finally chose to give up.
"Forget it, I'll take a look again after I capture a Ghost-type Pokémon later~"
Putting the newly obtained Reaper Cloth in the drawer of the room, just as Hakuya was about to push the door open and plan to go brewing wine according to the original plan, a graceful figure with emerald long hair happened to push the door and enter at this moment.