"Niiii-keh, niiii-keh!" Machamp gesticulated excitedly, showing great enthusiasm.
Through conversations with the old man, she knew about the existence of special humans in the world. Simply possessing a unique ability and having decent academic performance meant a person could receive exceptional admission to first-class universities. Such talents were highly sought after by any company or organization, and the government provided numerous benefits.
Seeing Machamp's emotions finally stabilize, Kaito took out the glowing Secret Treasure Black Belt.
"Lili, this is for you," Kaito said. "You'll grow a lot after absorbing it."
Gulp.
Machamp stared at the Secret Treasure Black Belt, instinctively swallowing her saliva, her four eyes shining brightly. For a Fighting-type Pokémon, the Secret Treasure Black Belt was the world's top treasure, exuding an extreme allure. It was a heartfelt desire, a primal urge to become stronger from the very root of her being.
Machamp forcibly suppressed her desire and asked in a rough voice, "Niiii-keh, niiii-keh?"
"Hmm…" Kaito thought for a moment, then smiled. "You can understand this as one of my abilities as well—a reward I received specifically for the farm."
"Niiii-keh, niiii-keh!"
Kaito put away his smile, his expression becoming solemn. He spoke in a deep voice: "Lili, don't ever say such things again! As family, there's no such thing as favoritism. You've dedicated your life to me, to the old man, and to this farm. Isn't that worth this one secret treasure?"
He gently tucked the Black Belt into Machamp's arms. "Take it! Then… continue to work hard for the future of the farm." His words were filled with high expectations. Not only was Lili his only Fighting-type Pokémon, but her potential had also reached its limit. Kaito wanted Lili to experience a higher level of existence.
Machamp clutched the Secret Treasure Black Belt. Being an emotional Pokémon, her eyes welled up with tears again, and the feeling of inferiority faded from her gaze, replaced by a look of fierce determination! She absolutely could not fail Kaito's expectations!
The next moment, Machamp, along with the Secret Treasure Black Belt, erupted in dazzling light, and an orange-red glow enveloped her like a large cocoon.
The changes were instantaneous: her Level increased to 57, her Potential soared from Elite-tier all the way to Quasi-Elite Four-tier! Her Individual Values saw improvements, reaching 31 in HP, Attack, Defense, and Speed. She had also mastered new, powerful moves like Seismic Toss, Dynamic Punch, and, through self-learning, the formidable Superpower and Close Combat. Furthermore, the power of all her Fighting-type moves was permanently increased by 20%.
Kaito was stunned by the magnitude of the transformation. I should say that a secret treasure truly lives up to its name! To actually be capable of such a significant power boost! Lili's new strength was sufficient to surpass the ace Pokémon of a City Gym Leader.
Long Country has over thirty provinces, divided into four regions. Each region has a Champion and four Elite members. Gyms are split into City Gyms and Provincial Gyms, with the latter only existing in each province's capital city. Since his farm was in the suburbs of Fu City, the capital of Fu Province, he now had a Pokémon with power exceeding the usual standards of his local area.
"Niiii-keh!" Machamp let out an excited cry. She could feel the immense breakthrough in her strength. The obstacles that had previously plagued her were shattered in one fell swoop.
Looking at the awe-inspiring Machamp, Kaito nodded with satisfaction. Choosing Lili had another advantage: quickly creating a high-level combat force! Other Pokémon still needed time to grow, but only Lili, having been through countless battles, already possessed Elite-tier combat power. Paired with the Secret Treasure Black Belt, he had instantly created a Gym Leader-tier combat force! The safety factor of his farm had greatly increased.
Back at the villa, after finishing the farm work, the sky had darkened, and Kaito began to prepare dinner for himself and the Pokémon. Ralts and the others mainly ate Poké Blocks and Exp. Candies that he had bought from the store. He had money now. Naturally, he wanted to give his Pokémon good food, as they would grow even better.
After dinner, the Pokémon also made progress to varying degrees: Ralts leveled up from Level 5 to Level 13; Bunnelby leveled up from Level 12 to Level 15; and Growlithe leveled up from Level 17 to Level 18. Everything was thriving.
Kaito contemplated the benefits of his Growth Power ability, which granted him special status in this world. The government encouraged such talented individuals, as special abilities had a possibility of being inherited.
However, the main point for Kaito was that with this ability, the farm's development path would be even smoother. The future was full of hope! The old man passed away too soon; if he had lived a little longer, he would have seen the hope Kaito brought.
Watching Machamp wipe away tears again, Kaito gave a wry smile and didn't disturb her. In the entire farm, besides Machamp, he was the only one who truly knew the old man's wish. He could deeply understand Machamp's excitement at this moment.
After a while, Machamp calmed down.