The m, Naoki rode on Cyclizar, dressed in a straw hat and short-sleeved shirt, adopting the casual style of a Bug Catcher. He made his way to Artazon Town to participate in the Bug Catg test.

  By the time he arrived at the nature park south of Artazon Town, a rge group of trainers had already gathered. Among them were young boys and girls dressed just like him.

  Blending in effortlessly, Naoki joihe crowd at the park's entrance, where a sign provided details about the test and the park itself.

  The nature park was a haven f- and Grass-type Pokémon, sprawling over a vast area and hosting tless wild Pokémon. It resembled the nature reserves found in ions but had stricter regutions. Typically, the park was closed to the publid trainers were prohibited from capturing Pokémon to preserve its unique ecosystem.

  However, to trol the growing Bug Pokémon popution, Artazon Town awo Bug Catg tests annually, allowing traio capture seleon during the events.

  Naoki g the sign's list of Pokémon inhabiting the park. It included familiar species such as Caterpie, Scatterbug, Spinarak, Ariados, Joltik, Cutiefly, Dewpider, Kricketot, and Grubbin.

  It also mentioned rarer species like Larvesta, Heracross, Scyther, Scizor, and Vespiquen.

  'What a shame there's no Pokémon like Appletun here,' Naoki thought regretfully. Otherwise, he could have caught a few to help produce juice back at the ranch.

  Appletun, the Apple Pokémon, was known for fermenting berries into sweet and sticky juice. Unfortunately, Naoki recalled that Appletun wasn't native to Paldea.

  Around him, trainers buzzed with excitement. Young Bug Catchers with s were brimming with determination, and some were even making friendly bets on who would catch the rarest Pokémon.

  Others, less siderate, used their Bug-type Pokémon to scare their panions, causing startled shrieks from the girls. Naoki watched this se with a sigh nation.

  Kids these days…

  A voice crackled over the park's annou system: "Attention trainers! The Bug Catg test is about to begin. Please gather at the entrance of the nature park. The gates will open shortly."

  The annou tinued, "Make sure to prepare your supplies before entering, including plenty of Poké Snacks a Balls to attrad capture Pokémon."

  As the gates opehe crowd surged forward with enthusiastic Bug Catchers scattering in all dires, eagerly searg for rare Pokémon.

  Naoki, however, remained calm. He approached the ter he entrance, intending to purchase a few packs of Poké Snacks.

  The staff at the ter turned out to be the same girl who had visited his ranch the day before to order berries. She reized him immediately and excimed in surprise, "Oh, you're here!"

  Naoki gave her a friendly smile and nodded. Gng at the nearly empty ter, he asked, "Do you still have any snacks a Balls left?"

  "We do! Just give me a moment," she replied cheerfully before disappearing into the tent behind the ter.

  While waiting, Naoki absentmindedly reached out to pat Cyclizar, who stood by his side.

  Koraidon hadn't e along this time.

  Naoki wasn't sure what was wrong. Sihe previous night, Koraidon had been ag withdrawn, refusing to answer any of his questions about what was b it.

  That m, Naoki had wa Koraidon along to the Bug Catg test for some fun, but it had uedly deed.

  Naoki wondered if it had something to do with the ents he'd made about Cyclizar during their bath the previous day. But no, Koraidon wasn't the type to get upset over trivial things.

  It didn't seem angry—it seemed flicted. Troubled. Naoki had never seen Koraidon act like this before, and its mood weighed heavily on his own. Even now, he couldn't muster much excitement for the event.

  Thinking back to how Koraidon had occasionally stared at Cyclizar the previous night, Naoki felt utterly baffled.

  What could it possibly be struggling with?

  Suddenly, a startled cry echoed from the nearby tent.

  "Ahhh!"

  Cyclizar immediately perked up, its alert cry breaking Naoki's train of thought:

  "Raao?"

  Naoki so attention, assuming something had gone wrong, and quickly rushed into the tent.

  Inside, a massive Snorx y sprawled across the floor, sn loudly. Its enormous belly rose and fell tentedly, and its paws gently rubbed its overstuffed stomach as it slept.

  Surrounding the Snorx were several destroyed crates, their tents clearly devoured.

  Naoki blinked in surprise. "What…?"

  The girl from the snack stand stomped her foot in frustration. "It's Snorx! The same ohat ate all our berries two days agh, what a glutton! And now it's eaten all the Pokémon snacks we prepared for today's test!"

  Snorx snored peacefully: "Zzz…"

  Fuming, the girl marched up and spped Snorx's impossibly estic belly.

  Snorx didn't stir: "Zzz…"

  Naoki sweatdropped. This Pokémon was something else.

  "I'm so sorry, Mr. Naoki," the girl apologized, exhaling deeply to calm herself. "Thanks to Snorx, we've pletely run out of snacks for the petition…"

  Naoki, not particurly ied in catg Bug-type Pokémon, shrugged it off. Instead, his attention remained on the Snorx.

  "Does this Snorx belong to a trainer?" Naoki asked curiously.

  The girl hesitated, then shook her head. "No, it doesn't have a trainer. It's lived in this town for a while now."

  She sighed, recalling its history. "It showed up about three months ago. The weather was freezing then, and Snorx wandered into town, starving. Feeling sorry for it, the townsfolk gave it plenty of food. Ever sihen, it's stayed here and bee part of our unity… though not without causing plenty of trouble."

  Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Trouble?"

  "Oh, definitely," the girl said, crossing her arms. "Because of its insatiable appetite, it's a menace! We've tried asking traio capture it, but things never work out."

  She tinued, "Some trainers 't even wake it up, let alotle it. Even if they mao catch it, they ofteurn it because they 't afford to feed it.

  "And everainers afford to feed it, Snorx sleeps almost 23 hours a day and refuses to battle. They eventually give up and bring it back."

  Naoki fihe thought for her in his mind: 'Even with all that, it ends up back here every time…'

  His gaze lingered on the slumbering Pokémon, and an idea sparked in his mind.

  This Snorx seemed like a perfect fit for his ranch.

  While learning about poke blocks retly, Naoki came across a recipe that Marina had shared with him. These specialized treats were perfect for Pokémon with rge appetites. Just one was enough to fill a Snorx's belly.

  If he could stockpile enough of these, he could easily feed this Snorx without breaking the bank.

  After all, Naoki wasn't a professional trainer. He didn't need his Pokémon to battle for him; he only wahem to live peacefully on the ranch.

  And Snorx had another incredible trait that made it invaluable: its digestive abilities.

  As one of the most famous Pokémon for its enormous appetite, Snorx could eat almost anything.

  What's even more remarkable is that Snorx eat just about anything—its stomach is so resilient that even the poison from a Sandit would taste like seasoning to its pate.

  It just so happehat the ranch was short on a Pokémon capable of testing different foods. With that in mind, an idea popped into Naoki's head.

  "Are you still looking for someoo take this Snorx?" he asked.

  The girl nodded but quickly realized what Naoki was implying. "Wait... are you pnning to take Snorx?"

  Naoki hummed in affirmation. "I'm thinking ing it bay ranch."

  "Of course! Please, take it with you!" The girl's enthusiasm was almost ical—she seemed eager to get rid of Snorx as quickly as possible.

  Naoki sighed internally. This rea wasn't surprising. Historically, Pokémon like Snorx were often seen as walking disasters.

  In aimes, when food produ was limited, a Snorx could wander into a vilge and devour the entire granary in a siting. Back then, Snorx was a creature to be feared.

  But with modern advas in agriculture aer uandiween humans and Pokémon, society no longer viewed Snorx as a menace. Instead, it had bee a curious and somewhat lovable part of their world.

  "But... how are you pnning to tame it?" the girl asked hesitantly. She knew firsthand how difficult dealing with a Snorx could be.

  Naoki paused to think before asking, "Have the trainers who tried before battled it?"

  The girl nodded. "Snorx's skin is so tough, most attacks barely tickle it. Most trainers used food to try to lure it into a Poké Ball."

  "I see," Naoki said thoughtfully. If food was the key, he might as well try that approach.

  Looking around the tent, Naoki spotted a fruit mixer. Remembering the recipe for Primary Glutton Poke Blobsp;he had retly perfected, he asked, "Do you have any berries left? I wo Pecha Berries, one Oran Berry, one Bluk Berry, two Nanab Berries, and one Figy Berry."

  "Let me check!" The girl quickly rummaged through the remaining supplies and soon handed Naoki a small sele of berries. "These are the leftovers from when we made snacks."

  Naoki thanked her and got to work. He carefully measured the ingredients, blehem, and began cooking. About half an hour ter, a batch of steaming, golden-brown poke blocks emerged from the mae.

  [Glutton Poke Block (C+)]

  Effebsp;A specially crafted poke block desigo satiate Pokémon with massive appetites. One poke block is enough to fill a Snorx's stomach.

  With the poke blocks ready, Naoki turo the girl and held up the batch. But before he could say a word, a massive shadow fell over him.

  Startled, Naoki turned around to see Snorx standing over him, its half-lidded eyes fixated on the poke blocks in his hand.

  "You want one?" Naoki asked, pig up a poke blod holding it out.

  Snorx leaned down, its rge paw delicately taking the poke block before popping it into its mouth.

  ch. Chew. Gulp.

  The poke block disappeared quickly, and Snorx's eyes lit up as the pressed energy filled its stomach. For the first time in days, Snorx felt pletely satisfied.

  Its gaze shifted back to the remaining poke blocks in Naoki's hand, clearly eager for more.

  Naoki hesitated for a moment. He extended his hand toward Snorx to see if it would allow him to touch it.

  Despite its zy and gluttonous demeanor, Snorx wasn't naive. Instead of simply allowing Naoki to pet it, Snorx ed its massive arm around him, lifting him off the ground with surprising care.

  It cradled Naoki in one arm like a prized possessioing him sit fortably.

  "W-Whoa!" Naoki excimed, caught off guard.

  Naoki soon realized Snorx had no ill iions.

  The girl standing nearby smiled reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, this Snorx is incredibly docile. It doesn't eve angry when the kids in tows belly as a pyground."

  Naoki decided to test Snorx's willingness. He held up a poke blod said, "Open wide—like this. Ahhh!"

  Snorx opes massive mouth.

  Naoki tossed the poke blo, and Snorx began chewing with visible te.

  After ing a few more poke blocks, Snorx started to feel full. It let out a long, zy yawn, rubbed its eyes, and then reed onto the ground. Snorx's enormous body fttened out as it y on its back, pulling Naoki along and pg him on its soft belly. Moments ter, it began sn again, pletely unfazed.

  Naoki: "…"

  Naoki couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. Taking advantage of Snorx's docility, he k on its belly and said, "Hey, Snorx, how about ing with me? If you stay at my ranch, I'll make you food like this every day."

  Snorx: zzZ

  Naoki leaned forward, trying to gauge its response. "If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes. Is that okay?"

  Snorx: zzZ

  The girl, watg from the side, ughed. "It looks like it really likes you! Snorx has never acted this way with any of the trainers who tried to capture it before."

  Naoki g the sleeping Pokémon, feeling a mixture of amusement aermination.

  Reag into his pocket, he pulled out ay Poké Ball. Carefully aiming at Snorx's forehead, he tapped the Poké Ball against it.

  In an instant, Snorx's massive body was enveloped in a red light and pulled into the ball.

  The Poké Ball wobbled owice, and then clicked still.

  It was a successful capture.

  Naoki stared at the Poké Ball in his hand, momentarily taken aback by how smoothly everything had gone.

  Shaking off his disbelief, he stood up ahe Poké Ball in his hand, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. "Well, either way, it worked."

  The girl's expression, however, turned slightly hesitant.

  "Is something wrong?" Naoki asked, notig her ge in demeanor.

  The girl hesitated before speaking. "Um, Mr. Naoki... this Snorx has a huge appetite. It might surprise you how much it eats. If you ever feel like you 't ha, please don't release it into the wild. Bring it back to us instead."

  Naoki raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her .

  She tinued early, "Even though Snorx be a handful—it eats everything in sight and causes chaos wherever it goes—the people in town care about it. It's been part of our lives for a while now, and nobody here would ever want it to get hurt…"

  Hearing her words, Naoki's expression softened. He nodded and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of Snorx. I promise."

  The girl's relief was evident as she smiled back.

  ...

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