Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

After Rex continued striking the cave wall for a while, he heard an unusual sound coming from outside the mine. Worried that it might be a wild Pokémon, he quickly paused and instructed his Machoke helper to stand guard.

Soon enough, Sandslash returned, accompanied by a group of Sandshrew that had previously blocked their path, with the leader Sandslash joining in as well.

Both Rex and Mai exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what Sandslash intended to do.

Their confusion didn't last long. Under Sandslash's direction, each Sandshrew extended its claws and began striking the cave wall. With their coordinated effort, small chunks of rock started breaking away. Although each Sandshrew wasn't particularly fast, their collective numbers made their digging efficiency even greater than Sandslash's solo efforts. The adage, "Many hands make light work," was proven true.

"Amazing! I didn't expect Sandslash could organize the Sandshrew to help us," Rex remarked, genuinely impressed. He hadn't anticipated that the Sandshrew, who almost fought them earlier, would now be so obedient to his Sandslash. Could it be that his Sandslash possessed some latent "kingly" traits?

Rex wasn't entirely aware of the Sandshrew's perspective. To them, the confrontation between his Sandslash and their leader had felt like a battle for dominance. Sandslash's victory symbolized his eligibility as their new leader, as Sandshrew respected strength as a matter of instinct.

Since Sandslash had defeated their leader but spared him some dignity, the Sandshrew felt grateful. So when his Sandslash requested their help, the clan leader agreed without hesitation. For Sandshrew, digging caves was a daily activity, so digging here was no different.

"Amazing! I can't believe Sandslash pulled this off!" Mai couldn't help but marvel. Seeing Rex's Sandslash coordinating the Sandshrew so well made her slightly envious. She couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that her Excadrill had no nearby clan to call upon for help.

"Even I didn't expect Sandslash to pull this off. Let's keep digging, then," Rex said, masking his pride with an air of nonchalance. Privately, he felt deeply gratified by Mai's admiration.

Seeing the potential in teamwork, Sandslash realized that problems which once seemed daunting could be managed easily with clan assistance.

With so many Sandshrew on board, Rex put down his pickaxe, leaving the digging to them while he focused on examining any valuable finds. True to the saying, "Many hands make light work," the Sandshrew soon unearthed a few rare minerals—valuable food for certain Steel-type Pokémon that could promote their growth, such as Tyranitar and Aggron families that required rare minerals to strengthen their armor.

Seeing Rex's successful finds, Mai couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She knew her situation was different, though, and dutifully relied on her Excadrill's digging abilities. Fortunately, she, too, found a rare mineral, which balanced her mood.

As evening approached, Rex decided it was time to call it a day, especially since there was no daylight underground to mark the time. During lunch, he had rewarded each Sandshrew with a basic energy cube and their leader with an intermediate one. For these Sandshrew, accustomed to feeding on dirt, these cubes were a delicious treat that enhanced their impression of Rex, which motivated them to dig even faster.

Thanks to the Sandshrew's efforts, Rex's haul for the afternoon was impressive. He not only obtained a pile of rare minerals but also a Ground-type gem. He chose not to sell it but instead rewarded Sandslash directly, who promptly absorbed the gem. He could feel the gem's Ground-type energy boosting his Ground-type moves, giving him a new hidden advantage.

"Mai, let's head back and continue tomorrow," Rex said after checking his watch. Mai, who was still guiding her Excadrill, readily agreed. The whole day in the mine had left her fatigued, and she had no desire to work overtime.

They planned to camp by the underground lake, where they could enjoy hot baths—a luxury that, to these two cleanliness-conscious trainers, was a perfect end to the day.

As for the Sandshrew, they stayed in the mine, free to keep digging if they wished.

 (End of Chapter)