Wo-Chien muttered, "Wo." (That human is so strange. He just left here with you two.)
It knew very well that to most humans, the Treasures of Ruin were invaluable.
Countless people had sought them, resorting to theft, deceit, and even force in their greed.
Yet, this human nad Naoki had simply let them roam freely, without chains, without fear, without hesitation.
Wasn't he afraid that soone would try to steal them?
Wo-Chien couldn't understand.
Ting-Lu thought for a mont, then answered calmly, "Moo." (Maybe it's because Naoki doesn't see us as 'treasures' at all. To him, we're just Pokémon—like any other.)
A soft breeze swept through the fields, carrying the scent of fresh grass and flowers.
Under this atmosphere filled with life and warmth, Wo-Chien felt completely at ease for the first ti in ages.
Closing its eyes, it murmured, "Wo…" (What a strange person… zzZ…)
And just like that, it fell asleep.
Ting-Lu and Chi-Yu exchanged glances.
"…"
This old snail hadn't changed at all.
Not far away, Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, observed the new arrivals with interest.
Sensing the gaze, Chi-Yu turned its magatama-shaped eyes toward the floating Pokémon.
It was a strange-looking Pokémon with an unusually large head, radiating a soft blue aura and gently floating in the air.
Its eyes, filled with wisdom and kindness, studied them carefully.
Ting-Lu also turned to look at Calyrex.
"Moo?" (Who are you?)
Calyrex's gaze t theirs, and in an instant, its majestic voice resonated in their minds.
"I am Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests."
...
Below the World Tree, the volcanic terrain rumbled, magma flowing like liquid fire.
Standing amidst this intense heat was Kubfu.
Its training continued.
With a stomp of its foot, Groudon summoned powerful energy from the earth.
Crimson fissures cracked through the volcanic rock as blazing magma surged, forming an enormous Precipice Blades attack aid directly at Kubfu.
Yet, the young bear Pokémon showed no fear.
A look of determination filled its eyes as it charged forward, unfazed by the towering stone blades.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently as the jagged blades of stone tore through the battlefield.
The cracks beneath Kubfu's feet spread rapidly, threatening to swallow it whole.
But at the last second—
Kubfu leapt into the air, rebounding off a nearby stone wall. It dashed along the rocky cliffs, navigating the treacherous battlefield with skill and agility!
As Groudon's Precipice Blades bore down, Kubfu clenched its tiny fists and launched itself forward.
A direct collision.
The sheer force of impact sent Kubfu hurtling through the air before it finally crashed into the ground, covered in scrapes and bruises.
Naoki rushed forward. "You worked hard today!"
Placing a hand on Kubfu's battered form, Naoki called upon the power of Viridian Forest.
A warm, soothing energy radiated from his palm, pouring into Kubfu's body like a gentle tide.
Kubfu's eyes widened. "Huh?"
It could feel the fatigue lting away, replaced by refreshing vitality.
Naoki smiled. "I just got back not long ago. Let's call it a day! We'll continue tomorrow."
"Fu!" Kubfu nodded enthusiastically, determination burning in its eyes.
Seeing this, Groudon lowered its stance, withdrew its attack, and cast a glance at Naoki before turning and striding back toward the volcano.
Naoki watched Groudon leave, a knowing smile playing on his lips. He then turned to Kubfu and patted its head. "Alright, let's head ho."
"Kubfu!"
With that, trainer and Pokémon left the volcanic battleground and returned to the ranch.
Waiting at the entrance were Koraidon and Cyclizar, their tails swaying slightly as they spotted Naoki approaching.
Naoki cast a quick glance toward Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, and Wo-Chien, who were settled comfortably in their new ho, then turned back to his Pokémon, ruffling their heads affectionately.
"Alright, I'm heading inside to make dinner. You guys go play for a while."
"Gah!"
"Raao!"
"Kubfu!"
That evening, Naoki decided to cook sothing special.
Heading into the storage room, he retrieved so smoked bacon and fresh bamboo shoots that Kubfu had given him earlier.
Together, he stir-fried them over high heat.
As the aroma filled the air, the smoky richness of the bacon fused perfectly with the fresh crispness of the bamboo shoots, enhancing the dish's fragrance.
The final result looked absolutely mouthwatering—just the sight of it could make anyone's stomach growl.
Satisfied, Naoki plated the dish and took a quick look at its status information:
Stir-Fried Bamboo Shoots with Smoked Bacon (B-Tier): A ho-cooked al made with fresh bamboo shoots and flavorful cured at, stir-fried over high heat to blend their natural aromas.
Effects: Greatly increases friendship with panda-like Pokémon. After eating, such Pokémon will enter a state of euphoria for 5 hours.
Euphoria: A special state where the Pokémon experiences sudden bursts of inspiration, significantly increasing comprehension skills while slightly lowering mory retention.
Evaluation: "A rare delicacy for those who love it."
Naoki raised an eyebrow. A state of euphoria?
So eating this dish could make a Pokémon more insightful, but also a bit forgetful?
It seed like the benefits still outweighed the drawbacks.
However, there was another issue…
The dish only worked on "panda-like Pokémon."
Naoki glanced at Kubfu thoughtfully.
After mulling it over, he decided to let Kubfu try it later.
If it worked, then great. If not, well, at least dinner would still be delicious.
To complete the al, Naoki also stead a pot of bacon-infused rice, letting the smoky aroma blend perfectly into the grains.
Soon, a rich, savory aroma drifted across the ranch, carried by the evening breeze.
The scent was so enticing that the Pokémon outside—Koraidon, Cyclizar, Flutter Mane, Dragonite—all perked up, their noses twitching.
Attracted by the delicious fragrance, they gathered outside the kitchen, their eyes full of anticipation.
Naoki chuckled at the sight. "Is it really that good?"
The bacon he had used had been cured and dried since he had bought too much fresh at and didn't want it to spoil. He never expected it to be this popular among the Pokémon.
"Awoo!"
Dragonite eagerly nodded, its imagination already running wild, picturing the delicious taste of the sizzling bacon.
Beside it, Koraidon and Cyclizar also nodded excitedly.
"Raao!"
Seeing this, Naoki took out a few pieces of bacon and fed them to the eager Pokémon one by one.
The texture of the bacon was perfectly balanced between fatty and lean. After being stir-fried over high heat, the golden-brown at glistened enticingly, giving off an irresistible smoky aroma.
The mont the Pokémon took their first bite, a rich, salty flavor mixed with a deep umami taste lted in their mouths.
It was soft yet chewy, smoky but not greasy—simply perfect.
"Flutter!"
Flutter Mane's eyes lit up in delight.
It loved this kind of food!
As soon as it swallowed the first bite, it imdiately turned its gaze toward the pot, practically begging for more.
Naoki laughed. "Don't worry, there's plenty at ho. Eat as much as you like!"
If needed, he could always buy more fresh at and cure another batch of bacon.
Hearing this, Dragonite couldn't contain its excitent anymore—it wrapped its arms around Naoki in a big, happy hug.
"Awoo~"
"Alright, alright, let go! Dinner is almost ready!" Naoki said, patting Dragonite's large, chubby paws.
Hearing that, the Pokémon imdiately rushed to the dining area, sitting down obediently, eagerly waiting for their al.
With help from the Indeedee siblings, Naoki finished plating the food and brought it to the table.
He made sure to place the stir-fried bamboo shoots with bacon in front of Kubfu.
"Want to give it a try?"
"Fu?"
Kubfu lowered its head and took a tentative bite.
The next second, its eyes widened in surprise, and then it began devouring the dish with enthusiasm.
However, what really caught Kubfu's interest wasn't the bamboo shoots—but the bacon.
Naoki watched with amusent. "So, Kubfu really isn't a panda Pokémon, huh?"
What a pity. Otherwise, this dish could have helped it reach an even higher level.
Seeing his Pokemon enjoying the al, Naoki smiled and said, "Eat as much as you like. Tomorrow, I'll head into town to see if there are any fresh bamboo shoots for sale. If I find so, I'll make this dish again for you."
"Fu!" Kubfu bead, happily munching away.
...
The next morning, after breakfast, Naoki once again brought Kubfu to the World Tree for its daily training.
Then, he mounted Koraidon and set off on his next mission—to find and ta Chien-Pao, the Ruinous Sword.
Back at the ranch, Wo-Chien, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu watched as Naoki disappeared into the distance.
Ting-Lu let out a deep hum. "Moo." (It looks like we'll be seeing Chien-Pao soon.)
Chi-Yu's voice was soft. "Yuu…" (It's been so long since we last saw it. I wonder what it looks like now…)
Ting-Lu, ever calm, reassured them. "Moo!" (Don't worry. Naoki will definitely find it. Then, the four of us will finally be reunited; I'm really looking forward to that mont!)
Chi-Yu, still floating inside Ting-Lu's cauldron, glanced at Wo-Chien, who was lazily soaking in the warm morning sunlight.
It hesitated for a mont before asking, "Yuu?" (Aren't you curious about Chien-Pao too?)
Wo-Chien stretched out lazily, basking in the golden light. It was completely at peace.
A long ti ago, before being consud by Ruinous energy, it had loved nothing more than lying in the grass, soaking in the sun from dawn until dusk.
And now, it could finally do that again.
What?
Ting-Lu and Chi-Yu were talking about Chien-Pao?
Wo-Chien blinked slowly, taking a mont to process their conversation.
Then, after a long pause, it muttered:
"Wo." (Don't worry. Since I turned out fine, I'm sure Chien-Pao will be fine too. Right now, I'm going to enjoy a nice nap. Haaah… zzZ…)
Its voice gradually softened until it yawned, lowered its head, and drifted off to sleep.
Chi-Yu: "…"
It should have expected this.
Ting-Lu chuckled, shaking its head. "Moo!" (This old guy hasn't changed a bit!)
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