Chapter 16: Fireside Feasts and Unexpected Gains
The rain had made the house feel damp and chilly. Naoki looked at his three Pokémon companions. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Gaa," Koraidon shook its head.
"Gah!" Cyclizar followed suit.
"Cater," Caterpie chimed in, also shaking its head.
They had been relatively inactive all day, and their lunch hadn't fully digested yet.
"Alright, I'll cook later then," Naoki said.
Before it got dark, he headed to the shed out back and got to work. With Koraidon and Cyclizar's help, he chopped some of the collected wood into firewood for the fireplace, to provide warmth and combat the dampness.
Next, he found some nails and wood, fashioned a makeshift workbench, and used a saw to cut the wood into planks and stakes. He then combined the pieces to create simple signs.
Naoki checked the size of the signs and handed them to Cyclizar, intending to take them back to the house and paint crop names on them to label the different sections of the field.
Finally, he crafted two more stakes and returned to the bedroom.
"Caterpie, can you give me some silk?" Naoki asked.
"Cater!"
The Caterpie eagerly obliged, spitting out a strand of silk. Naoki wrapped it around the two stakes, creating a makeshift clothesline.
"Perfect! Now I have a place to hang my clothes."
Naoki clapped his hands in satisfaction. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was already seven in the evening. "Alright, dinner time!" he announced to the three Pokémon.
Before starting to cook, Naoki added the firewood to the fireplace and lit it. The flames danced merrily, soon warming the room.
Naoki removed his jacket, remaining in his shirt as he moved to the kitchen area to prepare dinner. Tonight's menu was grilled fish, specifically Rainbow trout. This type of fish was known for its tender, flavorful meat, lack of fishy smell, and minimal bones, making it ideal for grilling over charcoal.
Naoki prepared the fish, brushing it with a thin layer of oil and searing it in a pan until golden brown on both sides. He then added a specially prepared sauce to the slit belly and finished cooking it over the open fire.
The tantalizing aroma of grilled fish soon filled the room. Koraidon and Cyclizar, who had been dozing lazily, perked up instantly, their noses twitching as they looked towards the source of the delicious smell.
Naoki placed the grilled fish onto plates, the golden oil glistening on their surface. Beneath the browned skin, the tender, red flesh peeked out, its aroma mingling with the sauce to create an irresistible scent that filled the air.
He glanced at the dish's information:
Grilled Rainbow trout (B): This delicacy is simply grilled over charcoal, retaining the fish's natural freshness. It's a dish you won't be able to resist.
Cooking Effect: Major Life Recovery, instantly restoring physical strength and energy to optimal levels.
Comment: A simple yet nutritious dish, suitable for all ages.
Life recovery? Naoki thought. It was equivalent to a full restore plus a bottle of PP Max! Not bad at all.
He couldn't resist taking a bite. The crispy skin gave way to the tender, melt-in-your-mouth flesh. The distinct flavor was utterly delicious, leaving him wanting more.
As he reached for another bite, he felt two intense gazes upon him. Cyclizar and Koraidon were watching him expectantly, drool pooling on the floor.
Naoki chuckled and placed the remaining fish in front of them. "Easy now," he chided gently, "you're making a mess."
Cyclizar and Koraidon eagerly devoured their meal.
Naoki then turned to Caterpie, who seemed uninterested in the grilled fish.
"Don't you want to eat?" he asked.
"Cater..." Caterpie shook its head.
Naoki realized that fish wasn't part of a Caterpie's diet. They preferred fresh leaves and juicy fruits, consuming up to a hundred leaves a day.
"Alright then," Naoki retrieved some berries from the cupboard, carefully cutting them into small pieces to create a fruit platter for Caterpie.
The Caterpie's eyes lit up as it eagerly began to munch on the fruit.
As it ate, Naoki checked the information about the platter:
Fruit Platter (C-): This delicacy is made from a variety of fruits, combining different flavors that some Pokémon find quite appealing.
Cooking Effect: Skill Refinement. After eating, one of the Pokémon's moves will randomly change.
Comment: A basic dish, easy to make, and a good choice for home or travel.
"Whoa!" ⊙﹏⊙∥
Naoki nearly choked on his own saliva.
It could change a Pokémon's move?!
This simple fruit platter actually triggered such a special effect!
Skill Refinement sounded fancy, but it was a double-edged sword, a gamble on luck. In the game, when fed to a character, it would randomly alter one of their moves. The change could be positive, like increasing the move's level and power, or negative, decreasing the level and power, or even causing the character to forget the move entirely. Occasionally, it would lead to skill specialization, granting the move unique effects. In rare cases, it could even unlock a completely new move.
In his previous life, the game company he worked for had been heavily criticized for this dish's unpredictable effect. Players, hoping to strengthen their characters' moves, were often dismayed to find them weakened or even forgotten. There was even a case where a player, after feeding the dish repeatedly, ended up with a character that had lost all its moves. The enraged player nearly stormed into the game developer's office with a knife.
Naoki, remembering this, looked anxiously at the Caterpie, who had already consumed the fruit platter. It was too late to stop it now.
After the Caterpie finished eating, Naoki asked cautiously, "Caterpie, do you feel any changes in your body? In your moves, perhaps?"
"Cater..." The Caterpie seemed confused at first, then began to focus on its sensations.
Suddenly, its eyes widened in realization. "Caterpie!" it exclaimed.
It took a deep breath, its mouth forming an O shape, and then it unleashed a net of white silk. But unlike ordinary silk, this web crackled with strands of yellow electricity.
Naoki gasped in astonishment. The fruit platter had taught Caterpie the move Electroweb!
...
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