Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World-Chapter 161

"Walking Wake, stop playing around. Doublade doesn't look so good," Hikaru patted the crest of Walking Wake's head. Only then did it reluctantly spit Doublade out, gesturing with its little claws in front of it and squinting its eyes.

"Raaah~"

It wasn't playing! It genuinely believed doing so would make it stronger!

『Eat this.』Calyrex handed a carrot to Walking Wake, which chomped it down in one bite. After that, it started roaring happily, though this time with a hint of dissatisfaction.

Right—about those carrots! And what was that earlier remark?

What did it mean by "thanks to your cultivation"? The rain and sunshine on this land were brought by me, too! I played a part in this!

After venting, Walking Wake nudged Hikaru with its head, grumbling about how it helped Calyrex with the farm work only to be chased around by the Swords of Justice in the end.

"Alright, alright, don't be sad. You're the first Pokémon here, after all! You control the climate of the entire Sky Island!" Hikaru hugged Walking Wake's head and combed through its mane. That finally made it cheerful again, feeling that taking those beatings wasn't all in vain.

『Walking Wake, were you like this back in ancient times too, always whining to others like a baby?』

Calyrex chewed its carrot while teasing.

Hikaru always said Walking Wake was like a caveman (or cave-dragon), quite fierce and uncivilized at first. So why was it acting like a pet now? Whenever it was with Calyrex, it always had some terrible idea up its sleeve.

"Raaah~" Walking Wake shot Calyrex an annoyed glare.

It did have a pack and allies in ancient times, okay?! Even if they were mostly hunting partners and not true friends!

『Hoh? So you had a group back then?』

"Raaah raaah~ (Of course! But most of the time we weren't together. Competition among our kind was intense!)"

While Calyrex and Walking Wake chatted, Hikaru crouched down to tend to a carrot that hadn't been harvested yet using his special cultivation knowledge and techniques. That particular carrot didn't seem fully ripe.

After a while of careful work, he called out to Calyrex:

"Want to try cultivating this carrot?"

Calyrex and Walking Wake exchanged glances, puzzled but didn't ask further. Calyrex quickly finished the carrot in its mouth, wiped the dirt from its face with muddy hands—now looking like a big spotted bunny—and began humming a curious tune beside the carrot. It broke into an odd little dance, kicking and hopping, then raised both arms.

A bluish glow burst from the soil.

That immature carrot instantly swelled and became plump, radiating a delicious aroma.

『Hoh?! What's with this carrot?!』

"Raaah?"

"Yoowoo~"

All three Pokémon leaned in as Hikaru pulled the carrot from the ground. It was different!

This red carrot had a much richer hue, and—perhaps it was just imagination—its skin seemed to shimmer faintly with a golden tint.

In Hikaru's mind, information appeared:

[Venus Vegetable: Gourmet Carrot (Premium).]

[Description: A vegetable brimming with complex flavors and aromas—grassy notes, fruity sweetness, citrus zest, woody richness, and a hint of fat. Just smelling it is enough to lift your spirits. A delicacy loved by many Pokémon!]

It had mostly the same effects as a Silver Star Carrot, but this one greatly enhanced fullness and nutrition—and its flavor and food energy were also far superior!

"It's a Venus Vegetable. Much better than the Silver ones!" Hikaru handed the carrot to Calyrex, whose eyes lit up as it immediately began crunching down the whole thing. Moments later, it stood there stunned, staring at the carrot leaves in disbelief—then shoved those in its mouth too.

『Delicious!』 Calyrex's verdict was straightforward. Then it held out its hand to Hikaru: 『I want more!』

The King of Bounty looked at Hikaru with puppy eyes and a hint of gloom. Despite all its effort farming the land and understanding agriculture, its crops were still inferior to Hikaru's!

It didn't understand the "Silver Star" and "Venus Star" terms, but the difference between high-quality and premium was obvious—and gold, of course, was more precious than silver!

Where did it go wrong in the farming steps?!

Hikaru burst out laughing.

This big-headed bunny looked pretty sulky, but soon puffed up again with confidence while demanding more. How cute.

"Seems like the King's powers have recovered quite a bit! Ripening Venus-tier crops on demand isn't an easy feat!"

『My powers are made for moments like this!』 Calyrex declared proudly.

"Then let's cook them into a proper dish! That way, they'll taste even better and have more effect," Hikaru proposed, gathering the immature carrots. Calyrex winced internally—had it known Hikaru could make even better-tasting carrots, it wouldn't have wasted its strength secretly speeding up those Silver Star ones!

Even though those were tasty, Venus Vegetables were clearly a tier above!

『Calyrex assisted with a crafting process and gained experience and growth.』

『Farming LV1 experience increased. Familiarity with agricultural tools and soil has slightly improved.』

『Calyrex learned: Attentive Care – Crops tended by Calyrex will have slightly higher quality, and be more resistant to wilting and pests.』

『You gained knowledge: Verdant Mutation – Immature crops have a 20% chance of beneficial mutation. Also applies to seeds. Combined with seed mutation knowledge, it may generate strange seeds, making it excellent for developing new crops.』

"Doublade, use Fury Cutter."

Hikaru looked over the ingredients. Most of the crops Calyrex planted were carrots—understandable, as Crown Tundra's main vegetable had always been that one, originally cultivated as offerings to Calyrex. Other crops were far fewer in number.

"Hmm… Mint Leaf, Thick Leek, Fancy Apple, Springy Beans, Balm Mushroom, Sweet Root, and Cabbage."

Many of these were common in the Galar region, grown in all cities. It wasn't surprising to find them in this dreamlike version of Crown Tundra.

Hikaru decided to make a curry dish rich with Galarian flavor—just like in the games. He set up a big pot and started cooking. Doublade, using its masterful blade technique, diced the carrots and other veggies into tiny, elegant shapes.

Even Calyrex widened its eyes, picking up a carved slice of carrot and chewing thoughtfully.

[Ingredient: Exquisite Carrot Cubes.]

[Description: Carrot cubes carved and prepared by Doublade, shaped with intricate precision. The ancient artistic style infused into the carving causes even ordinary ingredients to possess a strange power.]

[Effect: Best enjoyed in a vegetable salad to enhance flavor. Eating directly boosts mental strength temporarily and relieves fatigue. Pokémon with ancient origins especially enjoy this dish.]

"Yooyoo~!" Doublade, seeing Calyrex munching on its carrot cubes one after another, quickly lifted the tray.

Oh, King of Bounty! These are not for eating yet! They go in the pot!

『If they're meant to be stewed, why carve them so delicately?』

Calyrex questioned.

Doublade proudly waved its ribbons.

"Yoop~"

To constantly refine its carving skills, of course! Even food was a training opportunity!

As the ingredients, berries, and veggies entered the pot, an irresistible aroma began to waft through the air. The sweetness practically rose in your mouth. Walking Wake, eyes fixed on the bubbling curry, flailed its front claws impatiently.

It hesitated, staring at the flames, wanting to breathe fire to help—but worried the heat would break the pot. At Hikaru's head-shaking, it backed off. Then, as if struck by inspiration, it dashed away and returned with a Light Stone from the ancient forge!

Let's use this to cook! It's powerful—and comes with bonus effects!

Hikaru: "..."

"Well, if we use the Light Stone for heating… I guess it's like an electric stove. Clean and flameless."

Though he felt this might be disrespectful to Reshiram, Hikaru could sense a hazy consciousness within the stone that seemed fine with it. In fact, it even conveyed that if Hikaru polished it well and used it to cook, it wouldn't mind.

In the world of Pokémon, dirt and grime were common. For Fire-types, the "ashes" left behind by cooking fires weren't considered filth—but valuable sources to boost their flame power.

As Hikaru and the Pokémon continued stewing their carrot curry…

Across the Rainbow Bridge from where Walking Wake had returned, three Pokémon stepped into view.

"This is the place… The dragon's footprints are still on the bridge."

"This time, we must make it understand. The Unova region is under our protection. We won't let it run wild again!"

"Wait… What's that smell? That's… really good..."

Stepping onto the bridge were none other than the Swords of Justice—Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion.

(End of Chapter)

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