Escaping Ekans

"Kecleon, Iron Defense!" Qing Wu commanded.

A silver sheen flashed across Kecleon's exterior, making it feel incredibly sturdy and solid.

Real battles were different from games; Pokémon didn't just stand still, taking turns back and forth.

Here, there was ample space, making command more difficult than usual.

However, after the boost from Iron Defense, Kecleon's defense was sufficient against Ekans.

Ekans coiled its body, flicked its tongue, and opened its mouth, spitting out countless purple poison needles.

"Rock Tomb!" Qing Wu issued the command in time. Although Kecleon didn't fear the poison needles' attack, the needles could potentially make Kecleon's already uneven metallic surface even more pitted.

A massive rock burst from the earth, successfully blocking every single poison needle on its surface.

The rock was densely covered with purplish-black poison needles, which gleamed under the sun.

"Metal Claw!" Kecleon then broke into a short run. The sun reflected off its silver exterior, somewhat blindingly.

Before Ekans could even react, its two metal claws slashed directly into Ekans's body.

Ekans let out a cry of pain.

Ekans coiled itself tightly around Kecleon, opening its terrifying maw, preparing to swallow Kecleon whole.

"Kecleon, continue Metal Claw!" The Metal Claw's light flared, and Ekans was nearly torn in half by Kecleon's claws.

At the same moment a venomous fang bit down on Kecleon's head, a crack was heard as it broke in two.

Ekans was originally a bully that preyed on the weak. Seeing that Kecleon was a tough opponent it couldn't handle, Ekans, ignoring its bleeding wounds, scrambled away and disappeared into the jungle.

"What a shame." Qing Wu had intended to kill Ekans.

Ekans's blood was non-toxic and would be more effective for taming a Zubat, and Ekans's shed skin was also a valuable medicinal ingredient, highly sought after in the black market.

Qing Wu saw that this Ekans was in the process of molting. Unfortunately, Kecleon was a step too slow.

"However, this is the true wealth Ekans left behind."

Qing Wu looked at the dense, unsettling poison needles on the rock and a smile of joy spread across his face.

Using the leaves of a large broadleaf plant, Qing Wu carefully pulled out the poison needles stuck in the rock one by one.

Qing Wu counted the needles; there were a total of [number] poison needles. These needles would become a powerful weapon for Qing Wu against wild Pokémon.

Qing Wu put away the poison needles and washed the fish that had fallen on the ground. He then had Kecleon use Rock Tomb several times in succession.

Several large fish were knocked out of the water by the rocks.

Qing Wu cleaned the fish that had been forced out of the water, then threaded them together with a vine through their mouths, carrying them in his hand.

Qing Wu, carrying a pitcher plant filled with fish blood, and Kecleon picked a few more Orange Fruits before heading back towards the cave.

"Good thing the campfire isn't out yet." When Qing Wu left earlier, he had added more branches, so the campfire he'd painstakingly lit wouldn't go out due to lack of fuel.

Qing Wu threaded the fish onto a branch from head to tail and placed it beside the campfire to roast. The campfire crackled as it burned the branches, the crimson flames leaping upwards with a "whoosh," sparks scattering around.

Qing Wu gathered a pile of damp branches from the surrounding forest and piled them deep inside the cave, intending to use the campfire's heat to dry them out as much as possible.

Otherwise, damp branches would not only be difficult to ignite but would also produce choking black smoke.

"Sizzle, sizzle." The fish Qing Wu caught from the lake were extremely plump.

Drops of golden oil seeped from the surface of the fish and dripped into the fire, making a sizzling sound.

Qing Wu squeezed the juice of the Orange Fruits onto the grilled fish, adding a sweet and sour flavor in place of seasoning.

Kecleon sat quietly beside Qing Wu, still as a stone.

Kecleon's eyes were fixed on the grilled fish, and smelling the enticing aroma, its mouth began to water.

By the time Qing Wu finished preparing everything, it was almost evening. A bright moon had quietly risen, casting its gentle light.

Many wild Pokémon became active late at night, and rustling sounds could be heard.

"Almost done roasting." Living in the wild, it was best to cook food thoroughly to avoid problems like diarrhea.

"It's ready." Qing Wu placed the grilled fish on a broadleaf plant.

"Careful, it's hot." Kecleon eagerly took a bite of the grilled fish and immediately spat it out, scalded.

Qing Wu gave a chiding, wry smile, blew on the fish to cool it, and handed it back to Kecleon.

While Kecleon was feasting, Qing Wu, after eating a small portion, couldn't eat any more, lacking much appetite.

Kecleon, however, had a great appetite and finished all the remaining grilled fish, also gnawing on several Orange Fruits.

Full and satisfied, Kecleon lay down to rest by the side of the cave.

Qing Wu's next task was to gather materials for making Poffins.

For others, making Poffins might be a very difficult task.

The ratio, preparation time, and quality of ingredients for each Poffin were all closely related to its performance.

But for Qingwu, a former master trainer, it was not difficult at all.

As long as he had the corresponding Poffin recipe, Qingwu could make Poffins of perfect quality.

In other words, the return of his golden finger system from his past life made Qingwu even more formidable.

Moreover, the system could also provide Poffin recipes that perfectly matched a Pokémon's aptitude.

The system could help Pokémon grow in the best way possible without wasting their talent.

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