Polliwag

A single Terastal Shard sold for around 3,000 League currency, roughly on par with items like a Hard Stone.

Terastal Shards had only one use—in Paldea region's famed Pokémon Cafeteria, fifty shards of the same type could be used to make a special dish capable of changing a Pokémon's Terastal type.

"Changing a Terastal type gives wealthy people more tactical options, but normal Terastal types are usually enough. Better sell these two shards for cash."

Luo Mu shook his head. Terastal Shards were still plentiful throughout the Paldea region. When crystals that randomly appeared across the region shattered, there was a chance they would produce Terastal Shards. Plenty of scattered shards of various types were sold on the market.

They had even given rise to a group of people who made their living specifically by collecting Terastal Shards.

Luo Mu did not catch the Crabominable. The taste of claws dropped by wild Crabominable was worlds apart from those dropped by domesticated ones; they were simply incomparable. Most restaurants specifically noted that they wanted claws dropped by wild Crabominable when purchasing them.

Following Luxray, Luo Mu found a level patch of ground in the mountains, pitched his tent, lit a campfire, and set a small pot over it to steam the Crabominable claws.

After cracking open a claw, he found six or seven jin of tender white crab meat inside. As long as he found a water source and steamed it, the freshness of the meat would be fully brought out.

After challenging the Normal-type Gym, Luo Mu had once shared a meal at the Pokémon Cafeteria with Office Worker Larry.

At the time, one of the chefs at the Pokémon Cafeteria heard that Luo Mu had found a pair of wild Crabominable claws, and that he had simply boiled and eaten one of them. The chef could not help but sigh in regret.

That method of eating it was practically a waste of heaven's gifts. The chef immediately introduced Luo Mu to the best way to prepare Crabominable claws.

Unfortunately, Luo Mu had not brought any soy sauce, only portable seasonings like salt and chili powder. Otherwise, with how fresh the crab meat was, a little dip in soy sauce would have been enough to make one's eyebrows fall off from deliciousness.

Billowing white steam drifted upward. Luo Mu was not worried that the campfire or the scent of the food would attract wild Pokémon.

Leaving aside what wild Pokémon nearby could last three moves against Luxray, that roar Luxray had let out after Terastallization would have frightened off most wild Pokémon. Even if they smelled the aroma, they probably would not dare come out to forage at a time like this.

Once the countdown in his head ended, Luo Mu decisively lifted the lid. Amid the hazy white steam, the tender crab meat lay in the claw shells. The meat and the clear, freshly steamed broth gave off a sweet, savory fragrance. One sniff was enough to make saliva flood Luo Mu's mouth at an astonishing rate.

The finest ingredients often required only the simplest cooking methods.

Luo Mu exchanged a glance with Luxray. Ignoring the scalding heat of the shells, they each picked up—or hugged—a claw shell and eagerly tasted the crab meat.

The thick, plump, snowy-white strands of crab meat were distinct and packed with incredibly sweet, savory juices. Combined with its thick, meltingly tender texture, just swallowing one mouthful made Luo Mu feel that all the hardship of the past year had been worth it.

Luxray's eyes were shining as well, the star-shaped tip of his tail swishing happily.

Luo Mu ate a smaller half of the crab meat, while Luxray ate the larger half.

Still, the two of them ate at almost exactly the same speed.

Just filling himself with such top-quality delicacy made Luo Mu feel that this trip alone had been worth it.

As for the remaining claw, Luo Mu planned to bring it back as a local specialty to share with his other Pokémon. After all, it would not be right for only him and Luxray to feast alone.

The temperature was low on this early spring night, yet after eating the crab meat, Luo Mu felt his entire body grow warm. Even in the cold wind, he did not feel chilled.

Luxray's sensation was even clearer than Luo Mu's. Not only was the energy in his body overflowing after eating the crab meat, but his physical capabilities had also improved slightly.

The next morning, at dawn.

Luo Mu and Luxray packed up early and returned down the mountain the way they had come. The lake they were heading for was roughly a few hundred meters east of the mountain's base.

They moved quickly and reached their destination in less than ten minutes.

The lake lay in the middle of a small wetland, with quite a few wild Pokémon that lived in the wetlands scattered around it.

There were no young late-blooming Pokémon as incredibly rare as Goomy, but Wooper and Quagsire, Psyduck and Marill, as well as Barboach, could all be found there.

Luo Mu observed the area. In this wetland environment, it would be much easier for Swampert to build canals and divert water. He could not yet tell what Pokémon or fish lived in the lake, but its water reserves were abundant enough that filling the huge pit on his farm would not risk lowering the water level.

As for the water quality...

Luo Mu walked to a relatively dry stretch by the lake's edge, crouched down, and took out a water testing kit from his large backpack.

He dripped the collected lake water onto the test kit. After waiting around three minutes, the two red lines indicating an unclean water source did not appear. That meant the lake water met all the requirements.

Luxray came over and nudged Luo Mu with his head, letting out a short, rapid purr from his throat.

Luo Mu freed one hand to rub his fluffy head and smiled. "No problem. We can bring Swampert here to divert the water once we get back."

With one worry resolved, Luo Mu figured he would take a look around the wetland before heading back and see if there were any suitable Water-type Pokémon to kidnap. Ahem, adopt and bring home!

Wooper, Psyduck, and Marill did not quite meet Luo Mu's expectations.

If most Wooper were overly lively and mischievous, then their evolved form, Quagsire, was the complete opposite—slow to react, good-tempered, and carefree. They were basically the Pokémon version of capybaras.

Psyduck was too dim-witted, while Golduck was better suited to diving into the water with fishermen to catch fish than working on a farm.

And Marill, the water mouse, along with Azumarill, the water rabbit, were better suited to using Play Rough to beat up Salamence—definitely.

Luo Mu let his gaze drift across the lake's surface, hoping to find a Water-type Pokémon suited to the farm.

About five minutes later, his eyes were watering from staring so hard when he finally spotted a Pokémon that had just swum ashore not far away.

Slippery blue skin, a round body without arms, a plump, feather-like tadpole tail, and a black spiral pattern on its belly!

The Tadpole Pokémon—Polliwag!

This Pokémon's initial form might not have been much different from Psyduck, Marill, or Wooper.

But after completing two stages of evolution, one of the branched evolutions of Poliwhirl, Politoed, possessed a unique ability that made it one of the Pokémon best suited for Luo Mu's farm!