When He Got Serious, He'd Even Eat "Shit"!

He thought back to their walk earlier, when he and Servine had argued nonstop over whose fault it was.

At first, Servine had been deeply guilty, convinced that none of this would have happened with better control over that temper. They had clearly come to catch Pokémon, yet they had spent the entire afternoon running away...

Ye Lan actually thought it was all that mysterious Pokémon's fault. That green blade of light had definitely been a Pokémon move.

But seeing how guilty Servine felt, Ye Lan decided to take responsibility as a Trainer. "All right, it was actually my fault. If I hadn't joked around, you wouldn't have taken an attack stance, and Fearow wouldn't have attacked us..."

Before he could finish, he saw Servine nodding solemnly beside him.

Servine: You're absolutely right. It was your fault!

Ye Lan: ?

He suddenly felt like he'd been played. This wasn't how he'd expected the script to go at all!

Carrying a bundle of branches, Ye Lan returned to the tent again. He froze at the sight of the empty ground.

"Did I remember wrong? I'm sure I already gathered a bundle?"

Unable to remember where he'd put it, Ye Lan simply stopped thinking about it.

He arranged some pebbles in a circle, laid out the branches and dead leaves, then took out his lighter to start a fire.

He pressed it gently, and a flame rose. Just as he brought it toward the dead leaves, a breeze blew past, instantly extinguishing it.

"If I'd known, I wouldn't have worried about the hassle. I should've just bought a fire starter."

The shopkeeper had actually recommended that Ye Lan buy a fire starter. The weather in the mountains was unpredictable, and a fire starter could better handle harsh conditions.

Ye Lan had refused on the grounds that it would be inconvenient to carry. In reality, it cost a hundred times as much as a lighter.

Ye Lan wouldn't skimp on a single cent spent on his Pokémon. Everywhere else, he saved wherever he could!

After several more failed attempts, Ye Lan started wondering whether something was wrong with the lighter.

It wasn't until more than twenty attempts later that Ye Lan gradually realized something was off.

Holding the lighter in his right hand and shielding it from the wind with his left, he slowly brought it toward the dead leaves. This time, he didn't press the switch.

Almost at the same moment, another familiar breeze blew past, brushing against Ye Lan's thoroughly exasperated face.

"You're not even pretending anymore?!"

Laughter like tinkling silver bells rang out, and the surrounding branches shook along with it.

Ye Lan abruptly stood up, scanning his surroundings warily as he tried to find the little troublemaker.

Servine hurried over upon hearing the commotion. After listening to Ye Lan's explanation, Servine also began looking around.

As though sensing Servine's presence, the laughter gradually stopped, and the surroundings fell quiet.

Ye Lan didn't know whether he was imagining it, but he kept feeling that the Pokémon laughing just now was the same one that had ambushed them that afternoon.

When nothing else happened, Ye Lan stopped paying attention. It was probably just a mischievous Pokémon without much ill intent.

Once the campfire was lit, Ye Lan began preparing Servine's dinner under Servine's urging.

Since he had never managed to trick... ahem, since he had never managed to meet a suitable nutritionist, and didn't have the spare money to hire someone to prepare meals every day, Ye Lan could only start learning Pokémon cooking himself.

Ye Lan had never cooked before. In the beginning, when he threw his creations in the trash, even stray Meowth wouldn't take a bite after sniffing them.

But who was Ye Lan? Once he got serious, what couldn't he accomplish?!

For over a month, whenever Servine refused to eat one of his attempts at cooking, Ye Lan ate it himself!

First, he researched the flavors Grass-type Pokémon liked, then gradually adjusted his recipes after tasting them himself.

Finally, thanks to Ye Lan's hard work, in just one month, he lost weight—a full six kilograms!

As for his cooking skills, the less said, the better.

To quote Servine directly: "Sure, the color and shape have changed, but better-looking dog shit is still dog shit!!!"

Ye Lan hadn't really believed in the importance of talent before. He'd thought he could accomplish anything as long as he worked hard enough. Now, he believed!

Arceus above, he'd really tried his best! To improve his cooking, he'd even eaten "dog shit" for an entire month!

The most terrifying part was that the lump of "dog shit" looked better every day, rekindling Ye Lan's hope and giving him the courage to taste it again.

Yet every time, the taste was so familiar, and it left Ye Lan in such despair.

Ye Lan could never understand it. Why the hell did the taste stay exactly the same when he changed the heat and ingredients every single day?!

This wasn't scientific! No, this wasn't Pokémon-like!

Perhaps the system pitied Ye Lan's plight, or perhaps Arceus had heard his cries. The system's voice suddenly rang out in Ye Lan's mind.

[Ding! A special situation affecting the host has been detected. Would you like to spend all your current Sunshine Points to create a custom ability for the host?]

Over that month, Ye Lan had battled and trained diligently every day, accumulating more Sunshine Points than he'd ever had before.

The power of purple items had long left Ye Lan drooling, but he currently had no way to obtain them.

Ye Lan had planned to save up Sunshine Points and pour them into upgrading the Lucky Wheel until it offered a chance of drawing purple items.

The unexpected situation disrupted Ye Lan's plans. Opportunities like this were truly something you could stumble upon but never seek out. After much hesitation, he still selected the confirmation option.

The next moment, a new ability appeared on his status screen. When he saw its name, he was utterly dumbfounded.

Name: Cooking Muggle's Fatal Echo Lv. 1

Effect: Your cooking automatically suits the tastes of all Grass-type Pokémon; as the ability's level increases, your cooking will provide Grass-type Pokémon with additional beneficial boosts.

Restriction: Warning!!! The system accepts no responsibility for any consequences resulting from consumption by non-Grass-type Pokémon! (Note: Due to this ability's special nature, it cannot be upgraded using Sunshine Points.)

Description: You prayed to the heavens, but only the system answered you (disdain).

That was the day Ye Lan gained his second ability that couldn't be upgraded with Sunshine Points.

Servine also became willing to eat his cooking, though before every meal, Servine still instinctively took a tiny taste first. Ye Lan's earlier cooking had clearly left lasting trauma.

Servine's eyes lit up at the sight of the steaming food in the pot.

Running away all afternoon had burned through a lot of energy. Besides, after so many set meals at the battle arena, enjoying Ye Lan's cooking once in a while was a treat too.

Despite the intense craving, Servine still waited quietly beside him.

The little one's personality had always been like this. Even when Servine really wanted something, Servine would never ask Ye Lan for it. Yet every time Ye Lan guessed correctly, Servine would put on a solemn front and nod, while Ye Lan could always sense the happiness underneath.

"My starter Pokémon is a tsundere. What am I supposed to do about that?"

Ye Lan kept stirring the vegetable stew in the pot with a ladle, his ears constantly picking up the rustling around him.

Servine had noticed Pokémon approaching long ago, but since there was no hostility to be sensed from them, Servine had ignored them.

"Heh heh heh, come along quietly, all of you!"