Hearing this, Tracey asked in surprise, "Mr. Lühé, does Magikarp evolution actually have something to do with their numbers?"
Lühé nodded. "It certainly has a lot to do with it. This lake has a mysterious power, and the more Magikarp gather, the more readily they can trigger that power and evolve together. Conversely, if there aren't enough of them, it could take a long time. They might even have to wait until tomorrow to trigger their evolution."
"So that's how it works."
By then, the sun was sinking in the west and was about to set.
Since they had decided to camp outdoors, everyone split up to work while there was still daylight.
Lühé continued operating his equipment and observing the Magikarp. Misty and Ash gathered some firewood and lit a campfire, while Tracey took out his cookware and took charge of dinner. As for Xia You and Sabrina, they pitched the tents they and Lühé had brought.
Dinner that evening was curry rice with fruit salad. Apart from the fruit, which the Pokémon had gathered in the nearby forest, everything-the curry, potatoes, rice, and other ingredients-had been brought along by Ash and his friends.
Unlike Xia You, who frequently stayed at hotels or guesthouses and ate at restaurants, Ash and his friends often slept and ate outdoors, so they were more thoroughly prepared for their travels and had to carry all sorts of ingredients just in case.
"Mmm, this tastes really good!" Once the fragrant curry rice had been portioned onto plates and set before everyone, Lühé took a bite. Its mildly spicy flavor made his eyes light up, and he could not help praising it. "What luck! I'd already prepared some instant noodles to make do with. I never thought I'd get to eat something this delicious on