Leveling up

As Tong Hua watched the information panel appear before him and the number representing his level rapidly tick upward, he could hardly contain his excitement.

He had leveled up!

And he had even made a piece of D-grade furniture!

Just like food and plush toys, furniture made through woodcarving really did have special effects!

And this effect made the space feel larger. It seemed useless at first, but actually...

"Great! That takes care of the Miltank problem, too!"

Tong Hua quickly stood up and invited Xiang Shi and Mu Mu to inspect the fruits of his labor.

Xiang Shi walked around the fence, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Not bad. You managed this level of quality on your first try."

He reached out and knocked on a plank, producing a dull thud. "The joints are solid, and the nails were hammered in very precisely."

Mu Mu leaned closer, his face full of disbelief. "Th-this really was your first time?"

Embarrassed by their praise, Tong Hua smiled and scratched his head.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to Mr. Xiang Shi's teaching. Besides, the plans clearly marked the dimensions of the materials and the positions of the nails. I just followed them."

Xiang Shi couldn't help nodding and said firmly, "No need to be modest, Tong Hua. Being able to do this already puts you ahead of the vast majority of beginner woodworkers."

As he spoke, he shot a glance at Mu Mu beside him.

Mu Mu immediately bristled and turned his head away in protest, refusing to meet Xiang Shi's eyes.

"Stupid bird's-nest head. All you do is make snide remarks..."

Xiang Shi suddenly reached out and grabbed the distinctive tuft of hair sticking up from the top of Mu Mu's head. "You little brat. Think I can't hear you just because you're muttering?"

"Ow, ow, ow! Master, I was wrong!" Mu Mu wailed, rising onto his tiptoes. "Tong Hua, save me!"

Tong Hua smiled as he watched the master and apprentice tussle, then walked aside to check on the Miltank.

Just as the effect described on the panel suggested, the Miltank, who had been anxious about the lack of space, suddenly calmed down.

"Milu?"

They looked around in confusion, seemingly unable to understand why their surroundings suddenly felt so much roomier.

Tong Hua gently stroked one Miltank's head and said softly, "You can live here comfortably from now on. It won't feel cramped anymore."

The Miltank seemed to understand him. They affectionately rubbed their noses against his palm and gave happy cries.

"Milu, milu~"

Watching them, Tong Hua felt another surge of accomplishment. It was only a little fence, but it had genuinely improved the Miltank's living conditions.

"Not bad. Hehe."

At some point, Xiang Shi had released Mu Mu's tuft of hair. He walked over to Tong Hua. "Oh, you've calmed them down? Just what I'd expect from a rancher."

Rubbing his head, Mu Mu came over with sparkling eyes. "Tong Hua, could you teach me, too? This stupid bird's-nest head has no idea how to teach..."

Xiang Shi smacked the back of his head. "You little brat. You can't learn, so you blame everyone else? Why did he do so well on his very first try?"

Mu Mu cradled his head, looking utterly aggrieved. "Wh-what am I supposed to do? I've been trying hard to learn, too..."

"It's all right, senior apprentice." Seeing that Mu Mu looked ready to cry, Tong Hua hurried to comfort him.

"Everyone learns at their own pace. Maybe you're just a late bloomer."

"Ah..." Xiang Shi sighed as well. "Tong Hua's right. Take your time. As long as you want to learn, I'll keep teaching you.

"Old Mr. Tong used to say that in woodworking, being slow or clumsy wasn't the problem. Having no patience was.

"When you work with wood, you have to settle your mind and understand the purpose of every step. Only then can you shape it, bit by bit, into what you've envisioned."

For once, Xiang Shi spoke with complete seriousness, sharing his insights with Tong Hua and Mu Mu like a proper teacher.

"That's why I keep making you learn how to use a handsaw. If you can't even master the most basic tools, you won't be able to put any techniques to use, no matter how many you learn."

After listening, Mu Mu lowered his head, his usual mischievous energy nowhere to be seen.

"Master... I understand." He muttered quietly, his fingers unconsciously tugging at the hem of his clothes. "I'll practice properly from now on."

Seeing his apprentice look serious for once, Xiang Shi's lips curved slightly, but he quickly put on a stern face again. "Good. When we get back, clean up first, then get to practicing."

"Wait!" Mu Mu's eyes widened. "I'm being this sincere, and I still have to clean?"

"What's wrong with that?" Xiang Shi narrowed his eyes. "You're an apprentice. Cleaning is part of your job."

"Stupid bird's-nest head! I'll take you on!"

Tong Hua couldn't help laughing. Though the master and apprentice bickered all day, they were actually very close.

He even felt a little envious of them. At least they had someone around to bicker with...

For some reason, Tong Hua suddenly recalled Grandpa Yang's somewhat lonely figure back at Sunshine Ranch.

Despite running such a lively ranch, he was the only person there. Tong Hua suddenly felt that perhaps this was what his own future would look like...

[Woodcarver: Level 5]

[Status: Optical illusion · Minor]

[Experience: 60/1440]

[Class skills: Craft, Processing]

Although the fence repairs were finished, the owners of the Miltank ranch, Mr. Da and his wife, still hadn't returned. The three of them could only wait at the ranch for the time being.

While they waited, Tong Hua brought up his class panel again.

The experience he had earned from processing the wood and making the maple fence had raised his Woodcarver level all the way from 3 to 5.

He had also gained another class skill: Processing.

It seems to be a passive skill, just like Craft.

Craft increases my crafting power, making the work easier for me.

Then Processing should increase my craftsmanship. It probably makes it easier for me to produce high-quality items.

Right now, Tong Hua felt terrifyingly capable!

Woodworking? Nothing to it!

It's barely harder than playing with building blocks!

When I get back at noon, I'll do the repairs myself!

However, before the hands-on work, a Woodcarver needed an even more important prerequisite skill.

That was design.

Knowing how to process parts and fit them together was only the bare minimum.

How should he draw up the plans he needed? What exact dimensions should each part have? What properties did different materials possess? Which material would be the most suitable?

These were all skills a Woodcarver ought to master.

So Tong Hua still had a long way to go.

For now, though, his skills should be more than enough to repair the fences and the Pokémon Cottage.

As for the other classes, cooking is still the most useful one right now.

Judging by the requirements for unlocking Woodcarver, I should find a chef to teach me and equip a beginner's frying pan. That should unlock the Cook class.

But come to think of it, does that mean I'll need to find a teacher who knows alchemy later on?

Does alchemy really exist in this world?

Just as Tong Hua was pondering whether something like alchemy existed in the Pokémon world, the owner of the Miltank ranch returned.

She was a stout, sturdy woman riding a bicycle, with a pile of empty milk bottles in its basket.

It was hard to imagine how such a small bicycle could support her, but Tong Hua wasn't reckless enough to say that aloud.

"Oh, it's the woodworking shop's owner. Is the fence fixed?"

The woman propped her bicycle to one side and strode over to the fence, running her large, rough hands over the planks to inspect them.

"Very nice. Can't fault this workmanship. Oh, where's my husband?"

Xiang Shi stepped forward with a smile. "Of course. You can always count on the workmanship of Chicory Woodwork Hall.

"Mr. Da went to Windring Town just now. He said he wanted to ask a Ranger to find the missing Miltank."

The woman frowned at that and planted her hands on her hips. "I specifically told him to go look himself, and he went and bothered the Rangers again.

"When he gets back, I'm going to make sure he does something about that fear of Pokémon."

Xiang Shi gave a few awkward chuckles, silently mourning for Mr. Da.

Afterward, the woman paid for the fence repairs, and the three of them left, pushing their tool cart.

Next stop: back to Fairy Tale Ranch to repair the ranch fences and the Pokémon Cottage!