Watching Grotle head toward the water channel in the middle of the fields, Tong Hua guessed he was probably going to take a bath to clear his head.
Soon, only Tong Hua, Grovyle, Ampharos, Riolu, Lucario, the two Celebi, Dusknoir, and the seven Sableye remained.
All right, that was still quite a crowd-
The morning breeze blew past, carrying the fresh scent of grass after the rain.
"Aren't you going to rest?" Tong Hua asked those who remained. "I'll call you when it's ready and let you try my cooking."
A delightful aroma soon drifted out of the kitchen. Wearing an apron, Tong Hua worked deftly at the stove.
Ever since deciding to level up, Tong Hua had started applying boosts to himself before making any dish, even an everyday breakfast.
Experience Gain Boost was essential. If any of the bonus duration remained after he finished cooking, he would make sure to use every last second.
Absolutely no waste!
Thanks to this, Tong Hua's Cook level was still rising rapidly. He was already close to the stage after "Self-Reliant": "Masterful."
He wondered what new functions his golden finger would unlock once he reached level 60 and earned the "Masterful" achievement. Tong Hua was eagerly looking forward to it.
"Mew." "Woo-oh."
Seeing Tong Hua working at the stove with a smile, Ampharos, Riolu, and Lucario all came over to help.
"Huh? No, no, just leave it to me.
"You can go outside and clean up a little. It rained last night, so the platform where the shelves are should still be damp.
"It wouldn't be good if the customers slipped. Please go clean it up."
Ampharos and Riolu nodded obediently and headed outside.
Lucario, however, remained where he was, carefully sensing Tong Hua's condition with his aura.
"Are you certain you