Sunny Day

Since unlocking a gathering profession only required three successful gathering attempts, did that mean successfully producing something a certain number of times would unlock its corresponding production profession?

If that theory held true, the profession Tong Hua was currently closest to unlocking was Cook, which produced food.

Counting from his first day in this world, he had already successfully prepared eight dishes.

By the usual logic, the number needed to unlock an achievement would most likely be a round number, or a common milestone like three, five, ten, or fifteen.

That meant the nearest milestone was ten.

"Whatever the case, I should chop some trees first."

Having sorted out his thoughts, Tong Hua picked up his hatchet again. His profession instantly switched to Gardener, and he resumed chopping trees.

With a profession, chopping trees really did feel much easier.

It was as though his body automatically knew the proper way to chop a tree, each swing achieving the greatest effect with the least effort.

With his skills helping him along and experience awarded for every tree he successfully felled, Tong Hua grew more enthusiastic with every swing.

That sense of accomplishment, of being rewarded whenever he put in the work, really was addictive.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

The axe blade bit precisely into the trunk, sending wood chips flying as Tong Hua's movements grew increasingly practiced.

His Gardener skills made every swing just right, both effortless and efficient.

Before long, another eucalyptus tree fell, adding one more log to his collection.

"At this rate, I'll have enough chopped by noon!"

"Bii~"

The green Celebi flew over, hugged the stump with practiced ease, and activated its acceleration ability. Tender green shoots swiftly sprouted, and in the blink of an eye, the felled tree was flourishing again.

"Thanks!" Tong Hua rubbed Celebi's little head, then turned toward the next tree.

Working together like this, Tong Hua and the four Pokémon collected all twenty logs over the course of the morning.

There were too many cut branches to fit in a single bamboo basket, so Tong Hua simply carried them in his arms. He could take them back and use them as firewood.

"Bii!"

The pink Celebi used Confusion, trying to lift all the logs. But that seemed a little too strenuous, and in the end, Celebi could only roll them along the ground.

A row of logs followed behind Tong Hua like wheels, eventually arriving at the clearing behind the ranch cabin.

Tong Hua wiped the sweat from his forehead. Looking at the neatly arranged logs, he felt a sense of accomplishment well up within him.

"Thanks for all your hard work, everyone!"

He crouched down and took a few Pecha Berries from his pocket, where he always kept some handy, giving one to each Pokémon as a reward.

Minccino curled its tail around its Pecha Berry and nibbled at it. Turtwig swallowed its berry in one bite, narrowing its eyes in satisfaction.

The two Celebi held their Pecha Berries and chewed them slowly like little treats, happy smiles spreading across their faces.

"Next, I just need to wait for these logs to dry..." Tong Hua looked at the timber laid out before him and considered his next steps.

According to the information his cheat provided, these logs ideally needed another day in the sun before they could be processed.

It was only eleven in the morning. There was still more than half the day left, and he couldn't waste it.

"First, I need to test my theory. I'll make two dishes and see whether that unlocks the Cook profession.

"Then there's fishing. I can give that a try too. The unlock condition is probably catching fish successfully three times..."

He had been feeling rather pleased with himself for completing his plan, but after thinking it over, he suddenly realized there was still plenty to do.

Tong Hua stood in front of the woodpile, thinking, and unconsciously let out a soft sigh.

"Bii?"

The pink Celebi keenly noticed Tong Hua's troubles and gently tugged the green Celebi's hand.

The two Pokémon huddled together, their little heads nearly touching as they murmured to each other.

Tong Hua was crouching on the ground, checking the moisture in the timber, when he suddenly felt the sunlight overhead grow unusually warm.

He looked up in surprise and found the two Celebi holding hands, spinning lightly above his head.

Their emerald bodies gave off a soft glow, and the air around them began to shimmer.

"Is this...?"

A golden column of light about five meters across descended from the sky, centered on the logs laid out on the ground.

The temperature within the circle of light rose noticeably. Tiny beads of water seeped out of the timber's surface at a visible rate, then quickly evaporated.

Tong Hua reached out and touched the nearest log, delighted to discover that its damp bark was already growing warm and dry.

"Bii, bii!" The two Celebi happily swooped up and down within the pillar of light, enjoying the warm, comfortable sunshine.

Turtwig and Bounsweet curiously poked their heads into the light and immediately narrowed their eyes in contentment.

"Are you... using Sunny Day to help me dry the timber?" Tong Hua looked at the two thoughtful little creatures in surprise.

He had never imagined that Sunny Day, which changed the battle conditions in the games, could be used like this.

"Aren't you tired? I remember it only lasted five turns in the games, right? I wonder how much energy it takes to use it like this in real life..."

Judging by the two Celebi, though, it probably wasn't too tiring.

Hearing his words, the Celebi flew up to him and affectionately rubbed their cheeks against his nose, then returned to concentrating on maintaining the sunny zone.

Meanwhile, Tong Hua hurried off to prepare lunch so the two little ones could have something to eat and regain their strength as soon as they finished drying the timber.

"After all that hard work, and with it being lunch, I should at least make something hearty and filling. Hmm..."

Standing in the kitchen, Tong Hua thought it over and finally decided to make omurice!

Whirlwind Omurice! He had jumped on the bandwagon and tried making it in his previous life, so he should have no trouble preparing it.

"All right!" Once he had settled on the menu, everything became easier.

Honestly, the most complicated parts of cooking were probably choosing the dishes and preparing the ingredients. Once it actually came time to cook, things were much simpler.

These days, deciding what to eat for his three daily meals alone accounted for more than half the thinking Tong Hua did in a day.

He steamed the rice, then stir-fried it with vegetables and meat in a wok!

Tong Hua wielded his spatula skillfully. The rice danced merrily in the wok, blending perfectly with the chopped carrots, peas, diced chicken, and, most importantly, ketchup.

A rich aroma soon filled the kitchen, drawing Minccino to the doorway, where its little nose twitched nonstop.

"Don't worry, it'll be ready soon." Tong Hua smiled and glanced at

the greedy little creature, then turned to prepare the eggs.

He beat a few fresh eggs and added a little milk and salt for seasoning.

Once the frying pan was hot, he poured in the beaten eggs. With a gentle turn of his wrist, the golden mixture spread evenly across the pan.

When the eggs began to set, he quickly traced circles through the center with his chopsticks, forming a beautiful whirlwind pattern in the omelet.

"Min, min!" Minccino suddenly poked its head through the doorway, watching Tong Hua's movements curiously.

The aroma from the pan drew it closer and closer, until it nearly stuck its head into the pan.

"Careful, it's hot!" Tong Hua quickly shielded the pan with his body and gently pushed Minccino back with his other hand. "Just five more minutes."

After plating the fried rice, Tong Hua took a deep breath and carefully gathered up the omelet with his spatula.

With a flick of his wrist, the fluffy omelet settled gently over the rice like a golden cloud. He finished by drawing a smiley face with ketchup, and the Whirlwind Omurice was complete!

[Whirlwind Omurice: Quality C. An adaptation of a classic Japanese-style Western dish. A fluffy golden omelet wraps around ketchup fried rice like a whirlwind. The omelet is tender and delicate, while the rice inside is appetizingly sweet and tangy, offering rich layers of texture.]

[Effects: enhanced satiety · medium, mood boost · minor. Keeps the eater full for an extended period and slightly alleviates fatigue and stress. Duration: 60 minutes.]

[Evaluation: A dish that combines delicious flavor with a satisfying fullness. The silky eggs and richly flavored fried rice complement each other beautifully. Pairing it with cheese or curry sauce can further enhance its flavor.]

[Recommended processing method (alchemy).]

The timber dried far faster than expected. A process that should have taken an entire day was finished in less than an hour with the two little ones' help.

Only when the final log reached the ideal condition did the two Celebi slowly withdraw their energy. They looked a little tired, but their eyes were full of accomplishment.

"Lunch is ready!"

Tong Hua came out of the kitchen carrying the steaming Whirlwind Omurice, its aroma immediately drawing every Pokémon's attention.

Although the two Celebi were tired, they still flew over happily at the delicious smell, their little noses twitching nonstop.

"Bii~" The pink Celebi stared at the omurice with sparkling eyes, a glistening trickle of drool even escaping the corner of its mouth.

"Don't rush. There's enough for everyone." Smiling, Tong Hua divided the omurice into several portions, deliberately giving the Celebi a little extra. "You two were a huge help today. Dig in."

Minccino eagerly picked up a spoon, scooped out a big mouthful, and stuffed it into its mouth, narrowing its eyes in bliss.

Turtwig simply buried its head in its plate and ate in great gulps, not even noticing the ketchup smeared across its face.

The two Celebi held their plates and savored small bites, occasionally letting out satisfied cries of "Bii."

Watching them enjoy their food, Tong Hua felt warmth well up in his heart.

Warmer even than Sunny Day.