Chapter 125: Post-Dinner Exercise

After Cain and his team returned to the camp, the sun finally set completely in the west, with the last rays of light disappearing. The reddish glow in the sky faded away entirely.

The moon, which had risen early in the east, was finally able to show its splendor, gently illuminating the land. The forest outside Goldenrod City embraced its night.

At that moment, with Miltank's help, Cain finished cleaning all the ingredients with water from the lake. He took out the cooking tools he had specially prepared from his ring, set up a special grill over the campfire, and carefully arranged a series of condiment jars on the side. He even had Slowpoke use its psychic power to set up a stone bench.

Cain carefully placed the wild rabbits and chickens, preparing them with his tools. The ones that took longer to cook were set in the center of the grill, while the ones that cooked faster and could burn easily were placed on the edges.

He skillfully used the seasonings, sprinkling cumin and salt in different proportions over the roasted meat.

It couldn't be denied that, due to the isolated nature of the area, the meat from the wild animals was truly very tender. Just a bit of roasting was enough to give it a golden hue, with drops of flavorful juice falling from the meat into the fire, making a sizzling sound.

As the meat cooked, a delicious aroma began to spread from the camp.

Murkrow and Slowpoke, who had always been very enthusiastic about food, hadn't lagged behind in gathering ingredients, capturing various animals in the forest, which was as rich in wildlife as it was in Pokémon. What was now on the grill was only a third of everything they had caught.

As he watched his Pokémon look at the roasted meat with bright eyes, Cain couldn't help but smile. All of them, except Gastly, stood still, as if afraid the food would disappear if they moved.

The most eager was Miltank. Although she was usually shy and reserved, when it came to food, she became the most vigorous Pokémon on the team. The fact that she was constantly swallowing saliva clearly proved it.

However, since Cain hadn't given the signal to eat, none of them dared to move and could only stare at the food.

The unluckiest was Gastly, who, although he could smell the aroma of the roasted meat and see his companions' appetites, couldn't enjoy the food himself.

The only thing that comforted him was that, after a day of constant battles, he had absorbed a large amount of residual energy from fallen Pokémon and felt satisfied. Under normal consumption, he probably wouldn't feel hungry again for several days. If he used that energy to train, he could maintain his energy level for an entire day.

Since he couldn't eat, Gastly decided not to watch and focused on his task of keeping guard.

Cain, seeing the golden meat that was now fully roasted, decided to fulfill his duty as the cook and tasted a piece to check its quality.

With a clean knife, he gently cut a piece of rabbit meat. Under the envious gaze of Murkrow and the others, he brought it to his mouth.

He chewed gently, and the succulent juice burst in his mouth, perfectly seasoned, giving the roasted meat an exceptional texture.

He nodded with satisfaction. After two lifetimes dedicated to honing his culinary skills, Cain had reached the pinnacle of what an ordinary person could achieve in cooking.

Looking at Miltank and the others, who waited eagerly with bright eyes, Cain chuckled and said, "Alright, you can start eating now. But remember, don't rush. You can only take more once you've finished what you have in your mouths."

Cain knew that, with their huge appetites, the Pokémon could finish all the meat on the grill in one go, which would make it impossible for him to keep up.

So he limited their eating speed so that he could maintain the pace of preparation.

As he continued cooking, he occasionally took a piece of meat off the grill to eat. With his small appetite, Cain filled up quickly.

However, the Pokémon were especially hungry today. After finishing portion after portion of roasted meat, they even ate the fish that Slowpoke had caught during a free moment.

Miltank, with her legendary appetite, ate nearly half of all the food herself.

Still, as they ate, the aroma of the meat attracted the attention of many Pokémon. A few pairs of red or green eyes began to watch the camp from the forest undergrowth.

Cain wasn't worried about these wild Pokémon, drawn either by the smell of the roasted meat or the light of the fire.

With Gastly keeping a close watch, no Pokémon could launch a surprise attack. And if it came to a direct confrontation, the newly fed Pokémon had nothing to fear.

In wilderness survival, sometimes just running isn't a viable option; it can even backfire, encouraging ill-intentioned Pokémon to become more aggressive.

To survive better in the wild, one must show their claws and instill fear.

After a full day of combat, Cain's Pokémon hadn't shown mercy, leaving them with a slight scent of blood and a faint aura of violence. Ordinary humans might not notice it, but other Pokémon could clearly sense the threat emanating from Murkrow and the others.

So, even though the smell of roasted meat was tempting, none of them dared to approach.

Murkrow and Slowpoke, who had been with Cain the longest, had developed absolute trust under his leadership. They were convinced that under Cain's guidance, there was no enemy they couldn't defeat. This had gradually given them an aura of power.

Although most Pokémon kept their distance due to the intimidating presence of Murkrow and the others, a few dared to take the risk, especially when the temptation was great enough.

Just as they were about to finish the last portion of food, a wild Ariados finally couldn't resist the temptation and decided to attack.

It suddenly leapt from a branch, using the gravity of the fall and its silk to launch itself like a red fireball descending from the sky.

Its sharp front legs, covered in a purple sheen, targeted Cain directly.

It had identified Cain as the weakest of the group. Although his aura was powerful too, its instinct as a Pokémon told it that only by defeating the human at the center could it eat that delicious meat.

Unfortunately for it, every move was under the watchful eye of Gastly.

The moment it started its attack, Gastly had already alerted Cain to be ready.

Moreover, Murkrow and Slowpoke, who were eating beside Cain, were also prepared to counterattack.

Cain smirked, letting go of the knife in his hand, and said, "Looks like we're getting some post-dinner exercise. Murkrow, Wing Attack! Slowpoke, hold it with Confusion!"

(End of Chapter)