Chapter 54: Harvest Day

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"Yes, I met it when it was still a Caterpie." Naoki introduced, "Later, it evolved into a Metapod and has been waiting here for its next evolution."

"Evolution…" Yohei recalled the information he had seen before, "If I'm not mistaken, Metapod is one of the fastest-evolving Pokémon. When did it evolve from Caterpie to Metapod?"

Naoki thought for a moment and replied, "About half a month ago."

"Ah." Yohei said, "That's soon. It should only take a few more days to evolve into a Butterfree! Hmm, Butterfree can spread pollen and collect nectar, which would be a great help with your farm work!"

Rapid growth, suitability for beginners, and ease of training are all advantages of Bug-type Pokémon.

However, they also have some drawbacks.

For example, their lifespans are shorter than those of their trainers.

Many trainers treat Bug-type Pokémon as their starter Pokémon and mourn for a long time after they pass away.

But, life and death are natural processes, whether for humans or Pokémon.

Thinking of this, Yohei clicked his tongue.

Naoki stepped forward to check the Metapod's condition, touching its hard, green shell.

Compared to half a month ago, its shell had become even harder, and its color had changed from light green to dark green.

All of this was a sign that the Metapod was about to evolve.

Butterfree…

Grow quickly! Naoki thought.

Once the Metapod evolves, the farm will become even more lively.

The Metapod was in a critical period of evolution, and its hard shell prevented it from moving or eating. It relied on the nutrients stored in its body from its Caterpie stage to renew its cells.

During this process, no one could provide external help. It could only break out of its shell on its own to become a Butterfree that soars through the sky.

The two entered the house, and Naoki poured a cup of tea for Yohei before getting up to do farm work.

Seeing him start to work, the nearby Gurdurr immediately ran over to help, followed by Goomy and Dragonite.

At this moment, Yohei also came out. Looking at the large plot of land before him, he felt eager to try: "I'll help too!"

"This is a tough job!" Naoki raised an eyebrow, warning him.

Yohei had never done farm work before. His hometown was in the northern part of the Galar Region, a modern metropolis called Wooloo City.

But this didn't stop him from wanting to experience farm life.

Seeing this, Naoki didn't try to dissuade him.

Yohei also took out four Poké Balls from his pocket.

With a flash of white light, a Leek Soldier, a Flareon, a Pikachu, and a strong Teddiursa appeared on the farm.

"Everyone, let's help Naoki harvest the crops!"

Upon receiving the command, the four Pokémon joined the harvest.

Soon, Turnips, muddy Potatoes, Garlic, plump Radishes, glistening Cucumbers, and juicy Tomatoes piled up in small mountains beside the field.

After harvesting all the mature crops, everyone and their Pokémon were covered in dirt.

With the last Cucumber picked, Yohei plopped down on the grass: "Phew, farm work is really tough!"

In comparison, Naoki had much better endurance, perhaps due to his long-term work, which kept him from collapsing immediately.

He thanked Yohei and his four Pokémon, smiling, "Thank you, everyone. Take a rest for a while, I'll prepare lunch!"

"Yay!"

Yohei and his Pokémon cheered.

Naoki then returned to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

There were many people today, and everyone had expended a lot of energy and strength, so the lunch dishes were mainly focused on restoring energy and strength, like fried pork cutlets and rice.

In addition, Naoki used the harvested crops to make three new dishes.

One was smashed Cucumber, another was Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry, and the third was Boiled Sliced Pork, which he made by slicing pork loin and adding ingredients like chili, Sichuan pepper, ginger, and scallions.

The Boiled Sliced Pork was tender and fresh, with a bright red broth and a spicy aroma. The meat slices, covered in red oil, looked incredibly tempting.

Naoki couldn't help but swallow, and as he looked down, the information for the three dishes appeared.

[Smashed Cucumber (D): A simple and easy basic dish, perfect for cooling off in the summer. Cooking effect: Heat Resistance lv1.]

[Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry (C): A home-style dish, sweet and tangy, the tender eggs and the unique texture of the Tomato blend perfectly. Cooking effect: Increased Appetite.]

[Boiled Sliced Pork (B): A delicious Boiled Sliced Pork, spicy and fragrant, one bite can make you feel like you're on fire. Cooking effect: Fire Burst.]

Huh?

Naoki's gaze fell on the Boiled Sliced Pork.

The next second, the specific content of the cooking effect appeared.

[Fire Burst: Fire-type Pokémon only. Temporarily increases the fire attribute energy in the body and slightly enhances the understanding of fire-type moves.]

This is…

Naoki was a bit dazed.

At this moment, Yohei, attracted by the aroma, ran in despite his fatigue.

"What's that smell? It's so fragrant!"

When he saw the Boiled Sliced Pork, his mouth immediately started to water.

"What's this dish?"

Naoki: "Uh… it's called Boiled Sliced Pork."

"Boiled Sliced Pork?" Yohei had never heard of or seen this dish before, so he was naturally curious.

Naoki didn't explain much. With too many people, the house was too small, so he had Gurdurr move the table outside and brought the dishes to the table.

The surrounding Pokémon were immediately attracted by the strong aroma.

Naoki clearly saw Yohei's Flareon's throat move, as if it was swallowing saliva.

"I'll start eating!"

Yohei picked up his utensils and began to eat voraciously.

Naoki, on the other hand, quietly observed the only Fire-type Pokémon, Flareon.

He saw it pick up its utensils—probably taught by Yohei—and put a piece of Boiled Sliced Pork, covered in red oil, into its mouth.

After chewing a few times, its face turned bright red.

The fire attribute energy in its body surged, and Flareon's eyes widened, its cheeks puffing up as if it was enduring something.

A few seconds later, it seemed to reach its limit. It suddenly looked up, and the next second, a hot, red beam of fire shot out from its mouth into the sky.

Yohei: "?!"

A moment later, Flareon lay exhausted on the grass, panting heavily.

"What's wrong, Flareon?!" Yohei asked anxiously.

Flareon stuck out its tongue and shook its head lightly.

Spicy… too spicy!

Naoki coughed lightly and explained, "Maybe the spicy flavor stimulated the fire attribute energy in its body, causing it to burst out."

Pausing, Naoki asked, "Do you feel any discomfort in your body?"

Flareon gradually calmed down, shook its head, and didn't feel any discomfort. Instead, it felt a sense of relief and comfort.

Naoki: "…"

It seems this Flareon's luck wasn't good, and it didn't learn any new moves.

(End of Chapter)