Chapter 5: The Back Mountain
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As noon approached, Naoki and Goomy (Pokémon) cleared a small patch of land suitable for planting and moved the cut wood and stones into the Shed for storage.
"Goomy, goomy, goomy~"
After a busy morning, Goomy (Pokémon)'s stomach began to rumble.
It looked down and said, "Goo!"
"Hungry?" Naoki chuckled, "Wait a moment, I'll make lunch right away."
Goomy (Pokémon) immediately perked up, "Goo~"
They washed their hands at the outdoor sink and returned to the Log Cabin.
Goomy (Pokémon) sat under the eaves to cool off, while Naoki took out the ingredients and started cooking.
Today's lunch was still Hot Soup Noodles, but this time, Naoki added some Wild Leek he found at the Ranch, enhancing its flavor.
With practice, he completed the dish in just a few minutes.
Serving the noodles in a bowl, Naoki noticed that the grade of the Hot Soup Noodles had improved from C- to C, and the cold resistance duration had increased by five minutes.
"Indeed, the ingredients also affect the quality of the dish."
Naoki placed the bowl in front of Goomy (Pokémon), who was eagerly waiting at the table.
Goomy (Pokémon) looked down and saw the same strange noodles in the bowl, and its face immediately showed a pitiful expression.
"Goo…"
The impoverished Naoki: "…"
He sighed, thinking about the little money left by the original owner, and said, "Bear with it a bit longer. I'll take you to town this afternoon to buy something delicious."
"Goo~"
Fortunately, Goomy (Pokémon) didn't mind Naoki's poverty. It was a simple and optimistic Pokémon, and upon hearing Naoki's words, it immediately cheered up, looking forward to what delicious food they might have in the evening.
Watching Goomy (Pokémon) drink the noodles, Naoki ate his own bowl with a worried expression.
"The remaining money will be spent quickly after buying food. The land has just been tilled, and I can only plant the seeds tomorrow. It will take a month for them to mature…"
The farmland, dominated by weeds, was hard and unsuitable for crops. This morning, Naoki had plowed it and watered it, making the soil soft.
Although there was no fertilizer, turnips were not very demanding in terms of soil quality.
"Besides, I need to find other ways to earn money until the turnips are harvested."
Thinking about this, Naoki fell into deep thought.
Ways to earn money…
He recalled what he used to do when starting a Ranch in the game.
One was fishing, and the other was going to the back mountain to gather mushrooms and fruits to get through the early stages of the game.
However, he didn't have a fishing rod yet, so his only option was to go to the back mountain and see if he could find any mountain goods.
Deciding to act, Naoki prepared to head to the back mountain after lunch.
Upon learning of his intention, Goomy (Pokémon), which had been walking upright, suddenly crouched down, becoming four-legged, and turned to shout at him, "Goo!"
Naoki was slightly taken aback. Seeing Goomy (Pokémon) in riding mode, he asked, "Are you asking me to ride you?"
Goomy (Pokémon) nodded, "Goo!"
Curious, Naoki climbed on.
Once he was seated, Goomy (Pokémon) started running.
Its speed was moderate and very steady, carrying Naoki toward the back mountain.
Feeling the breeze through his hair, Naoki thought, "No wonder Goomy (Pokémon) is a means of transportation in the Paldea region. This feels no different from a regular motorcycle."
After passing through a country road, a lush forest appeared ahead.
Sunlight poured down from above, casting dappled shadows on the ground through the gaps in the leaves.
Caterpie were hiding in the bushes, Spearow perched on the branches, rustling sounds came from the dense shrubs, and unfamiliar fruits hung heavy and juicy from the trees.
The forest was full of life.
Naoki dismounted from Goomy (Pokémon) and raised an eyebrow at the small Pokémon.
The Pokémon also curiously observed this unfamiliar human who had intruded into the forest.
"Caterpie… evolves into Metapod at level 7 and Butterfree at level 10. For a beginner trainer, this Pokémon is a good choice."
"Spearow? If I'm not mistaken, this is the Hoothoot from the Kalos region. The final evolution, Fearow, is a Fire and Flying type Pokémon, which sounds pretty cool!"
"Hmm? Is that white mouse a Pikachu from the Paldea region?"
Naoki's gaze suddenly fell on three small figures in a patch of grass.
Two larger white mice cautiously poked their heads out, protecting a smaller white mouse behind them.
"A family of three…" Naoki looked around but didn't see a fourth white mouse.
Noticing his gaze, the three Pikachu shivered and quickly retreated into the grass, disappearing without a trace.
Naoki: "…"
However, Pikachu was indeed a cute Pokémon.
Naoki had never considered himself a fan of plush toys, but seeing Pikachu's adorable appearance and their fine, white fur, he felt a bit tempted.
"I wonder what it feels like to touch them."
The forest was teeming with Pokémon. Walking around with Goomy (Pokémon), Naoki felt a surge of excitement.
—If he were a trainer, he would surely take out a Poké Ball and battle them, gaining their recognition before capturing them.
Whether it was the fast-growing Caterpie or the promising Spearow, they were all perfect!
However, from the original owner's memories, he knew that a regular red-and-white Poké Ball cost 200 League Coins, which he couldn't afford.
Naoki sighed and shifted his attention from the Pokémon to the mountain goods growing in the forest.
He approached a lush fruit tree and picked a fruit from its branches.
Looking down, the information about the fruit appeared in his mind.
[Pecha Berry: A magical fruit that can cure poisoning. It has a sweet taste and can be used to make jam, Poffins, fruit cakes, or added to yogurt to make fruit yogurt. Its unique flavor is loved by many Pokémon.]
Berries?
Naoki held the Pecha Berry in front of him and sniffed it, catching a faint peach scent.
He offered the Berries to Goomy (Pokémon), "Do you want to eat it?"
Goomy (Pokémon) looked at it, then opened its mouth and swallowed the Pecha Berry in one bite.
"Goo~"
It seemed to taste quite good.
"It looks like Berries are indeed the main food source for Pokémon, just like in the anime."
Naoki nodded to himself, then picked a few more Pecha Berries from the tree, planning to take them back to the Ranch.
However, he only took a small portion.
If Berries were the food for Pokémon, then the other Pokémon in the forest also needed them.
If he took all the Pecha Berries, many Pokémon would go hungry.
After packing the Pecha Berries, Naoki and Goomy (Pokémon) continued deeper into the forest.
The forest was vast. Perhaps they were going in the wrong direction, but after the initial Pecha Berry, Naoki didn't encounter any other fruit trees.
By evening, Naoki was tired and sat down under a large tree to rest. He glanced at the sky and decided it was time to return.
At that moment, Goomy (Pokémon) sniffed the air.
"What's wrong?" Naoki turned to look.
"Goo…"
Goomy (Pokémon) looked around, as if trying to determine a direction.
After a short while, it identified a spot and pointed in that direction.
Naoki followed its gaze to a seemingly empty patch of land. Initially, he was puzzled, but soon noticed something strange.
Around the roots of the tree, a circular area of grass had withered.
"Goo!"
Goomy (Pokémon) called out in that direction.
Naoki stood up, curious and followed Goomy (Pokémon) to the strange area.
He used his hand to clear away the decaying leaves and yellowed grass, revealing a black, unknown object.
At that moment, Naoki also caught a peculiar smell.
It was a very special odor, indescribable in words.
Before he could wonder what it was, the information appeared in his mind.
[Black Truffle: A top-quality, high-grade ingredient, a rare delicacy. It can be used to make Black Truffle steamed eggs or cream soup with butter. Although it has no inherent benefits, it can significantly enhance the effectiveness of dishes.]
(End of Chapter)