Tinkatink stood up, planning to scour the cave for exposed ore to collect.
But as she turned, she came face-to-face with Lucas and Luxray, who'd been peeking in.
"Kanun?!"
Her eyes went wide. She raised both hammers defensively.
Forget Lucas—as far as Tinkatink was concerned, humans went down in one hit.
But that Luxray was different!
The moment their eyes met, Tinkatink felt the gaze of a powerful predator.
The danger prickled her fur; sweat beaded on her brow.
So tense!
Thanking her lucky stars she hadn't dropped her hammers, Tinkatink gripped them tight, assuming a dual-wield stance, and stared back at Luxray.
Her elders' survival tips echoed in her mind: Never turn your back on a Luxray—use noise and bravado to scare them off!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
She bashed her hammers together rhythmically. Lucas and Luxray both froze, momentarily stunned.
Who the heck taught this Tinkatink to scare off predators with noise?
Lucas grew even more interested.
Questions raced through his mind: Where did this Tinkatink come from? Was she wild or tamed? Who taught her these things?
But he didn't step closer; Tinkatink's wariness was obvious.
After a moment, Lucas whispered to Luxray, "Let's leave it here for today. Tomorrow, we'll bring some gifts to put her at ease."
"Meowr?"
Luxray eyed Lucas's basket of mushrooms—weren't those gifts?
Noticing Luxray's look, Lucas shook his head. "Tinkatink's Steel-type—most poisons don't affect her, but even if there are no poisonous mushrooms, I want to make a real impression with our first gift."
"Let's go."
With that, Lucas turned away.
Better hurry back before nightfall, or he'd still be sorting mushrooms at midnight.
It takes ages to cook them properly.
Though he didn't quite get Lucas's logic, Luxray shook his head, gave Tinkatink a glance, and followed Lucas down.
Fine, whatever.
Not long after Lucas and Luxray left, Tinkatink finally relaxed, wiping sweat from her brow.
Phew, they were scared off by the king of the hill's aura—otherwise, there would have been a fierce fight tonight!
Puffing out her chest in pride, Tinkatink climbed to the hilltop with her hammers.
As the trees thinned and the view opened up, Tinkatink looked at the sunset, gazed at the distant farm, and breathed deep, eyes full of resolve.
She watched the Corviknight flock circling down to the farm.
Just wait—once I conquer this hill, I'll conquer you next!
Her legend as a master smith was just beginning!
…
When Lucas and Luxray returned, night had fallen.
Thankfully, the farm's streetlights came on as scheduled. Walking along the lit path, Lucas sighed, "Technology really does change lives."
"Meowr."
Luxray nodded in agreement.
He felt a bit disappointed that he couldn't use Flash to light Lucas's way, but these lights were pretty convenient—no matter what, the path home would always be lit.
They soon ran into Oranguru and Mudsdale.
What an odd pair, Lucas thought. He asked, "What were you two up to?"
He noticed Oranguru's usually pristine hands were now muddy, and his fan was missing.
Did Oranguru go mud-wallowing with Mudsdale? But Oranguru otherwise looked clean.
Oranguru quickly explained via telepathy, "Master, I'm planning to build a kiln."
"A kiln?"
Lucas racked his brain—did he mean the kind for firing pottery?
Oranguru exchanged a glance with Mudsdale, then showed Lucas the clay on his hands.
"A kiln is for making pottery. See, this clay is from Mudsdale—perfect for ceramics."
Hearing this, Lucas understood at once. He grabbed Oranguru's hand, ignoring the mud. "Then let's build one!"
He always encouraged his Pokémon to develop hobbies, and Oranguru's crafts might bring surprises.
Oranguru continued, "Most of our dishes and cups are store-bought, but I want to make some by hand for everyone, and some decorations for our new home."
"If everyone doesn't mind, that is."
Patting Mudsdale's mane, Lucas smiled, "We'll look forward to your work! If you need anything, just ask—I'll handle it!"
Oranguru, touched, smiled quietly.
Before he could respond, Lucas quickly said, "But first, wash your hands! Later, everyone can help sort the edible and poisonous mushrooms!"
…
The next day at noon.
A pot of mushroom soup was ready, its fragrance filling the air.
Lucas wiped away tears, breathed deeply, and savored the aroma. "This is the last pot!"
He remembered how, back in his hometown, mushroom soup was rich and delicious, layered with the flavor of pork belly.
But just as always, the farm had both meat-lovers and those who didn't care for it, so Lucas made two versions: one clear and delicate, flavored only by the mushrooms and a touch of seasoning; the other hearty and meaty, with pork belly.
If he had to choose, Lucas would pick the richer one.
But first, he glanced at the insulated pot on the counter and told the apron-wearing Ceruledge nearby, "Keep an eye out for Moltres and Miltank!"
"Ceru~!"
Ceruledge nodded seriously, vowing to protect the precious soup from the farm's many foodies.
Trusting him, Lucas patted Ceruledge's shoulder, gave a thumbs-up, and dashed outside, shouting, "Save me some!"
…
At 3 p.m., Lucas called on Serperior, took the insulated pot, and headed for the hill.
Serperior slithered gracefully in the sun, flicking a vine at Lucas's waist.
"Jaa~?"
Serperior was curious.
Why bring a soup pot up a mountain—who was Lucas visiting?
"It's a gift for a house call," Lucas explained. "You might not have been there, but I'm sure Luxray and the others told you about the decayed sword and shield hanging in the living room?"
Serperior paused, remembering.
It must be about forging the legendary arms that Calyrex once had crafted.
So, had Lucas found a suitable smith, or the right steel Pokémon?
"No need to guess," Lucas said. "Melmetal's a rare one, like Victini, but today we're meeting Tinkatink."
Upon hearing this, Serperior's tail slapped the ground in annoyance.
She remembered clearly—Lucas had said all Tinkatink were female, and after just one meeting, he was already bringing gifts?
But Serperior didn't cause a scene. She understood how important this was—it was about the region's safety, after all.
Lucas, oblivious to Serperior's mood, remembered his conversation with Calyrex about reforging the decayed sword and shield. Calyrex had mentioned two requirements:
A master craftsman.
A special kind of metal or steel.
The craftsman would be Tinkatink, but the special metal was still a mystery.
Lucas had asked Calyrex if Corviknight feathers would suffice, but the answer was no.
To forge weapons against the Darkest Day, the materials had to be extraordinary.
Finally, Calyrex recalled the key phrase:
"A one-eyed giant that produces iron."
That clue was vital—Lucas immediately thought of Melmetal, the mythical Steel-type Pokémon, who could produce iron. The Pokédex even noted that Melmetal awakened after three thousand years—which coincided with the timeline of the Darkest Day in Galar.
After questioning, Calyrex confirmed that the main iron producer back then did resemble Melmetal, confirming Lucas's next goals:
Find Tinkatink as the master smith, and Melmetal (or Meltan) as the source of metal.
He had some leads on Meltan, but that could wait—first, he needed to cultivate a trustworthy smith.
Before long, Lucas and Serperior reached the foot of the hill.
Following the system's directions, Lucas found a path hidden beneath tangled vegetation—a path to the summit.
Clasping his hands, Lucas pleaded, "Can you help clear a path up the hill? I'm counting on you!"
Serperior: "..."
So that's why you brought me instead of Luxray—manual labor!
Serperior's face darkened, but instead of lashing out, she resignedly whipped up a Leaf Storm to clear the way.
No way was she using Leaf Blade—she didn't want to get dirty.
As a royal Pokémon, she had to remain elegant at all times.
With growing force, Serperior's Leaf Storm quickly cleared the overgrown, pothole-ridden path, revealing it to sunlight.
Lucas, meanwhile, showered her with praise, making Serperior so happy she didn't even notice curling a vine around Lucas's finger.