The bright white beam of the flashlight shone across the ground, illuminating a string of plum-blossom-shaped paw prints.
Hayato stood up and gently patted the alert Kangaskhan beside him.
"No need to be nervous. It's just a neat little cutie."
A Cinccino.
A Pokémon famous for its love of cleanliness. It often uses its fluffy tail like a broom to sweep dirty places spotless.
In other words, every Cinccino is practically a clean freak.
"Kaang~"
Hearing this, Kangaskhan relaxed and lowered her head, rubbing affectionately against Hayato 's hand while letting out a contented rumble.
"Alright."
Hayato stroked her gently and turned off the flashlight.
"We've been running around all day. Let's get some sleep—there's more work waiting for us tomorrow."
"Kaang!"
Hayato wrapped himself inside a sleeping bag while Kangaskhan lay obediently beside him.
Crickets chirped, birds called, and distant Pokémon cries echoed through the wilderness.
Sleeping outdoors like this was a basic survival skill for Trainers, and Hayato had long grown used to it.
Before long, he drifted off to sleep.
Not far away, inside a hollow tree in the nearby forest, a small white squirrel-like Pokémon curled into a ball, trembling.
That roar earlier had nearly scared it to death.
Never going near there again…
But that grilled fish was so delicious…
Caught in this dilemma, the little Cinccino eventually fell asleep as well.
The Next Morning
"Kangaskhan, hold on a second."
With one hand flipping pork tenderloin in a frying pan, Hayato used the other to push Kangaskhan away helplessly.
Seriously—who understands the feeling of a 300-kilogram girl acting cute toward you?
Pork tenderloin was one of the best cuts of meat.
Kangaskhan stared at the steak without blinking.
As if afraid someone might steal it in the next second.
Under the steady heat of the pan, oil bubbled beneath the crisp surface of the meat, slowly turning it a beautiful golden honey color.
Seeing this, Hayato reduced the heat to a gentle simmer.
Then he grabbed the seasonings and sprinkled them layer by layer.
Soon, a rich aroma filled the air.
The savory scent of meat blended with the sharp fragrance of black pepper, along with a hint of caramelized sweetness.
Halfway through cooking, Hayato turned around.
At some point, Kangaskhan had crawled closer and was lying on the ground like a greedy giant puppy.
Drool dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Hayato couldn't help laughing.
After estimating the timing, he picked up the two steaks and placed them neatly onto a clean ceramic plate.
At the same time, the system information panel appeared.
[Pan-Seared Steak (B Rank)]
Description:
Prepared using tender cuts of fresh meat, cooked carefully with precise heat and simple seasoning. Every bite is pure enjoyment, capable of filling Pokémon with endless energy.
Cooking Effect:
• Stamina Recovery (Large)
• Energy Boost (Large)
• Grants Fighting-type Insight for 60 minutes
"Huh? That's a special bonus effect?"
Hayato looked pleasantly surprised.
Fighting-type Insight likely meant Pokémon would find it easier to comprehend or learn Fighting-type moves during training.
That made it perfect for Kangaskhan .
Of course, it had one downside.
The duration was too short.
Maybe someday he could figure out a way to make these effects permanent.
But for now—
Better start eating before Kangaskhan drooled all over the ground.
The moment Hayato placed the steak in front of her, Kangaskhan let out an excited roar and began devouring it eagerly.
"Mmm!"
One bite in—
It was so delicious she almost cried.
Kangaskhan clutched the plate and wolfed it down, licking every last drop of oil clean.
"The flavor is great… though a bit greasy."
Hayato tasted a bite of his own steak and nodded thoughtfully.
Then he looked up—
And met Kangaskhan's longing gaze.
Her eyes were fixed on the steak still sitting on his plate.
Suddenly, a large tongue slid across his face in one smooth motion, covering him in drool.
"Hey—!"
Hayato pushed Kangaskhan away in disgust and knocked lightly on her head.
"Fine, fine. You can have it."
"Kaang~!"
Kangaskhan immediately scooped Hayato up in a hug and rubbed her face against him happily before finishing the remaining steak.
The portion had been large anyway.
Half a steak was enough for Hayato , so sharing wasn't a big deal.
Still, the greasy taste lingering in his mouth felt unpleasant.
After thinking for a moment, Hayato picked up several Berries.
He had gathered them along the road yesterday evening.
Kangaskhan had even conducted some "friendly negotiations" with a Pinsir guarding the tree.
After washing the berries with clean water, Hayato sliced them and arranged them on a plate.
Then he drizzled honey and sweet-and-sour fruit jam on top.
"Ta-da."
A simple but delicious fruit platter was complete.
[Berry Fruit Platter (C Rank)]
Description:
A simple dish made by slicing fresh Berries and arranging them together with syrup and jam. Adding Moomoo Milk is rumored to create an even more unique flavor and effect.
Cooking Effect:
• Increases Pokémon Happiness
• Slightly raises Friendship
"Moomoo Milk, huh… maybe I'll try that once things settle down."
Hayato mused curiously while spearing a honey-coated berry and popping it into his mouth.
For now, however, restoring the ranch remained his top priority.
Only after everything stabilized here could he experiment with other things.
After studying the system these past few days, Hayato was certain of one thing:
Any food he personally cooked would undergo subtle mutations, producing unique effects.
This discovery had completely ignited his curiosity.
Still, his ability was Harvest Ranch Story, not Gourmet Story.
The ranch came first.
After Kangaskhan finished eating, Hayato cleaned the dishes and placed them somewhere dry.
Then he changed into work clothes, put on a straw hat, and grabbed his axe.
Calling Kangaskhan along, the pair headed toward the forest near the lake, not far from the ranch cabin.
This entire area needed to be cleared.
The wood would be used to repair the ranch cabin.
If possible, they would even dig up the roots.
Tree roots were excellent firewood and would also make room for Berry trees—a triple benefit.
Hayato and Kangaskhan worked together smoothly.
First, Hayato used the axe to chop a notch into the tree trunk.
Then Kangaskhan gathered strength into her palm, turning it into a blade before striking the notch with tremendous force.
Crack!
Under Kangaskhan's immense strength, a tree thick enough to require two people to hug collapsed instantly.
Thanks to the notch guiding the fall, the tree toppled outward, avoiding nearby trees and making cleanup easier.
They cut down several trees this way.
Then something unexpected happened.
Kangaskhan suddenly let out a loud roar and ran toward another large tree.
She wrapped both arms around the trunk.
At that moment, Fighting-type energy surged through her body.
With a powerful heave—
The entire tree was ripped out of the ground by its roots.
Kangaskhan hurled it high into the air before it crashed heavily back down with a thunderous boom.
And she didn't stop there.
One tree after another was uprooted and thrown skyward, her movements growing smoother each time.
Standing in the distance, Hayato stared in shock.
"That's a Fighting-type move… Seismic Toss!"