[Spicy Power Burst: The effect varies depending on the level of spiciness.
Mild Spicy: Slightly increases the activity of Fire-type energy within the body.
• Medium Spicy: Moderately increases Fire-type energy and slightly improves comprehension of Fire-type moves.
• Extra Spicy: Significantly increases Fire-type energy, slightly improves comprehension of Fire-type moves, and grants additional experience when defeating Fire-type Pokémon.
Additional Effect: If consumed by Groudon, it will slightly increase its affection toward the cook.
(Only applies at Blazing Spice level.)]
This was the longest cooking effect description Hayato had seen since obtaining his system.
Different spice levels produced different effects.
But that last one… Devil-Spicy increasing Groudon's affection?
Groudon was one of the legendary super-ancient Pokémon said to have created the continents.
It possessed the power to disperse rain clouds and expand the landmass by evaporating the seas with intense heat and blinding sunlight.
If Hayato remembered correctly, it should currently be sleeping deep inside some volcano.
Waking Groudon would definitely not be a good thing—it would more likely bring about a catastrophe that could affect the entire world.
As for gaining Groudon's favor… that idea was best left for later.
A near-godlike existence like that was not something you could casually provoke.
What if it woke up in a bad mood?
Hayato shook his head and turned his attention to the other cooking effect description.
[Sweet and Soft: After a Pokémon eats this dish, its body will become pleasantly fragrant and its flexibility will greatly increase.
Sleeping while hugging the Pokémon grants an additional Sweet Dream Buff.]
"Oh right! There's another dish."
Hayato took the vibrant green vegetable salad from Kangaskhan .
[Vegetable Salad (C): A homemade dish made from a variety of vegetables, blending their different flavors together. It pairs excellently with grilled meat.
Cooking Effects:
• Smoothness Lv.1
• Grease Relief Lv.3]
The three dishes were placed neatly on the table.
Hayato tied small napkins around Kangaskhan and Cinccino.
Looking at the two Pokémon drooling eagerly, he laughed.
"Wipe your drool. You can start eating now."
At the signal, Kangaskhan grabbed a skewer and bit off a chunk of grilled meat.
Spicy. Fragrant. Delicious.
Paired with a bite of vegetable salad, the taste was so good it nearly made her swallow her tongue.
Beside her, Cinccino held a piece of glutinous rice cake with her tiny paws and nibbled at it slowly.
Soon, her big eyes narrowed in bliss.
She looked completely conquered by the sweet, chewy dessert.
Watching the Pokémon devour the food so happily was the best praise Hayato could receive as both their Trainer and their cook.
After dinner, Hayato washed up quickly before eagerly scooping Cinccino into his arms.
The small Cinccino felt incredibly soft.
Because she had eaten the Sweet Berry Rice Cakes , a faint fragrance now lingered on her fur.
Hayato petted her the way one would pet a cat—occasionally pinching her ears or tickling her paws.
If he had a TV right now, lying down and watching while petting Cinccino would be perfect.
But watching the stars in the open air wasn't bad either.
Before long, the Cinccino in his arms began making comfortable purring sounds.
The little Pokémon clearly enjoyed Hayato 's gentle strokes.
Cinccino allowed him to fuss over her freely, looking unbelievably adorable.
Sure enough, no one in the world could resist a fluffy Pokémon that was also soft and fragrant.
Suddenly, the starlight above them was blocked.
Kangaskhan stood nearby, staring over with a longing expression. Her eyes were filled with envy.
"Rooar!"
No explanation was needed.
Hayato immediately understood what Kangaskhan wanted.
Understanding instantly, he refused her request without hesitation.
"Nope. The sleeping bag is only this big."
"…Roo…"
Kangaskhan sat down weakly, looking both pitiful and wronged.
"..."
Thinking back, the last time he and Kangaskhan had slept together was when they first met.
Seeing her like this, Hayato couldn't help softening a little.
"Lii lii~"
Cinccino murmured softly in his arms.
"Got it!"
A lightbulb practically flashed above Hayato 's head.
He had an idea.
Five minutes later, beside the crackling campfire…
Kangaskhan lay flat on the ground like a giant pancake, her limbs spread out, her expression full of motherly warmth.
On top of her soft belly, Hayato lay comfortably while hugging Cinccino.
Even with the night breeze blowing across them, they didn't feel cold at all.
Hayato reached up and patted Kangaskhan's belly.
"Good night, Kangaskhan … and you too, Cinccino."
"Roo~ (Lii lii~)"
…
The next day.
At one corner of the ranch, Hayato planted young Berry tree seedlings into the soil.
Small patches of green soon dotted the farmland.
Kangaskhan and Cinccino followed behind with a Squirtle Watering Can, watering the seedlings to keep the soil moist.
Standing on the ridge between fields, Hayato smiled at the sight.
If everything continued normally—fertilizing and watering regularly—then in three months he would enjoy his first major harvest.
Hayato had roughly calculated the size of the land he reclaimed.
The cleared field measured about one acre (roughly one-sixth of an acre).
He divided it into three sections, planting Pecha Berries, Oran Berries, and Apicot Berries.
"Kangaskhan , once you finish watering, come back. Don't play outside too long. I'm heading back to cook first," Hayato called out.
Cinccino and Kangaskhan both looked up.
Kangaskhan waved her hand to show she heard him.
Hayato removed his straw hat and hung it on a wooden stake beside the camp.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the mountain of logs stacked beside the Ranch Cabin.
This was the result of their joint efforts.
[LV0 Ranch Cabin → LV1 Ranch Cabin]
Poké Dollars: 0 / 10,000
Wood: 500 / 450
The wood requirement had already been met—there were even 50 extra logs.
Now the only thing missing was money.
Once he had it, he could repair the Ranch Cabin and finally stop camping outside.
Fortunately, it wasn't the rainy season in the Kalos Region yet. Otherwise, camping outdoors would be extremely risky.
While kneading dough, Hayato 's mind worked just as quickly, trying to figure out a way to make money.
"Maybe I could go to the Pokémon Center and accept some League missions… challenging Gyms could work too. Or maybe… ambushing kids for their allowance—"
"No, no. That's not right."
"I should be thinking like a ranch owner and find a way to earn startup capital."
His thoughts wandered as the sounds of insects and birds echoed around him.
Naturally, Hayato 's gaze drifted toward the mountains behind the ranch.
The mountains were full of valuable ingredients.
During his past travels, Hayato had once found black truffles. Even average-quality ones sold for 5,000 Poké Dollars per kilogram, while top-grade ones could reach 20,000 Poké Dollars.
He had been lucky enough to find some once and even enjoyed a luxurious meal in Lumiose City with Kangaskhan .
And black truffles weren't the only valuable ingredient found in the mountains.
Top-grade olive oil produced by Arboliva, salt harvested from Garganacl, and even the shed legs of Klawf were all highly prized delicacies among nobles.
Since his ranch was near the sea, there was a high chance that Klawf lived nearby.
Just thinking about those meaty, delicious crab legs made Hayato start drooling.
"Tomorrow," he muttered, "I'll take the Pokémon along the coastline and see if we can find any."
He wrapped the kneaded dough in plastic wrap and set it aside to ferment.
That would be today's lunch staple.
It was also his first attempt at making flour-based food.
Bread and noodles tended to be more filling.
Hayato had already prepared himself to sit by the seaside for an entire afternoon.
Hopefully they would catch plenty of small fish.
After all, he still owed Kangaskhan those fried little fish—and he didn't even have the main ingredient yet.