Seeing the battle end, An J finished from Super Swift Struthio's back, ran to Comatose Koala, picked it up and asked:
"Comatose Koala, are you hurt?"
Comatose Koala, as usual, had no reaction.
After some inspection, An J was relieved to see that Comatose Koala had no injuries. He patted the dust off Comatose Koala and walked to the Metang that was in a coma.
As An J took out rock salt and applied it to Metang's wound, and fed it tree fruit, Metang quickly woke up.
"Metang, how do you feel?"
"Meta ~"
Metang responded, indicating that it was fine.
"Then are you willing to come with me?"
Although he had defeated Metang, An J still asked. If Metang was unwilling to leave with him, he would not force it.
Hearing An J's question, Metang's gaze immediately shifted to Comatose Koala, its eyes burning with intense fighting spirit.
This little guy was the most powerful Pokémon it had ever encountered!
"Metang? Metang?" An J called out to Metang.
"Meta ~ Meta ~" Can you make me stronger?
Metang came back to its senses and stared at An J.
"Should… should be able to?" An J said uncertainly. He wasn't a trainer and didn't know how to train Pokémon!
However, if it was to help add individual values, then he could indeed help Metang become stronger, or when his Hado cultivation qualified, making special delicacies could also make Metang stronger.
"Meta ~ Meta ~" Then I'll go with you!
Metang said firmly. As it spoke, it glanced at Comatose Koala again. One day, it would defeat this little guy in front of it!
An J smiled upon hearing this, "Then please give me your guidance!"
As he spoke, he took out a Poké Ball and pressed it on Metang's body. Metang immediately turned into a ray of red light and was taken into the Poké Ball.
Dong ~ Dong ~ Dong ~ ~ ~ Peng!
The Poké Ball shook twice in An J's palm, and after a crisp sound, it quieted down, indicating that An J had successfully captured it.
"Meta ~" Metang nodded.
"And this is Comatose Koala." Then An J raised the Comatose Koala in his arms and introduced it, and pulled Bubo out from the hood behind, "This is Bubo, they are all our partners."
"Bu!"
Bubo waved his hand full of energy to greet Metang, as for Comatose Koala… Comatose Koala's reaction was negligible.
"Meta ~"
Metang also nodded friendly to Bubo.
After finishing communicating with Metang, An J took out the jerky that he hadn't sent out earlier and came to Umbreon, handing the jerky to it.
"Umbreon, thank you for leading the way, this is a thank you gift for you."
"Blacky ~"
Umbreon nodded proudly, letting An J put the bag containing the jerky around its neck.
Suddenly An J said again: "Umbreon, can I touch you?"
Umbreon was stunned upon hearing this.
"Is it not okay?" An J asked disappointedly.
"Blacky ~"
Umbreon hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded, but touching it was another price.
So An J happily took out some more jerky and stuffed it into Umbreon's bag.
Getting Umbreon's consent, An J hugged it in his arms, stroking Umbreon's smooth fur, An J couldn't help but say:
"Umbreon, you are so soft!"
While touching it, An J was also carefully sensing the Hado inside Umbreon.
Umbreon: . . .
"Umbreon, your fur is really smooth and soft, how do you usually maintain it?" An J touched Umbreon's back to its ears, and from its ears to its stomach, and finally pinched the soft pads under its paws.
Different from the Hado of Ice Rock Monster before, the Hado emitted from Umbreon was stronger, and gave people a deep and quiet feeling.
Umbreon disgustedly patted away An J's restless hand with its paw, then suddenly kicked its leg and quickly broke free from An J's arms.
An J said disappointedly: "You only let me touch it for such a short while?"
Umbreon proudly raised its head, who told you to touch it randomly!
With the purpose achieved, An J got up and said to Umbreon: "Umbreon, then we have to say goodbye here."
"Blacky ~"
Umbreon nodded.
An J suddenly asked reluctantly: "Or… why don't you come with me like Metang?"
"Blacky ~" Humph, don't even think about it.
Umbreon turned its head, jumped into a passage, and disappeared in a blink of an eye.
An J looked disappointed, "Unwilling…"
He quite liked Umbreon.
Withdrawing his gaze from the direction Umbreon left, An J looked at Metang, Super Swift Struthio, Bubo and Comatose Koala and said: "Let's go back."
"Meta ~"
"Ssru ~"
"Bu ~"
The Pokémon all nodded.
Leaving the cave, An J planned to leave the lower level with the Pokémon, but when passing through the rocky area, he suddenly heard a bark.
"Woof woof woof ~ ~"
An J looked in the direction of the sound and saw a Rockruff standing on a rock barking at him.
"Rockruff, is that you?" An J waved to it happily.
"Woof woof woof ~ ~ ~"
Rockruff barked even more happily, jumping up and down on the rock while barking, apparently very happy to see An J again.
This Rockruff was the one An J rescued from Camerupt.
Look, isn't the opportunity to feel Hado here?
An J got off Super Swift Struthio and ran happily to Rockruff. Rockruff also jumped off the rock and pounced into An J's arms.
An J caught Rockruff and rubbed its forehead happily, "We meet again!"
"Woof woof woof ~"
An J took out a piece of jerky and stuffed it into Rockruff's mouth. Rockruff immediately arched around in An J's arms happily.
"Is it delicious?" An J asked.
"Woof woof woof ~ ~"
Responding to him was Rockruff's cheerful bark, so An J gave it another piece and took the opportunity to feel the Hado inside it.
Different from Ice Rock Monster and Umbreon, Rockruff's Hado fluctuation was much weaker, probably because it was not as powerful as Ice Rock Monster and Umbreon, and its vitality was not as strong.
However, Rockruff's Hado was full of high-spirited power! This is the power of new life!
After some intimacy, An J asked Rockruff, "Do you have companions? Do you want to call them out to share the food?"
Rockruff was immediately happy to hear this and called out around.
"Woof woof woof ~ Woof woof woof ~ ~"
As Rockruff's voice fell, one Rockruff after another poked their heads out from behind the rocks, looking at An J with a cute look.
An J took out a large plate of jerky and put it on the ground, waving to the Rockruffs around, "Everyone come and eat!"
"Woof woof woof ~ ~"
"Woof woof woof ~ ~"
"Woof woof woof ~ ~"
…
Rockruffs are Pokémon that naturally get close to people, and with Ange's greeting, they immediately crowded around him, unable to wait.
"Come on, everyone, eat up quickly." Ange said as he greeted them, while his hands patted this one and that one.
Ange discovered that even among the same species of Pokémon, their Aura differed greatly; each Rockruff emitted a unique Aura.
Nearby, Babbo saw Ange having fun with the Rockruffs and immediately squeezed in, not forgetting to secretly grab a piece of jerky from the plate and stuff it into its mouth, then holding its face, chewing with a blissful expression.
Ooma~ Ooma~ So delicious!
Babbo felt especially happy every day since following Ange.
After eating, it secretly glanced at Ange, and seeing that Ange was focused on sensing the Rockruffs' Aura, it smiled smugly like a mouse that had stolen oil.
Actually, how could Ange not have noticed its little actions? He was just deliberately letting it be!
Not far away, Metagross and Espeon stood side by side, with a sleeping Komala on Metagross's head.
"Meta~ Meta~" Does our trainer have some special fetish?
Seeing Ange touching the Rockruffs, Metagross asked with a strange expression.
"Essu~ Essu~" Ange is training.
Espeon explained.
"Meta?" Training?
Metagross was puzzled.
"Essu~ Essu~" Ange can understand us because he has awakened the power of Aura; he is currently training his Aura.
Espeon explained.
"Meta~"
Metagross suddenly understood, thankfully its trainer wasn't a pervert.
The commotion caused by Ange and the Rockruffs quickly attracted the attention of other Pokémon. A Phanpy poked its head out of the pit, looking at Ange with curious eyes.
Ange smiled and waved at it, "Phanpy, come join us."
"Woof woof woof~~" The Rockruffs also called out, inviting it over.
"Pah pah?"
Phanpy jumped out of the pit and approached Ange step by step.
Ange picked up a piece of jerky and offered it to it, "Want to try some? It's very delicious."
"Woof woof woof~"
The Rockruffs echoed Ange's words, describing the deliciousness of the jerky.
"Pah pah~"
Hearing what the Rockruffs said, Phanpy's mouth watered, and it couldn't help but walk up to Ange, its long nose twitching, and then it opened its mouth and ate the jerky.
"Pah pah!!!!"
After eating, Phanpy immediately excitedly jumped into Ange's arms.
"Oh~ good boy, here's another piece for you."
Ange squinted his eyes, stroking Phanpy's back while sensing the Aura within it.
Phanpy's Aura was different from the Rockruffs', thick and steady.
Following Phanpy, Murkrow, Numel, Skiddo, Rufflet, Hawlucha, Nymble… one Pokémon after another gathered around. Ange sat among them, feeding them and interacting with them, he couldn't be happier.
Heaven, this is simply heaven!
Ange was already lost in happiness.
"Essu~ Essu~"
Seeing that it was getting late, Espeon began to urge Ange. Ange looked at the time and quickly got up from the ground.
"Alright, everyone, it's getting late, I have to go."
The Pokémon looked reluctant upon hearing this, but they still got up to see Ange off.
"Goodbye, everyone!" Ange sat on Espeon's back, waving goodbye to everyone.
"Woof woof woof~~"
"Pah pah~~"
"Meeh~~"
The Pokémon also responded to Ange with their cries.
"Awooo~~~"
Suddenly, a long howl resounded through the sky. On a boulder, a Midday Form Lycanroc appeared at some point, looking at Ange's back from afar.
It was the parent of the Rockruffs.
When Ange returned to the upper observation station, he saw Nemona lying on the grass at the entrance, sleeping with Mabosstiff leaning against her back.
She had a blanket over her, holding a Nacli in her arms, and two Lechonk were lying on her right side, also fast asleep.
Sensing Ange and the others returning, Mabosstiff opened its eyes, and Ange quickly made a "shush" gesture to it.
Mabosstiff nodded gently, its eyes narrowing into a line with kindness, and then it put its head back on its crossed paws.
Ange summoned Diancie, Munchlax, Sizzlipede, and Charcadet from home.
Munchlax was about to rush towards Ange with a shout, but Ange quickly "shushed" it, and Munchlax quickly covered its mouth.
Ange pointed to the sleeping Nemona, and Munchlax nodded with a smile.
Ange whispered, "Let's start preparing dinner!"
"Gong~"
"Ji meh~"
Munchlax and Sizzlipede responded to Ange in a low voice.
"What are we eating tonight?" Diancie asked.
Ange replied, "Hot pot!"
"Gong~"
"Ji meh~"
Upon hearing about a delicious dish they had never eaten before, Munchlax and Sizzlipede immediately leaned in with interest.
Ange briefly introduced the way to eat hot pot to his two disciples, so Munchlax, Sizzlipede, and Diancie all looked forward to it with joy.
Then Ange began to assign tasks.
Diancie was responsible for setting up the tables and chairs, Sizzlipede was responsible for picking and washing vegetables, and Munchlax was responsible for cutting vegetables.
Hot pot required a lot of ingredients, so Ange took out a pile of ingredients and gave them to Munchlax and Sizzlipede.
The two Charcadet, Metagross, Babbo, and Espeon also stepped forward to help.
It was the first time Metagross had interacted with its partners like this, and it found it novel. It learned from Espeon and used its psychic powers to help Sizzlipede pick vegetables together.
Ange himself was responsible for frying the most important part of the hot pot—the hot pot base.
He decided to make a divided hot pot, half tomato soup base and half spicy beef tallow base.
The recipes provided by the system created a hot pot base with an extraordinary taste!
Ange couldn't help but look forward to it in his heart.
Let's make the spicy beef tallow base first!
He took out the materials needed to make the hot pot base one by one, ginger, garlic, green onions, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon… among which the most important was the chili seasoning ground from the teeth shed by the spicy chili! This was the soul.
Because he had wanted to eat hot pot for a long time, Ange had already prepared the materials needed to make the base. Some of them he had asked Diancie to purchase from the royal city in advance.
The hot pot base required a lot of spices. If he hadn't bought them in advance, Ange would have been a clever woman helpless without rice at this time.
"Charcadet, I'm counting on you!"
Ange called out to the two Charcadet, and they immediately ran over quickly. Following Ange's instructions, they adjusted the heat, and the wok soon heated up.
Ange poured Olivine oil into the hot wok, and soon a rich oily aroma wafted out.
