With the weeds cleared away, Natsuki could finally see the true scale of the ranch. It was large, much larger than he had imagined.
Centering on the ranch house, there was a vast open space in the middle, with wooden fences serving as boundaries on the outer edges.
To the east was a valley. Standing in the ranch, he could hear the cries of various wild Pokémon.
Chatot, Pinsir, Heracross, and Tauros.
Being able to identify the species in an area by their cries was an essential skill for an elite trainer.
They were all common Pokémon, so Natsuki wasn't worried.
In the southeast corner, at the boundary between the ranch and the valley, was a lake.
A stream ran through it from east to west, extending to the coastline on the west side.
On the far side of the lake, Natsuki vaguely saw a few wild Pokémon drinking water.
'Hmm? White Pokémon?'
Before Natsuki could get a closer look, the wild Pokémon sensed his gaze and vanished into the valley in a flash.
Valleys, forests, lakes, and coastlines— this ranch had everything. Standing on Kangaskhan's shoulder, Natsuki took it all in, realizing there was still so much to be done.
Clearing weeds and rocks, reclaiming farmland, repairing the ranch house... the grueling 24/7 work schedule was beckoning him.
He needed tools, which meant a trip to Shalour City.
Not just for equipment, but to stock up on food for the coming week.
"Boss, let's head to the coast."
"Long-long!"
Kangaskhan grunted in agreement and lifted Natsuki onto her shoulder.
The azure sea stretched to the horizon, with white-capped waves rolling in.
A flock of Wingull circled the golden beach, their squawks sounding like they were calling out to friends.
Suddenly, a mound of sand rose from the beach, swirling into a fortress with a red plastic shovel stuck in its head.
The nightmare of the beach: Palossand.
Natsuki hadn't expected to find one on the ranch, but he knew it had to be removed immediately.
As the two approached, the battle on the beach was nearing its end.
Palossand had soundly defeated the flock of Wingull, and the survivors were fleeing in disarray.
"Big Boss, give it a slap."
Natsuki jumped down and pointed toward Palossand.
Kangaskhan let out an excited roar, her palm glowing with Normal-type energy as she delivered a Fake Out right onto Palossand's sandy body.
The tip of the sand castle shattered instantly, and the red plastic shovel was sent flying over a mile away.
Simultaneously, Palossand flinched, unable to move. A battle-hardened Pokémon like Kangaskhan wasn't about to give it a second chance.
She stepped in with a left hook, a right hook, and finally, a throw to the sky!
Palossand: OUT!
Does this kid not understand the value of Boss's Scrappy ability?
Start with Fake Out, and you've got it all.
Ten minutes later, Natsuki looked down at the curled-up, shivering Palossand. "Do you understand now?"
"Looo..."
Palossand glanced fearfully at Kangaskhan, its red shovel nodding frantically. Meanwhile, a thought echoed in its mind:
'I don't understand... Why is everyone talking about type matchups? Ghost is supposed to be immune to Normal!'
'That scene of a vibrant, burgeoning life was just before my eyes. After just three punches, has Normal-type become my burial ground?'
With a pointy head full of big questions, Palossand would probably never understand how it was defeated by a Normal-type Kangaskhan.
Watching Palossand retreat, Natsuki felt great after eliminating a potential danger.
Later, he could put up a wooden fence to enclose this beach and raise some marine Pokémon— Milotic, Lapras, Gyarados, Primarina, and the like.
Fresh water was an option too, since the ranch had both a lake and a stream.
Squirtle, Piplup, Quaxly... he could raise them all.
Just imagining a huge variety of Water-types swimming through the stream between the lake and the ocean was wonderful.
Ideally, he could even get a Palafin to act as a mediator for any Pokémon disputes.
A bright future was within reach.
Natsuki patted Kangaskhan's shoulder. "Let's go back. I'll make you some grilled fish."
"Long-long~"
Kangaskhan nodded vigorously, waving goodbye to the Wingull while carrying two half-meter-long sea fish in her right hand— a thank-you gift from the flock.
On the way back, Natsuki made sure to pick up dry branches. Since it was grilled fish, they needed a fire.
Back at the tent in front of the ranch house, Natsuki stacked the wood.
"Boss, use the weakest Fire Punch possible."
Orange flames crackled to life, and while the wood burned, Natsuki prepped the fish. He sliced them open and added his portable seasonings: salt, pepper, and sauce.
Then he skewered the fish and set them over the charcoal, the best way to bring out the flavor.
Soon, an enticing aroma drifted through the air. Kangaskhan, who was lazily yawning next to her pouch, immediately perked up.
Her massive head leaned in close as she swallowed hard.
For some reason, ever since they arrived at the ranch, Natsuki's cooking skills seemed to be improving. First the Burger King, now this.
He wasn't the only one attracted, a white figure watched from the forest.
"Don't be in such a rush, it's not fully cooked yet."
Natsuki playfully swatted away Kangaskhan's reaching claws.
The system panel hadn't popped up yet. This was his simple way of using the Golden Finger— judging if a dish had reached its peak state by the appearance of the panel description.
After a few more minutes, the fish developed a caramelized, crispy skin with an amber sheen. The fragrance wafted from the gaps in the curling skin.
One sniff was enough to trigger an overwhelming appetite.
[Grilled Mackerel (B): A delicacy slow-roasted over charcoal. It retains the freshness of the sea fish with a subtle hint of fruitwood. The perfect choice for dinner.]
[Cooking Effect: Attack Boost (Large), Stamina Recovery (Medium), Duration: 60 minutes.]
"Dig in, Big Boss!"
"Long-long~"
As soon as Natsuki gave the word, Kangaskhan grabbed a fish and started devouring it.
Seeing her enjoy the food so much, Natsuki couldn't help but smile.
Having Pokémon love his cooking made this leisurely life feel quite nice. It was a different flavor compared to his traveling days.
"Easy now, I'll give you another half."
Natsuki patted her affectionately and shared half of his own portion.
The mackerel was incredibly delicious, its distinct textures and the fruitwood aroma creating an irresistible combination.
In the trees near the ranch house, a white Pokémon watched the scene, swallowing its saliva in longing.
But when it noticed the "giant monster" Pokémon, it hid itself in fear.
'If that thing hit me once, I'd die for sure!'
It waited and waited until the human and the monster finally left, and only then did the white Pokémon cautiously hop down.