With the dense weed forest completely cleared away, Silas was finally able to see the full scope of the ranch.
It was far from small—much larger than he had originally imagined.
Centered around the ranch house, the land spread outward in all directions. In the middle lay a vast open clearing, while a wooden fence marked the boundary along the outer perimeter.
To the east was a valley. Even while standing within the ranch, Silas could clearly hear the cries of various wild Pokémon echoing from that direction.
The sound of chattering birds, the insect cries of Pinsir and Heracross, and the braying of Tauros.
Being able to identify the species of wild Pokémon in a given area just by their calls was a fundamental skill for elite trainers.
They were all fairly common Pokémon, so Silas wasn't worried in the slightest.
At the southeastern corner, where the ranch met the valley, there was a lake. A stream ran through it from east to west, flowing onward until it reached the coastline on the western side.
At the far end of the lake, Silas vaguely spotted several wild Pokémon drinking water.
Hmm? White-colored Pokémon?
Before he could take a closer look, the wild Pokémon sensed his gaze and immediately bolted into the valley, vanishing without a trace.
Mountains, forests, lakes, coastline.
The ranch he had purchased truly had everything.
Standing atop Kangaskhan's shoulder and taking it all in, Silas couldn't help but think about how much work still awaited him.
Clearing weeds and rubble, reclaiming farmland, repairing the ranch house…
A 24/7 work schedule was practically waving at him.
All of that would require tools, which meant another trip to Shalour City.
Not only did he need to buy tools, but he also had to stock up on food for the coming week.
"Kangaskhan, let's take a walk by the seaside."
"Kang~!"
Kangaskhan neither objected nor hesitated. She lifted Silas and placed him on her shoulder once more.
The azure sea stretched endlessly into the distance, waves rolling one after another and raising white crests of foam.
A flock of Wingull circled above the golden beach, crying out with sharp "Gull" calls as if calling their companions.
Then, suddenly, the sand on the beach began to bulge and shift. Grains of sand gathered together, forming a towering sandcastle, with a red plastic shovel planted right at its peak.
The nightmare of beaches—Palossand.
He hadn't expected there to be one living right inside the ranch. It had to be dealt with immediately.
By the time Silas and Kangaskhan approached, the battle on the beach was already nearing its end.
Palossand had utterly defeated the Wingull flock, and the remaining Wingull scattered in all directions, fleeing in disarray.
TN: Guess where not sticking to Kalos Pokémon.
"Kangaskhan, slap it."
Silas jumped down from Kangaskhan's shoulder and pointed straight at Palossand.
Kangaskhan let out an excited roar as her palm, wrapped in pure Normal-type energy, came down with a loud smack against Palossand's sandcastle body.
The pointed spires of the sandcastle shattered on impact, and the red shovel was sent flying several hundred meters away.
At the same time, Palossand fell into a flinching state, completely unable to move.
A battle-hardened Kangaskhan didn't give Palossand even the slightest chance to recover.
She stepped forward with a left hook, followed by a right hook, and finished with a final move—
"Up you go!"
Palossand—OUT!
Kid, do you even understand the sheer value of Kangaskhan's Scrappy ability?
High-five opening strikes, full package included.
Ten minutes later, Silas stood above Palossand, which had shrunk into a trembling lump.
"Do you understand now?"
"Paloo…"
Palossand glanced fearfully at Kangaskhan, its red shovel nodding frantically.
At the same time, a voice echoed in its mind:
I don't understand. Everyone keeps talking about type advantages, about Ghost-types being immune to Normal-types, about destiny being on my side, about that thriving world full of life… and yet it all feels like yesterday.
After just three punches, how did a Normal-type become my end?
A pointy head. A giant question mark.
Palossand would never understand, not for the rest of its existence, how it had been defeated by a Normal-type Kangaskhan.
Watching Palossand flee into the distance, Silas felt great—another hidden danger had been eliminated in advance.
Later on, he could build a wooden fence around this stretch of beach and raise some sea Pokémon.
Milotic, Lapras, Gyarados, Primarina…
Freshwater Pokémon would work too. After all, the ranch had both a lake and a stream.
Squirtle, Piplup, Quaxly—those would all be fine.
Just imagining a future where countless Water-type Pokémon swam freely between the stream, the lake, and the ocean made his heart swell with anticipation.
Ideally, he'd raise a Palafin as well.
Let it handle conflict resolution among the Pokémon.
A beautiful future was right before his eyes.
Silas patted Kangaskhan's shoulder lightly. "Let's head back. I'll make grilled fish for you."
"Kang~"
Kangaskhan nodded vigorously, waved goodbye to the Wingull flock, and carried two half-meter-long sea fish in her right hand—gifts from the Wingull as thanks for helping them.
On the way back, Silas made sure to pick up some dry branches.
If he was grilling fish, he'd need a fire.
In front of the tent near the ranch house, Silas stacked the branches neatly.
"Kangaskhan, Fire Punch—minimum power."
Orange-red flames flared up and ignited the branches. Silas let the fire burn while he prepared the fish nearby.
He slit open the bellies, added the seasonings he carried with him—salt, pepper, and sauce—then skewered the two fish together and placed them over the charcoal fire.
Food grilled this way always tasted the best.
Before long, an enticing aroma spread through the air.
Kangaskhan, who had been lazily dragging her pouch and yawning, suddenly brightened when she smelled it. Her fierce-looking head leaned in close, and she swallowed unconsciously.
For some reason, ever since arriving at the ranch, Silas's cooking skills had been improving rapidly.
The earlier hamburger, and now these grilled fish—every dish was better than the last.
The one attracted by the smell wasn't just Kangaskhan.
Somewhere in the forest, a white figure was also watching.
"Don't rush—it's not fully cooked yet."
Silas smacked away Kangaskhan's reaching paw in exasperation and pushed her back. The system panel hadn't popped up yet, after all.
This was his basic way of using the cheat—judging whether a dish had reached its optimal state based on whether the panel appeared.
He grilled the fish for a few more minutes, until the surface was coated in a caramelized, crispy layer that gleamed with amber-colored oil.
A rich, smoky aroma seeped out from the curled fish skin, and just a whiff was enough to make anyone's mouth water, desperate for a bite.
[Grilled Mackerel (B): A delicacy slowly roasted over charcoal, preserving the fresh flavor of sea fish with a hint of fruitwood aroma. The perfect choice for dinner.
Cooking Effect: Strength Boost (Large), Stamina Recovery (Medium), duration 60 minutes.]
"Dig in, Kangaskhan!"
"Kang~"
The moment Silas finished speaking, Kangaskhan grabbed one grilled fish and devoured it eagerly.
Watching her enjoy it so much, Silas couldn't help but smile.
Having Pokémon love the food he made—this kind of relaxed life was wonderful in its own way.
Compared to constant adventuring, it had a completely different charm.
"Easy, easy. I'll give you half of mine too."
Silas patted Kangaskhan affectionately and split his grilled fish with her.
The mackerel's flesh was incredibly delicious—distinct layers of tender meat infused with fruitwood fragrance, reaching a level of tastiness that made it impossible to stop eating.
In the trees not far from the ranch house, a white Pokémon swallowed repeatedly, staring at them with undisguised longing.
But the moment it noticed the giant monster-like Pokémon nearby, it hid itself in fear.
One punch from that thing… would be fatal, right?
And so it waited.
Only after the human and the giant Pokémon left did the white Pokémon cautiously hop down from the trees.
(End of Chapter)