On the way back, Snorlax began to glow and leveled up to level 5.
In this world, when Pokémon level up, learn new moves, or especially when they evolve, there are noticeable signs, mainly due to the rapid gathering of spiritual energy.
"Snor!"
Snorlax proudly flexed its arm, as if showing off its strength.
It was saying, "Snorlax has gotten stronger and can protect its trainer even better now!"
"Nice, nice! You're doing great, Snorlax!"
Ye Yinchuan didn't hold back his praise. "It seems our training these past few days has been effective."
The leveling up of Pokémon follows game logic: the higher the level, the harder it is to level up.
In the early stages, leveling up is relatively easy. With a bit of effort, you can see results.
"Snor!"
Snorlax crossed its arms, looking a bit puffed up.
Ye Yinchuan quickly listened to its thoughts:
(What's important isn't the training, Snor! It's the food! Snorlax has been working hard to eat well, Snor, which is why it's getting stronger! And yet, Master gave away Snorlax's food, Snor!)
"Alright, alright, I'll make it up to you when we get back! Training is important, but so is eating!"
"Snor!"
Snorlax immediately brightened up, grinning with its sharp teeth showing.
"How about we grab some spicy stir-fry for lunch?"
Ye Yinchuan felt his appetite had improved after training, and he was craving some hearty food.
They'd been eating chicken for the past few days, so it was time for a change.
Spicy stir-fry, while not as cheap as regular fast food, was still a good value.
Soon, Ye Yinchuan found a nearby spicy stir-fry restaurant.
The red sign with white lettering and the small storefront made it look very appetizing.
"Young man, what would you like to eat?"
"Do you have a menu?"
"Farfetch'd, bring the menu for the customer!"
"Quack!"
In response, a Farfetch'd wearing a headscarf and an apron rushed over from somewhere.
Holding a large leek, it performed a little acrobatic move, flipping the menu and presenting it to Ye Yinchuan with a flourish.
"Quack."
Farfetch'd's eyes were sharp, and its voice was low, like a calm swordsman.
"Honestly, Farfetch'd, why do you always show off like that? Didn't scare you, did it? It's one of our waitstaff here," the owner said with a chuckle. "It's part of our restaurant's unique charm."
Ye Yinchuan couldn't help but laugh.
Since he hadn't had much money before, he rarely ate out. He never expected this spicy stir-fry place to have such a gimmick.
But you had to admit, when the owner first called for Farfetch'd, he thought it was going to be an ingredient!
"Spicy stir-fried beef with extra pickled peppers, make it sour and spicy."
"And one... uh, boss, what's this 'leek-roasted duck'?"
"Oh, that? Don't worry, it's just regular duck meat, but with premium leeks. We don't serve Pokémon ingredients here."
"Never mind, then. Let's go with braised yellow catfish, make it flavorful. One bowl of rice and two steamed buns."
"Coming right up!"
The owner went to the kitchen, leaving Farfetch'd and Ye Yinchuan staring at each other.
Ye Yinchuan had originally wanted to try leek-stir-fried duck, but under Farfetch'd's intense gaze, he couldn't bring himself to order it.
"The owner's pretty nice, not serving Pokémon ingredients. If I remember correctly, Farfetch'd's meat, when stir-fried with its leek, is incredibly delicious, a true delicacy..."
Not just in this world, but even in the Pokémon anime, there were mentions of this.
In fact, Farfetch'd's rarity was partly due to how delicious it was, almost being eaten to extinction...
Ye Yinchuan's professional instincts kicked in.
He couldn't help but examine this Farfetch'd, admiring its appearance and features.
Farfetch'd's feathers were mostly grayish-brown, with only its chest and belly being cream-colored.
The boundary between the feathers on its belly and neck had a jagged, triangular pattern.
Farfetch'd's body wasn't as plump as a regular duck's. It was nearly a meter tall but had almost no neck.
The three thick feathers on its head were very noticeable, resembling hair.
On its forehead was a black "V"-shaped mark, like thick connected eyebrows.
However, since this Farfetch'd worked in a restaurant, it wore a headscarf to prevent its feathers from falling into the food, partially covering the "V" mark.
But with Farfetch'd being covered in feathers, it was unclear if the headscarf and apron served any practical purpose or were just for the "clean and hygienic" psychological effect.
Still, there was no denying that this Farfetch'd was very well-groomed, with neatly combed feathers and no visible dirt.
Back to Farfetch'd.
Its eyes were quite large, shaped like rounded triangles, with small but bright pupils.
However, this Farfetch'd had a natural air of aloofness, with droopy eyelids and a deep, melancholic gaze.
Farfetch'd's beak was yellow, smooth and curved but tapered at the tip.
Compared to Psyduck's obviously "dumb" duckbill, Farfetch'd's beak had a much "smarter" vibe.
Farfetch'd's wings were well-developed, with finger-like structures, four in total.
This allowed it to easily grip its leek, holding it firmly like a staff or a sword, using it with great dexterity.
Farfetch'd, as the name suggests, is defined by its leek, one of its most distinctive features.
This Pokémon relies heavily on the quality of its leek, using it as a weapon.
Carrying the leek with it and using it over time allows the leek to be strengthened by spiritual energy, becoming tougher and even sharper!
Since leeks vary in quality, wild Farfetch'd often fight over high-quality ones...
Compared to these features, Farfetch'd's tail and feet weren't particularly noteworthy.
But Ye Yinchuan still observed them closely.
Farfetch'd's tail was pointed and upturned, and its feet barely had any webbing, unlike Psyduck's.
It was clear that Farfetch'd was a "land duck," unsuited for water but agile on land.
Oh, and while it usually walked on the ground, as a duck Pokémon, it could actually fly.
Ye Yinchuan remembered an episode in the anime where Ash and his friends encountered a group of migrating Farfetch'd on an island.
They flew by holding their precious leeks with their feet and flapping their wings, moving in formation like geese!
Ye Yinchuan activated his "Treasure Appraisal Eye," and Farfetch'd's stats panel appeared before him.
[Yellow-Beaked Duck Pokémon: Farfetch'd]
[Level: 26]
[Type: Normal, Flying]
[Gender: Male]
[Base Stats: C Grade (377)]
[Individual Values: C Grade (100)]
[Ability: Keen Eye]
[Nature: Calm]
[Moves: Peck, Sand Attack, Leer, Fury Cutter, Air Slash, Aerial Ace]
[Status: Bored]
[Evolution Path: Farfetch'd]
[Trait: None]
"Huh? Doesn't Farfetch'd evolve into Sirfetch'd? Did I remember wrong?"
That was Ye Yinchuan's first thought after reading the panel.
But then he realized:
Wait, Sirfetch'd is a Fighting-type, and only regional variants of Farfetch'd can evolve into it!
"Sir, what would you like to eat?"
(End of Chapter)
—
Join my patreon for additional chapters!
patreon.com/FictionFan248