Chapter 589: The Fish-Frying Competition

"You want to become World Champion?"

"I want to become World Champion."

In the repeated exchange of question and answer.

Loco Moco and the sous chef exchanged a glance, their expressions each different.

The latter felt Baimu's reason was simply too outrageous — even if he wanted to refuse, there was no need to say it like that; if they truly weren't willing, could they force him?

The former, however, fell silent, gazing at the other's frank and calm eyes, and for some reason recalled the self who had once been expelled from the academy.

Proud and stubborn, he refused to bow his head, swore to become a Trainer and chef as powerful as Elite Four Zumi, and resolutely set out on the road to challenge the League.

He had fought his way forward all the way to today.

It really makes one nostalgic.

The corners of Loco Moco's mouth lifted slightly; he couldn't help but touch his pocket, where his closest partner resided — Golduck.

"…Your current cooking skills were honed during your travels?"

He asked softly.

Baimu thought for a moment, feeling that compared to when he was in Iron Town, his cooking level had indeed improved after coming out.

At the very least, his non-stir-fried glowing dishes were something he had only gradually grasped after setting out.

So he nodded.

Loco Moco smiled and asked again: "Then would you be willing, one day in the future, to come back to Golduck's Smile and learn cooking from me?"

This remark greatly surprised the sous chef — hadn't the other's previous words clearly been a refusal?

Yet what surprised him even more was—

"If you're still willing to teach me at that time." Baimu replied.

"Very good!"

Loco Moco nodded, ignoring the sous chef's bewildered gaze, and continued: "But there's something I have to tell you — I'm truly sorry for so readily agreeing to let you be a kitchen helper. As the head chef of this restaurant, I have a responsibility to my other customers and my partners.

"If you're still willing, you may stay in the kitchen and observe our cooking process; if you have any questions, I can answer them for you. Can you accept that?"

Just as expected, then?

Though Baimu had anticipated this in his heart, hearing Loco Moco actually say it still left him a little regretful.

Fortunately, that Rainbow Roll had already satisfied his small wish.

Even if he couldn't cook alongside Loco Moco for the moment, it wasn't an unacceptable thing.

He replied: "Of course, Mr. Loco Moco."

"Thank you."

Seeing Baimu agree, Loco Moco also felt a weight lift in his heart; he put away his smile.

"But in the kitchen you have to call me Head Chef!"

"Yes, Head Chef."

"Just now the sous chef evaluated your Rainbow Roll from the angle of taste; now I'll critique it from the angle of a chef."

Loco Moco raised four fingers, pressing one down with each point he made.

"One, the separation between juice and jam isn't delicate enough — this isn't a sloppy home-cooked meal you can get away with; not a single bit of pulp is allowed!"

"Two, dyeing the egg roll takes three steps; you only did two and reached the intended color because you added too much at once — that way the flavor won't have any layering."

"Three, the egg roll is overcooked, because your habit of holding the pan is terrible, just like when I first started traveling."

"Four, I told you not to alter my recipe at will — even if it's just the strength of flavor; what you think is just right simply isn't suited to my customers!"

He was just like a chef criticizing a cooking beginner; the white paper in his hand recorded in detail the differing flavor preferences of Ash and the others.

These had been gathered by the waiters through asking.

Baimu had no way to argue back — he truly hadn't considered these things, having only cooked according to his own taste.

Loco Moco added: "I appreciate people who have ideas about cooking, but before that, the key point is respecting the customer. Remember, customers aren't your experimental subjects. Go to the side and watch me make it once carefully."

"Okay."

Without a word, he stepped aside with Chansey to make room; fortunately, the kitchen, taking into account the comings and goings of people and Pokémon, had a very spacious aisle.

"Happy~"

Chansey tried to squeeze further to the side, to avoid getting in the trainer's way.

Baimu quickly held the fellow down — the space was already plenty large; squeezing any more might knock into other things in the kitchen.

"…"

The sous chef's expression was strange; he had no idea how things had developed to this point. Grabbing his friend's sleeve, he whispered: "Loco Moco! You really believed him?"

"Do you believe I want to become an Elite Four?"

Loco Moco calmly turned his head and asked.

The sous chef's expression grew somewhat exaggerated: "Of course! That's your dream! Why wouldn't I believe you? You mean he's the same as you? He's not the same as you!"

"Yes, we're not the same. He should be one step closer to his dream than I am."

Loco Moco turned on the faucet, carefully washing his hands, and said:

"At the very least, the old me shouted slogans loudly but was lost — it was more about giving myself a reason to keep moving forward. But his eyes hold only resolve and confidence; on that alone, he's far stronger than me. And back then I didn't have much time to learn cooking from others either; if I hadn't needed time to settle down, even Zumi's invitation I would have refused."

The sous chef said no more.

But he felt his worldview had been refreshed — a boy who claimed he would become World Champion, and a chef who believed the boy, and that chef was also his own boss and friend.

Suddenly.

Someone poked his lower back.

The sous chef turned his head and saw a colleague silently handing him a phone.

He glanced down at the screen, then quickly looked up at Baimu not far away, then lowered his head to compare again, and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Hiss—"

"What did he show you?"

Luoke Mokeco glanced at his phone out of the corner of his eye, couldn't see it clearly, and spoke up to ask.

The sous chef walked right past him, looking somewhat doubtful of his life as he said, "You're a top Coordinator Trainer?"

"Mm, I just got the title four days ago." All Baimu answered honestly.

"You're planning to take the Hoenn League Conference championship? Weren't you originally a participant in the Lumiose Conference?"

"Mm, once I finish this meal I'll focus on preparing for the competition."

"……"

The sous chef's face twisted like a bitter gourd.

In the page a colleague handed over, Hoenn's media had compared All Baimu to the next generation's Mi Ke Li.

Who Mi Ke Li was, he might not have known in the past, but last year when Mi Ke Li came here to taste the glowing cuisine and the fans nearly blocked off Winter Avenue—

He found out.

The next generation's Mi Ke Li.

The sous chef said nothing, merely gave All Baimu a thumbs-up to cover the small twinge of shame in his heart.

He wasn't the stubborn type who had to see someone actually reach the top before he'd relent—becoming a top Coordinator Trainer already proved the other's talent.

Besides, All Baimu could also make glowing cuisine.

"Hahahaha! So you weren't competing in the Lumiose Conference, you came from another region?" Luoke Mokeco was very pleased, and said, "Don't worry, I will absolutely serve you a meal you'll never forget!"

After half an hour of fussing about.

Luoke Mokeco finally drew the curtain on this celebration banquet.

First, the familiar appetizer—Rainbow Egg Roll.

The dazzling Jin Guang was blindingly bright, far surpassing the one All Baimu had made.

"Happy~"

Chansey couldn't help raising its little hands to shield its eyes.

Too bright!

Enough to make one exclaim that an entire jin of fluorescent agent had definitely been added.

Luoke Mokeco nodded in satisfaction, deliberately handing the portions belonging to All Baimu and Chansey directly over, "Try it, see how it differs from yours."

"Thank you."

The latter pinched up the egg roll, glanced at Chansey who had likewise pinched up a piece, and together they popped it into their mouths and chewed gently.

The next instant.

He covered his face.

The Chansey beside him, meanwhile, couldn't resist the joy welling up from within, the little wings on its shoulders fluttering as if about to take flight.

Of course, it definitely couldn't fly.

But it was enough to show just how delicious this egg roll was.

And All Baimu was even more completely immersed in the shock the egg roll gave him—this feeling of making the taste buds explode, he had experienced it once before.

This time it was even clearer!

"Hmph."

Luoke Mokeco smiled smugly—without showing a couple of tricks, how could he be worthy of All Baimu's respectful attitude from start to finish?

Additionally.

He also hoped All Baimu could truly take the Hoenn League Conference championship, and not stop at the last step the way he once had.

As a chef, Luoke Mokeco hoped to pour his encouragement for that into today's cuisine.

The chefs and Pokémon in the kitchen exchanged uncertain glances.

"The head chef is really serious today."

"After all, he's the first person to learn glowing cuisine."

"I think there might be more to it than that."

"Forget all that—since someone can learn glowing cuisine, maybe it proves our chance isn't zero. Everyone, work hard!"

"Yes, sir! Sous chef!"

The chorus of voices made the chefs concentrate fully.

The day the Lumiose Conference ended.

Winter Avenue, Golduck's Smile main branch.

Young boys and girls tasted the delicacies that this restaurant's head chef and all the chefs had poured their heart and soul into—dishes that could be called the finest they had produced this year.

The most moved customer of all was the Chansey in the kitchen, who ate from start to finish and cried from start to finish.

And its Trainer merely stayed silent, taking in every sensation he tasted deep into his heart, his consciousness following his taste buds to a brand-new world of cuisine.

As if spreading wings and soaring.

——

Wine and food enough.

Everyone prepared to disperse in front of the shop.

Ash eagerly said he wanted to come watch his match, and All Baimu refused.

Because compared to watching his match, what was more important for that guy was to cherish the remaining little time with Citron, Yurika, and Serena.

One word woke the dreamer.

The League Conference and the Master Class Advanced Class of the Pokémon World Championships had both already ended.

The temporary travel team of four, including Ash, was about to disband, each returning to their own familiar places.

The sorrow of parting instantly enveloped them.

Ash and Brock were already used to traveling with Ash, parting, and occasionally reuniting, but Citron and the others were clearly not as accustomed.

"And you've just become the tournament champion, you still have a lot of things to do."

All Baimu patted Ash on the shoulder and said, "It's fate, we'll meet again next time. I believe it won't be too long."

Having said that.

Hu Pa very considerately opened the ring leading to Lumiose City.

"Little White Gate is open for you~"

He stepped inside. Ash and Brock also said their goodbyes to the others in turn before walking in, leaving the boys and girls behind standing in place with an inexplicable sense of sorrow.

Communicating with the chef in a true sense fulfilled a small wish in All Baimu's heart.

This made him begin to fantasize about whether he could meet people like calligraphers or musicians in the future. Unlike the Perfume Sister from a distant era, many of his simulation subjects still existed in the world.

"Let's prepare for the competition first."

All Baimu cast aside his distracting thoughts.

There was still about a week until the Hau'oli Conference. Theoretically, him participating in such a competition was almost like blowing up fish, but the question was, was he the only one blowing up fish in this pond?

The lesson from Legendary Pokémon user Diantha told him not necessarily.

In the anime world, second-tier legendaries like the Three Pillars, the Three Legendary Birds, the Three Sacred Beasts, and even Red and Blue Kyogre were all types that could be mastered by trainers and brought out to compete.

He was very curious whether he would also encounter opponents who pulled out legendary Pokémon to fight.

For this reason, All Baimu had been spending the past two days searching the internet together with Porygon-Z for news on trainers who had performed outstandingly in the Hoenn region over the past year.

To avoid encountering a "smurf" like him who came to blow up fish.

As a result of this search, he actually found quite a few trainers who seemed familiar.

Among them was one who was probably the dragon-obsessed girl he had battled before—

Iris.

Someone who called themselves a gym janitor complained online that she moved as nimbly as a hyperactive ape.

Coupled with an extremely strong sense of déjà vu in the physical description, like black and thick hair, brown skin, and so on.

It was almost certain.

So after she went to Meteor Falls, she suddenly resolved to participate in the League Conference?

Being able to grow to regional champion level in just three years, All Baimu was very interested in how much Iris had grown stronger during this time. At least during their last battle, the latter's shortcomings were very obvious.

Coupled with some other people who gave a strong sense of déjà vu, he grew increasingly expectant about the upcoming conference.

The second day after returning from Kalos.

All Baimu redeemed all his points and left Lumiose City with Ash and Brock.

There was no choice.

Before heading to Hau'oli City, he had to return to the Petalburg Gym first.

He hadn't properly reported the good news of winning the trophy to Norman and Mi Ke Li yet. The celebration banquet invitation using Hu Pa's power had also been rejected by them—

Mi Ke Li seemed to want to come at the time, but was stopped by Norman with a light cough.

The reason was not to meddle in young people's gatherings and not to steal the spotlight from the main character.

To be honest, All Baimu felt Mi Ke Li was quite young. Stealing the spotlight... that was actually quite possible. Everyone in the Contest world knew how much weight Mi Ke Li's name carried.

He didn't care, but Norman cared a lot. Subsequently, even Miss Liuqi agreed.

He had no choice but to give up and continue inviting the disappointed Mi Ke Li.

Speaking of which, it was quite wonderful. The three generations of the Petalburg Gym, to be precise, all counted as his "teachers," making him seemingly the youngest one both openly and secretly.

Could it be that he was classified as the fourth generation?

That didn't seem very likely.

All Baimu pondered carefully on the ferry crossing the sea. Mawile clung to the railing looking down, while in the sea below Piplup was doing fancy dives to amuse it.

A warm, sunlit afternoon.

Petalburg City had arrived.

Brock stepped onto familiar land with some emotion. "So smooth. Taking a car from Lumiose City to Slateport City and then boarding a ship, nothing happened in between. If it were traveling with Ash, we'd either get lost and end up on some other island, or run into a storm and have the ship forced to anchor in the sea."

"Now that you say it, it does seem like..."

Ash nodded solemnly.

Whether it should be called unlucky or lucky, traveling with Ash always led to all sorts of strange things happening. Traveling alone actually had fewer unexpected situations.

All Baimu shrugged. He had also thought that traveling with Ash and Brock would lead to encountering something different.

But in the end, Ash was the genuine, unrivaled trigger for side quests.