Chapter 651: The Solid Bird

A hot-spring egg is definitely not something to feed to Pikachu.

Besides, most Pokémon eggs are far tougher than ordinary people imagine, able to withstand moderate heat and cold, and aren’t nearly as delicate as one might think.

That’s why Luo Mu dared to place the Pokémon egg in a wooden basin and enjoy the hot spring alongside them.

Hot spring, hot spring—this temperature isn’t nearly enough to cook the egg into a hot-spring egg.

Perhaps before it was entrusted to him, the egg had already been soaked in hot springs by the old woman.

——Yet remembering what Boni had just said, Luo Mu couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, and instinctively sank deeper into the hot spring, leaving only his head wrapped in a towel exposed.

Perhaps right now, some member of the so-called “village gossip network” is secretly watching to see if he’ll treat the Pokémon egg like a hot-spring egg.

“Ugh, since it’s come to this, let’s just eat some snacks first.”

Shivering slightly, Luo Mu decided not to scare himself and immediately began unwrapping the Kamui Senbei the old woman had given him.

The sound of tearing the packaging instantly drew the attention of the Pokémon enjoying the hot spring.

When Luo Mu looked up again, he found all those greedy little rascals staring at him with longing eyes.

Among them, Pikachu’s gaze was the most intense.

Charizard was there too, but it refused to enter the water, choosing instead to battle its own appetite.

Luo Mu had no idea where this stubbornness of its came from.

Under the Pokémon’s watchful eyes, Luo Mu pulled out the first piece of Kamui Senbei from the packaging.

Amid the swirling white mist of the hot spring, he examined the Kamui Senbei in his hand.

Unlike traditional Japanese senbei, Kamui Senbei had a pale beige color, with faint caramel-colored spots on its surface, a rough texture, and covered in tiny pores.

It was immediately clear how different it was from the ordinary senbei he’d eaten at Xue Zhong’s home in Beishang Village—hard, smooth, and glossy with oil.

The flavor was also significantly different.

Ordinary senbei blended rich soy sauce, seaweed, and roasted rice aromas.

Kamui Senbei retained the basic roasted rice scent and a light soy-based savory note, but leaned more heavily into caramel-like sweetness and a faint alkaline taste reminiscent of baking soda.

This difference determined their distinct textures and flavors.

One was purely salty; the other balanced savory and sweet into a refreshing bite.

Luo Mu took a bite of the Kamui Senbei.

Crunch.

The first sensation in his mouth was a light, airy crispness, similar to puffed snacks.

When it touched his tongue, tiny bubbles seemed to pop like a dance, reminiscent of carbonated drinks but far milder.

Plus, since Kamui Senbei was not fried, its balanced sweet-salty flavor left almost no greasy aftertaste.

It was clearly a snack perfectly suited for the elderly residents of Kamui Town.

Its flavor lacked the punch of ordinary senbei, but carried a pleasant after-sweetness that made you want another bite.

“Delicious!”

Luo Mu’s eyes lit up, offering a simple, unadorned, yet utterly honest evaluation.

After finishing the piece in his hand and wiping his hands with a towel, Luo Mu began distributing the Kamui Senbei to the hungry Pokémon.

——Why didn’t he share it with them first, and taste it himself?

Because he didn’t want to favor one Pokémon and upset the others.

Better to be the first to try it himself—if they couldn’t compete for first bite, there’d be no jealousy.

On shore, Charizard watched this scene, a flicker of envy crossing its eyes, leaving it feeling strangely unsettled.

But soon, as if remembering something, the envy vanished, replaced by firm resolve.

Not long after.

The Kamui Senbei given by the old woman was completely gone, devoured by Luo Mu and the Pokémon.

Luo Mu had also poured himself several cups of oolong tea, which paired surprisingly well with the senbei.

But it was just a snack.

After soaking in the hot spring until satisfied, Luo Mu changed into the inn’s robe and went to the front desk to order a full table of Kamui Town’s specialty dinner.

Though the inn had a restaurant with space for Pokémon, Luo Mu had no intention of bringing them there.

Eating in the room was safer.

While ordering, Luo Mu ran into Boni.

This noblewoman had no sense of being the innkeeper, sitting among a crowded dining room, lowering her head to eat a steaming bowl of extra-spicy ramen.

Just like Groudon, a pure Ice-type Trainer who feared both heat and cold.

As a pure Ice-type Elite Four member from a frigid region, Boni had a strikingly opposite love for all things hot.

To train herself, she traveled far to the Hoenn region, where the climate was nearly tropical year-round, claiming it was to toughen herself and her Ice-type Pokémon.

Even though most areas here were unsuitable for Ice-type Pokémon to live.

She loved steaming spicy ramen, sweating profusely as she ate, believing it was a form of self-discipline.

——This was what Boni had told him herself when she grabbed him and insisted he join her for a bowl of ramen.

Boni also said she felt even this level of training was far from enough; in terms of resilience forged under extreme conditions, she was no match for Genji, who had spent decades braving the open sea.

That’s why, despite being an Ice-type Elite Four, she didn’t defeat Genji with type advantage like Koga or Juan did against their rivals in the Kanto region, blocking them from the Champion title.

Most of her battles with Genji ended in defeat.

Boni had felt her progress as a Trainer had stalled for years.

She had never broken through herself.

That’s why, seeing Luo Mu—who hadn’t even sent out his main Pokémon—defeat Genji, her emotions were deeply complicated.

She saw in him a brilliance rivaling Wallace and Juan, and even surpassing them after the Lathys incident.

And the blurred photo of his silhouette fighting the powerful ancient Pokémon had deeply inspired her.

So she owed Luo Mu thanks—he’d helped her make up her mind.

It was only after learning from Dr. Londo that Luo Mu would be staying here that she came out of hiding to appear at the inn she’d entrusted to others.

“I’d even considered quitting being a Trainer entirely and returning home to inherit my family’s estate and title.”

“But now, I might finally have the courage to try what I’ve always avoided—training my body and spirit in places I’ve never dared to go.”

“—And then, after the Sootopolis Contest ends in a month, challenge the Pokémon League again.”

Boni set down her chopsticks, the giant bowl of ramen now drained of every last drop of broth.

Though her flushed face was clearly from the spicy ramen, Luo Mu somehow glimpsed beneath the Ice-type Elite Four’s icy exterior a heart burning fiercely.

Even though Genji’s Dragon Pokémon had spent decades at sea, gradually forging an unshakable physique.

Her own ice would surely freeze them solid.

She was only in her thirties or forties—this was the time to fight.

As if finally releasing a long-held burden, Boni smiled at Luo Mu with relief: “In short, tomorrow I’ll begin my training. Mount Lava isn’t challenging enough—my destination this time will be the desert.”

“Thank you for listening to me. Stay here as long as you like—your lodging and meals are free. I hope this is even a small token of my gratitude.”

After being unexpectedly granted free lodging by Boni, Luo Mu returned to his room after ordering his meal.

Without keeping them waiting, a lavish feast was gradually brought into the room.

The long table was piled high with food, its enticing aroma filling the air.

After feasting with Ledian and the others, Luo Mu took the Pokémon who wished to go and weren’t too conspicuous to stroll through Kamui Town’s night streets.

The crowded, bustling streets nearly scattered them; when they finally escaped the crowd, Luo Mu was still shaken.

Terrifying. This is what tourists are like?

It wasn’t him walking—he was being pushed by the tide of people.

From now on, he’d rather stay in the inn and soak in the hot spring—he’d never set foot on Kamui Town’s night streets again.

Late at night.

The Pokémon had all fallen asleep, but Luo Mu, likely due to drinking too much oolong tea, felt no sleepiness at all.

He could only lie flat on the soft bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, counting Sheepas in an attempt to fall asleep.

Then, suddenly, a faint rustling came from the courtyard outside.

Sounded like water?

Without waking the Pokémon piled around him, Luo Mu quietly got up, slid open the door, and walked toward the source of the sound.

——The sound came from the hot spring.

As if realizing something, Luo Mu slowed his steps, then used a large rock placed at the corner to conceal himself as he peered into the hot spring pool.

A stranger? A wild Pokémon? Or a domesticated one that wandered in?

Luo Mu had considered all these possibilities—but he never imagined he’d see this.

——Charizard, who had stubbornly refused to enter the pool earlier, now had most of its body submerged in the water.

Though surrounded by water, its folded wings still blazed with bright orange-red flames.

It looked astonishing.

But none of that was the point.

“...Hss.”

Involuntarily inhaling sharply, Luo Mu finally understood why Charizard had refused to enter the water.

Among the Pokémon he’d brought to Hoenn, Ledian, Pikachu, Ninetales, and Mailin were all covered in fur.

As everyone knew.

Fur gets wet—it becomes limp and drooping, unless it’s specially water-repellent.

Like the wings of Lugia’s Milotic when wet, today Raichu’s impressive mane received the same treatment.

Even though its fur looked disheveled when soaked, Raichu’s agile and explosively powerful physique more than made up for it.

And Ninetales.

Even with its fluffy fur drenched, its aura remained undiminished, its proportions perfectly balanced and aesthetically flawless.

As for the two small Pokémon, Smeargle and Vileplume, there was no need to mention them.

But as Luo Mu stared at the Magmar in the hot spring, his expression grave, he pondered long and hard—and could think of only one word to describe Magmar now.

Even though every feather was soaked, Magmar’s bulk showed no sign of shrinking—in other words, it was solid!

This directly contradicted Magmar’s usual claim that it only looked fat because its feathers were fluffy!

Luo Mu dared not make a sound; he feared that if Magmar realized he knew its secret, it might fly into a rage and kill him to keep it hidden.

He decided to take this secret to his grave—and once back at the farm, he’d make Magmar start dieting again.

Carrying these complicated thoughts, Luo Mu barely slept all night.

The next day, he wandered the sights of Kainyan Town with faint panda-like circles under his eyes.

Luo Mu relaxed in Kainyan Town for three full days.

During that time, he received calls from Nimo, Shinji, and Jingxiang.

On the other end, Nimo excitedly asked if Luo Mu was still in Larus City; Luo Mu immediately denied it, sadly replying that he was currently in Kainyan Town, completely opposite their travel route.

Ignoring Nimo’s sudden disappointment, Luo Mu, relieved he’d cleverly avoided her challenge, asked about Shinji and Jingxiang’s progress.

Compared to Nimo, who had already begun training her second team, their next priority was the Hoenn League’s Saffron Conference.

Their answers greatly pleased Luo Mu.

They had successfully defeated the twin Gym Leaders, Xiao Feng and Xiao Nan, in a Double Battle and won the Verdant Badge.

Now, they only lacked the Saffron Badge from the Saffron Gym to complete all eight Hoenn badges.

Shinji planned to find a small island near Verdant City for training, preparing thoroughly before heading to the final Gym.

It was just like him.

Luo Mu remembered Ash saying in Larus City that he had already passed the Yinyu Gym in Yinyu City and was on his way to the Verdant Gym.

He’d only detoured after hearing about the Battle Tower in Larus City.

Thus, despite Ash’s continuous travels through Hoenn, Shinji and the others—having returned to Paldea for over half a month—were actually moving faster.

After encouraging them once more, Luo Mu ended the call.

In short, he had full faith in his students—he never doubted they could collect all eight badges.

More than worrying whether Shinji and Jingxiang could pass Adam’s trial, Luo Mu was concerned about something else.

“By now, it should be just a matter of days.”

Since Ash had left Larus City and headed straight for Verdant City,

the plotline where Team Aqua and Team Magma stirred chaos, reviving Groudon and Kyogre, must be drawing near.

But considering the distance between Kainyan Town and that region, and recalling how in the anime the disaster only affected one small island,

Luo Mu thought that, barring any unforeseen factors, he had no need to interfere in such a minor matter.

After all, Kadabra should already have infiltrated Team Magma; with him around, protecting those kids wouldn’t be a problem.

He might as well just enjoy his vacation.

Besides, Groudon and Kyogre wouldn’t really fight—they’d just exchange a few energy blasts, briefly serve as Ash and Pikachu’s mounts, then go their separate ways.

Better to seek out Lugia and Dragonite, and perhaps visit the Kanto waters to track down the Giant Gyarados.

(End of Chapter)