"Cha-cha!"
As soon as Lin Feng stepped out of the house, Combusken was the first to react. It chirped excitedly, eager to rush over to greet him.
But then it spotted Gardevoir walking beside Lin Feng and immediately froze in place.
In the entire plantation, there were only two beings Combusken truly feared: Lin Feng himself, and Serperior. But if it had to rank them, Gardevoir was definitely near the top.
After all, Gardevoir was the one who had practically raised it. She was gentle most of the time, but when she got angry, even Lin Feng's commands couldn't save the poor chicken from a scolding.
Lin Feng, on the other hand, was far more lenient. As long as Combusken followed its training schedule, it could eat as much as it wanted.
Watching the group of hungry Pokémon waiting eagerly, Lin Feng smiled and began taking food from his storage capsule neatly portioned meals for each of them.
These weren't anything special, just simple homemade dishes.
So when Combusken saw them, it didn't get overly excited. Instead, it glanced up at Lin Feng expectantly.
Wait a minute... what about that delicious smell from earlier?
Why wasn't that being served?
As Lin Feng turned to leave, Combusken finally couldn't hold back and called out softly.
"Cha-cha?"
Lin Feng stopped and looked back. Seeing the puzzled look on Combusken's face, he quickly understood and chuckled.
"Oh, that? That's for after dinner. You have to finish your meal first before you get that treat."
Tea, after all, was meant to be enjoyed after eating something light and soothing to cleanse the palate.
Though slightly disappointed, Combusken's eyes brightened again when it realized it would get to taste that aroma soon. It dove into its food with renewed energy.
The other Pokémon, overhearing the exchange, began eating faster too, curious about this mysterious "delicacy" Combusken and Alolan Vulpix had been whispering about.
Once everyone was served, Lin Feng walked over to Mewtwo, who had been quietly observing from a distance.
"How are you feeling here?" Lin Feng asked.
It had already been staying in the plantation for several days, but he hadn't really asked how it felt about living there.
Mewtwo remained silent for a moment, its gaze drifting to Mew, who was cheerfully nibbling on a berry nearby. Finally, it turned back to Lin Feng.
"It's… fine. Peaceful. Maybe a little boring?"
Lin Feng couldn't help but laugh.
"Boring, huh?"
Mewtwo shrugged. "Every day I just watch Salamence. It's rewarding to see its temperament stabilize more and more each day… but now that it's calmer, I'm not sure what to do next."
Lin Feng smiled knowingly.
"Well, if you're feeling idle, how about this there's going to be a big Pokémon battle event in Changsha City soon. Interested in watching?"
He was referring to the Youth Cup Tournament, scheduled for the twenty-third of the month. It was only the eighth now, so there was plenty of time to prepare.
"A tournament between trainers?" Mewtwo asked, tilting its head.
When Lin Feng nodded, Mewtwo gave a slight smile. "Alright. I'll go."
It had witnessed many battles during their travels, but if Lin Feng invited it personally, there was no reason to refuse.
"Good. You won't stay bored for long anyway," Lin Feng added casually. "Once the roads are fixed, I've got something I'll need your help with."
He patted Mewtwo's shoulder lightly before walking off.
The truth was, Lin Feng hadn't issued any new Gym challenge notices lately. The main road to the plantation was still under construction, making travel inconvenient.
On top of that, the new challenge rules weren't finalized yet things like battle schedules, reservation limits, and challenge tiers still needed proper structure.
He'd even been sketching plans for a new battle field something that could later serve as a Gym arena.
If he did open a Gym, the best spot would probably be near the town entrance, where a large patch of abandoned farmland lay unused.
But honestly, the official procedures for opening a Gym were far more complicated than he'd expected.
He'd looked it up over the past few days:
To even qualify, a trainer needed at least six Pokémon at Dominant rank or higher, plus a clear specialization type.
Then came the paperwork political screening, written exams, interviews with the League, and proof of previous competition results.
Applicants were required to have either a Top 8 finish in a provincial championship or Top 16 in the Regional Masters League.
Just reading the requirements made Lin Feng's head spin.
And most of all, becoming a Gym Leader meant joining the League's organizational system which meant assignments, reports, and regional obligations.
That was the part Lin Feng disliked the most. He valued his freedom too much to be tied down by the League's bureaucracy.
Still, an idea had been forming in his mind.
If he didn't want to run the Gym himself… why not let someone else do it?
He glanced at Mewtwo from across the yard. The legendary Pokémon was sitting calmly, watching the others eat with quiet curiosity.
Yes. If anyone could be the ideal Gym Leader, it would be Mewtwo.
It could easily disguise itself as human, it had unmatched strength and wisdom, and it wasn't the kind to be swayed by politics.
Let the League try to "assign" that.
As Lin Feng chuckled at the thought, Combusken suddenly appeared again this time carrying its empty dish, which was gleaming spotless as if it had been polished.
Its eager eyes sparkled as it held the plate up toward him.
So that was it it had finished eating and was now ready for the "dessert" he'd promised.
Lin Feng smiled playfully. "Hmm… I should warn you first. You might not like it as much as you think. But if you insist, you have to finish it all. Deal?"
"Cha!" Combusken nodded enthusiastically. It remembered that smell rich, warm, almost intoxicating. Whatever it was, it had to be delicious.
"Alright then." Lin Feng looked around and saw that most of the Pokémon had also finished eating.
He took out a thermos filled with freshly brewed tea, along with a few cups and containers, distributing portions to each Pokémon using a bit of telekinesis.
Even the Combee and Miltank in the back pastures weren't forgotten; he set their portions aside for later delivery.
Finally, he poured a cup for Combusken.
As soon as the liquid hit the cup, an even stronger aroma spread through the air richer and deeper than it had been in the kitchen.
Lin Feng's eyes widened slightly.
Oh right… he'd forgotten that the first steep of this tea always produced the most concentrated flavor. That meant its effects would also be strongest.
He looked at the steaming cup in his hand, a thoughtful smile spreading across his face.
"Could it be," he murmured, "that this tea really has a link with aura energy?"
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