Soon, after comforting Koruni with the glowing dish and swiftly defeating her grandfather Kokobur.
The chef embarked on the journey once more.
[You plan to head to Route 12 as guided by Koruni, where you can purchase low-cost dairy products to enhance your recipes]
As he left Sola City, Baimu couldn't help but show regret.
"Sure enough, no matter how common this thing gets, Kokobur won't just give it away."
Of course, Carlos is not the only place where you can find the Refining Tower's Key Stones and Super Stones. During the chef's future travels, there is still a chance to glimpse the secrets of Super Evolution.
— Provided the chef is interested.
Baimu thought that if a piece of ingredient and a Key Stone were placed before him, he would pounce on the ingredient without hesitation.
[You have arrived at Route 12, where you have discovered a vast and beautiful ranch.]
Inside the light screen.
A huge seaside ranch appeared before Baimu's eyes. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the sea waves were rolling, and cattle and sheep Pokémon wandered within, lowering their heads to graze.
Although the scene was quite simple, Baimu still felt a peaceful and wonderful natural beauty.
Even he behind the screen felt this way.
Let alone the chef who saw everything with his own eyes.
The scent of sea breeze and grass lingered around the tip of his nose, and all around were those leisurely grazing Pokémon, the weather was sunny and cloudless.
Anyone placed in such an environment would find it hard to suppress their emotions.
'Ah—'
'Quack—'
Bubbles appeared over the heads of the chef and Psyduck, showing their excited emotions.
The latter, usually a backpack staple, this time flapped its short wings, waddling and quacking across the grassy field.
Until it bumped its head against Gogoat's leg, wearing a bewildered expression.
'Quack?'
'Baa—'
[Once again, you have experienced nature's beauty, realizing that travel was the right decision, and the emotions surging in your heart have greatly increased your culinary desires.]
The outdoor cooking meal begins again!
The chef purchased a large amount of dairy products from the nearby ranch shop and gathered many ingredients from the surrounding forest.
Even though he specifically found a spot away from the ranch to avoid the risk of fire, the aroma of the glowing dish, like the ribbons of a fairy's gown, still attracted many Pokémon.
Even the ranch managers came over looking for it.
The chef generously chose to share, cooking more if the portions were insufficient. After all, the ingredients were gathered locally, and he was delighted that his dishes were well-received.
An event-like communal feeding took place.
The chef successfully won the favor of a Miltank and, with the manager's approval, captured it.
[You captured a Miltank, a mobile source of milk—the journey has gained a new companion]
Mobile source of milk...
Baimu thought about the diluted MooMoo Fresh Milk in his home refrigerator, feeling a bit envious.
Like Sweet Honey, the freshest MooMoo Fresh Milk is the top-tier ingredient for Pokémon. The chef excels at stir-frying, but his basic dishes are still based on the Pokémon-style French cuisine.
For dishes like creamy pasta, creamy stew, and so on, MooMoo Fresh Milk is an essential ingredient.
However, now that he has captured Miltank, if the chef doesn't intend to train more than six Pokémon, hopes for Super Evolution seem dim.
And without Super Evolution, how far can the chef go in the tournament?
Hmm...
It still depends on Psyduck.
Baimu stared at the plump yellow duck, wondering when it would evolve—or perhaps it simply wouldn't evolve?
While imagining, the chef arrived in Coumarine City.
A beautiful harbor city.
[You have arrived at Coumarine City, where the climate is mild and pleasant, making it a popular vacation destination]
[You quickly head to the local restaurants, hoping to taste new dishes]
As a vacation hotspot, the culinary standard in Coumarine City is nothing short of exceptional, with a special food street established to attract tourists.
Not only can you enjoy the delicacies of the Carlos region, but also dishes from other regions can be tasted here.
The chef was in his element, together with Psyduck and Munchlax, as they devoured their way from one end of the street to the other.
Baimu was quite astonished.
You wouldn't question Munchlax's huge appetite, but Psyduck was also such an eater? Are the chef's Pokémon bottomless pits?
Interestingly, when Munchlax finished eating the last skewer, the Light of Evolution descended upon it.
Its originally waist-high figure suddenly swelled to a degree that required the chef to look up.
[Your Munchlax has evolved into Snorlax, and the capacity of the failed products processing station has increased.]
Oh my.
The title has changed, from Big Eater Guest to Failed Products Processing Station.
So it really is the [Immune] trait.
Baimu was delighted beyond words and quickly noticed the chef heading to the Food Street Management Committee, hoping to borrow a cart to set up a temporary stall.
Being turned down repeatedly made the chef deeply realize how unrealistic it is to challenge a restaurant's head chef rashly.
Therefore.
He tried another way to prove his culinary skills.
Unfortunately, even though he considered himself to have taken a step back, the Management Committee still denied his request.
The reason was that it was revealed that the chef was a "dropout" from a Western culinary training school, and moreover, he didn't have a chef's certificate, nor a prestigious school background to get a temporary business license...
Baimu was speechless.
It turned out the chef was still an uncertified chef.
[You are deeply dejected, and in your gloom decide to challenge a Gym.]
Watching the chef head sadly to the Coumarine Gym, he knew this unscrupulous fellow intended to "bully" an old man to relieve his mental stress.
Master Fu, the Gym Leader of the Coumarine Gym, is a small, stooped, elderly man wearing a felt hat, known as [the Old Tree that Still Blooms], which says enough about his combat prowess.
Unfortunately.
When the chef used Pokémon battles as an emotional outlet, it didn't last long.
Seeing how even the rarely used Vespiquen and Snorlax could be properly commanded by the chef, Baimu deeply realized that the chef was not only talented in culinary arts but also a battle genius.
Except his [As if God's Help] gift was entirely vested in battling, offering little aid to his culinary destiny—even though being a chef was his main profession.
Only after seeing the chef did Baimu understand how incredible Zhi Mi, who flourishes both as a Trainer and a chef, truly was.
Both talent and luck are indispensable indeed.
[You defeated Coumarine Gym Leader Master Fu and obtained the Plant Badge.]
[Your emotional state eased significantly, and you proposed to Master Fu to make him lunch as thanks for his care.]
With the mental stress alleviated, the chef's desire to cook reignited.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, words appeared on Master Fu's forehead, 'So the wild chef turns out to be you, I'm in for a treat today.'
[From Master Fu, you learned that your name has already spread widely in the realm of Gym Trainers, with Gym Leaders who have tasted your cooking praising your culinary level.]
After the narrator finished.
The heads of the chef and Psyduck, whose only head was visible behind him, both started flashing a slew of smiley face expressions.
Like a screen-refresh, they flashed continuously and swiftly.
Baimu fully sensed the chef's joy, understanding that he felt his culinary skills had finally gained recognition, and his long-term efforts hadn't been in vain.
The chef is insecure.
His innovative culinary style was disparaged as worthless to the point the school directly persuaded him to quit—
The school might have given him a chance, suggesting he put down the wok and ladle, pick up a skillet to continue his studies.
But eventually.
The chef, being entirely denied, chose to leave the school, relying on Gym challenges and travels to further enhance his culinary growth.
Hence, in every city he arrives, he challenges the most renowned local chef, hoping to prove his worth as a chef, and tries to cook for each Gym Leader, seeking compliments from these powerful Trainers.
Likewise.
The chef is stubborn and arrogant.
Baimu believes his downfall results partly from self-infliction. From the narrator, it's clear the school focused only on nurturing Western chefs like a machine, mass-producing chefs by rote.
They didn't need innovation; students could innovate freely after opening their own restaurants post-graduation.
Yet the chef refused to take a step back to explore vast horizons, insisting on using wok and ladle to create similar dishes. Even if the final dish was indeed more delicious, being misunderstood and facing obstacles was inevitable.
His stubbornness is exasperating.
On the other hand, it's admirable.
Because from the beginning, despite repeatedly accumulating mental stress, he never abandoned the wok and ladle, nor his culinary style, persisting until now.
Finally.
The time for fruition has arrived.
[As if God's Help] will fully display its glory in the chef's professional career!