Before long, after comforting Korrina with glowing cuisine and defeating her grandfather, Gurkinn, who had hurried over upon hearing the news, the chef set out on his journey once again.
[Following Korrina's guidance, you plan to head to Route 12. There, you can purchase dairy products at a low enough price to expand your recipe book.]
As the chef walked out of Shalour City, Kashiwagi couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. "I guess even if those things are relatively common, Gurkinn isn't just going to hand out Key Stones and Mega Stones to every passerby."
Of course, the Tower of Mastery isn't the only place in Kalos to obtain Key Stones and Mega Stones. There was still a chance for the chef to glimpse the secrets of Mega Evolution during his future travels—provided he was actually interested.
Kashiwagi felt that if a rare ingredient and a Key Stone were placed in front of him, the chef would likely pounce on the ingredient without a second thought.
[You arrived at Route 12 and saw a vast, beautiful ranch.]
Inside the light screen, a massive ranch bordering the sea appeared. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the waves rolled against the shore while sheep and cow-like Pokémon wandered through the fields, heads lowered as they grazed on the green grass. Even in simple pixels, Kashiwagi felt a sense of tranquil, natural beauty.
If it felt this way to him behind a screen, it must have been breathtaking for the chef seeing it in person.
With the scent of sea breeze and fresh grass swirling around him and peaceful Pokémon grazing in every direction, it was impossible for anyone to suppress their emotions.
"Ahhh—"
"Psy-psy—"
Speech bubbles popped up over the heads of the chef and Psyduck, highlighting their excitement. The duck, usually a permanent fixture in the backpack, actually fluttered its short wings and flew out, wiggling its chubby butt as it ran across the grass, quacking and honking. It ran until it slammed headfirst into the leg of a Gogoat, leaving it with a dazed expression.
"Psy?"
"Meeehhh—"
[You once again experience the beauty of nature and realize that choosing to travel was the right decision. The surging emotions in your heart cause your desire to cook to double.]
Cookout camping meal: Part Two!
The chef purchased a large amount of dairy products from the nearby ranch shop and collected various raw ingredients from the surrounding forest. Although he specifically found a spot far from the ranch to prevent fires, the ribbon-like aroma of the glowing cuisine—drifting like a celestial silk scarf—still attracted a swarm of Pokémon.
Even the ranch hands followed their noses to the site. The chef was generous as always, choosing to share his food and making extra portions when it ran out. After all, the ingredients were scavenged locally, and he was genuinely happy to see his cooking being so well-received.
After a massive, party-like group feeding session, the chef successfully won the favor of a Miltank. With the ranch owner's permission, he caught it.
[You caught Miltank. The "Mobile Milk Source"—your traveling companion—has increased.]
A mobile milk source, huh... Kashiwagi thought of the diluted Moomoo Milk in his own fridge and felt a bit envious. Just like Honey, fresh Moomoo Milk was a top-tier ingredient. The chef was excellent at stir-frying, yes, but his culinary foundation was still based on the Pokémon-world version of French cuisine. For dishes like cream macaroni or cream stew, Moomoo Milk was an indispensable raw material.
However, now that he had a Miltank, if the chef didn't want to raise more than six Pokémon, the hope for Mega Evolution was looking a bit slim. And without Mega Evolution, how far could he actually go in the League?
Well... that depends on Psyduck.
Kashiwagi stared at the chubby yellow duck, wondering when it would finally evolve—or if it simply wouldn't evolve at all.
While he was lost in thought, the chef arrived in Coumarine City, a beautiful port city.
[You arrived in Coumarine City. The climate here is mild and pleasant, making it a popular resort destination.]
[You rush to a local restaurant, hoping to taste new dishes.]
As a resort town, Coumarine City's culinary standards were high. To attract tourists, it even featured a "Gourmet Street." Not only could you find Kalosian delicacies, but you could also taste food from other regions.
The chef was in his element, leading Psyduck and Munchlax as they ate their way from one end of the street to the other. Kashiwagi was shocked. It's one thing for Munchlax to have a ridiculous appetite, but how can Psyduck eat this much? Are the stomachs of this chef's Pokémon just bottomless pits?
Interestingly, when Munchlax finished the last grilled skewer, the light of evolution descended upon it. Its body, which originally only reached a person's waist, suddenly swelled to a size that forced the chef to look up.
[Your Munchlax evolved into Snorlax. The capacity of your "Failed Dish Disposal Station" has increased.]
Oh, the title changed. From "Big Eater Diner" to "Failed Dish Disposal Station." So it really was the Immunity ability.
Kashiwagi was highly amused. He then saw the chef head to the Gourmet Street Management Committee, hoping to borrow a cart to set up a temporary stall. Apparently, after being kicked out of restaurants time and time again, the guy had realized that impulsively challenging a head chef in their own kitchen was unrealistic. He was trying a different way to prove his skills.
However, even though he felt he was compromising, the Committee still rejected his request. The reason was that his status as a "dropout" from the culinary school had been exposed. Furthermore, he didn't have a professional chef's license; without a degree from a prestigious school, he couldn't apply for a temporary business permit...
Kashiwagi was speechless. After all this time, the chef was still an "unlicensed" one.
[You are incredibly dejected. In your gloomy mood, you decide to challenge the Gym.]
Watching the chef sadly head toward the Coumarine Gym, Kashiwagi knew this "unscrupulous" guy was going to "bully" an old man to relieve his psychological stress.
The Coumarine Gym Leader, Ramos, was an elderly man wearing a felt hat with a small, hunched frame. His title was "The old tree that still blooms," a testament to his combat prowess. Unfortunately, he didn't last long against a chef who viewed Pokémon battles as emotional catharsis.
Seeing how even Vespiquen and Snorlax, who had barely been in a serious battle, could be commanded so effectively, Kashiwagi realized that the chef was not just a culinary master but a natural battle genius. It was just that all his Divine Intervention talent points had gone into battling, doing nothing for his culinary career—which was supposed to be his primary job.
Looking at the chef, Kashiwagi finally understood how incredible people like Siebold were for excelling in both. You needed both talent and luck.
[You defeated the Coumarine Gym Leader, Ramos, and earned the Plant Badge.]
[Your mood has eased significantly. You offer to prepare a lunch for Ramos to thank him for his guidance.]
With his stress relieved, the chef's desire to cook flared up again. Surprisingly, when Ramos heard the offer, a line of text popped up over his head: "So that wild chef was you! I'm in for a treat today."
[You learn from Ramos that your name has already spread wildly among the Gym Leaders. The Leaders who have tasted your food have nothing but high praise for your culinary level.]
As the narration faded, a flurry of smiley-face emoticons began to flash over the heads of the chef and the Psyduck peeking out from behind him. They flickered in rapid succession, like a chat room being spammed.
Kashiwagi could feel the chef's joy. He understood that the man felt his cooking was finally being recognized and that his long-term efforts hadn't been in vain.
The chef was insecure. His innovative style had been belittled as worthless, eventually leading to his expulsion. Perhaps the school had given him a chance—put down the wok and the ladle, pick up a frying pan, and he could stay. But in the end, having his entire identity denied, the chef chose to leave and use Gym challenges and travel to further his culinary growth.
That was why he challenged the head chef in every city; he wanted to validate his level. He cooked for Gym Leaders hoping for praise from powerful trainers.
At the same time, the chef was stubborn and arrogant. Kashiwagi felt that, to some extent, the man's struggles were self-inflicted. The school was only responsible for training "Western Chefs," mass-producing them like machines. They didn't need innovation; students could innovate all they wanted after they graduated and opened their own places.
The chef, however, refused to take a step back. He insisted on using a wok and a ladle to create Western-style dishes. Even if the final result was delicious, it was inevitable that he would be misunderstood and run into walls. That stubbornness was a headache, yet also admirable.
Because from the very beginning, even as he accumulated mental stress over and over again, he never gave up on his wok, his ladle, or his style. He had persisted until now.
Finally, the moment of blooming had arrived.
Divine Intervention was about to show its true power in the chef's career!