After a meal that could only be described as a whirlwind of devouring...
Aggron, Mawile, and Chansey stared at their spotless, empty bowls. They looked up at Kashiwagi with wide, pleading eyes, clearly begging for another serving.
Even Chansey, usually the most reserved, showed her desire so overtly. It was a testament to just how delicious the "Glowing Cuisine" truly was. Kashiwagi himself was thoroughly convinced, fighting back his own urge to lick his plate clean while feeling a wave of deep satisfaction.
He knew that having only browsed the culinary memory once, he was far from mastering the essence of Glowing Cuisine. Many seasonings in his kitchen were lacking, and the crucial wok and high-heat stove were nowhere to be found.
But those things could be improved in time.
What pained him was that he didn't possess the chef's extraordinary natural talent; he likely wouldn't be able to innovate into the "Dessert Edition," "Soup Edition," or "Steaming Edition" on his own. It was a genuine shame.
"No, stay strong. Smaller portions, more frequent meals," Kashiwagi said, wagging his finger. He ignored the three Pokémon's pathetic gazes and flatly refused their request for seconds.
The chef's feeding schedule always followed the principle of multiple small meals throughout the day. Golduck and Snorlax were no exception; despite eating massive amounts at once, they processed it all incredibly quickly. Kashiwagi knew exactly how much Aggron and the others could eat before they'd suffer from indigestion.
"Wooo..."
The three Pokémon were dejected, but their attention was quickly diverted.
"Roar~"
Aggron rotated its shoulders and shook its head, expressing surprise at how light its body suddenly felt. It had been training and playing with Mawile and the others all day, and even after a nap, it had felt a lingering fatigue. But after that single bowl of food, its body had quickly grown warm, and all its discomfort had vanished.
It looked at Mawile and Chansey; they too were experiencing that same heartfelt sense of euphoria, their faces glowing with comfort.
"Maw~"
"Lucky~"
The 'medicine'—I mean, the food—is working that fast?
Kashiwagi had speculated that Glowing Cuisine provided a direct benefit to a Pokémon's growth curve. Though the Simulator hadn't explicitly confirmed this via narration, the strength of the chef's Pokémon had proven it indirectly. After all, the chef's training was focused mostly on combat intuition rather than grinding levels or moves—at least not at the high intensity of the Miniskirt girl's regimen.
It was clear that these meals had a tangible positive effect on growth. As for the specifics... quantifying such things was difficult when so many factors influenced growth. Kashiwagi was more interested in the "principle" behind it.
Can a world where Idealism reigns supreme really be this illogical?
A pile of ordinary ingredients, enhanced by specific cooking techniques, produced a result that bordered on magical. It was almost like...
Curry Rice from Camp?
Kashiwagi couldn't help but think of the interaction mechanic from Sword and Shield. The curry there had similar effects, with different quality tiers—from Charizard-class down to Koffing-class—offering buffs like restoring HP, increasing EXP, boosting friendship, curing status conditions, or restoring PP. The chef's innovative dishes seemed to be the "Real World" equivalent of that mechanic.
"In short, I've hit the jackpot!" Kashiwagi nodded firmly.
Mawile, realizing there truly would be no second bowl, turned and went back to the room with a dejected sigh. Aggron, however, lingered by its massive food basin, pawing at it like an orange cat that hadn't been fed in three minutes. The basin clattered and clanged as it nudged it around, as if it could somehow conjure more food through sheer force of will.
"Knock it off. That's bad manners, you know?"
Kashiwagi tapped its massive iron forehead and gathered the basins and bowls to wash them in the kitchen. Chansey hurried after him, proactively helping as she always did. But throughout the process, she kept glancing at Kashiwagi as he tidied the stove, appearing hesitant to speak.
"I know you want to learn. I'll teach you, don't worry." He understood her perfectly and gave her head a reassuring pat.
"Lucky!" Chansey beamed and went back to washing dishes with renewed vigor.
Kashiwagi watched her back, thinking that while he would certainly teach her, he couldn't do it too quickly—at least not until Aggron and Mawile were used to the taste. Otherwise, given how soft-hearted Chansey was, she would cave to their every demand, and his "Healthy Eating Plan" would go right out the window.
----
Night.
While accompanying his Pokémon through their evening training, Kashiwagi tallied up his current inventory of rewards.
----
Moves: 5 selectable-type TMs, 1 String Shot, 1 Roost, and 1 Psychic.
Levels: Can raise levels by 5 (for Pokémon under Lv. 70).
Clues: 2 selectable-type Pokémon clues (one marked as "Excellent").
Memories: Boxing memories (Miniskirt) and Culinary memories (Chef), both repeatable.
----
That's about it.
He could give Psychic to Chansey immediately, but he worried that if she learned a powerful offensive move too abruptly, she might push herself too hard. He had seen her mindset changing; as she slowly grew to accept indirect attacks, it wouldn't be long before she was ready for direct ones. There was no need to rush.
He'd save that for her. Neither Mawile nor Aggron could learn it anyway.
Additionally, Kashiwagi planned to open two of the generic TMs. These things were meant to be used; there was no point in hoarding them forever. For types, he chose Fighting and Psychic.
Many Fighting-type moves could be learned by all three of his Pokémon, so the risk of a "dud" was low. Psychic-type moves, on the other hand, had a wealth of utility skills—Light Screen, Agility, Reflect, Magic Coat, Ally Switch—all of which were dream-tier skills for his team.
Depending on the results of these two, he would decide whether to open a third.
"Here goes." Kashiwagi took a deep breath and clicked the first TM. The blurred icon shifted and sharpened.
[Move: Superpower (Selectable Pokémon can learn)]
Oh? Superpower?
This is great! Aggron can learn it, and it has massive power! Not bad at all! While it wasn't his top pick, expanding Aggron's coverage was a huge win.
He quickly opened the second one.
[Move: Gravity (Selectable Pokémon can learn)]
Another 'Power' related move?
Wait! This is even better! A move that can ground Levitate users and Flying-types! Kashiwagi's team had limited mobility; once Mawile was off the field, dealing with fast, long-range aerial attackers was a nightmare. If Chansey learned this, it didn't matter how high they flew—they were coming down!
Absolute profit.
He was exceptionally satisfied with these two moves. He couldn't help but look at the remaining TMs again. Aggron and Chansey had new moves, but Mawile didn't. It felt a bit lopsided. He might as well open one more.
But which type? Fairy-type for a chance at Play Rough? Or Normal-type for Sword Dance or Protect?
After thinking it over, the probability of getting Play Rough from a Fairy TM was low; he was more likely to end up with a move he couldn't use yet. Normal-type, however, had endless possibilities.
Kashiwagi nodded and selected Normal.
[Move: Baton Pass (Selectable Pokémon can learn)]
Baton... Pass?