Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

"It's nothing! We're just practicing! Right, Gyarados?"

Gyarados nodded vigorously.

Yes! Yes!

"You two are really well-matched."

Seeing this, Wu Neng sighed.

Even if the two are very similar, being able to understand the meaning of one's own Pokémon is already a level that many trainers cannot reach.

As for Ash... Wu decided not to comment on this kind of trainer who seems to have a built-in translator for all Pokémon languages, communicates without any obstacles, and can even actively connect with strange radio waves, so as not to feel upset.

Ash's stomach growled.

He immediately turned to Wu Neng with a grin.

"Uncle, is breakfast almost ready? I'm so hungry!"

"Ah, almost there, almost there. Xiaogang's almost done. Just wait a little longer."

Wu Neng quickly agreed.

"That's good!"

Ash grinned, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Misty's back where the Gyarados was trying to hide itself.

He seemed to suddenly remember something and patted his head.

"Oh, right!"

As he spoke, he walked towards Gyarados.

"!!!"

Gyarados's scales seemed to explode instantly, and its huge body desperately tried to shrink back behind Misty, wishing it could dig a hole and disappear into itself.

However, Ash did nothing else. He simply stopped in front of Gyarados and took something out of his pocket.

It was a sharp-shaped tooth that shimmered with a pale white luster.

"This is... a dragon's fang? It looks to be of quite good quality!"

Wu Neng, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized the prop, his tone tinged with surprise.

Where did you get it?

“This morning, while I was training outside the power plant,” Ash explained in a relaxed tone, “I was demonstrating the power of the Mega Punch to Pikachu when I accidentally broke a few rocks that looked particularly hard, and that’s how I found this among the rubble.”

"Then you're very lucky."

Wu Neng exclaimed that such an experience of encountering high-quality items in the wild is quite rare.

"Give."

Ash handed the dragon tooth to Gyarados with a slightly embarrassed smile on his face.

"I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday; that punch was a bit too hard."

"Actually, last night I just wanted to tell a funny story to ease the tension, but it seems... the content was a bit too stimulating."

He scratched his head.

"Anyway, consider this Dragon Fang as an apology! I hope you like it!"

"roar……?"

Gyarados was stunned. Its huge eyes blinked twice as it stared in disbelief at the high-quality dragon tooth in front of it, then looked at Ash's sincere apologetic smile.

An extremely complex emotion began to grow in its heart.

The lingering fear hadn't completely dissipated, but the precious gift before it and the other party's sincere attitude gave it a strange feeling of being valued.

There was even a strange sense of being flattered and overwhelmed by the attention shown to him by a powerful figure.

Xiaoxia, who was standing nearby, keenly noticed the change in Gyarados's eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

not good!

That look...that look is a bit off!

Why does it seem like... I'm not so scared anymore? Instead, there's a... indescribable feeling about it?

She had to break this dangerous atmosphere immediately!

She immediately stepped forward, forcefully inserting herself between Ash and Gyarados, spreading her arms wide, and shouted.

"Alright, alright! We accept the gift! Let bygones be bygones!"

"Gyarados, let's go see if breakfast is ready!"

"roar~"

Gyarados picked up the dragon tooth and gave Ash another complicated look.

Wu looked at the Gyarados in front of him, which had just been trembling with fear because of Ash, but now stared at the Dragon Tooth Ash had given it with a strange look in its eyes. He then looked at Ash, who had a completely innocent expression and was unaware that he might have triggered some kind of special feeling...

A bead of cold sweat silently trickled down his forehead.

He seemed to have seen this situation in some Pokémon behavioral literature...

Those symptoms... I think they're called victim syndrome?

The main clinical symptoms include a complex in which the victim develops feelings for the perpetrator.

Specifically, this manifests as a shift in attitude towards the perpetrator from initial fear and hostility to sympathy and acceptance, and even to forming an alliance and friendly cooperative relationship with the perpetrator…

This...this is probably exactly it!

Ash has not only physically conquered Gyarados, but is he now going to conquer it psychologically as well...?

terrible!

What a terrifying man!

Wu Neng subconsciously touched the Poké Ball hanging from his waist.

I absolutely, absolutely cannot release my Pokémon in front of him!

one!

Not even one!

24. The Return of the King!

"Phew~ I'm full!"

Xiao Zhi patted his belly and gave Xiao Gang a thumbs up.

"Your cooking skills are absolutely amazing!"

"Pickup!"

Pikachu copied him, rubbing its round little belly with its little paws.

He was clearly very satisfied with the breakfast.

“It’s really good,” Xiaoxia said, elegantly wiping her mouth with a tissue and nodding in approval, her tone carrying a hint of a gourmet’s sensibility. “This level, um… it’s almost as good as mine.”

"?"

Upon hearing this, Ash, Wu, and Pikachu, who had all had the privilege of tasting Misty's cooking, froze almost simultaneously.

They all turned to look at the dwindling breakfast left on the table.

No, you mean almost... in what way are we almost the same?

Plating?

Apart from that, it's clearly much worse!

Ash's gaze swept back and forth between Misty's slightly smug face and Brock's reliable and steady countenance.

Even with his simple mind, he couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions.

It has to be said, comparing yourself to others is truly embarrassing!

Look at Xiao Gang! He's good at everything – elegant in public, skilled in the kitchen, with an excellent physique and strong abilities. He even aspires to become a breeder!

what is this?

A truly excellent teammate, a gem of a trip!

On the other hand, Xiaoxia...

Well... um, quite confident.

Ash really couldn't understand how he had ended up teaming up with her without any clear explanation.

Now that I think about it carefully, it was probably because of the starfish.

Watching Xiaogang neatly clearing away the dishes, a thought burned fiercely in Xiaozhi's heart like a ignited flame.

He suddenly leaned forward, slammed his hands on the table, and extended an invitation with eager eyes.

"Hey Xiaogang! Why don't you just come on a trip with us? Our team is really missing someone like you right now!"

He understood Ash's meaning almost instantly.

Pikachu gave Misty a disdainful look, then nodded repeatedly, turning to look at Brock with anticipation.

Yeah yeah!

The team is missing a chef who can cook without causing fatalities!

"Didn't you aspire to become a Pokémon breeder?"

"How can you learn anything by just staying in Pewter City? Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles! Only by going out and seeing different Pokémon in different places can you truly learn something!"

Is traveling ten thousand miles better than reading ten thousand books?

Wu Neng looked at Xiao Zhi in disbelief.

After knowing him for so long, I never expected Xiao Zhi to come up with such a cultured remark at such a crucial moment.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Gang paused, his fingers tightening slightly as he gripped the plate.