Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

Pikachu waved excitedly at Ash, indicating that the matter was settled.

Ash immediately crouched down and handed the few remaining fresh berries to the Oddish.

"Thank you for your hard work. Please accept this small token of our appreciation."

Having accepted their payment, the Oddish staggered away.

Not long after—

"They're here!"

Ash quickly stood up and looked in the direction where the grass was swaying.

In the direction Oddish had gone, a spherical Pokémon with red compound eyes, purple fur, and pincer-like mouthparts rustled out of the grass.

"A fluffy ball?"

Brock recognized the Pokémon at a glance.

"This... is this the professional you were talking about?"

"Of course!" Ash replied confidently. "Isn't the best way to deal with these things to give them to a Poison-type Pokémon?"

"They have a natural resistance to toxins!"

All-natural and pollution-free!

This was an inspiration that Ash got from Ariados!

"Air force?"

The newcomer tilted his head.

"That's right, it's us looking for you!"

Ash maximized his friendliness, flashed a friendly smile, and then carefully pushed the three bowls of rice in front of MooPo.

"Here it is!"

The fluffy ball looked at Xiaozhi with its huge compound eyes, then lowered its head and sniffed the bowl carefully, its long antennae twitching in confusion.

Huh?

Wasn't it agreed that the task was to handle "toxic substances"?

Why does it smell so good...?

Could this be some new type of scam?

It has heard that human trainers are among the most wicked people!

Feeling that it might have been deceived, the fluffy creature suddenly looked up at Ash.

His compound eyes flashed with dissatisfaction.

Don't let its small size fool you.

If it can't get something to chew on, its fur ball will really go berserk!

"This is troublesome!"

Xiao Zhi put his hands together and immediately said.

Looking at Ash's sincere face, Politoed grumbled in dissatisfaction, but eventually gave in and lowered its proud head.

Forget it.

Since you're so pleasing to the eye, it'll reluctantly help you solve this problem this time, okay?

But this is a one-time exception.

The furball bent down and took a big bite with its pincer-like mouthparts.

Hmm? This smell...

Maoqiu carefully examined it.

The next second—the fur ball trembled violently, and all the purple fur on its body stood up!

"Boom!"

A muffled thud.

His stiff body fell straight backward, as if he had suffered a severe injury and could not get up on the spot!

"It's over?!" "Was the food this time really that good?!" "Pikachu!"

Ash and Brock were startled and rushed over to check what was going on.

However, before they could make a move, the fluffy ball stood up on its own, wobbling.

It shook its head, stopping the group's movements. Instead of pain, its eyes revealed a strange sense of lingering reminiscence.

This, this, this...!

It smacked its lips.

...99% perfect! A rare find!

Maoqiu's eyes lit up immediately when he saw the bowl of rice!

Without the slightest hesitation, he leaned forward again and quickly took a big bite.

"Boom!"

It fell straight down again, and this time even its antennae curled up because it had eaten too much.

Ash, Brock, and Pikachu: "???"

Under the dumbfounded gaze of the two people and the rat, the furball began its peculiar dining mode.

One bite, and I collapsed.

After a while, he struggles to get up, takes another bite, and then collapses again... This cycle repeats itself, as if he is performing some kind of mysterious ritual.

The food in the bowl visibly diminished with this sit-up-like rhythm.

Xiao Zhi and Xiao Gang looked at each other, speechless for a long time.

The only sound in the air was the occasional satisfied humming of the fluffy ball.

After a long while, Ash slowly turned his head, looked at Brock with utmost admiration, and patted him hard on the shoulder.

"I really didn't expect that! You took a big bite and you're still able to stand up and talk to us!"

This is food that even Poison-type Pokémon need to recover from after eating!

This poison resistance... it's probably comparable to my own!

Upon hearing this, Xiao Gang's dark face, which had somewhat recovered, revealed a complex expression.

"When I was a child, life was tough, and I had to try all sorts of questionable ingredients."

"Looking at it this way, these experiences actually saved my life today."

"It's tough..." Xiao Zhi nodded heavily, "Me too..."

When I was a child, I was often beaten by my mother with an iron fist.

At that time, he hadn't yet grasped the essence of things, but he had heard that some things could enhance one's strength after consumption.

But at that time he was young and didn't know what specific things could enhance his strength.

It can only take a bite of anything it sees, relying solely on eating.

He accidentally ingested many strange things, which gradually built up his resistance to poison.

The two exchanged a glance and instantly understood the deep-seated bitterness and resilience hidden in each other's eyes, a sentiment too profound for outsiders to bear.

That's a tacit understanding that only those who have struggled to survive can comprehend.

"Every family has its own troubles!" ×2

The two exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with deep resonance.

A sense of mutual appreciation arose spontaneously.

Ash rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a few wild berries. He gave one to Pikachu first, and then handed a few to Brock.

"Have something to eat. I picked these on the way here. With our tolerance to poison, it shouldn't be a problem to eat them. Anyway, it's better than eating what Xiaoxia makes."

Pikachu, who was about to take a bite: "?"

what about me?

Xiao Zhi glanced at it.

"You've probably gotten used to it these past few days, so apart from feeling a little dizzy, you should be fine."

Xiao Gang took the fruit, took a bite, and savored the taste on his tongue; tears almost welled up in his eyes.

He never imagined that traveling would be so arduous, with even a normal meal becoming a luxury.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Xiao Gang spoke solemnly.

"From now on, I'll be in charge of the team's meals..."

These words were like heavenly music, and Ash's eyes lit up instantly.

He excitedly grabbed Xiaogang's hands, his voice trembling.

"Good brother!" He patted Xiaogang's shoulder hard, as if he had found a long-lost relative. "I've been waiting for you to say that!"

"From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were someone I could get along with!"

"They're incredibly capable!"

Having resolved a major worry, an excited Xiaozhi caught the ball of fur that was about to fall over.

He picked up the bowl with his other hand.

"Thanks a lot!"

"Just let me know when you feel better, and I'll feed you!"

......

Leaving aside the dizzy Pikachu, Ash and Brock exchanged survival tips with Polito, who had just finished his "special meal" and was digesting it on the spot.