In the kitchen.
Austin was about to do something important.
He had a new side quest: earn his grandfather's approval through Pokémon food.
Up to now, Austin had focused on making Energy Cubes, which he was fairly good at.
But this time, he wanted to try something different — Poffins.
Both Ryu and Agni preferred spicy flavors, and though Metang wasn't great with heat, it was always willing to eat whatever Austin made.
He decided not to waste his remaining two Dragon Fruits. Instead, he'd use Cheri Berries — spicy but affordable.
After all, the system's evaluation of his Poffin-making skill wasn't exactly flattering.
"Schrödinger's Poffin — it both exists and fails simultaneously."
Austin had a simple principle: if he wasn't good at something, he'd just practice more.
Besides, he wanted to see how much experience he could actually gain from making Poffins.
Following half a month of retraining under Instructor Farfetch'd and his ever-stern grandfather, Austin's culinary skills have improved a lot. His knife skills were sharper, his patience steadier.
He wasn't a great cook yet — far from it — but he could at least say he'd graduated from hopeless.
He worked carefully, recalling every step. Crush the berries. Mix with cold water and the other wet components. Stir constantly while heating, then add the dry ingredients.
When the texture turned creamy, pour it into molds and bake.
This was where most people failed. Poffin-making was all about heat control and stirring rhythm.
In a way, cooking and Pokémon food had the same philosophy — mastery of heat, timing, and precision.
Unfortunately, Austin's first three attempts were complete disasters.
The failed Poffins were laid out on the counter like evidence at a crime scene.
He grimaced, used his Identification Eye, and after tasting one bite, quietly dropped it into the trash.
"This isn't fit for human consumption…" he muttered.
Ryu stared helplessly at the pile of ruined Poffins, remembering vividly how Austin had once sworn he'd never make them again after seeing one burn to charcoal.
But seeing Austin's focused expression now, Ryu sighed and made up his mind. Even if it didn't taste good, he'd eat it gracefully this time.
After all, wasting food was beneath a disciplined Pokémon.
Austin murmured, mostly to himself, "It's all about the heat control…"
That's when his grandfather stepped into the kitchen, silently watching from the doorway.
"Then I can only concentrate," Austin said, slapping his cheeks lightly before returning to work — completely unaware of the old man's presence.
He stirred the berry batter slowly after incorporating all the ingredients, his eyes fixed on the flame like a monk in meditation.
Seeing the boy's intensity, the old man's stern gaze softened ever so slightly.
Finally, at the last stage, Austin stirred clockwise, keeping his movements steady. A warm, fruity aroma filled the room.
He poured the batter into molds and slid them into the oven.
A faint ding broke the silence.
Ryu's nose twitched. It actually worked!
Ryu was genuinely surprised.
Agni, on the other hand, sniffed the air, drool already pooling in his mouth as he wagged his tail eagerly.
The cooled Poffins were dull pink, their color determined by the Cheri Berries. They looked like small, round cookies.
Austin activated the Identification Eye again.
[Spicy Poffin: Slightly under-stirred, mildly overcooked. Quality — average.]
It wasn't perfect. Probably not enough to impress his grandfather yet — but it was a success nonetheless.
He smiled faintly. "It's done. Try it."
Ryu put his hands together as if in prayer.
(Well, here goes nothing.)
He took a bite — and his tall ears twitched immediately.
(Delicious!)
Two soft chimes echoed in Austin's aura.
Ding!
+13 Poffin proficiency points.
Ding!
+12 Poffin proficiency points.
Austin watched Ryu devour the Poffin enthusiastically, rubbing his chin.
Strange, he thought. Energy Cubes have higher quality ratings, but Poffins give more experience, maybe because it was... beginner level?
He asked casually, "Why are you eating so happily?"
Ryu swallowed his mouthful before communicating in aura.
(It's tastier than I expected.)
He had braced himself for a disaster, but the Poffin was surprisingly balanced — spicy yet fragrant, with a soft texture.
That gave Austin an idea.
Does a Pokémon's satisfaction affect the proficiency gain?
He nodded slightly. "Looks like I'll be making more Poffins from now on."
Turning around, he waved to the others.
"Agni, Metang — your turn."
Agni immediately bounded over, tail wagging so fast it was a blur. Metang hovered behind him curiously.
Agni took a bite and let out a delighted growl, clearly enjoying himself.
Austin chuckled. "Well, that explains how you got that belly."
Ryu smirked and muttered under his breath, (He'd eat the baking tray if it smelled good enough.)
Austin laughed, shaking his head, but deep down, he was satisfied too.
"Me."
Metang stared intently at the Cheri Berry Poffin, eyes gleaming with grim determination — as if he were about to march into battle rather than taste a snack.
In truth, he was trying to compute whether eating this thing would kill him.
Austin couldn't help but cover his face. "Just eat it already."
Metang had never tried Cheri Berry before, and more importantly, he didn't exactly trust Austin's cooking. The last few Poffins appearances had been… memorable, for all the wrong reasons.
Still, not wanting to hurt his Trainer's feelings, Metang hesitated, then picked up a piece and took a cautious nibble — like a soldier facing his fate.
Not even a second later, his eyes lit up.
Ding!
Gained 8 Poffin proficiency points.
"How does it taste?" Austin asked curiously.
"Metang!"
Ryu translated immediately, his tone calm but pleased.
(He says it's a bit spicy, but delicious.)
Austin smirked, rubbing his chin. "Guess I've got some talent after all."
A cold voice came from behind him.
"You overcooked the Berry Juice. The batter's too thick, and your stirring technique is uneven. If you want to make a Super Aromatic Pokémon Puff, your heat control still needs work."
Austin turned around in shock. "Grandfather?"
He hadn't even noticed the old man enter the kitchen.
What stunned him even more was how accurate the critique was. The old man hadn't tasted it — just glanced at it — and yet he'd pointed out every single flaw.
So this was the power of a Master Chef.
The old man gave him a measured look. "What did you learn from making this Poffin?"
Austin's eyes lit up. This was his chance to complete the side quest.
After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, he answered, "Cooking and Pokémon food preparation share the same principles — heat control, timing, and even knife technique all make a difference."
The old man nodded slowly. "Not bad. Half a month of practice wasn't wasted."
At that moment, the familiar mechanical chime echoed in Austin's mind:
Ding!
[Side Quest [Alex Black's Wish] completed.]
Reward obtained — Special Recipe: Smoked Oran Berry Juice.
Austin blinked. "Grandfather, so you're… satisfied with the Poffin?"
The old man snorted. "Satisfied? Even Gengar wouldn't eat that thing. But… learning takes time. The fact that you're willing to improve is what matters."
Austin smiled faintly. He understood. His grandfather wasn't praising the Poffin — he was acknowledging the effort behind it.
The old man's expression softened slightly. "What do you want for dinner? I'll cook tonight."
The day followed the same rhythm as usual:
Training in the morning, cooking practice in the afternoon, and breeding studies in the evening. Monotonous perhaps, but fulfilling.
By ten o'clock, Austin finally returned to his room. He pulled up the glowing interface only he could see — his personal system panel.
Special Recipe Codex
Smoked Oran Berry Juice (Class C)
Oran Berries smoked for 3–5 days, blended with Sweet Honey, rock sugar, osmanthus, and rose petals, then simmered for two hours and chilled.
(Click to view video production process.)
Effect: Rapidly restores stamina upon drinking.
. . .
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