Nine hundred points!
That round of magic performances earned Fuyuki a full 900 Shock Points.
Adding in what he'd saved earlier, and subtracting what he'd spent on candy, he was left with a total of 1065 Shock Points.
That was enough to buy a lot of useful things.
The thought alone made him grin so wide his face almost tilted crooked.
Of course, all of this meant he needed to properly thank these excellent "audience members."
Looking at the large group of Pokemon still dazed from shock, he picked up the candy scattered on the ground, handed it out, and spoke in Pokemon language.
"Here! Eat!"
The child of the Nidoking and Nidoqueen family, a little Nidoran, rushed forward and scooped up a piece of candy with its claws, popping it into its mouth.
Its eyes lit up instantly.
"Yip!" So good! It's sweet!
The little Nidoran grabbed two more pieces and ran back to its parents, holding them out proudly.
Nidoking and Nidoqueen looked at their child, then accepted the candy with claws many times larger, tasting it with curious expressions.
"Nido!"
Seeing this, the other Pokemon hurried over as well, picking up candy and trying it for themselves.
After finishing, they couldn't help looking at the soft, baby-faced human who'd been urging them to eat. A bit more fondness quietly took root in their hearts.
Before long, cheerful cries echoed across the mountainside.
The atmosphere was warm and joyful.
Off to the side, Raikou stared at the scene, momentarily stunned.
This human child…
"Ma-sha…" Marshadow was frozen as well.
Only when Fuyuki walked up and sweetly offered it a piece of candy did it snap back to reality.
It gazed at the candy in his palm, then accepted it and placed it into its mouth.
A completely new sensation surged through it.
"Ma-sha…"
"Everyone, let's play again next time!" Fuyuki waved goodbye to the Pokemon.
He'd just made a big haul and couldn't wait to go back and spend it.
The wild Pokemon had no objections. The performance had been fun, and more importantly, they'd eaten something delicious.
One by one, they called out in response, then turned and left with their families and friends, disappearing down the mountain path.
Wait, hold on!
Only after the last of them vanished did Fuyuki suddenly remember something.
Raikou hadn't had any candy yet.
There were still a few pieces left in the leaf. He picked one up and walked over.
From Raikou's point of view, the human child seemed to have just remembered something important. The child took a piece of candy from the leaf and walked toward it on unsteady steps.
Soon, he stopped right in front of it.
Raikou lowered its head, looking down at him.
Under its gaze, the child slowly lifted the candy in both hands and gave it a sweet smile.
Then, in a soft, childish voice, he said, "Raikou, this is for you!"
Raikou's pupils shrank.
In that instant, it felt as though something deep inside cracked open.
A heart frozen solid, sworn to never trust humans again, was brushed by a warm spring breeze.
The ice melted bit by bit. Raikou suddenly felt that maybe not all humans were so deceitful… maybe it could try trusting them again.
That was what it thought, but none of it showed on its face.
I'm only doing this so this crafty human child won't be disappointed, it told itself.
If it refused and the child burst into tears, it would be hard to explain to Entei.
So Raikou ate the candy.
"Alright!" Fuyuki hugged the leaf, completely satisfied. Before leaving, he didn't forget to thank Marshadow. "Thank you, Marshadow!"
Though really, Marshadow was huge.
In the anime it always looked so small, but in reality it was taller than him.
Of course, that might just be because he was still so young.
It didn't matter. One day, he'd grow up.
Carrying the remaining candy, Fuyuki returned to the cave and noticed Raikou watching him without blinking.
He hurriedly explained, "These are for Entei!"
Entei had taken him in and raised him with the care of a parent, so the rest of the candy belonged to it.
Raikou: "..."
It didn't respond. Instead, it walked to another part of the cave and lay down. Even without looking directly at him, it continued to keep track of his movements.
Back in the cave, Fuyuki immediately opened the system shop.
Over a thousand Shock Points!
At first, he wanted to spend 200 points right away to buy a full set of clothes suitable for all four seasons.
Then he reconsidered. He was still very young, and babies grew fast. The clothes might not fit before long.
That would be a waste of Shock Points.
In that case, it made more sense to improve his living environment first.
Using Secret Power to transform the cave into a proper Secret Base would cost far more Shock Points than he had right now.
So his eyes settled on a particular item.
[Striped Wooden Flooring: Wooden flooring that will never decay. Upon use, it automatically replaces the ground inside your home. Cost: 500 Shock Points.]
The cave floor was cold and hard. Even with the thick layer of leaves Entei had laid down, it was still uncomfortable to sleep on.
"Purchase!"
With a flicker of thought, 500 points were deducted.
At the same time, a brilliant white light spread across the cave floor.
Within that glow, he could clearly feel the cold, hard ground fading away, replaced by something smooth and gentle, warm to the touch, carrying a simple, natural charm.
The moment the change began, Raikou sensed it.
It sprang up, staring at the glowing floor. Shock flashed in its massive eyes, then it seemed to realize something and looked toward Fuyuki.
After a long moment, the white light slowly faded.
The icy stone floor was gone, replaced by brand-new striped wooden flooring, clean and warm.
The natural wood grain looked like something shaped by nature itself, bringing the scent of the forest into the cave. Standing on it felt comforting and cozy.
The flooring covered every corner of the cave without leaving a single gap, fitting the space perfectly.
All set.
Looking at the result, Fuyuki felt deeply satisfied.
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You can read up to chapter 36 and more soon on patreon.com/NiaXD.