After the sea of weeds had been cleared, Hayato was finally able to see the full size of the ranch.
It was far larger than he had imagined.
With the ranch cabin at the center, a vast open field stretched outward. Along the outer boundary stood an old wooden fence marking the limits of the property.
To the east lay a valley. Even from inside the ranch, the cries of various wild Pokémon could be heard.
The sounds of Chatot, Pinsir, Heracross, and Tauros echoed through the valley.
Being able to identify wild Pokémon species simply by their cries was a basic skill for an Ace Trainer.
Fortunately, they were all fairly common Pokémon. Hayato wasn't worried.
At the southeastern corner of the ranch, where it bordered the valley, there was a lake. A stream flowed through it from east to west, eventually extending all the way to the coastline on the western side.
Near the far side of the lake, Hayato could vaguely see several wild Pokémon drinking water.
"Hm? White Pokémon?"
Before he could get a better look, the wild Pokémon sensed his gaze and quickly fled back into the valley.
Valley. Forest. Lake. Coastline.
This ranch truly had everything.
Standing on Kangaskhan's shoulder and overlooking the entire property, Hayato realized he still had a lot of work ahead of him.
Clearing weeds, removing stones, reclaiming farmland, rebuilding the ranch cabin…
A non-stop workload was practically waving at him..
All of that required tools, which meant he would need to make another trip to Shalour City.
Not only to buy tools—but also to stock up on food for the coming week.
"Kangaskhan, let's take a walk along the beach."
"Kaang!"
Kangaskhan responded cheerfully and lifted Hayato back onto her shoulder.
Soon, the endless blue ocean came into view.
Waves rolled across the sea, crashing into white foam against the golden shoreline.
A group of Wingull circled above the beach, crying loudly as if calling their companions.
Then suddenly—
The sand began to bulge.
Grains of sand swirled together, forming a sandcastle-like creature, with a red plastic shovel stuck in the top of its head.
Palossand.
A nightmare lurking on sandy beaches.
Hayato hadn't expected one to appear inside his ranch.
It needed to be dealt with immediately.
Just as Hayato and Kangaskhan approached, the battle on the beach reached its conclusion.
Palossand had completely defeated the flock of Wingull.
The remaining Wingull scattered and fled in all directions.
"Kangaskhan, give it a slap."
Hayato jumped down from Kangaskhan's shoulder and pointed straight at Palossand.
Kangaskhan let out an excited roar.
Her palm gathered Normal-type energy, and with a loud smack, she slammed it into Palossand's sandy body.
The pointed turret of the sandcastle shattered instantly.
The red shovel was sent flying dozens of meters away.
At the same time, Palossand flinched, completely unable to move.
An experienced fighter like Kangaskhan would never waste such an opportunity.
She stepped forward—
Left hook.
Right hook.
And finally—
An uppercut that launched Palossand straight into the air.
Palossand: Knocked Out.
Did you really think a Pokémon with the Scrappy Ability couldn't hit Ghost-types?
Opening with a slap, following with punches—everything flowed perfectly.
Ten minutes later, Hayato looked down at the defeated Palossand curled up on the sand.
"Understand now?"
"Sand…!"
Palossand glanced fearfully at Kangaskhan and nodded rapidly, its red shovel wobbling desperately.
In its mind, a single thought echoed:
I don't understand…
Everyone always talks about type advantages—Ghost-types are supposed to be immune to Normal-type attacks.
That thriving battlefield full of opportunity was just moments ago…
So why… after just three punches… did a Normal-type become my grave?
Its pointed sandcastle head tilted.
A giant question mark hovered in its mind.
Palossand would probably never understand how it lost to a Normal-type Kangaskhan .
Watching Palossand retreat far away along the shoreline, Hayato felt much better.
One potential danger had been eliminated early.
Later, he could build a wooden fence around this beach area.
Then he could start raising some Water-type Pokémon here.
Milotic, Lapras, Gyarados, or even Primarina.
Freshwater Pokémon would work too. After all, the ranch had both a lake and a stream.
Squirtle, Piplup, or Quaxly could all live here comfortably.
Just imagining it—
A huge group of Water-type Pokémon swimming freely between the lake, stream, and ocean…
It would be a beautiful sight.
And if possible, he'd also like to raise a Palafin.
It could help mediate conflicts between Pokémon.
The future looked bright.
Hayato patted Kangaskhan's shoulder.
"Alright, let's head back. I'll make you some grilled fish."
"Kaang~!"
Kangaskhan nodded enthusiastically.
She waved goodbye to the Wingull flock and carried two half-meter-long fish in her right hand—gifts from the Wingull as thanks for helping them.
On the way back, Hayato picked up several dry branches.
Grilled fish required a fire after all.
Back at the tent in front of the ranch cabin, Hayato stacked the branches together.
"Kangaskhan, Fire Punch—lowest power."
Orange flames ignited the branches instantly.
Hayato let the fire burn steadily while he prepared the fish.
He sliced open the fish belly and added the seasonings he carried with him—salt, pepper, and sauce.
Then he skewered the fish and placed them above the charcoal fire.
Food cooked slowly over charcoal always tasted the best.
Soon, an irresistible aroma filled the air.
Nearby, Kangaskhan —who had been lazily yawning while dragging her pouch along the ground—suddenly lit up at the smell.
Her large head leaned closer, and she swallowed her drool.
For some reason, ever since arriving at the ranch, Hayato 's cooking had been getting better and better.
First the deluxe burger, and now this grilled fish.
But Kangaskhan wasn't the only one drawn by the smell.
A white figure in the forest had also been attracted by the aroma.
"Relax, it's not fully cooked yet."
Hayato slapped away Kangaskhan's sneaky claw and pushed her aside.
The system panel still hadn't appeared.
This was one way he used his system ability—he judged whether food had reached its optimal state by waiting for the system description to appear.
After a few more minutes of grilling, the fish developed a caramelized crispy skin.
Amber oil glistened on the surface.
A rich smoky aroma seeped from the curled edges of the fish skin.
Just one sniff was enough to make anyone crave a bite.
[Grilled Mackerel (B Rank)]
Description:
A charcoal-grilled delicacy that preserves the fresh flavor of ocean fish while adding a subtle fruitwood aroma. A perfect dinner choice.
Cooking Effect:
• Strength Boost (Large)
• Stamina Recovery (Medium)
Duration: 60 minutes
"Alright, let's eat, Kangaskhan."
"Kaang~!"
As soon as Hayato spoke, Kangaskhan grabbed a grilled fish and devoured it eagerly.
Watching her enjoy the food so much made Hayato smile.
Seeing his Pokémon love the meals he cooked…
This peaceful lifestyle wasn't bad at all.
Compared to traveling adventures, it had its own unique charm.
"Slow down, slow down. I'll give you half of mine too."
Hayato patted Kangaskhan affectionately and shared half of his fish.
The mackerel's meat was incredibly delicious—layered textures combined with the subtle smoky fruitwood aroma made it almost addictive.
Meanwhile, in the nearby trees, the white Pokémon stared longingly at the meal.
But the moment it saw the giant monster-like Kangaskhan , it shrank back in fear.
If that Pokémon punched me… I'd die, right?
So it waited…
And waited…
Only after the human and the giant Pokémon finally left did the white Pokémon cautiously climb down from the tree.