Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

After the initial shock, Angie gradually regained his composure.

At this moment, Xerneas asked, "May I have something to eat now?"

Angie glanced at the time and realized it was only mid-afternoon. But since Xerneas wanted to eat, he decided to prepare something immediately.

"Xerneas, I'll start cooking now. Please wait a moment, okay?"

"Of course," Xerneas replied.

"Munchlax, Drizzile, Gengar, come help me!" Angie called out to his three apprentices.

"Munchlax~"

"Drizzile~"

"Gengar~"

The three Pokémon cheered and followed Angie into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Angie began preparing ingredients while addressing his apprentices, "We need to do our best today!"

"Munchlax~"

"Drizzile~"

"Gengar~"

Munchlax, Drizzile, and Gengar nodded their heads solemnly.

But before starting, Gengar carefully removed the flower crown gifted by its senior and tucked it into the system's storage bag. This way, it could always keep the gift safe.

Outside, Xerneas lay comfortably on the soft grass and spoke to the surrounding Pokémon, "Can you tell me about yourselves and your trainer?"

Hearing this, the Pokémon unconsciously gathered around Xerneas, including Diancie, Magearna, and Volcanion.

They began sharing stories about Angie, recounting their initial mistrust of him and how it gradually turned into affection. They shared memories of their daily lives with Angie, painting a vivid picture of their bond.

Time ticked by, and the tension of meeting Xerneas had disappeared. Diancie and Magearna engaged in lighthearted conversation with it, while Pawmi, Ralts, and Meowstic had even fallen asleep leaning against Xerneas.

Through their words, Xerneas gained a glimpse into Angie's character.

At that moment, the two Charcadet riding on the Oinkologne finally returned. They had had a productive day and were in high spirits.

Initially, they were puzzled to see everyone gathered together, especially since it wasn't mealtime yet.

But when they noticed Xerneas in the center of the crowd, the four Pokémon immediately ran over, brimming with excitement.

Xerneas naturally noticed them too.

"You're back?" Xerneas asked in a kind tone.

"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"

Friend, you're finally here!

The goodboy Charcadet exclaimed, still believing Xerneas was a Sawbuck that Angie had mentioned vefore.

"Yes, I am," Xerneas replied with a smile. "Since I promised, of course, I had to come!"

"Oinkologne~ Oinkologne~"

"Oinkologne~ Oinkologne~"

The two Oinkologne also swarmed around Xerneas enthusiastically, and Xerneas didn't mind their travel-worn appearance one bit.

On the side, Volcanion watched as the two Charcadet and Oinkologne interacted intimately with Xerneas, almost as if they were old friends. Its jaw nearly hit the ground.

Hey, hey, hey!!! Do you realize who you're talking to? Where's your sense of reverence?

But observing Xerneas's attitude toward Charcadet and Oinkologne, Volcanion swallowed its words.

In the kitchen, Angie and his three apprentices were busy bustling around. Angie had brought out all his best ingredients, including two precious Chansey eggs and the remaining flesh of Veluza he had saved.

He tasked Drizzile with making steamed egg custard and tomato egg-drop soup with the Chansey eggs.

Meanwhile, Angie used the Veluza to prepare steamed fish and sauerkraut fish.

The pickled vegetables for the sauerkraut fish were homemade by Angie and his Pokémon team. The vegetable garden's cabbages grew so quickly that even giving them to Skiddo and Gogoat to eat couldn't keep up. As a result, Angie had made plenty of pickled vegetables and stored them in the secret base's warehouse.

The aroma of the sauerkraut fish was utterly overpowering, filling the entire kitchen.

"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"

At that moment, the goodboy Charcadet poked its head into the kitchen, coughing slightly from the strong spicy scent.

Noticing its arrival, Angie said in surprise, "You're back?"

"Charcadet~"

The obedient Charcadet nodded and handed its backpack to Angie.

Angie took the backpack and asked, "Are all four of you back? Did you encounter any danger today?"

"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"

All back, no danger.

The obedient Charcadet squinted and answered, looking very pleased.

"Charcadet, you seem to be in a great mood!" Angie said with a smile.

"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"

Yep, yep~ My friend is here.

The Charcadet said happily.

"Friend? Are you talking about Xerneas?" Angie paused in surprise.

"Charchadet~?"

Xerneas?

Now it was the Charcadet's turn to be stunned.

"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"

My friend is a Sawsbuck!

At this, Angie finally remembered that Charcadet and its companions still didn't know about the misunderstanding. He then laughing and said, "Last time, I got it wrong and thought you encountered a Sawsbuck. Your friend's name is actually Xerneas."

"Charcadet~"

The Charcadet had a moment of realization.

Angie figured that Charcadet and its group probably didn't know the significance of Xerneas's name, which was why it spoke so casually about being friends with Xerneas.

But since they didn't seem to realize, Angie had no intention of pointing it out. If Xerneas itself acknowledged its friendship with Charcadet and the others, then Angie had no place to intervene.

Now knowing Xerneas's name, the goodboy Charcadet left the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Angie opened the backpack Charcadet had handed over.

When he saw what was inside, he was delighted—it was bamboo shoots! Fresh, tender bamboo shoots!

Of course, it was spring, the prime season for bamboo shoots!

With these, Angie had even more room for creativity.

After thinking it over, Angie decided to make stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat—a simple and delicious dish.

Quickly peeling the bamboo shoots, he gathered the ingredients needed for the dish: pork, rock salt, MSG, sugar, cooking wine, Angie's special chili bean paste, oil from Dollive, scallions, ginger, garlic, and so on.

Once the ingredients were ready, Munchlax and Gengar, who had just finished making dry-fried green beans and garlic sautéed vegetables, came over.

"Gong~"

Master, what's this?

Munchlax pointed at the bamboo shoots Angie was slicing, looking puzzled. The Nebel Plateau didn't have bamboo, so Munchlax naturally didn't recognize bamboo shoots.

Gengar was also curious and stared at Angie with wide eyes.

Angie explained, "These are bamboo shoots."

"Munchlax?"

Bamboo shoots?

Munchlax still didn't understand.

After thinking for a moment, Angie added, "Bamboo shoots are the young sprouts of bamboo."

What's bamboo? Munchlax tilted its head, clearly still lost.

Angie laughed. "When we have time, I'll take you to see bamboo. It's hard to explain… I'm not a biology expert, after all."

"Munchlax~"

"Gengar~"

Munchlax and Gengar nodded in unison.

While processing the ingredients, Angie didn't forget to use Aura to groom them.

Once the bamboo shoots were sliced, Angie brought out pork, separating the lean meat from the fat.

The lean meat was sliced into strips and marinated with sugar, salt, oil, special chili bean paste, and starch.

The fatty meat was cut into slices and then rendered in a hot oil pan to extract the fat.

While doing all this, Angie turned to Munchlax and said, "Munchlax, can you help stir-fry the bamboo shoots?"

"Munchlax~"

Munchlax nodded, reheated a clean pan without oil, added the sliced bamboo shoots, and sprinkled a little rock salt to remove the moisture, making the bamboo shoots even crispier.

After about a minute of stir-frying, it was ready.

On Angie's side, after rendering the fat, he added garlic and ginger to the pan to release their aroma, followed by the marinated lean pork, which he stir-fried quickly.

When the lean pork turned white, Angie extended his hand toward Munchlax. "Munchlax, the bamboo shoots."

"Munchlax~"

Munchlax promptly handed over the freshly stir-fried bamboo shoots.

Angie took the bamboo shoots and poured them into the pan. With a loud sizzle, the bamboo shoots mixed with the meat.

While swiftly stir-frying, Angie added rock salt, spring onions, green peppers, and a touch of his special bean paste for color.

As the aroma spread through the air, Munchlax, Gengar, and Drizzile all gathered around Angie.

Once the bamboo shoot stir-fry was ready, Angie set aside a portion specifically for Munchlax, Gengar, and Drizzile.

"You've probably never had bamboo shoots before, right? Here, try some first." Angie handed them a plate.

The three Pokémon cheered in delight, taking the plate and running off to taste it.

Soon, the trio let out satisfied exclamations. Every time their master made a new dish, they felt immense happiness because they got the first taste.

"Munchlax~"

Master, I love bamboo shoots!

Once all the dishes were prepared, Angie and his three apprentices brought them out together.

Since Xerneas' large size made it unsuitable for sitting at a table, Angie laid out a picnic cloth on the grass, placing all the food on it.

There were over a dozen dishes, their enticing aromas even causing Xerneas to swallow instinctively.

Angie smiled and said, "Xerneas, please try some. I made these especially for you."

Xerneas nodded. "Then I won't hold back," it said, lowering its head to eat.

The first dish Xerneas tasted was Angie's bamboo shoot stir-fry.

As the bamboo shoots entered its mouth, the harmonious blend of meat and vegetable juices flowed through, delivering a crisp and tender texture that was astonishingly delightful.

What surprised Xerneas even more was that the food seemed to slightly enhance its stamina.

If consumed regularly, Xerneas believed its endurance would grow to remarkable levels.

Food that could affect its physical capabilities was unheard of, vastly different from the steamed buns and buns that Charcadet and Oinkologne had previously shared.

Moreover, the mysteriously harmonious flavor seemed to result from special preparation!

After swallowing the food, Xerneas looked at Angie. "Your cooking appears to have gained a unique touch compared to before."

Angie smiled and explained, "Actually, the food you had before was made by Munchlax."

"Munchlax~"

Munchlax bashfully scratched the back of its head.

"Is that so..." Xerneas mused.

"But you're not wrong either. My cooking skills have improved significantly since then," Angie continued. "I awakened my Aura powers, and I use them to handle ingredients while cooking."

Xerneas suddenly understood. "I see. That's an impressive idea—I've never heard of anyone using Aura in cooking."

Angie chuckled sheepishly. Without the system's guidance, he wouldn't have discovered Aura's culinary potential!

"Xerneas, how is it? Do the dishes suit your taste?" Angie asked.

Xerneas nodded. "They're excellent."

This was the most extraordinary meal it had ever tasted.

Angie smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Feel free to drop by anytime if you want me to cook for you."

Xerneas nodded again before resuming its meal.

Soon, Xerneas finished all the dishes, even with rice, leaving the plates spotless. Angie hadn't anticipated Xerneas to have such an appetite.

As Angie and the Pokémon stared in amazement, Xerneas remained unfazed. Calmly, it said to Angie, "I ate quite a bit; I hope I didn't embarrass myself."

Angie shook his head. "It's an honor that you enjoy my cooking."

While Xerneas ate, Angie received a notification from his system. Although he wasn't sure what it was about, it was undoubtedly related to Xerneas.

As Angie and Xerneas chatted, Diancie and Magearna tidied up the dishes.

At that moment, Angie noticed a speck of dust on Xerneas' body and asked, "Xerneas, you've traveled far. Would you like to take a bath at my place?"

Xerneas was momentarily stunned but hesitantly nodded. "If it's not too much trouble."

Angie smiled warmly. "It's no trouble at all. I often bathe my Pokémon."

Angie stood up and led Xerneas toward the guest bathroom in his home.

It was Xerneas's first time visiting a human's house, and a hint of curiosity flashed in its eyes.

"Xerneas, come on in," Angie said.

After preparing the necessary bathing items, Angie filled the tub with warm water.

Xerneas nodded gently and stepped into the bathroom.

"You can soak in the warm water first to relax your body, and then we'll proceed with the bath," Angie instructed.

Xerneas had only ever bathed in the wild and wasn't familiar with how humans took baths. It decided to follow Angie's instructions without question.

Submerging its body into the tub and feeling the warmth envelop it, Xerneas couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

"How is it? Feels nice to soak in warm water, doesn't it?" Angie asked with a smile.

Xerneas nodded. "It is indeed comfortable."

While it had experienced hot springs before, the chance to find one during its travels was exceedingly rare.

Once Xerneas finished soaking and felt its fatigue dissipate, Angie signaled it to step out of the tub. He squeezed out a generous amount of Pokémon-specific shampoo designed for furry Pokémon and applied it to Xerneas.

Soon, Xerneas was covered in a thick layer of foam that emitted a fresh, clean fragrance.

"What is this?" Xerneas asked curiously.

"This is shampoo specifically for Pokémon. It has excellent cleaning properties and also nourishes fur. I use this for my Munchlax and Pawmi too," Angie explained.

Xerneas nodded. "Humans are indeed very clever in these things."

As Angie gently scrubbed Xerneas's fur with a brush, he also massaged its body with his hands.

This was a technique he had learned specifically for his Pokémon, and he often gave massages to Munchlax, Pawmi, and Drizzile.

"How does that feel? Is the pressure okay?" Angie asked.

"It feels wonderful. All my fatigue seems to be melting away. Thank you, Angie," Xerneas replied sincerely.

"No need to thank me," Angie said with a grin as he continued washing Xerneas. "Am I the first human to ever bathe you?"

Xerneas nodded. "You are."

It had never imagined that one day a human would bathe it and cook meals for it.

Once Xerneas was thoroughly cleaned, Angie rinsed off all the foam with fresh water. Then, he grabbed a soft towel and carefully dried its body.

"Let's head out," Angie said once everything was done.

Xerneas nodded and followed him to the living room.

"Wait here for a moment," Angie said, then ran into his room.

Xerneas stood quietly in the living room, unsure of what Angie was up to but waiting patiently.

Soon, Angie returned with something in his hands.

"What's that?" Xerneas asked curiously, eyeing the object in Angie's hand.

"This is a hair dryer. It's a tool that helps quickly dry fur," Angie explained. He sat down on the sofa and gestured for Xerneas to come closer.

Xerneas obediently stepped up and stood beside him.

Angie plugged in the hair dryer, adjusted the settings, and began carefully blowing Xerneas's fur dry.

"How does it feel? Your fur will dry much faster this way," Angie said.

Xerneas nodded. "What an ingenious tool."

Previously, it would simply stand atop a mountain after bathing and let the wind dry its fur naturally.

The warm breeze from the hair dryer made Xerneas feel drowsy, and before long, it lay down on the sofa, closing its eyes in contentment as Angie continued working on its fur.

Once Xerneas's fur was completely dry, Angie turned off the hair dryer and said, "All done!" He ran his hand over Xerneas's back, marveling at how smooth and silky its fur felt—like a fine piece of satin.

Xerneas opened its eyes and slowly rose from the sofa, feeling light and refreshed, as if it had been completely rejuvenated.

"Thank you, Angie," it said gratefully.

"Don't mention it. It's rare for you to visit my home," Angie replied, waving a hand dismissively.

Xerneas said no more but looked toward the window, watching the setting sun sink below the horizon. "I must go now," it said.

Angie was taken aback. "You're leaving already?"

Xerneas nodded.

Angie didn't try to persuade it to stay and instead said generously, "I wish you a safe journey, Xerneas."

"Thank you," Xerneas replied.

With that, the two of them headed downstairs together.

The other Pokémon, seemingly sensing Xerneas's imminent departure, were gathered downstairs waiting.