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

The system's latest reward would be most cost-effective when used to max out the lowest IV of a Pokémon. Angie had encountered this type of reward once before.

He carefully reviewed the stats of his apprentices' Pokémon and his own team. Komala and Metagross weren't considered since their IVs were unreadable to him. Diancie already had perfect IVs across the board.

This left four options: Munchlax, Drizzile, Haunter, and Pawmi.

Among them, aside from Munchlax, the other three all had IVs above 20, making it inefficient to use the reward on them.

Munchlaxs Special Defense IV was the lowest, sitting at only 10. Therefore, it was the most practical choice to apply the reward there.

Without hesitation, Angie opened Munchlax's status panel and used the reward to max out its Special Defense IV.

Munchlaxs updated stats were as follows.

...

[ Munchlax (Eviolite) ]

Type: Normal

Ability: Thick Fat

Gender: Male

Level: 46

Moves: Tackle, Lick, Defense Curl, Recycle, Covet, Bite, Stockpile, Swallow, Body Slam, Fling, Amnesia, Heavy Slam, Charm, Seed Bomb, Brick Break, Counter, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Fire Punch.

...

[ Individual Value (IVs) ]

HP: 31

Attack: 29

Defense: 20

Special Attack: 31

Special Defense: 31

Speed: 31

...

Looking at Munchlax's improved stats, Angie was delighted. Perfect IVs across the board were now within reach!

Filled with joy, Angie stored a jar of Chili Bean Paste into his system backpack and left the warehouse, humming a cheerful tune.

On the way back, he came across Heliolisk and Minccino cleaning up.

That's right—Heliolisk was now part of his team. A month ago, after acquiring a Sun Stone, Angie had discussed its evolution with Helioptile. The Pokémon was thrilled at the idea, so Angie gave it the Sun Stone.

With the Sun Stone's energy, Helioptile successfully evolved into Heliolisk.

Angie greeted them warmly, "Good afternoon, Minccino and Heliolisk."

"Minccino~ Minccino~"

"Heliolisk~ Heliolisk~"

Both Pokémon chirped in reply.

After Angie left, Heliolisk turned to Minccino and asked.

"Heliolisk~ Heliolisk~?"

Angie seems to be in a really good mood. Did something good happen today?

"Minccino~ Minccino~"

Minccino shook its head.

Oh well, Angie being happy was all that mattered! Both Pokémon thought the same thing.

They began mimicking Angie, humming songs as they continued tidying up. The cheerful sound echoed through the first floor of the secret fortress.

When Angie arrived home, lunch for Munchlax and the others was nearly ready. The delicious aroma wafted out from the kitchen.

Angie walked into the kitchen, took out the large jar of Chili Bean Paste, and retrieved several smaller jars. He then began transferring the Chili Bean Paste into the smaller containers.

After portioning the paste, Angie stored some in the system's backpack, placed another portion in the kitchen refrigerator, and left one jar on the stove. Turning to Munchlax, who was busy cooking, he said:

"Munchlax, use this Chili Bean Paste to make your favorite braised fish. Let's have that for lunch today."

"Munchlax~ Munchlax~"

Braised fish, my favorite!

Munchlax's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Haunter~ Haunter~"

At those words, Haunter immediately retrieved a prepared grass carp from the refrigerator and floated over.

This grass carp was a wild catch from Nebel Lake, courtesy of Poliwhirl.

After handing the fish to Munchlax, Haunter took over cooking the half-finished dish so that Munchlax could focus on preparing the braised fish.

"Munchlax~ Munchlax~"

Munchlax smiled, closing its eyes as it patted its little junior, thanking it warmly. Then, carrying the fish, it went to the cutting board. With practiced movements, Munchlax scored both sides of the grass carp, ensuring the seasoning would seep in nicely.

It placed the prepared fish aside and gathered all the ingredients needed for braised fish: ginger, garlic, green onions, cooking wine, rock salt, sugar, oyster sauce, and starch.

Next, it marinated the fish with cooking wine and rock salt.

Once the fish was ready, Munchlax chopped the ginger, green onions, and garlic, then heated oil in a pan. It carefully placed the marinated fish in the pan and fried it over low heat, flipping it gently to ensure both sides were evenly golden.

The next step was adding the chopped ginger, garlic, and green onions, followed by cooking wine, rock salt, sugar, oyster sauce, and the bean paste that Angie had just given it.

Chhhh!

The sizzling sound accompanied by a rich aroma filled the kitchen.

Finally, Munchlax added water, covered the pan, and simmered the fish over low heat, allowing the broth to infuse the meat thoroughly.

Gurgle, gurgle~~~

The fish broth bubbled, and the kitchen filled with steam and an irresistible aroma. Munchlax sniffed deeply, its nose twitching eagerly.

Why does today's braised fish smell even better than usual?

Angie stood quietly at the kitchen doorway, watching Munchlax expertly prepare the braised fish. Pride swelled in his chest.

This is my apprentice, after all!

Meanwhile, Drizzile, and Haunter, drawn by the enticing smell, peeked into the kitchen.

"Drizzile~ Drizzile~"

There's something different about today's braised fish.

Drizzile remarked.

"Haunter~ Haunter~"

Haunter nodded in agreement.

Angie chuckled, pointing at the jar of Chili Bean Paste on the stove. "The secret to the difference lies in that jar of Chili Bean Paste."

All three apprentices stared in amazement at the Chili Bean Paste.

Angie continued, "You'll understand its magic after tasting it."

Encouraged by his words, the three Pokémon looked forward to the meal even more.

At that moment, Pawmi appeared at the kitchen door, clutching Angie's leg and sniffing eagerly.

"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"

What's for lunch? It smells so good!

Diancie arrived too, carrying two Spinarak in her arms and a half-finished pillowcase in her hand. "Lunch smells especially delicious today! Am I in for a treat?"

The two tiny Spinarak peeked out from her bag, waving their yellow claws in agreement.

"You're definitely in for a treat today!" Angie said with a laugh.

Soon, the fish had absorbed all the flavors of the broth. Munchlax deftly plated the braised fish, adding a thickened sauce on top to enhance the aroma.

Pawmi stared hungrily at the dish in Munchlax's hands, swallowing hard.

With the braised fish ready, lunch was nearly complete. Angie and Diancie helped bring the dishes to the table. Soon, the family of eight (plus Diancie's two Spinarak) gathered around to eat.

Sniff, sniff~~

Pawmi leaned in, sniffing furiously, and couldn't resist reaching out with its chopsticks, only to have Angie smack them away.

With a stern face, Angie said, "Pawmi, how many times do I have to remind you to observe proper table manners when we're eating together?"

Angie didn't usually impose strict rules on his Pokémon during meals, but he always reminded Pawmi, who tended to be overly eager and often sneaked bites.

Pawmi clutched its chopsticks, pouting in frustration.

"Pawmi~"

Got it!

Angie looked away from it and smiled, saying, "Today's lunch was prepared by Munchlax, Drizzile, and Haunter. Thank you all for your hard work."

Diancie chimed in, "Thank you for the effort!"

"Metagross~"

In unison, Diancie and Metagross voiced their thanks to the three Pokémon.

"Munchlax~"

Munchlax scratched its head sheepishly.

"Drizzile~"

Drizzile winked at everyone and gave itself a thumbs-up.

"Haunter~ Haunter~"

Haunter, although shy, had joy sparkling in its eyes. Every time it shared a meal with everyone like this, it felt deeply that it was a cherished member of this family.

"Well then, let's dig in!"

At Angie's words, everyone eagerly picked up their chopsticks.

Curiously, all the chopsticks reached for the plate of braised fish at the same time.

They glanced at each other and then burst out laughing together.

"It seems we're all on the same wavelength," Angie remarked.

Pawmi finally got its long-awaited taste of the braised fish. The moment the tender, silky meat melded with the rich, savory sauce in its mouth, the flavor felt like a symphony playing in its taste buds.

For Pawmi, the little foodie, words couldn't do justice to the deliciousness.

It was simply too good!

As the braised fish settled in its stomach, a strange sensation spread within its body, like the comforting relief of Angie's massages after a morning run.

Pure bliss!

The other Pokémon also showed expressions of pure delight, just like Pawmi, including Angie.

"Delicious, isn't it?" Angie asked with a smile.

The Pokémon all nodded in agreement.

Angie said, "I'm glad you like it. It was worth waiting over a month to make that Chili Bean Paste."

In the end, not a single scrap of the braised fish was left on the plate, with even the sauce being scooped up by Munchlax to pour over its rice.

After lunch, Diancie sat at the doorstep, basking in the sunlight as it continued knitting an unfinished pillowcase. Two Spinarak lay quietly beside it.

Metagross went to its room to prepare lessons for its students. Despite being occupied, it multitasked by controlling Robert No. 2 to handle household chores—washing dishes, wiping tables, sweeping floors—it could do it all.

With Robert No. 2 around, Diancie's workload was significantly reduced.

Komala, on the other hand, headed out right after eating, off to who-knows-where.

Pawmi playfully ran off to frolic in the grasslands.

Angie, however, took Munchlax, Drizzile, and Haunter to the lakeside. Munchlax and Drizzile each carried a bamboo basket on their backs.

They were there to harvest Waterside Herb to make fish feed.

The Waterside Herb that Diancie and Drizzile had previously planted had grown lush and thriving around the lake, a promising sight.

This was their first time harvesting them.

After setting the bamboo baskets on the ground, Munchlax and Drizzile immediately began picking.

"Pick only the tender leaves; leave the older ones," Angie reminded them as he bent down to join in the harvest.

The roots of the Waterside Herb grew in the water, covered with white root hairs that absorbed nutrients. The tender tips sprouting at the tops of the plants were what Angie and the others were after.

"Munchlax~"

"Drizzile~"

Munchlax and Drizzile responded as they continued to pick.

Haunter floated above the lake, its eyes glowing blue. In an instant, a whole patch of herb tips was plucked, showcasing its incredible efficiency.

"Great job, Haunter!" Angie praised.

"Drizzile~ Drizzile~"

Little sister, you are impressive!"

Drizzile gave Haunter a thumbs-up in admiration.

"Haunter~ Haunter~"

Haunter smiled bashfully and worked even faster.

"Wooper~ Wooper~"

As the group picked, two small heads popped up from the herb patch, rolling around in the foliage as they greeted Angie and the others.

"So it's Wooper!" Angie smiled at the two Pokémon. "Thank you for taking care of the aquatic herbs!"

The Waterside Herb required excellent water quality to thrive. Although Nebel Lake's water was already good, Angie had still asked Wooper to help take care of the herbs as an extra precaution.

Thanks to the Wooper's efforts, the aquatic herbs had grown even more robust.

Wooper and its evolution, Quagsire, had the ability to purify water. Wherever they resided, the water became exceptionally clear—sometimes even drinkable directly.

"Wooper~"

"Wooper~"

The two Wooper lay on the Waterside Herb, wagging their tails rapidly. Each then picked a tender tip and hurried over to place it in Angie's hand.

"Are you two going to help with the harvest?" Angie asked with a laugh.

"Wooper~"

"Wooper~"

The Wooper nodded enthusiastically before scampering off to harvest more, their small, lightweight bodies letting them tread easily across the herbs to reach farther spots.

As time passed and the near-shore herbs were picked clean, Drizzile dove into the water to harvest from farther away, with the Wooper following close behind.

Haunter, being able to fly, was free to pick herbs wherever it pleased. Meanwhile, Angie and Munchlax could only watch from the shore.

Seeing Drizzile and Wooper working so hard, Munchlax decided to jump into the water too. Angie quickly stopped it.

"No!"

"Munchlax?"

Munchlax looked confused.

Angie smiled and said, "Let them harvest; we can just wait here. There's not much left anyway. You jumped into the water and got soaked—drying off won't be easy."

"Munchlax~"

Munchlax chuckled foolishly, scratching its head as it nodded in agreement.

Now that the master and Pokémon no longer needed to pick the herbs themselves, they stayed by the lakeside, organizing the Waterside Herb that Haunter and the others brought back, packing them neatly into the baskets.

As time went by, evening gradually approached. Seeing that they had almost finished gathering the herbs, Angie called out into the distance:

"Alright, Haunter, Wooper, Drizzile, time to head home!"

"Haunter~"

"Wooper~"

"Wooper~"

"Drizzile~"

The four Pokémon responded to Angie in unison. Haunter disappeared in a flash, reappearing instantly by the shore. Drizzile dove into the water, swiftly swimming back to land from below, while the two Woopers skipped joyfully over the Waterside Herb, bounding back to the shore.

Angie and Munchlax each hoisted a basket onto their backs and then led the Pokémon home, stepping into the sunset.

As the day's work came to an end, the Pokémon on the farm also began wrapping up their tasks.

Vivillon flitted out from the orchard, flying home under the glow of the sunset. Below, Chesnaught was leading Gogoat, Victreebel, and Bellsprout, chatting and laughing. Whatever story Chesnaught had shared had the Bellsprout waving their vines and laughing heartily.

Meanwhile, at the fishery, Poliwrath led Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Politoad, Marill, and Azurill as they all leapt into the water, diving into the submerged entry pipe leading to the fifth level of the secret hideout.

As they glided along with the current, they squealed with joy before splashing into the water pool on the fifth level. Laughter and cheerful chatter soon filled the air as the Poliwag clambered ashore, shaking droplets off their bodies.

By the lake, Croconaw was busy herding several oversized, plump white pigs out of the water, screeching at them to get back to their pen.

Having grown used to a wild lifestyle, the pigs weren't exactly cooperative. When Croconaw tried to guide them east, they stubbornly headed west instead. Frustrated, Croconaw shot a jet of water at the ground near the pigs, leaving a hole in the dirt. Startled, the pigs finally fell in line and obediently let themselves be herded back to the pigsty.

Elsewhere, Deerling and Bunnelby worked together to round up their flock of chickens, one leading in the front and the other watching from the rear.

Unlike when they were fluffy little chicks, the chickens now had fully grown feathers and had learned to flap their wings, darting around at the slightest sound.

In the past, the flock had brought Deerling and Bunnelby a lot of trouble, but with experience, Deerling had developed its own methods to keep them in line.

Sure enough, a few mischievous chickens with glinting eyes were already plotting some kind of mischief.

At that moment, the flower on Deerling's head began to emit a sweet aroma. Upon smelling the scent, the chickens immediately seemed intoxicated, wobbling drunkenly as they followed Deerling obediently.

This technique, Deerling's newly learned Aromatherapy, was proving to be very effective.

One little hen in the group became so captivated by the scent that it forgot how to walk. Bunnelby stepped forward and gave it a light slap, jolting it awake enough to stumble back into formation.

Under the spell of Aromatherapy, the chickens were herded smoothly into their coop.

As the chickens returned, Pachirisu and Bunneary also made their way back.

Pachirisu perched atop a sheep's head, puffing out its chest as its bushy tail swayed proudly. The sheep beneath it was as docile as could be—likely a result of being shocked too many times.

"Pachirisu~"

With a commanding wave of its paw, Pachirisu give an order, and the sheep obediently trotted into their pen.

Once the sheep were settled, Pachirisu leaped from the sheep's head to the fence, striking a cool pose as it stood tall, looking utterly triumphant.

"Bunnelby!"

Bunnelby clapped enthusiastically.

"Deerling~"

Deerling bounced in place, cheering for Pachirisu as well.

Feeling even more self-satisfied, Pachirisu puffed out its chest even further and began strutting back and forth along the fence to show off.

Unfortunately, it suddenly lost its footing and tumbled to the ground, landing in a faceplant.

Bunnelby's clapping abruptly ceased.

Deerling's cheers came to an awkward halt.

The three Pokémon stared at each other, Pachirisu looking up from the dirt, its mouth full of mud. A moment of silence passed, leaving all of them visibly embarrassed.

Just then, Bunneary returned, riding atop a cow's back. It looked at the trio, puzzled.

"Bunneary~"

What are you guys doing?

Pachirisu scrambled to its feet, darting away in a flash.

"Pachirisu~"

Nothing at all!!!

Its voice echoed from afar.

Bunneary didn't press further, calmly herding the two now much-larger cows into the barn.

It had eventually mastered Electric-type moves under Pachirisu's tutelage, and the cows were now as meek as lambs around it.