The campsite was surrounded by large rocks, with numerous alarm traps set up around the tent. Any wild Pokémon that approached would immediately trigger an alarm.
At that moment, **Ryan Harlan** was intently using a butcher's knife to trim the excess fat from a large steak.
"Lucar!"
Riolu trotted over, carrying a bowl of freshly fetched water, and placed it in front of him.
"Thanks, Riolu. Help me start the fire later," Ryan said casually as he took the bowl. He washed the steak thoroughly, then marinated it with sea salt, star anise, and a blend of other spices.
Riolu nodded obediently and ran over to the prepared stove. He gathered the firewood that Ralts had collected earlier and skillfully started a fire.
Ralts watched Ryan's every move with great interest. Her short arms weren't suited for cooking, so she could only help gather firewood and observe the rest of the time.
"Done!" Ryan announced as he placed the seasoned tomahawk steak onto the grill.
Riolu and Ralts stared intently at the sizzling tomahawk steak, their mouths practically watering. It wasn't the first time they had eaten Ryan's cooking, but no matter how many times they did, it was always incredibly delicious!
In Riolu and Ralts's eyes, Ryan wasn't just their trainer and closest partner — he was an all-rounder!
Besides his superb cooking skills, what impressed them most was his vast knowledge of unexpected abilities. Riolu, as a Fighting-type Pokémon, had known fighting techniques from birth, but compared to Ryan, he still fell far short.
Every move Ryan made carried the elegant beauty of true combat.
The same went for Ralts. The Meditation technique Ryan had taught her felt almost divine. With consistent practice, she could clearly feel the total energy within her body steadily increasing.
Ryan, fully focused on grilling the tomahawk steak, paid no attention to his two Pokémon's thoughts. He was busy calculating the day's gains.
"These two Seviper skins were freshly shed, and their quality and appearance are top-notch. They should sell for around 200,000 League Coins."
"That'll be enough to buy some Energy Cubes and upgrade our training schedule."
Thinking this, Ryan slowly rotated the grill to prevent the steak from burning and sprinkled a pinch of fine sea salt over it.
...
Before long, dinner was ready.
"Come on, let's eat," Ryan said with a smile as he cut the steak into portions and handed them to the two Pokémon.
"Lu…ka…" Riolu couldn't hold back any longer. He immediately stabbed a piece with his fork and popped it into his mouth, chewing happily.
Despite her gentle and cute appearance, Ralts ate with surprising ferocity. Her big bites were every bit as impressive as Riolu's.
...
After a busy day, Ryan was hungry too. He dipped a piece of the beef in the secret sauce and chewed it slowly.
The tomahawk steak was made from high-grade thigh meat with fine fibers, making it incredibly tender and easy to chew. The meat was rich and oily, practically melting in the mouth like hot ice cream. The base flavor carried a light sea salt aroma, perfectly enhanced by the secret sauce, creating a rich, layered taste that lingered on the tongue.
"You two are really something…" Ryan chuckled. "Eat slowly, there's no rush."
He placed the remaining steak in front of the two Pokémon and smiled as he watched them devour it like little wolves.
...
That's right — Ryan Harlan was a transmigrator.
In his previous life, he had earned PhDs in statistics, logic, computer science, and engineering. He was also passionate about extreme sports and had systematically learned practical combat techniques from a renowned fighting master.
Later, he founded a company that flourished under his leadership. After making more than enough money in the business world, he became an avid traveler, exploring the globe.
Upon his death, he unexpectedly found himself reincarnated into the world of Pokémon.
In Lavaridge Town in the Hoenn region, he had accidentally obtained a Pokémon egg. After careful incubation, it hatched into Riolu.
Later, while traveling in the wild, they encountered a lone Ralts. Together, they captured her and welcomed her into their small team.
...
After the hearty meal, both Pokémon had slightly bulging bellies and wore expressions of pure satisfaction and enjoyment.
"Alright, you two worked hard today. Go get some rest," Ryan said gently.
He cleaned up the pots and pans, packing everything neatly into his backpack.
This versatile backpack was one of the technological marvels of this world. Though it looked like an ordinary bag, it could hold hundreds of items. For the friendly price of only 20,000 League Coins, it was practically a spatial storage bag.
"Alright, you two should sleep early." Ryan tucked both Pokémon into their sleeping bags, then prepared to keep watch outside the tent.
Petalburg Woods was vast, and they were currently deep inside it, far from other people. They had to stay vigilant at night against attacks from wild Pokémon.
After all, not all Pokémon were friendly and docile. Seviper, Beedrill, and the Nidoking line could be extremely aggressive and would attack anyone who intruded on their territory.
...
"Tomorrow, it's time to leave Petalburg Woods and head home."
"Little Oro has already reached level 20. He's ready to evolve, so we don't need to suppress it anymore. After selling the skins this time, we'll have enough money to buy him a TM."
"Little Lulu should reach level 20 with a few more days of training and evolve into Kirlia."
Ryan pondered their plans while sitting cross-legged in meditation.
This was his unique training method — a technique he had learned from a Qigong master in his previous life. Through meditation, he could quickly recover his stamina while remaining fully alert to his surroundings.
...
After collecting the Seviper skins, Ryan hadn't lingered in the area. All snake-like Pokémon were fiercely territorial. Once they recovered their strength, they were likely to come after him for revenge.
As soon as dawn broke, Ryan woke the two Pokémon, packed up their belongings, and set off.
...
Ryan knew Petalburg Woods well. He had visited many times and was intimately familiar with the area. They moved swiftly through the forest, heading toward the main road.
As they walked through a patch of low grass, Ryan suddenly heard a rustling sound ahead.
"Luca!"
"Ralts!"
The two Pokémon flanking him cried out alertly, their eyes locked on the source of the noise.
Ryan tensed his muscles. If it was a wild Pokémon preparing to attack, he was ready to step in immediately.