Gourmet master of the Pokemon world

The family of four walked and walked until they reached the two large trees on the plateau. This was one of the highest points on the Nibel Plateau. Standing here, they could see most of the plateau's landscape.

They could also clearly see the distant Azoth Kingdom.

"Let's rest here," Ange suggested, plopping down on the grass.

Diancie and Munchlax sat on either side of Ange.

"Ange, are you looking at the Azoth Kingdom?" Diancie suddenly asked, noticing Ange was in a daze.

Ange snapped out of it and replied with a smile, "Yes, I wonder what the Azoth Kingdom looks like now."

Diancie nodded, "I'm curious too."

Munchlax, hearing Ange and Diancie repeatedly mention the Azoth Kingdom, looked very puzzled.

Seeing this, Ange rubbed its head and explained with a smile, "The Azoth Kingdom is Diancie's and my hometown." He pointed towards the location of the Azoth Kingdom, "See that? It's there!"

Munchlax nodded, seeming to understand.

"Mun-Mun~ Mun~" Master, are you homesick?

"A little, maybe," Ange replied. (Diancie's translation process is omitted here.)

Hearing this, Munchlax became anxious.

"Mun-Mun~ Mun~" Then will Master leave the Nibel Plateau? Will you abandon me?!

"Why would you think that?" Ange looked at Munchlax in surprise, "Of course not! The Nibel Plateau is already my home. Of course, I'll stay here forever. I won't go anywhere, and I certainly won't abandon you!"

"Mun-Mun~"

Hearing this, Munchlax was overjoyed and pounced into Ange's arms, hugging Ange's waist and acting spoiled.

Munchlax's level had recently increased, so its strength had also increased. Ange almost couldn't breathe from being tackled.

He gently stroked Munchlax's back and said, "Munchlax, have you gained weight recently?"

Munchlax immediately became unhappy upon hearing this and sat up from Ange's arms, pounding its chest with its fist and retorting, "Mun~ Mun~ This isn't fat, it's strong!"

"Pfft~" Ange was amused by it, pinching its soft belly, "Yes, yes, yes~ It's strong, not fat!"

Munchlax's ability is Thick Fat, so it's particularly prone to getting fat. Fat for it is indeed equivalent to being strong.

Ange played with Munchlax for a while, and then Diancie asked, "When are you planning to go to the Azoth Kingdom?"

-----

The next morning, after Ange and Munchlax finished making breakfast for the Pokémon, Ange packed up his things and prepared to depart for the Azoth Kingdom.

"Chiru~ Chiru~"

At this moment, Swablu, who hadn't left yet, flew over.

"What's wrong, Swablu?" Ange asked in confusion.

"Chiru~ Chiru~"

Swablu gestured for a while, but Ange didn't understand a single word, so he had to call Diancie to translate.

"Chiru~ Chiru~" Ange, I heard you have something to go to the Azoth Kingdom for, is that right?

Swablu asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" Ange asked curiously.

"Chiru~" Munchlax told me.

"I see~ Then what are you here for?" Ange was even more puzzled.

"Chiru~ Chiru~" My mom said she can take you.

Swablu said.

Ange's eyes lit up upon hearing this, "Really?" He was a little surprised, never expecting Swablu's mom, who had such a bad temper, to be willing to help him. It was really surprising.

"Chiru~ Chiru~" Really, you come with me!

Swablu patted Ange with its wing.

"Okay!" Ange said, running to say goodbye to Diancie.

"Do you need me to go with you?" Diancie asked.

Ange waved his hand and said, "No need, I'll just summon you over when I get there. Have you forgotten that I can summon you anytime, anywhere?"

Diancie had indeed forgotten about this, "Okay, I'll wait for you."

"Munchlax, Treecko, take good care of the house!" Then Ange said goodbye to Munchlax and Treecko.

"Mun~" Munchlax waved goodbye to wish Ange a safe trip.

Treecko hugged its tree pillow and slept soundly, without the slightest reaction to Ange's instructions.

Ange was led by Swablu all the way to the shore of Lake Nibel. He asked in confusion, "Didn't you say your mom would take me? Why did you bring me to the lake?" Swablu's mom wouldn't be in the lake, would she?

"Chiru~ Chiru~"

Swablu gestured again, and it took Ange a long time to understand that it wasn't Swablu's mom who was going to take Ange personally, but that it had found a friend to take Ange.

Thinking about it, that made sense. Swablu's mom originally hated humans so much, how could she change overnight, and how could she let a human ride on her back!

"Chiru~ Chiru~"

Swablu called out to the lake surface for a while, and then a wave rose, and Ange saw a Lapras slowly emerge from the water and quickly swim to the shore.

"Woo~"

After reaching the shore, Lapras greeted Ange friendly.

Unlike the other Pokémon on the Nibel Plateau, this Lapras was not afraid of humans at all.

In fact, strictly speaking, Lapras cannot be considered a pure Nibel Plateau Pokémon, because it lives in the Nibel River, and the Nibel River flows out of the mountains in the northwest of the Nibel Plateau, flows through the Nibel Plateau, and then flows south all the way, endlessly wide. Lapras spends most of its time migrating and does not always live on the Nibel Plateau.

Moreover, Lapras is a Pokémon that is close to humans and likes to carry humans around, so naturally it would not reject Ange.

"Lapras, I'm counting on you this time."

Ange said, taking out a soft steamed bun from his system backpack and handing it to Lapras. The system backpack also has a preservation function, so Ange prepared some steamed buns and buns to put in it, planning to use them as lunch at noon.

"Woo~"

Lapras swallowed the steamed bun in one gulp, squinting its eyes and chewing with an expression of enjoyment.

Happiness Points +100

"Woo~"

After eating, Lapras called out to Ange, signaling that Ange could set off.

Ange jumped onto Lapras's back and sat down, then turned to Swablu and said, "Swablu, go home quickly, don't worry about me."

"Chiru~ Chiru~"

Swablu waved its wings and said goodbye to Ange.

"Woo~"

Lapras whimpered softly and set off, and Ange immediately felt the surrounding scenery begin to recede rapidly.

Although Lapras swam very fast, and Ange couldn't see Swablu on the shore in the blink of an eye, it also swam very steadily. He could hardly feel any shaking or bumps.

It was indeed a transport Pokémon.

Lake Nibel was very vast. Lapras swam swiftly across the calm lake surface, allowing Anji to see various Pokémon inhabiting it. Graceful Swanna floated elegantly on the water, followed by their Ducklett offspring. Carvanha and Sharpedo raced each other, while Luvdisc nestled together intimately…

So many adorable creatures delighted Anji.

Suddenly, he seemed to hear the roar of rushing water.

“Are we approaching a waterfall?”

Anji knew that the connection between Lake Nibel and the Nibel River was a rapid waterfall.

Lapras simply nodded its head.

Anji's face filled with horror upon hearing this, “We’re not going to jump off the waterfall, are we?”

“Woo~~”

Lapras was amused by Anji, its eyes curving into crescent moons. It gently shook its head, indicating that it would not go over the waterfall.

Even with its superb swimming skills, it couldn't handle such a high and rapid waterfall!

“That’s good, that’s good.” Anji sighed in relief, “My little heart can’t take such frights.”

As they approached the waterfall, Anji saw Lapras swim towards the side. Soon, a gentle channel of water appeared in his view.

Following this channel, Anji and Lapras smoothly arrived at the bottom of the waterfall.

Looking up from below, Anji found the waterfall even more majestic and magnificent.

Just as Anji turned to admire the waterfall's grandeur, he suddenly saw a flash of red in the white water.

“What’s that?”

“Woo~~”

Upon hearing this, Lapras also turned its head to look. It seemed to understand and tried to explain something to Anji, but unfortunately, Anji couldn't understand.

After staring for a long time, Anji saw more and more red in his vision. He then realized that they were Magikarp climbing the waterfall.

“Is this the ‘carp leaping over the dragon’s gate’?”

Lapras gently nodded, confirming Anji's guess.

Every year at this time, Magikarp from the lower reaches of the Nibel River, having trained their jumping abilities for a year, would gather at this waterfall, using the move Bounce to climb upstream against the current.

If they could successfully cross this treacherous waterfall, they would evolve into powerful Gyarados and continue westward along the Nibel River, seeking and challenging even stronger opponents.

If they couldn't cross, they could only remain as Magikarp and try again next year. If they never succeeded, they could only breed, live, grow old, and die as Magikarp in the lower reaches.

Of course, some Magikarp would evolve into Gyarados without crossing the waterfall. In this case, they would also choose to abandon the challenge of climbing the waterfall and settle peacefully in the lower reaches of the Nibel River.

Gyarados were proud. If they couldn't cross the waterfall as Magikarp, they would believe they had lost the qualification to challenge the “carp leaping over the dragon’s gate.”

Seeing Anji watching with fascination, Lapras simply stopped.

Watching Magikarp after Magikarp persistently climb towards the top of the waterfall, never giving up even when washed down by the current, until they were exhausted and disappeared into the riverbed, Anji felt deeply moved.

This was the power of life!

Magikarp's power was too weak. They were known as the weakest Pokémon in the world. So, after watching for a long time, Anji didn't see any successfully climb the waterfall.

But the more it was like this, the more Magikarp surged forward one after another.

After a long while, realizing that he couldn't delay any longer, Anji said to Lapras, “Lapras, let’s go.” At the same time, he silently offered his blessings to the Magikarp.

Go for it, Magikarp!

However, at the moment he turned around, a loud roar erupted, almost overwhelming the sound of the waterfall.

Anji turned around in surprise and joy, only to see a strong Gyarados roaring towards the sky at the top of the waterfall, venting its excitement and ambition.

Encouraged by this roar, the Magikarp at the bottom of the waterfall seemed to see hope and once again climbed upwards fearlessly.

Congratulations!

After silently blessing the Gyarados in his heart, Anji patted Lapras's neck and said, “Let’s go.”

“Woo~~”

Lapras chirped softly, seemingly inspired by the Gyarados just now, its voice becoming more spirited.

Watching the waterfall move further and further away, Anji couldn't help but ask, “Lapras, how long does the ‘carp leaping over the dragon’s gate’ usually last?”

“Woo~ woo~ woo~”

Lapras cried three times in a row.

“You mean three days?” Anji asked.

Lapras nodded.

“Then I hope enough Magikarp can cross the dragon’s gate in these three days.” Anji sincerely blessed.

“Woo~~”

Lapras chirped softly, also offering its blessings.

As they gradually left the Nibel Plateau, the Nibel River became calmer, and the trees on both banks gradually grew taller.

Anji could see Mankey and Primeape leaping in the jungle, Sawsbuck drinking by the river, and Marill and Azurill playing by the water…

After completely leaving the Nibel Plateau, Anji noticed that the surrounding plants began to wither, everything was yellow and desolate, and even the temperature gradually dropped.

Anji suddenly realized that the season outside the Nibel Plateau was already late autumn.

The reason why the Nibel Plateau was so vibrant was not only because of its special geographical location, but also because a special Pokémon lived there.

Influenced by that Pokémon, the climate of the Nibel Plateau remained spring-like all year round.

Able to influence the climate of an entire region, Anji guessed that it might be a Legendary Pokémon, but unfortunately, he had no chance to see it.

Not long after, the tall city walls of Azoth Town clearly appeared in Anji's sight.

Were the city walls of the royal city this high before? Anji tried hard to recall.

When Lapras carried Anji to the section of the river closest to Azoth Town, he leaped onto the riverbank, “Lapras, thank you for your hard work. Please wait for me here.”

As he spoke, he took out a steamed bun and handed it to Lapras.

“Woo~~”

Lapras nodded while chewing. After finishing the steamed bun, it plunged into the water and disappeared, leaving only ripples.

Finding a hidden bush, Anji used the summoning function to summon Diancie to his side. Diancie must be very curious about what Azoth Town had become.

Seeing Diancie, who was originally far away in the Nibel Plateau, suddenly appear in front of him, Anji couldn't help but marvel. The system's ability was indeed awesome!

“So amazing!” Diancie herself was also very surprised.

“Let’s go.”

Looking at Azoth Town, which was close at hand, Anji took a deep breath and said.