Pokémon: Starting with a Bound Entry System

Chapter 209: Emotional Fulfillment

Even after leaving Qinling, Hikaru never forgot to collect his daily Perk Coins.

With [Fixed-Point Mark & Teleport], no matter how far away he and Mew were, all Mew needed was a thought, and she could teleport directly to his side.

After listening to a story, she could teleport back whenever she wanted.

This way, he wouldn't have to worry about the same issues as last time.

As nightfall approached, Mew giggled and teleported away, while Hikaru recalled his other Pokémon into their Poké Balls—then, he began refreshing today's perk selection.

[Green Perk: Confuse & Misdirect]

Effect: Allows the user to confuse a target once, making them misinterpret information.

One-time use. Automatically converts into Perk Coins after use.

"Hmm?"

Was this perk... meant to help him lie?

A guaranteed successful deception?

After understanding its effect, Hikaru chuckled and stored it away.

It was a one-time use perk anyway, and it would eventually convert into Perk Coins afterward.

So—why not save it for later?

After collecting his daily perk, Hikaru checked the Perk Shop.

He hit the refresh button once—

And this time, a Perk Slot Expansion appeared.

After purchasing it, nothing else caught his interest, so he closed the system menu.

Hikaru glanced at the time.

17:56.

Just four more minutes.

Beside him, Latias had returned to her Pokémon form, while Gardevoir stood alert, prepared for battle.

Outside the window, ghostly Pokémon were already gathering.

Their eerie blue flames flickered like will-o'-the-wisps.

Hikaru spoke calmly.

"Don't worry. Tonight should be a lot easier."

Tonight—

The one who would be working the hardest was him, not Gardevoir.

The grandfather clock chimed.

Instantly—

The Spirit Stone, which had been dormant, suddenly seemed to awaken—

It began radiating an irresistible aroma...

A scent that was absolutely tantalizing to the Ghost Pokémon outside.

As if it were whispering to them—

"Come and eat me~"

Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? The energy diffusion is even stronger than yesterday?"

He immediately wrapped the Spirit Stone in Aura, cutting off the scent.

"If it's like this, tonight's Ghost Pokémon will definitely be stronger."

"...Hopefully, Aura suppression still works."

As the clock chimed, the elders fell silent, watching the three screens in front of them.

After a long pause, someone finally spoke up.

"That kid's Aura must have reached an advanced level, right?"

The comment opened the floodgates.

"Seems like it... When was the last time we saw someone use Aura?"

"Ten years ago, wasn't it?"

"Yeah... That other kid, Ryo, came to challenge this gym back then... Time flies."

"I never knew Aura could be used like this... Why didn't Ryo use it the same way?"

"We're getting old. Maybe it's time to retire after this year. Let someone else deal with this place..."

"Oh, shut up, Old Li. You say this every year, yet you're still here. Your granddaughter's probably gonna inherit your position at this rate."

Then, someone pointed at Hikaru's screen.

"Wait, is this even a challenge for him? Should we modify the rules?"

After all—

On the other two screens, both Emma and Damon were still battling Ghost Pokémon nonstop.

Emma had even summoned her second Pokémon—Gothitelle—to ease Gardevoir's burden.

But—

On Hikaru's screen...

He was casually cooking instant noodles.

The old folks in the room stared.

Then—

They swallowed uncomfortably.

"Damn... That actually looks pretty good."

It wasn't Hikaru's fault.

Since yesterday evening, aside from showering, he hadn't eaten anything.

And now—

With no Ghost Pokémon attacking him, why shouldn't he take advantage of the kitchen?

The rich aroma of hot broth filled the air.

[Expert Perk: Multi-Class Master] meant that even Hikaru's cooking was top-tier.

A few chopped scallions, diced beef, and special seasoning blended together—

The fragrance became irresistible.

Gardevoir levitated her bowl using Psychic and scooped up some noodles.

"Garde?" (Is something wrong?)

Latias also tilted her head curiously.

Pokémon could eat human food—

And in fact, Hikaru had even added dried Berries to their soup as a vegetable base.

This was a special treat that even Charizard and Greninja didn't get.

After all, these two had been working hard the past few nights.

This was their reward.

"Wanna know?"

Hikaru slurped a mouthful of noodles, smirking mischievously.

Both Pokémon stared at him, intrigued.

Latias simply took another big bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.

Both were Psychic-type Pokémon.

They didn't even need chopsticks—

They could just levitate the noodles with Psychic energy and eat them directly.

Watching them eat so neatly, Hikaru suddenly felt inspired.

"Life... No—living well isn't just about working hard.

"It's also about learning to enjoy yourself—to satisfy your emotional needs.

"For example—Latias, you love admiring the scenery while we travel."

"Every time you capture a moment in your sketchbook, you feel fulfilled, right?"

Latias blinked.

Then—

She nodded happily.

Hikaru was right.

Every time she finished a drawing, she felt so happy.

It wasn't just about painting—

It was about capturing memories and collecting beautiful landscapes.

Hikaru understood her.

More than anyone else ever had.

Then, Gardevoir spoke up.

"Garde?" (What about you, Hikaru?)

"What's your emotional fulfillment?"

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