[Flavorful Leek — Combat Edition: Having lost its effects as an ingredient, it has gained a Flowing Fire effect. When facing flames, it can absorb damage from Fire-type moves, enhancing the weapon's own durability and the power of Fighting-type moves. It also carries an Illusion-Breaking effect!] 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Hmm... it really did become a specialized weapon.

Kaede also found this quite miraculous.

The previously soft and pliable leek had actually become so rigid the moment Farfetch'd picked it up.

And it could even bestow such effects.

"Farfetch'd..." Farfetch'd wanted to test its new weapon, but Kaede stopped it—no using moves in the plantation.

He looked at the weapon Farfetch'd had discarded, an idea forming in his mind.

[B-grade Ingredient — Leek: This was once a leek wielded by a Farfetch'd. Through its bond with its wielder and countless battles, it has accumulated a certain amount of Fighting-type energy. Using it to create a dish seems to produce special effects.]

The leek Farfetch'd had swapped out might also be useful to him.

"So, I'll take this leek, alright?" Kaede said, picking up the leek.

"Farfetch'd..."

Farfetch'd agreed without hesitation.

Storing the leek, he led Gabite and Farfetch'd, each having gained something, back to the living room. Farfetch'd, now holding the red leek, immediately attracted the attention of all the Pokémon.

The vibrant red leek made Farfetch'd shed its previous reserve, becoming confident once more.

It could feel that with this leek, its power had increased tremendously!

"Wow, so cool!"

The moment Megumi saw it, her eyes lit up. She ran over to admire Farfetch'd and its leek. Although she didn't know exactly what had happened, judging by Farfetch'd's changed demeanor and the leek's appearance,

It was clear that Farfetch'd had undergone a qualitative transformation!

Kaede's own Pokémon weren't particularly surprised. They had seen such leeks used in cooking before and naturally understood. Besides, they had witnessed their Trainer's peculiarities many times.

But for Zoroark, Noivern, and Meowscarada (Megumi's)...

It was different.

This red leek gave off a somewhat intimidating aura, though without facing it directly, they couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

As for Meowscarada (Megumi's)...

"Meowscarada..."

*It never got such nice things before, and now these two Pokémon show up and get such good stuff right away.*

*So unfair... meow...*

.....

Over the next few days,

The Breeding House saw no further peculiar changes.

Meanwhile, in the northeastern region.

Within a city of towering buildings, in a sunlit room of a particularly tall skyscraper, various types of research equipment were arranged.

Clearly, this was a research institute.

Inside one sealed room of this institute, a young man in a white lab coat stood. He had sharp features, with dark circles under his gold-rimmed glasses—clearly from long hours of recent work. Before him, a multicolored, shimmering stone was held aloft by electromagnetic force.

"Success?"

The young man spoke uncertainly.

Then, he released the electromagnetic suspension, took the crystal, exited the lab, dismissed the other researchers, hurried downstairs, found a car, drove to a remote location outside the city, passed through layers of secure passages, and entered a dimly lit room.

Inside were rows of iron cages, each containing a Pokémon.

A glance revealed Garchomp, Charizard, Beedrill, Gengar, Houndoom....

A group of Pokémon, all confined in special cages, bearing various shackles.

Clearly, this was not a place for legally housing Pokémon.

Moreover, these Pokémon all seemed to share certain similarities.

Looking at these Pokémon, the young man with gold-rimmed glasses, holding the stone in his hand, showed excited yet bright eyes.

"The Earth Vein energy stones dug up from the ley lines seventeen years ago. Father perished in the incident, believing these stones useless, but..."

He paused, his expression gradually turning fanatical. "How could the Earth Vein energy stones, guarded so fiercely, have no effect at all?!"

"What Father couldn't accomplish back then, let me achieve now!"

"Twelfth attempt..."

He took the stone to a Beedrill's cage.

Among all the experimental subjects, Beedrill was the easiest Pokémon to obtain.

He placed the stone on the Beedrill's body, securing it with straps. Then he took out a controller. The moment he pressed it, instruments lit up, energy flowing along certain circuits toward a wrist device he also wore.

Looking closely, one could see that the wrist device also had a stone embedded...

"Buzzzzz...."

Violent energy swept through the Beedrill's body, rousing it from its hypnotized state. Intense energy fluctuations coursed through it, its body stretching and changing within the multicolored light.

Its stingers grew longer, its already streamlined form becoming even more aerodynamic.

Its eyes narrowed. When the light faded, a Mega Beedrill, resembling a creature with four elongated stingers, had appeared.

But this transformation seemed imperfect. It cried out in pain, thrashing about, repeatedly crashing against the iron cage with loud bangs. Yet the cage's construction was surprisingly sturdy. The young man promptly pressed the controller in his hand, causing the Beedrill even more pain.

"Give up resisting, Beedrill! You can't escape!" His voice was full of frenzied intensity, his expression somewhat delirious.

If the first Pokémon evolved this way could be controlled, then there would be a second, a third...

And besides...

Among the stones his father left him, there were over a dozen like this!

And within those ley lines, who knew how many more existed!

With energy stones like these.

Watching the gradually calming, submissive Beedrill, his laughter grew increasingly unrestrained.

He would collect more Earth Vein Stones!