LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 181: What's Going On? How Did You All Become Geniuses?
Following behind the two Charcadet was, of course, the Life Pokémon, Xerneas.
Seeing that Angie was actually home, the Charcadet and Oinkologne excitedly shouted from afar.
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
Angie, you're back!
"Oinkologne~ Oinkologne~"
Angie, we're back!
The two Charcadet galloped all the way to Angie and quickly dismounted from the Oinkologne. They each clung tightly to one of Angie's legs.
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
Angie, I missed you so much.
The crybaby Charcadet said while rubbing its face against Angie's leg.
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
Me too.
The obedient Charcadet echoed.
Both of Angie's legs were now occupied by the two Charcadet, and the Oinkologne, unable to get close, could only hop and bounce excitedly around Angie.
"Oinkologne~ Oinkologne~"
Angie, when did you come back?
Angie crouched down and patted each of the four Pokémon on the head. "I came back last night. Thank you all for your hard work these days!"
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
It wasn't hard.
"Oinkologne~ Oinkologne~"
Not at all.
The Oinkologne echoed in agreement.
All four Pokémon shook their heads simultaneously.
The obedient Charcadet hugged Angie's arm tightly and said with concern.
"Charcadet~"
The one who worked hard is you Angie.
The crybaby Charcadet and the two Oinkologne nodded earnestly in agreement. After all, it was due to their request that Angie traveled all the way to the Kanto region to find rare ingredients.
Hearing this, Angie couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. "It wasn't hard for me either. Besides finding ingredients, this trip was also an eye-opening experience for me, something truly valuable."
At this moment, Xerneas finally approached and softly called out, "Angie, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Xerneas," Angie replied with a smile. "Congratulations on your recovery."
Xerneas smiled back. "Thanks to your help."
Angie shook his head modestly. "It was nothing. I'm just glad I could help."
Xerneas then said, "Compared to the last time I was here, the Nebel Plateau has changed a lot."
The reason it had arrived later than the Charcadet and Oinkologne was because it had taken its time to wander around the area. In fact, it even caught a fleeting glimpse of Mew.
Xerneas was no stranger to Mew. Long ago, Mew wasn't as rare as it is now and could be seen on many continents. Sadly, those days are gone.
When Xerneas saw Mew earlier, it was truly surprised.
Hearing Xerneas's comment, Angie's face lit up with pride. "Of course! This is the result of everyone's hard work. The Nebel Plateau will only continue to improve from here."
Xerneas smiled warmly. "I believe you all can make it happen."
"By the way, Xerneas, do you have any plans for what to do next?" Angie asked.
He recalled that Xerneas used to wander around the Kalos region, occasionally visiting the Allearth Forest to check on the slumbering Yveltal.
Hearing Angie's question, Xerneas fell silent in thought.
After a long pause, Xerneas looked up at Angie. "I'd like to settle on the Nebel Plateau for a while, if that's okay?"
When Angie heard this, he was initially taken aback but quickly beamed with surprise, saying, "Of course, you're very welcome!"
"Then I look forward to being in your care," Xerneas said with a hint of laughter in its voice.
This decision had not been made lightly; Xerneas had given it careful thought, even while journeying to the Nebel Plateau.
If events had followed their natural course, it would have transformed into a giant tree and remained in slumber for a thousand years to recover.
However, that process had been completely bypassed thanks to Angie's intervention, leaving Xerneas with an additional thousand years of freedom.
Over countless years, Xerneas had tirelessly worked to maintain the ecological balance of the Kalos region. Now, with a sudden surplus of a thousand years, it thought… surely it was reasonable to use this time for itself, wasn't it?
Another reason for its decision was that Yveltal had also settled here.
Contrary to popular belief, Xerneas and Yveltal were not enemies, nor did they harbor animosity. In fact, they shared a good relationship.
Their apparent opposition was simply a reflection of their duties.
However, it was undeniable that Yveltal, bound by its responsibilities, was prone to going on destructive rampages. Otherwise, Xerneas wouldn't have needed to be nearby every time Yveltal caused a great destruction.
Now, due to Angie's influence, Yveltal had delayed transforming into the Cocoon of Destruction, so Xerneas felt compelled to stay close and keep an eye on its old friend.
And then there was the third reason—Angie's cooking was simply too extraordinary. Every meal left Xerneas brimming with vitality.
Not to mention, the food was absolutely delicious!
Considering all these factors, Xerneas decided to settle on the Nebel Plateau.
"Looking forward to working together, Xerneas," Angie said, his face radiating joy.
The God of Life and the God of Destruction living together on his Nebel Plateau—how could he not be thrilled?
Moreover, when Xerneas brought up the idea of settling there, Angie thought he had heard the system's notification sound.
Did this mean he had unlocked another achievement?
If feeding a second Legendary Pokémon earned him an achievement, surely having the second Legendary Pokémon settle here would too!
"By the way!" Angie suddenly exclaimed, "You all returned early this morning. You haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
The crybaby Charcadet clutched its stomach and nodded pitifully.
"Let's go! I'll whip up something for you to eat!" Angie said with a grand gesture, leading the five Pokémon into the house.
For Xerneas, Angie already had two plates of Tree of Beginning Tofu prepared and placed them before it.
As for the Charcadet and Oinkologne, Angie made each of them a bowl of Tomato Chansey Egg Noodles.
These little ones had worked hard recently, so Angie wanted to give them a good treat.
He no longer needed to worry about a supply of Chansey eggs, either.
With the pathway between the Tree of Beginnings and the Nebel Plateau now freely accessible, Angie could always return to negotiate for more Chansey eggs once his current stock ran out.
Each Chansey could produce one egg per day using the Soft-Boiled skill. These eggs were distinct from Pokémon eggs.
Angie planned to discuss with the Chansey group about supplying him with eggs in exchange for food—a win-win scenario.
After returning to its deer form, Xerneas found the experience of eating Tree of Beginning Tofu even more remarkable. The abundant life energy coursing through its body was simply magical and wonderful!
Thanks to the influx of vitality, Xerneas's antlers began to emit a dazzling rainbow glow, looking absolutely stunning.
(Note: Tree of Beginning Tofu is an exclusive food for Xerneas and Yveltal. While it contains abundant life energy, it cannot be digested or absorbed by ordinary humans or Pokémon, and consuming it would lead to severe indigestion.)
The Charcadet, who had been wolfing down their noodles, noticed the warm energy emanating from Xerneas and instinctively looked up, their eyes captivated by the beauty of its glowing antlers.
So beautiful!
In no time, Xerneas had polished off the two plates of Tree of Beginning Tofu.
Seeing this, Angie smiled and asked, "Would you like to try a bowl of Tomato Chansey Egg Noodles?"
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
It's really good! You need to try it Xerneas l!
The crybaby Charcadet lifted its half-empty bowl and cheerfully chimed in.
"Charcadet~"
Yes, yes!
The goodboy Charcadet nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Xerneas's eyes gleamed with amusement. Turning to Angie, it said, "Then I'd like to try a bowl of Tomato Chansey Egg Noodles, please."
"Got it! Coming right up!" Angie responded, heading into the kitchen. Before long, he returned with a steaming, generous bowl of noodles.
"Dig in!" Angie placed the bowl of noodles in front of Xerneas.
Xerneas thanked him before lowering its head to take a bite.
The moment the noodles, mixed with tomatoes and Chansey eggs, touched its palate, Xerneas felt its appetite surge.
Though this dish, called Tomato Chansey Egg Noodles, didn't provide the immense life energy of the Tree of Beginning Tofu, it brought unparalleled delight to its taste buds.
It was simply delicious!
Watching the five Pokémon savor their meal with gusto, Angie's face lit up with satisfaction.
Before long, all five Pokémon had finished their breakfast. The two Charcadet rubbed their full stomachs, reclining back-to-back on the chairs, while the two Oinkologne lay lazily on the floor.
Xerneas said to Angie, "The food you make is truly delightful."
Angie chuckled, "Thanks for the compliment! If you like it, you can enjoy such delicacies every day from now on."
Xerneas smiled warmly, "That's something to look forward to."
At this moment, Angie suddenly remembered something and turned to the two Charcadet. "Charcadet, do you want to evolve?"
Hearing this, the two Charcadet jumped out of their chairs instantly, their faces brimming with excitement as they looked at Angie.
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
Can we evolve now?
"Charcadet~ Charcadet~"
I want to evolve! I want to get stronger!
If they evolved, they'd become stronger, and they wouldn't need to worry about encountering dangers during their future explorations.
"Alright then!" Angie said, retrieving two evolution items from his system backpack: the Auspicious Armor and the Malicious Armor.
"These are the items that can help you evolve," Angie explained. "But depending on the item you choose, you'll evolve into a different form."
He then projected the two possible evolutions of Charcadet.
Pointing at the Auspicious Armor, he said, "Using this, you'll evolve into Armarouge."
Then, pointing at the Malicious Armor, he continued, "And with this, you'll evolve into Ceruledge."
Angie detailed the differences between Armarouge and Ceruledge, including their respective specialties.
After finishing, he said, "The choice is entirely up to you."
Without hesitation, the crybaby Charcadet grabbed the Auspicious Armor. The moment it touched the armor, it felt as though it had grasped its destiny.
Similarly, the obedient Charcadet decisively chose the Malicious Armor.
Seeing their choices, Angie smiled. "Well then, go ahead and put them on!"
"Charcadet~"
"Charcadet~"
The two Charcadet nodded and donned their respective armors without a moment's delay.
The Auspicious Armor was a golden outer shell with red inlays, while the Malicious Armor had a purple exterior with black accents.
Once the armors were equipped, the two Pokémon looked majestic, resembling ancient knights.
"Charcadet~"
You look so cool!
"Charcadet~"
Yours looks amazing too!
The two of them looked at each other, circling around to admire one another before breaking into wide grins.
Just then, a bluish-white light enveloped both of them, gradually covering their entire bodies.
Within the light, their forms rapidly grew. From less than 1 meter tall, they shot up to over 1.5 meters in the blink of an eye.
When the light dissipated, two brand-new Pokémon appeared in front of Angie and the others.
One was clad in golden armor, with crimson arms and legs. Its head was adorned with a black and red helmet, topped with a tuft of golden flames swaying in the wind.
This was none other than the evolved form of the crybaby Charcadet—Armarouge, a Fire-type and Psychic-type Pokémon, also known as the Fire Warrior Pokémon.
The other wore a menacing black and purple armor radiating an aura of resentment. Its hands wielded two longswords gleaming with a chilling blue-purple light. Like Armarouge, it had a flame atop its head, but this one burned in shades of blue and purple.
This was the evolved form of the goodboy Charcadet—Ceruledge, a Fire-type and Ghost-type Pokémon, also known as the Fire Blade Pokémon.
Seeing the dashing Ceruledge, Armarouge gleefully threw itself into its arms.
"Armarouge~"
We evolved! We evolved!
As it spoke, Armarouge began to sob uncontrollably.
It seemed that even evolution hadn't rid it of its tendency to cry.
"Ceruledge~ Ceruledge~"
Ceruledge patted Armarouge's back gently, comforting it with a soft voice.
"Congratulations, Armarouge and Ceruledge," Angie said warmly to the two Pokémon. "Speaking of which, we've had quite a few evolutions in the house lately."
Marill had evolved into Azumarill, Skitty had evolved into Delcatty, and now the two Charcadet had evolved into Ceruledge and Armarouge.
The two Oinkologne also stepped forward to congratulate Armarouge and Ceruledge.
"Armarouge~"
"Ceruledge~"
To express their gratitude for Angie's help in their evolution, Armarouge and Ceruledge both lunged forward, giving Angie a big hug.
Hugging them back, Angie said, "To celebrate everyone's evolution, let's have a barbecue party tonight!"
Hearing this, Armarouge and Ceruledge jumped up and down, hand in hand, in excitement.
Seizing the moment, Angie used his Eye of Observation to check the stats of the two Pokémon after their evolution.
...
[ Armarouge ]
Type: Fire, Psychic
Ability: Flash Fire
Gender: Female
Level: 36
Moves: Leer, Ember, Clear Smog, Fire Spin, Will-O-Wisp, Flame Charge, Incinerate, Smokescreen, Psyshock, Mystical Fire, Wide Guard, Flamethrower.
...
[ Individual Value (IVs) ]
HP: 31
Attack: 31
Defense: 28
Special Attack: 31
Special Defense: 29
Speed: 31
...
[ Ceruledge ]
Type: Fire, Ghost
Ability: Weak Armor
Gender: Male
Level: 42
Moves: Leer, Ember, Astonish, Clear Smog, Fire Spin, Will-O-Wisp, Night Shade, Flame Charge, Incinerate, Smokescreen, Swords Dance, Shadow Claw.
...
[ Individual Value (IVs) ]
HP: 31
Attack: 31
Defense: 27
Special Attack: 31
Special Defense: 29
Speed: 31
...
After seeing the stats, Angie froze in place.
Wait a minute—this doesn't add up Originally, the Charcadet had very average IVs. Since when could evolution increase IVs?
Could it be the effect of the evolution items?
That didn't seem right either—there had never been any record of evolution items enhancing IVs!
Hold on! Angie suddenly thought of something and swiftly turned to look at Xerneas.
If there had been any extraordinary opportunity for the Charcadet while Angie was away, the only possible source was Xerneas!
Angie quickly used his Eye of Observation to check on the two Oinkologne.
...
[ Oinkologne]
Type: Normal
Ability: Lingering Aroma
Gender: Male
Level: 49
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Echoed Voice, Charm, Mud Shot, Dig, Headbutt, Work Up, Yawn, Take Down, Uproar, Double-Edge, Earth Power, High Horsepower, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Stuff Cheeks.
...
[ Individual Value (IVs) ]
HP: 31
Attack: 31
Defense: 26
Special Attack: 30
Special Defense: 31
Speed: 31
...
[ Oinkologne]
Type: Normal
Ability: Aroma Veil
Gender: Female
Level: 48
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Echoed Voice, Charm, Mud Shot, Dig, Headbutt, Work Up, Yawn, Take Down, Uproar, Double-Edge, Earth Power, High Horsepower, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Stuff Cheeks.
...
[ Individual Value (IVs) ]
HP: 31
Attack: 31
Defense: 30
Special Attack: 31
Special Defense: 29
Speed: 27
...
They were different now, completely different! Previously, the individual values of the two Oinkologne weren't outstanding, but now they had transformed into geniuses.
Angie could only think of one possible explanation for such a massive change: Xerneas.
He couldn't imagine anyone else who could have brought about this miraculous transformation in the Oinkologne and Charcadets.
Thinking this, Angie couldn't help but look at Xerneas with a peculiar expression.
Xerneas, puzzled by Angie's gaze, asked, "Is there something wrong with me?"
Angie replied, "No, it's just that the Charcadets and Oinkologne seem different since they returned. I'm trying to figure out why."
Hearing this, Xerneas fell into deep thought. After a long pause, it looked up at Angie and said:
"Their changes might have something to do with me."
Angie asked, "How so?"
Xerneas explained, "When I ate the special food you made, I often felt my body overflowing with life energy. Just before I reverted to this current form, a surge of life energy poured out of me. At that time, the Charcadets and Oinkologne were right beside me.
I think the changes in their bodies might be due to absorbing my life energy."
Xerneas possessed the ability to share life with other beings, a power that was amplified in its tree form.
While consuming the special food Angie prepared, this ability was intensified. Consequently, the Charcadets and Oinkologne, being nearby, were "affected" by the surge of life energy.
Normally, such phenomena wouldn't occur. However, Xerneas' state at the time was unique—it was transitioning between its tree form and deer form, with an excess of life energy within its body. These coincidences combined to create a miracle.
The Charcadets and Oinkologne had truly hit the jackpot.
After hearing Xerneas' explanation, Angie finally understood. "So that's what happened!"
Absorbing Xerneas' life energy explained why the four Pokémon even emitted stronger aura waves.
What a jackpot!
Xerneas asked, "Is there anything wrong with them absorbing my life energy?"
Angie shook his head. "Not at all. They've gained immense benefits, and I should be thanking you."
Xerneas shook its head in return and said, "No, it's all thanks to you."