https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-319-I-Don-t-Want-the-Big-Fish-I-Only-Want-You/12537396/
Chapter 320: Hell Valley, Lava Bugs, and Ghosts
Chapter 320: Hell Valley, Lava Bugs, and Ghosts
"This is the community center, we'll be resting here for the night." Yuki led Naoki to a two-story building and explained, "Tomorrow, the village chief will come and take you on a tour of the rice paddies and apple orchards of Kitaari Village."
"Alright." Naoki was indeed feeling a bit tired after a full day of traveling.
Yuki pushed open the door to the community center, and Naoki stepped inside. After showing his identification badge to the staff at the front desk, he was informed, "Welcome to Kitaari Village. Your room is on the second floor. For dinner, you can head to the restaurant to your right; the village chief has prepared a welcoming feast for you."
Naoki nodded and proceeded upstairs to unpack his luggage in his room. Soon after, he returned to the lobby, where Yuki guided him to the community center's restaurant.
A bald, bespectacled elderly gentleman in a kimono was already waiting for them there.
Upon seeing Naoki approach, he immediately stepped forward with a beaming smile and extended his hand, "Oh ho, you must be Mr. Naoki, who has come all the way from the Padia region for the agricultural exchange! I am the village chief of Kitaari, and also the mayor of this town. I'm delighted to have you here!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mayor," Naoki shook his hand and introduced himself briefly before they all took their seats at the dining table.
The villagers of Kitaari had prepared a delightful dinner spread that included apple pie, apple candy, sticky rice cakes, mushroom soup, sushi, and more.
Though it wasn't an extravagant feast, the variety of dishes showcased the unique local flavors.
Over dinner, the village chief briefed Naoki on the itinerary for the agricultural exchange:
"Tomorrow morning, I will accompany you on a tour of our rice paddies. By the way, I presume there aren't any rice fields in the Padia region?"
Naoki pondered for a moment before shaking his head, "The primary crops grown in Padia are wheat and corn. I haven't come across any rice fields, at least not near Reikin Town. I'm not too sure about other areas."
"Is that so?" The village chief nodded with a smile, "The food production in Reikin Town last year was incredibly impressive! It even made it into the World Agricultural News!"
Naoki smiled gently, "Indeed, the weather in Reikin was exceptionally favorable last year, with ideal climate and temperature conditions for crop growth. And of course, the people there also worship the great Fertility King."
"The Fertility King?" The village chief's eyes widened in surprise, his expression filled with curiosity.
Naoki nodded, "It's a legendary Pokemon that is said to bless the soil with fertility and bring about bountiful harvests. Farmers who worship it are believed to enjoy favorable weather and abundant crops for the entire year."
"Because of this, the locals affectionately refer to it as the Fertility King. They've even built a shrine in its honor and hold an annual festival to express their gratitude."
"I had no idea such a thing existed..." The village chief exclaimed in astonishment.
Naoki gave a slight nod, "Perhaps the Appletun was touched by the hardworking farmers toiling on the land, and so it brought abundance to the people."
"Appletun?" The village chief paused for a moment.
"That's the name of the Fertility King," Naoki explained.
"Appletun... the legendary Fertility King..." The village chief muttered to himself, committing the name to memory, "But coming back to our village, we also have a legendary Pokemon of our own!"
Another legendary Pokemon? Naoki raised an eyebrow, recalling what he had read in the travel guide, and asked, "The ghost legend?"
"Eh? You know about that too?" The village chief looked surprised.
"I read about it in the Kitaari travel guide on my way here," Naoki replied.
The village chief's expression cleared as he realized, "I see! That's right! We indeed have a statue honoring the three Poke Pals who sacrificed themselves to protect our town, and many trainers and tourists are drawn to our village because of this legend!"
"Because of them, our once quiet farming village has kept up with the times and is now a thriving, prosperous town."
Naoki nodded thoughtfully.
Using the fame of legendary Pokemon to attract tourists and develop the tourism industry, huh?
"The Poke Pal statue is in Poke Pal Plaza, northwest of the town. After we're done with tomorrow's business, you can go take a look," the village chief said.
Naoki indeed planned to do so, "Sure."
"Then it's settled," the village chief said with a kind smile, "For now, get some rest at the community center. If you can't sleep, feel free to explore the town."
After dinner, the village chief bid them goodbye and headed home.
Naoki, satisfied after his filling meal, returned to his room to get some well-deserved rest.
Naoki watched for a while before joining in, experiencing the local rice planting work alongside Gouleston.
"How's it going? Are you getting the hang of it?" the village chief asked.
Naoki nodded; this was easy work for him. "It's a shame that Reikin Town's terrain isn't suitable for rice paddies."
The farms and ranches in Reikin Town mainly focused on livestock, and the crops grown throughout the year were mostly wheat and corn.
It would be too much trouble to switch to rice cultivation and create specialized paddies.
"That's true!" The village chief was also familiar with the situation in Reikin Town. "But each region has its suitable crops, and rice is one of our specialties here in Kitaari Village."
"Oh, right! We also have a special delicacy here in Kitaari—sticky rice cakes made from this rice. You should definitely give it a try later!"
Naoki got to sample this local specialty of Kitaari at lunchtime.
He had planned to head back to the community center for lunch, but as he was leaving the rice fields, an enthusiastic auntie pulled him over to her home, inviting him to join her for lunch and taste her homemade rice cakes.
Naoki was bewildered by the woman's enthusiasm.
However, he soon realized why.
The field he had been working on that morning belonged to this very auntie!
"Let's eat here!" She ushered Naoki into the house and then went into the kitchen to prepare the meal.
Seeing this, Naoki didn't refuse, thinking that the people of Kitaari were rather simple and kind.
He stepped into the courtyard and released his Pokemon from their Poke Balls.
The auntie lived alone, as her husband had passed away, and her son had settled in another region, rarely visiting except during festivals and holidays.
So, aside from the auntie herself, there was no one else in the house.
Naoki sighed; even in the Pokemon world, there were issues of left-behind children and elderly folks left to fend for themselves.
The courtyard was spotlessly clean, with a Magikarp fountain nestled in one corner.
Aerodactyl and Motox lizard approached the Magikarp statue, intrigued by it.
Vibrava hid in the shadows cast by the eaves, silently observing its surroundings.
Gouleston and Naoki stood on the tiles, watching the Pokemon.
Meanwhile, Mudkip looked around with wide-eyed curiosity.
Suddenly, Naoki heard Mudkip let out an excited cry.
He looked up and saw Mudkip flying to the window, eagerly peering inside.
The auntie, busy cooking in the kitchen, spotted Mudkip and smiled as she opened the window. "Hungry, huh? Lunch will be ready soon, but in the meantime, have some cookies I baked!"
"Mud, Mud!" Mudkip reached out with its paw to take the cookie, chirping happily before turning back to Naoki and motioning for him to come over.
"What's going on?" Naoki was surprised but got up to follow Mudkip to investigate.
Soon, he understood Mudkip's excitement.
There was a Lava Bug in the kitchen!
The Lava Bug was hiding under the stove, using its body heat to help the auntie cook the food!
"Mud!" Mudkip was thrilled, as it had wanted to befriend a Lava Bug for a long time.
The auntie noticed Mudkip's intent and glanced between the Lava Bug and Mudkip, smiling as she said, "So, you've spotted the Lava Bug, have you?"
Naoki was equally delighted. "Auntie, can we catch Lava Bugs here in Kitaari?"
"Yes, indeed!" The auntie smiled, and just then, the food in the pot was ready, emitting a gurgling sound.
As she dished out the food and rice cakes, she said, "You can find Lava Bugs on Ghost Mountain behind the town. They live in a place called Hell Valley."
"Hell Valley?" Naoki stepped forward to help the auntie carry the food to the table.
She nodded. "Yes, the ground there spews out scary volcanic gases, making the surrounding area extremely hot, like a hellish landscape. That's why the locals call it Hell Valley."
"Despite the intimidating name, Hell Valley has long been a famous training ground. Many trainers and travelers intentionally go there to hone their skills."
"I see..." Naoki nodded. If that was the environment, the area was sure to be home to a large number of Fire-type Pokemon.
Three minutes later, Gouleston and the other Pokemon gathered around the table and began to enjoy their lunch.
The Lava Bug also scurried out, and the auntie fed it a Pecha Berry, which it happily munched on.
"I also encountered this Lava Bug on Ghost Mountain. It had fallen from Hell Valley and was injured on the mountain path. I fed it a Pecha Berry, and since then, it's been living with me," she explained.
"That's wonderful," Naoki murmured.
"Oh, right!" The auntie suddenly remembered something, and her face turned serious. "If you're going to Ghost Mountain, whatever you do, don't wander around aimlessly!"
Naoki was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
The auntie continued, "It's said that the ghost that was driven away by the three Poke Pals still haunts those parts, and if you encounter it, the ghost will take your life!"
A ghost...
Naoki guessed that this "ghost" was probably referring to another Pokemon.
Could it be a Ghost-type Legendary Pokemon? Hearing this, Naoki hesitated.
He turned to look at the Pokemon by his side. With them around, surely there wouldn't be any danger, even if this ghost was a Legendary Pokemon?
The auntie murmured, "Beyond the village at dusk, a shadow approaches, be extra cautious.
Quickly put on a mask, and hide your face from view.
Whether the shadow is a person or a ghost, nod with your mask on and you shall pass.
If you forget to bring a mask, pray the shadow is human.
If it is human, your life will be spared, never again forget your mask.
If it is a ghost, your life will be forfeit, for showing your true face is a tragedy in the making.
Should the ghost take your soul, you shall never return to the village."
"This is an ancient folk song passed down in the village," the auntie said solemnly. "It's said that someone once encountered the ghost on Ghost Mountain and never returned to the village."
Naoki nodded thoughtfully.
He noticed that the villagers seemed to be genuinely afraid of this ghost.
Was it because this ghost had defeated the three Poke Pals? After lunch, Naoki bade the auntie farewell.
With no other plans for the afternoon, he was free to wander around the town.
Thus, Naoki immediately rode Gouleston to Ghost Mountain, intending to find Hell Valley and see if he could encounter any Lava Bugs.
Having watched the animated short film "A Warm Lava Bug's Home," Poppo was especially fond of the Lava Bugs that went "Puff, puff, puff."
After hearing that this place might have Lava Bugs, it didn't want to return to its Poke Ball.
Instead, it stayed outside, accompanying Naoki into the mountain to search for Lava Bugs, make friends with them, and invite them to play at the ranch.
Ghost Mountain was vast, and without a detailed map, Naoki didn't know the exact location of Hell Valley.
To facilitate the search, he rode Gouleston into the sky and looked down at the entire mountain.
Poppo also flew alongside, curiously looking around.
Before coming here, the auntie had mentioned that Hell Valley was located on the western slope of Ghost Mountain.
However, Naoki searched for a long time without finding the exact location.
Helpless, he could only ask Gouleston to land randomly on the mountain and try to locate Hell Valley based on the types of Pokemon in the area and the surrounding temperature.
Looking around, most of the Pokemon in this area were Bronzor and Bonsly.
Bonsly was very timid, and upon seeing them, it scurried away in a panic.
On the other hand, Bronzor was much bolder, floating in the air and jingling softly, unbothered by the sudden appearance of Gouleston and Poppo.
"There are no Fire-type Pokemon here, and the temperature is the same as downhill..." Naoki pondered briefly before looking up and noticing a waterfall. He instructed Gouleston, "Let's go take a look above the waterfall."
"Agas!"
Gouleston responded and leaped powerfully, then landed steadily on the cliff.
There were no wild Pokemon in sight here.
Naoki was puzzled by the empty and quiet surroundings.
Just then, Poppo, floating in mid-air, seemed to spot something and let out a curious cry, "Bampo?"
"What is it?" Naoki turned and followed Poppo's gaze to the corner of the cliff, where he spotted a green figure peering at them.
Seeming to realize it had been discovered, the figure turned and fled, soon disappearing from view among the cliffs.
Naoki was taken aback. Was that... a villager living nearby?
(End of Chapter)
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