Chapter 44 - 044:Natsume-sensei's Late-Night Kitchen

Ten minutes after Natsume-sensei's video was released, the comments section exploded. "Grandpa, the content creator you follow just updated!" "Is this content creator slacking off again??" "Damn, late-night food poisoning!" "Posting a food video in the middle of the night? Please, have some mercy!" "Wait, this dish is glowing?!" Followers who practically lived on Nico Dou were the first to notice Natsume-sensei's new video. Expecting more dirty strategies, they clicked on the video with a sense of reverence, hoping Natsume-sensei was doing alright. But to their utter shock, Natsume-sensei had switched careers to become a Food Content Creator?! Switching careers was one thing, but who posts a video at 1 a.m.?! What's worse, the cooking actually looked pretty legit. The golden roast paired with thick, rich sauce, combined with filters and a cozy BGM... "Damn, I'm starving!" "Why did I click on this video in the middle of the night?" "Natsume-sensei, you just lost a coin!" Aside from the mouthwatering roast, Gastly's mukbang was another highlight. The way it devoured the food made viewers swallow hard. The rich aroma seemed to waft right out of the video. Just as Gastly was about to finish the roast, ending the five-minute torture, Natsume-sensei brought out another plate and started eating himself... "I've never seen someone so shameless!" "Suggested Edit: Replay." "Honestly, Natsume-sensei's cooking skills seem pretty solid." Even from a professional standpoint, there was nothing to criticize about Natsume-sensei's cooking techniques. For a game streamer to have such culinary skills was beyond what followers had expected. Moreover, this was the first time Natsume-sensei had appeared in his own video. His slender fingers, his profile while cooking, paired with the warm and soothing BGM... "Why am I suddenly tearing up?" "Is this really Natsume-sensei??" "Who are you, handsome? Give us our streamer back!" From the cooking tutorial to the filming and editing techniques, the video was flawless as a food content piece. Natsume-sensei had adopted the style of the parallel world's "Late-Night Kitchen," avoiding flashy techniques and instead letting his slightly magnetic narration carry the video. It was clear that this editing style would spark a wave of imitators in the Lifestyle Category. But what truly shocked viewers was the final segment of the video. As Gastly licked the plate, looking utterly satisfied, it suddenly evolved?! Cooking could make Pokémon evolve now? Was this some new evolution research? "I'm completely dumbfounded. Who knew evolution could work like this!" "Could Natsume-sensei actually be a Breeder?!" Among Breeders, there was indeed a category of chefs who used cooking to breed Pokémon. Like Sinnoh Region's Poffin or Galar Region's Max Soup and curry dishes. It was an undeniable fact that cooking could have breeding effects on Pokémon, but... Natsume-sensei was supposed to be a Strategy Master, right? When did he become a Breeder?! "Is this what the world of the strong is like?" "He's not just handsome, but he can cook too?" "Natsume-sensei, I'm in love!" ... Pewter City, Pewter Gym. After comforting his younger siblings and putting them to bed, it was already late at night. The man with a resolute face stretched and smiled softly at his younger brother. "You've worked hard, Forrest. You should rest early too." Forrest, who bore a striking resemblance to Brock, nodded but turned back at the door, saying earnestly, "Brother, you've worked hard too!" "Don't be silly," Brock chuckled, patting Forrest's head. "This is what I'm supposed to do." Although Pewter Gym's strength was recognized within the Kanto League, the salary of a Gym Leader alone wasn't enough to support the lives of nine younger siblings. Thus, Brock also worked as a security guard at the Pewter City Museum, where he had obtained his Kabutops. Besides being a Trainer, Brock was also an excellent Breeder. Sitting down at his computer, Brock maintained his daily habit of studying breeding methods, but his attention was caught by a rapidly trending video. "Late-Night Kitchen?" Brock murmured, squinting. "A cooking video?" Brock's own cooking skills were quite impressive. But this video had the "Breeder" tag, which piqued his curiosity. "Breeding Pokémon through cooking?" Breeders, also known as Pokémon Breeders, had a wide range of roles and categories. Egg hatching, grooming, cooking... all fell under the umbrella of Breeders. Strictly speaking, Gold and Blue Oak were also Pokémon Breeders. Even Red had mentioned a junior from Sinnoh Region, Diamond, who was exceptionally skilled at using Poffin to breed Pokémon. Clicking on the video, Brock watched the cooking process with a stern, meticulous gaze. Though the techniques were still a bit rough, there was nothing else to criticize. The final segment, where Gastly evolved, made Brock's eyes widen slightly. "Just a gimmick?" "No, Gastly really did evolve after eating the dish." Brock stroked his chin, muttering to himself. "Was it the emotions in the cooking, or some other breeding technique?" In this Pokémon world, emotional energy was a mysterious yet tangible force. Viridian Power could temporarily push Pokémon beyond their limits, and even the legendary Bond Power relied on emotional energy. This Gastly shared an incredibly strong bond with its Trainer. The Trainer's handmade dish and the emotions poured into it were the key factors that triggered Gastly's evolution. "Truly..." Brock smiled faintly. "An excellent Breeder!" The most important quality of a Breeder was a heart full of love for Pokémon. Just this video alone made Brock feel a sense of camaraderie with Natsume-sensei. Brock clenched his fist, his expression turning serious. This was a mutual respect between two men, two Breeders! With the intention of exchanging ideas, Brock carefully composed a private message to Natsume-sensei. Rock Steady: Hello. Half an hour of silence followed. Natsume had just finished his instant noodles and returned to find he had lost over 30,000 followers. "Wow, that's harsh!" Natsume raised an eyebrow. "I thought I did a pretty good job!" Fortunately, the follower count was steadily climbing again, so Natsume wasn't worried. With perfectionist precision, he opened the private messages. After clearing out the red notification dots, one ID caught his attention: "Rock Steady." The profile picture was a badge—a gray equilateral octagon, the symbol of the Pewter Gym for Rock-types. Natsume's lips twitched as he clicked on the profile, only to be greeted by the image of a muscular man with squinting eyes. "One more won't hurt," Natsume sighed, replying. Natsume-sensei: You there? Join the group! ???? 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