Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

Just as Lorelei had predicted, the moment she relayed the preliminary findings on Jewel Meat, Puffer Whale, and wyvern meat to the Pokémon League, Bruno and Lance immediately set aside everything they were doing and rushed toward Professor Oak’s laboratory.

Agatha, the final member of Kanto’s Elite Four, did not come in person, but she sent one of her most trusted subordinates as quickly as possible.

Besides the three rare ingredients, all three parties also requested additional trades for BB Corn.

That surprised Haruto slightly, though he soon understood the reason.

The Pokémon League had already paid a considerable price to acquire a large supply of BB Corn from him.

As members of the Elite Four, Lance and the others would naturally receive a portion.

However, the League was an enormous organization.

Its resources also had to be distributed among regional Gyms, elite Trainers, research facilities, and countless other departments.

By the time everything was divided, the Elite Four would still receive a respectable allocation, but nowhere near enough to satisfy all their personal training needs.

Haruto readily agreed to trade them more BB Corn.

The League had only purchased the majority of his supply, leaving him with plenty in reserve.

Being able to exchange the rest for more useful resources was entirely to his benefit.

His terms for Jewel Meat, Puffer Whale, and wyvern meat, however, were considerably higher.

This time, Haruto did not ask for Pokémon.

Instead, he requested rare items that seldom appeared on the open market.

Evolution stones of various types, King’s Rocks, Prism Scales, and held items that enhanced the power of different moves...

Haruto was curious about all of them.

More importantly, they would be useful for raising the Pokémon inside the Gourmet Restaurant.

After several rounds of negotiation, the parties reached an agreement.

Haruto traded moderate portions of the three premium ingredients for a large collection of rare items, earning himself a considerable haul.

Bruno, Lance, and Agatha’s representative left in high spirits with their newly acquired ingredients, eager to test the effects for themselves.

Lorelei, however, continued staying at the laboratory with no intention of leaving.

Over the next several days, Haruto also remained quietly at Professor Oak’s facility.

He spent his time waiting for the professor’s deeper research results while rapidly studying the specialized knowledge of the Pokémon world.

Whenever he had free time, Haruto would disappear into the laboratory kitchen and experiment with the Pokémon ingredients he had obtained.

One after another, they were transformed into fragrant new dishes.

Not only did Haruto feel his own strength improving noticeably from eating them, but Lorelei and the laboratory staff also enjoyed meal after meal of exceptional food.

The days passed peacefully yet productively.

One afternoon, sunlight filtered through the trees in the garden and scattered patches of light across the ground.

Haruto was about to go out for a walk and clear his mind when a laboratory assistant hurried toward him.

"Mr. Haruto! Mr. Haruto! Something terrible—no, something wonderful has happened!"

"The Charmander Egg is about to hatch!"

Haruto’s eyes immediately lit up.

The Egg Arceus had given him—the one into which the Red Dragon had been fused—was finally about to hatch.

Without the slightest hesitation, he hurried toward the incubation room.

Lorelei heard the commotion and followed with obvious curiosity.

Several precision incubators operated steadily inside the room.

Under the assistant’s guidance, Haruto carefully removed the warm Charmander Egg from its machine.

He wiped the remaining nutrient solution from the shell with a clean, soft cloth, then placed the Egg on a thick padded mat.

Haruto held his breath and waited for the new life inside to emerge.

Before long, the previously still Egg gave a faint wobble.

A quiet crack followed.

A tiny but unmistakable fracture appeared across the hard shell.

The crack spread rapidly like a spiderweb.

A moment later, the shell broke open, and a small head pushed its way through.

The instant Haruto saw it, confusion crossed his face.

It was black.

Not the orange-red color of a normal Charmander, nor the bright yellow of a Shiny one.

Its head was as dark as polished obsidian.

Haruto had expected the Red Dragon’s fusion to cause some kind of mutation. He had imagined a stronger body or more powerful flames.

He had never expected Charmander to be black.

Lorelei and the laboratory assistants were equally stunned.

Under their watchful gazes, the black Charmander slowly crawled free of the shell and rose unsteadily on the padded mat.

Only then did Haruto see that the darkness was not skin.

Its body was covered in a layer of fine, tightly packed scales that gleamed faintly beneath the light. Crimson markings resembling flickering flames ran across them.

A normal Charmander had orange-red skin and a cream-colored belly.

A Shiny Charmander had bright-yellow skin and a paler yellow underside.

This one possessed black scales, fiery markings, and a fierce presence unlike anything anyone there had ever associated with Charmander.

Understanding gradually dawned on Haruto.

There was no doubt that this mutation had been caused by Arceus fusing the Red Dragon into the Egg.

Still, the Red Dragon’s scales had been crimson.

Why had Charmander become black?

"Why is it black?" Lorelei murmured, staring intently at the newborn Pokémon. "And why does it have scales?"

As a member of the Elite Four, she had encountered countless rare Pokémon, Shiny individuals, and unusual regional forms.

She had never seen or even heard of a Charmander like this.

Haruto recovered from his surprise and looked at the one-of-a-kind Pokémon before him. A smile naturally appeared on his face.

"Because this one is my Pokémon."

In truth, he already had a theory.

When Charizard Mega Evolved into Mega Charizard X, it gained the Fire and Dragon types, and its body turned black.

By fusing the Red Dragon into the Charmander Egg, Arceus might have awakened dormant draconic traits within its bloodline.

The black scales and flame-like patterns could be proof of that fusion.

The exact answer would still require testing with Professor Oak’s equipment.

For the moment, feeding the newborn came first.

Haruto took out a bottle of milk he had prepared in advance, removed the cap, and held it toward the black Charmander.

Charmander raised its head and looked at him curiously before giving a soft cry.

"Char..."

The gentle sound made Haruto smile.

Apparently sensing that he meant no harm, Charmander reached out with its tiny claws, hugged the bottle, and began drinking eagerly.

One bottle.

Then a second.

Then a third.

A normal newborn Pokémon would have been satisfied after a single bottle of Moomoo Milk.

This Charmander possessed an astonishing appetite.

It drank five full bottles before finally releasing a contented little burp, its stomach now slightly rounded.

Once it had finished, Charmander took several unsteady steps toward Haruto and wrapped its claws around his lower leg.

It affectionately rubbed its head against him.

Haruto crouched and gently stroked its head.

The scales felt hard and smooth beneath his fingertips, yet they were not cold. Instead, they carried a gentle warmth like sun-heated jade.

"Charmander, I’ll be counting on you from now on."

Haruto spoke with complete sincerity.

He then took out a Poké Ball, intending to formally make Charmander his partner.

Before he could do so, heavy, hurried footsteps approached from the hallway.

Professor Oak rushed into the incubation room moments later, having clearly been alerted by the staff.

The instant he entered, his gaze locked onto the black Charmander clinging to Haruto’s leg.

He froze.

Then an almost blinding light of excitement erupted in his eyes.

"A black Charmander—and its body is covered in scales?! This completely overturns established theory!"

"What could have caused this mutation? Environmental influence? A change at the genetic level?"

"Incredible! This may be one of the most scientifically valuable individual Pokémon ever discovered!"

Professor Oak became so excited that his words began tumbling over one another.

He circled the black Charmander repeatedly, desperate to understand the reason behind its unusual appearance immediately.

Haruto spoke before the professor could lose himself entirely.

"Professor Oak, why don’t we begin with a complete examination of its physical condition and typing?"

"I have a general idea of what may have caused the mutation."

Professor Oak finally returned to his senses and slapped a hand against his forehead.

"Right! Of course! The examination comes first—a complete examination!"

He immediately turned and hurried toward the laboratory’s central research room as though even a second’s delay would be unbearable.

Haruto lifted the black Charmander, which remained firmly attached to him, and followed alongside Lorelei.

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