Pokemon: Legacy

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Eric wisely kept his mouth shut, refraining from joking about how Moltres resembled a brooding mother hen as it rested on the incubator.

Instead, he crouched down and gently pulled the device from beneath Moltres, sneaking a quick touch of its warm, fiery feathers as he did so.

Moltres twitched, immediately aware of the wandering hand. Fury began to bubble within, but the sharp, unbothered gaze of Luxray quickly suppressed it.

'How humiliating' Moltres thought, feeling a deep sense of disgrace. 'A Legendary Pokémon, reduced to silently enduring a human's audacity just to avoid antagonizing Luxray. What would the other Legendaries say if they knew? It was a bitter pill to swallow.'

Meanwhile, Eric focused on the incubator, inspecting the contents closely. He frowned, muttering, "It's only been four days, and it's already absorbed everything? Is this because of Moltres?"

The once-bright green nutrient solution inside had turned completely clear, a sign that all its energy had been absorbed by the egg.

This was highly unusual. The manual mentioned that most eggs took seven days to absorb their nutrients, with the fastest cases only cutting it short by a day or two.

Yet here was an egg that had drained the solution in just four days a feat the manual didn't even address.

"That's ridiculous," Eric sighed.

Returning to the house, he filled the incubator with a second bottle of nutrient solution, mumbling, "At this rate, not even two weeks' worth will last."

Placing the incubator back beneath Moltres, Eric patted the Legendary's shoulder. "Let's hope your Flame Body lives up to its reputation and helps this egg hatch soon, or I'm going to go broke feeding it."

Satisfied that the farm was in good hands with Serperior, Eldegoss, and the carefree Cottonee, Eric decided it was safe to head out for the day.

He also left Mimikyu behind, hiding in the shadows near Moltres, just in case the fiery bird decided to act on any wild impulses.

---

Eric and Luxray spent their time in the wilderness scouring for valuable items, guided by the system's alerts. The hours passed quickly, and by the time Eric stopped to assess his progress, the sky had already begun to dim.

Sorting through his finds, Eric counted a handful of medicinal herbs and a Rock-type Hard Stone the most valuable item of the day.

Hard Stones weren't rare, often found near Rock-type Pokémon, but they still fetched about 3,000 Pokédollars on the market.

Combined with some other odds and ends, today's haul could net him a modest 5,000 Pokédollars at the market.

As Eric pondered what to eat for dinner, Luxray suddenly lifted its nose, sniffing the air with a focused intensity.

A spark of excitement flickered in its golden eyes as it turned to Eric, calling, "Luxray!"

"What is it?" Eric asked, puzzled. Luxray didn't wait to explain, instead motioning for Eric to follow before bounding deeper into the forest.

Eric blinked. "This feels familiar…" A memory tugged at him, but he shook it off and hurried after Luxray.

---

The mountainside trail was rough, devoid of human footprints. Eric, however, was no stranger to such terrain. With practised ease, he navigated the uneven ground; his eyes fixed on Luxray's faintly glowing form up ahead.

As he climbed higher, a faint aroma wafted through the air, growing stronger with each step.

The scent triggered a rush of memories Eric recalled his early days in this world when he had been broke and desperate. Back then, he and a young Shinx had survived by scavenging treasures from the wilderness, their first windfall guided by a similar fragrance.

After nearly an hour of climbing, Eric finally caught up to Luxray, who had stopped and was staring intently ahead. Eric followed its gaze and immediately recognized the source of the tantalizing smell of Lechonk.

This particular Lechonk was a male with glossy black skin and pink hooves. Its nose twitched furiously as it rooted through the dirt, searching for delicacies.

Oblivious to Eric and Luxray's presence, it continued snuffling and occasionally digging up mushrooms to devour.

Eric's mouth watered not for Lechonk itself, but for the culinary potential its keen sense of smell could uncover.

Both Lechonk and its evolution, Oinkologne, were renowned for their ability to sniff out rare delicacies, earning them a place in kitchens and on farms alike.

Watching the Lechonk feast, Eric made a mental note to follow its lead. The Pokémon's strong sense of smell was clearly guiding it to the best finds.

As Lechonk rooted around, it suddenly caught a whiff of something even more enticing. Without hesitation, it bolted further up the mountain, its stubby legs carrying it surprisingly fast.

"Luxray, after it!" Eric called, already breaking into a run.

Luxray needed no encouragement. The two pursued Lechonk through the dense forest, the smell growing stronger with every step.

Strange cries echoed from the dark woods, but Eric barely noticed his focus was solely on their guide.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of chasing, Lechonk came to an abrupt halt. It pawed the ground eagerly, its nose practically glued to the earth.

As Eric and Luxray caught up, their eyes widened at the sight.

Lying on the ground was a pair of enormous, discarded claws.

Eric's excitement was barely contained as he recognized the treasure: naturally-shed claws from a Klawf.

The claws were a culinary dream succulent, tender, and bursting with flavour.

Restaurants and gourmet chefs paid a premium for them, making them one of the most sought-after ingredients in the region.

Eric crouched beside the claws, his heart pounding. "Jackpot," he whispered, marvelling at the find. These claws were worth a small fortune. For the second time, Lechonk's keen nose had led him to a windfall.

He glanced at Luxray, who was already smirking, and then back at Lechonk, who seemed oblivious to the value of what it had uncovered.

"Looks like dinner's on me," Eric said, grinning.

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