Chapter 43: Chapter 43
Luke gazed in astonishment at the radiant white light before him.
In the first second, Luke shifted his gaze to the Everstone resting on the table.
In the second second, he directed his attention to Gastly, whose claws were gradually elongating.
In the third second, Luke's thoughts raced as he contemplated where he could find the "B" key to halt the evolution process.
The answer, unfortunately, was a resounding no!
A luminous white cocoon enveloped Gastly as mist swirled around, gradually taking on the form of a jagged, purple-faced Haunter. Thorn-like protrusions emerged on either side of its head, while its previously plump eyes stretched into narrow slits. The black pupils glowed with a dim-blue hue, and its pointed fangs turned into eerie purple teeth. Haunter's body sported a pair of ethereal ghostly claws on either side, dangling midair and exuding an air of remarkable flexibility.
Haunter's narrowed eyes locked onto the plate, and it proceeded to lick off every remnant of soup with its newly evolved hands.
"Jie jie~!"
You evolve and the first thing you do is lick a plate?!
The advent of hands undoubtedly enhanced Haunter's convenience significantly.
With a slight headache, Luke rubbed his forehead. Just when he had spent over 10,000 yuan on an Everstone to prevent Gastly's evolution, it happened anyway.
Yet upon further consideration, Luke realized that the Everstone's purpose was to prevent unexpected evolutions during battles. And now, Gastly's evolution seemed as natural as a river finding its course.
Gastly – or rather, Haunter – contentedly finished cleaning the plate, emitting a satisfied hiccup. It closed its eyes halfway, revealing a sly grin.
"Some things never change." Luke chuckled. "Don't forget to wash the dishes later!"
With Haunter now possessing hands, even household chores became simpler!
"Jie jie~!"
Haunter, its face smeared with sauce, extended its crimson tongue and playfully lunged at Luke.
Swiftly dodging Lick, Luke seized the opportunity to check Haunter's newly acquired moves.
In addition to its existing moves like Substitute-Toxic-Protect-Paralysis and various transformation techniques, Haunter had two additional moves after evolution.
The first was [Hex].
Haunter released its own Haze to envelop its opponent. Theoretically, the more status conditions the opponent suffered, the more potent this move became. Since status conditions could be stacked continuously in real battles, [Hex] had the potential to deal massive damage.
Thinking about the possibility of unleashing [Hex] against an opponent with five layers of status conditions, Luke couldn't help but shudder.
"This is just plain dirty!"
This move was a lesson Haunter learned after its confrontation with Swellow and the aid of the Everstone. At least the 10,000 yuan spent on the Everstone hadn't been in vain.
Despite this, Luke couldn't shake off the feeling of regret.
"I could have waited until Haunter learned Shadow Ball before letting it evolve. What a waste of effort."
Chuckling at his own expense, he added, "Well, I'm not a Trainer, so it's all good."
The second new move Haunter had acquired was [Shadow Punch].
Although it would require some practice to become proficient, Luke could sense that Haunter was eager to master it.
Observing Haunter's enthusiasm as it vigorously punching the wall, Luke felt that mastery wasn't too far off.
"Sizzle!"
With an enthusiastic expression, Haunter thrust its floating fists into the wall, channeling its energy to unleash rapid punches.
The fists seemingly melded with the wall, passing through to the other side before returning to Haunter's sides.
Jié jié echoed as Haunter reveled in its quirky antics.
Glancing upwards, Luke had a fleeting sense of déjà vu.
The scene seemed oddly familiar – as if characters named JOJO would conjure peculiar entities and pummel them relentlessly?
"Haunter," Luke called out, "dive into my shadow behind me."
"Jie jie~!"
Haunter nodded, utilizing its innate abilities to deftly merge into Luke's shadow. Its eyes, dripping with curiosity, darted around.
Placing a hand on his hip, Luke snapped his fingers and instructed, "Haunter, use Shadow Punch!"
"Jie jie~!"
With swift compliance, Haunter surged forward, levitating behind Luke, and unleashed Shadow Punch, creating a flurry of afterimages in the air.
"Fantastic!"
Luke's eyes gleamed with excitement. "No more worries about surprise attacks!"
In the Pokémon world, safeguarding a Trainer's well-being was a substantial concern. While wild battles posed the risk of falling into a sewer, Elite battles could potentially lead to unforeseen circumstances as well.
In the specialized field battle, Elite Dragon Type Lance was surprisingly defeated by Viridian Forest's ordinary creatures like Raticate and Catterpie. It's quite the embarrassment for an Elite Trainer!
Since Haunter possessed the ability to vanish into shadows, it could provide Luke with an added layer of security. Despite not being the most skilled Trainer, it was prudent to prevent potential issues before they arose. Luke sent Haunter to adapt to its new form and take care of tidying up the kitchen in the process.
Luke removed the camera and began reviewing the recently recorded footage. Less than ten minutes into watching, his expression became increasingly animated. The material was simply bursting with potential!
Luke's appearance left nothing to be desired. Even as a food blogger, his natural handsomeness couldn't be concealed. The video showcased a skilled young chef in action, creating an appealing visual.
Despite the dark circles and azure stubble resulting from staying up all night, Luke's demeanor exuded a unique charm rather than frivolity.
The video depicted the meticulous pouring of broth over the bacon Roasted meat, even capturing the steam rising from it. Gastly's salivating movement was also clearly captured on camera. With a bit of editing and filters, it was shaping up to be an excellent food video.
The video concluded with Gastly's evolution. After consuming the Roasted meat, Gastly embarked on the evolution process. The transition effect made it appear as if Luke's culinary creation had directly caused the evolution!
Luke was thoroughly enjoying himself at this point. "As expected of me," he remarked, patting his own shoulder in satisfaction.
However, his elation was short-lived as he realized that Haunter's evolution meant increased expenditures for its sustenance. Compared to Gastly, Haunter's food costs would undoubtedly skyrocket.
Luke's forehead beaded with cold sweat. The expanded appetite of Haunter meant that he would need to earn BP points more vigorously in order to consistently exchange for Berries from the system. Coupled with the tasks actively assigned by the system, it seemed like a colossal trap.
It appeared that the system's hidden agenda was to subtly push Luke onto the path of becoming a Trainer.
"You're plotting against me, System!" Luke exclaimed, his breath quickening. The excitement of Gastly's evolution faded, leaving behind a profound emptiness.
Grabbing a calculator, Luke embarked on a financial assessment. "Gastly's monthly expenses are 2000 yuan. As per Blue's Breeder's Handbook, Haunter's dietary requirements are at least three times that of Gastly's."
Calculating a monthly expense of 6000 yuan, he realized he would be bankrupt within six months, especially considering his rent, utilities, and other costs.
Thankfully, Luke reassured himself, "As long as it doesn't evolve into Gengar, I can manage!"
Gathering his composure, Luke extracted the memory card and commenced editing the new program video. Thanks to multi-camera filming, there was no need for re-recording. Two hours later, at 1:30 AM, the editing was complete.
In the video, the delectable Bacon Roasted meat from Saffron was depicted in all its tantalizing glory. The aroma of bacon wafted through the screen, the overflowing soup evoking the sensation of taking a hearty bite.
The fragrance of the meat burst on the taste buds, the soup cascaded, and Gastly's delighted chewing was captured perfectly—
No one could resist such an enticing offering, especially in the middle of the night!
Luke swallowed reflexively and clicked the "Upload Video" button.
As the video underwent the review process, Luke called out to Haunter, who was busy cleaning the kitchen.
"Haunter, could you please make me a bowl of instant noodles and two sausages?"
"Jie jie~ !"
[Your video has been reviewed and successfully uploaded]
[Click here to watch "Teacher Luke's Late Night Canteen 01: Imitation Crispy Roasted Meat"!]
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