Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

During lunch, Angie announced to everyone that he would be heading to the Kanto region to seek out the Tree of Beginning.

Everyone understood that Angie's trip was to assist Xerneas, so there were no objections.

"Inteleon, while I'm away, I'll need you to hold down the fort at the Munchlax Home. It'll be a bit tough, but I promise to return as soon as I can," Angie said to his second apprentice.

Inteleon made an "OK" gesture to Angie, signaling there's no problem with that.

"Inteleon~ Inteleon~"

Take your time, Master. No need to rush.

Angie nodded in relief.

He had already heard from Meowstic about Inteleon's active role at the Munchlax Home. Seeing his apprentice capable of taking charge, Angie felt a deep sense of pride.

Ah, my pupil has truly grown up!

At this moment, Diancie asked, "Who are you planning to take with you to the Kanto region?"

Angie thought for a moment and replied, "I'll take Komala, Metagross, and Pawmo."

The rest of his Pokémon had responsibilities that made it inconvenient for them to join him. Besides, he could summon them from home anytime, so there was no need to bring everyone.

"Metagross~"

No problem here.

"Pawmo~!"

I want to go! I want to go!

Upon hearing his name, both Pawmo and Metagross responded enthusiastically, while Komala continued quietly eating without any reaction.

"Magearna~"

How about taking Volcanion with you?

Magearna then turned to Volcanion and asked.

"Magearna~"

Volcanion, you're okay with this, right?

Volcanion, who had been focused on eating, lifted his head and replied with a proud expression, "If it's Magearna's request, of course, I'm fine with it."

However, Angie shook his head and said, "Volcanion should stay at home. The climate of Nebel Plateau is stable and temperate because of you. If you leave and the climate here would changes and it could cause problems."

"Magearna~"

That makes sense.

If the climate were to change, the Pokémon living on Nebel Plateau might struggle to adapt.

Volcanion snorted arrogantly, pretending to be indifferent. "Hmph, I didn't want to go anyway!"

Magearna smiled warmly and spoke on Volcanion's behalf.

"Magearna~"

Angie, if you need him, you can summon him anytime.

"Hmph~" Volcanion snorted again, which seemed to mean he agreed with Magearna's statement.

That afternoon, Angie began packing the things he would need for the trip. Besides changes of clothes, cooking utensils and a variety of ingredients were essential.

This way, if he needed to cook during the journey, he wouldn't have to worry about it at all.

While helping Angie pack, Diancie said, "If anything happens, be sure to summon me immediately."

Angie smiled and said, "Got it. I definitely will."

That evening, after claiming his rewards for the day's tasks, Angie was just about to crawl into bed when he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

He got out of bed and opened it, only to find Munchlax standing there in pajamas, clutching a pillow.

"Munchlax~"

Master, can I sleep with you tonight?

Munchlax asked shyly, twisting its body in hesitation. Knowing Angie would be leaving early the next morning and uncertain how long he'd be gone, Munchlax couldn't bear the thought of parting.

Angie chuckled. "Of course. Come on in."

Stepping aside, he let Munchlax into the room.

"Munchlax~"

Munchlax trotted cheerfully to Angie's bed, lifted the blanket with a single swoop, and wriggled under it. Grinning, it patted the space next to it and said,

"Munchlax~"

Master, hurry up and join me.

Angie laughed as he walked over, lay down next to Munchlax, and tucked them both in. "Goodnight, Munchlax," he said warmly.

"Munchlax~"

Goodnight, Master.

With that, master and apprentice drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, Angie woke up early. After joining Inteleon and the others for a brief visit to the city, he boarded an airship bound for the Kanto region.

About two days later, Angie and Pawmo stepped off the airship and arriving in one of the grand metropolises of the Pokémon world—Saffron City.

Saffron City was the largest and most bustling city in the Kanto region, situated at the crossroads of Cerulean City, Celadon City, Vermilion City, and Lavender Town.

This city was unique because it boasted two Pokémon Gyms.

One was the Psychic Gym, led by the renowned and immensely powerful Psychic Trainer, Sabrina.

The other was the Fighting Dojo, led by the Karate Master, Kiyo.

However, only Sabrina's Psychic Gym was officially recognized by the League.

Years ago, Kiyo had competed with Sabrina for official Gym status but lost to her. He subsequently retreated to Mt. Mortar near Saffron City to train.

Kiyo still accepted challengers, and those who defeated him were rewarded with a Tyrogue.

That is, if they could find him in the depths of Mt. Mortar.

Beyond this, Saffron City was also home to Silph Co.'s headquarters, a leading Pokémon world corporation pioneering advanced technology.

From here, Angie needed to take the Magnet Train to Pewter City, then travel onward to Rota City, that was located near Pewter City.

"Let's check where we need to go for the Magnet Train!" Angie said, opening his phone's navigation app.

Pawmo clung to Angie's pant leg with its tiny hands, nervously yet curiously taking in the bustling Saffron City. The urban landscape was a stark contrast to the Azoth Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Komala and Metagross were safely tucked away in their Poké Balls.

To calm its nerves, Pawmo pulled out a piece of cake and began eating. Its system backpack was stocked with numerous test confections Magearna had made.

Ever since Magearna became a dessert chef, no one in the household had been happier than Pawmo.

Soon, Angie found the route and was about to head to the train when a voice called out behind him.

"Angie!"

When he urning around, Angie saw Steven with an expression of surprise.

"Steven?" Angie was equally taken aback.

"It really is you!" Steven ran up to him, his excitement evident. "What brings you to Kanto?"

Angie replied, "I've got some business to take care of and happened to pass through Saffron City. What about you? What are you doing here in Kanto?"

Steven smiled. "I'm here to discuss a business partnership with Silph Co."

"Ah, I see." Angie nodded in understanding.

Angie suddenly realized that the man before him was not only the Champion of the Hoenn League but also the heir to Devon Corporation, one of the world's leading companies.

Steven craned his neck to look behind Angie. "Where's Diancie? Didn't she come with you?"

Angie shook his head. "Diancie's at home."

Steven's face fell with disappointment. "That's such a shame."

Angie chuckled wryly. "You really like Diancie, don't you?"

"Of course!" Steven said matter-of-factly. "Rocks are a man's romance."

"Oh, right!" Angie suddenly exclaimed as if he had just remembered something. He smacked his forehead and turned to Steven. "In that case, I have a gift for you!"

As he rummaged through his backpack, Steven watched curiously. After a moment, Angie pulled out an ornate box and handed it to him.

"What's this?" Steven asked as he accepted the box.

"Open it, and you'll see," Angie said mysteriously.

Steven hesitantly opened the box and was stunned to find an enormous pink diamond inside. Its dazzling brilliance was almost blinding.

"This is…" He hastily tried to return the box. "This is far too valuable; I can't accept it."

Pink diamonds of such quality were exceedingly rare.

Angie blinked and smiled. "You sure you don't want it? Diancie made this, you know."

Ever since Diancie had learned to create Sacred Diamonds, the ones she made were permanent.

Honestly, if Angie wanted money, all he had to do was sell one of these diamonds, and he'd be rich overnight.

But he never considered it. He preferred to earn his money honestly—it felt more secure. Besides, flooding the market with pink diamonds would make them lose their value.

So Angie only ever used these diamonds as gifts for close friends.

Friendship is as precious as diamonds, after all.

Upon hearing Angie's words, Steven clutched the box tightly, his reluctance plain on his face.

Angie patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry about it. As long as Diancie is around, I can get as many of these as I want."

"Alright then, I won't hold back," Steven said as he carefully stowed the diamond in his bag.

Still, Steven seemed thoughtful. "I can't just accept something so valuable without giving you something in return. It doesn't sit right with me."

Angie waved him off. "I told you, this isn't a big deal for me. You don't need to—"

"Stop! Don't refuse just yet!" Steven interrupted, grabbing Angie's hand. "Come with me!"

Before Angie could protest, Steven began pulling him along in a particular direction.

"Pawmo~"

Pawmo hurried to keep up and clutching Angie's pants with its tiny hands.

Steven led Angie to a hidden botanical garden in the center of Saffron City.

The garden was lush with greenery, a serene oasis amid the towering buildings of the bustling metropolis. Even standing at the entrance, Angie could feel a refreshing breeze and smell the clean, verdant air.

"What is this place?" Angie asked, puzzled.

Steven smiled. "This is a botanical garden my family built here in Saffron. It's home to many Grass-type Pokémon."

He stepped inside, and Angie followed.

As soon as they entered, a flock of Hoppip fluttered toward them, spinning in the air before circling above their heads.

They continued down a grassy path and into a corridor lined with potted plants. As Angie leaned closer to examine a pot, a head suddenly popped out of the soil, startling him.

Angie took a closer look and realized that some of the pots didn't contain ordinary plants but Oddish.

"Hahaha!" Steven burst out laughing at Angie's reaction.

"Oddish! Oddish!"

As Steven laughed, more and more Oddish emerged from the pots, curiously observing Angie and Steven.

It was clear that these Oddish had been carefully nurtured, as each one was robust and healthy, their leaves lush and vibrant.

Passing through the potted plant corridor, Angie spotted some Fomantis and Lurantis—Pokémon native to the Alola region.

Steven added, "In addition to breeding many Kanto-region Grass-type Pokémon, this botanical garden has also introduced several Grass-types from other regions."

Angie nodded in understanding.

Not far from the Fomantis and Lurantis, a cherry blossom tree stood in full bloom, with a Bayleef napping peacefully beneath it.

To avoid disturbing the Bayleef, Angie and Steven instinctively lowered their footsteps.

Along the way, Angie also saw a Venusaur with a group of Ivysaur and Bulbasaur in tow.

The round and clumsy Bulbasaur often tripped over their own feet, rolling across the grass. Their antics were irresistibly adorable.

After a short walk, Angie finally saw what Steven had in mind as a return gift—a Tropius.

Tropius, the Fruit Pokémon, is a Grass and Flying type with banana-like fruit growing from its neck. The sweet, delicious fruit is highly popular.

In warmer climates, there are even farms dedicated to raising Tropius, such as those in the Alola region.

Steven called over a staff member from the botanical garden. After a quick exchange, the staff member retrieved a Poké Ball and returned, handing it to Steven. Steven then offered the Poké Ball to Angie.

"Are you really giving this to me?" Angie asked.

Steven nodded. "You're a chef, right? Tropius should be quite useful to you."

Angie thought for a moment and nodded. If he had a Tropius, Magearna could use its fruits to create even tastier desserts.

One of the advanced recipes in the Dessert Compendium, unlocked by the system, called for Tropius fruits as a key ingredient.

"Then I'll accept it." Steven didn't give Angie much room to refuse and placed the Poké Ball directly in his hand.

"Thank you, Tropius! Please take care of me from now on!" Angie said as he released Tropius.

"Tropius~" Tropius squinted and nodded at Angie.

Since he had urgent matters to attend to in Pewter City, Angie bid Steven farewell as soon as they left the botanical garden.

"You're leaving already?" Steven looked reluctant. He had hoped to taste Angie's cooking.

"I have pressing business and can't delay," Angie said apologetically.

"Well, then! Let's meet again sometime," Steven said with a smile.

Angie nodded. "When you visit Kalos again, I'll treat you to a feast!"

Steven's eyes lit up with anticipation. "It's a promise. I'll definitely go!"

"It's a deal!"

After parting ways with Steven, Angie boarded the Magnet Train to Pewter City.

The train was incredibly fast. Although Pewter City was some distance from Saffron City, it took Angie less than an hour to arrive.

The first thing Angie did in Pewter City was visit the Pokémon Center to send Tropius home.

Since he was headed to the Tree of Beginning, traveling with Tropius would be inconvenient.

As Angie's home didn't have a transfer machine, he called Jeremy to retrieve Tropius from the Azoth Kingdom's Pokémon Center and send it to the Nebel Plateau.

Once Tropius was taken care of, Angie departed Pewter City and set out for Rota.

Rota, located in the mountains north of Pewter City and Mt. Moon, retained a form of kingdom autonomy similar to the Azoth Kingdom. At its center stood Cameran Palace, the heart of the kingdom.