Pokémon travel photography: Starting with riding the wave of popularity.

After saying "I'll go ask my grandpa," Fenglu happily hung up the phone.

At this time.

At the Pokémon Center.

After hanging up the phone, Xia Mu invited Xiao Yao to have lunch together.

The two chose a well-regarded ramen shop nearby.

The dough-kneading master is a hog.

Although he looks like a big, clumsy guy, his noodle-pulling skills are quite impressive.

In addition, there's the brute force that comes with being a Fighting-type Pokémon.

The kneaded noodles are chewy and elastic.

Served with a secret-recipe broth.

"Absolutely superb!"

Xia Mu gave Hao Li a thumbs up.

Haoli puffed out his chest, flexed his biceps, and smiled at Xia Mu.

"Awesome!"

Haoli was very happy to receive Xia Mu's praise.

Xia Mu was also very happy.

Not only did I get to eat delicious food, but I was also happy to have found another source of material about Fukiyoshi.

......

After the meal.

After seeing off Haruka, who was about to take a nap, Natsuki took the two little ones to the backyard of the Pokémon Center.

"Let's go out for dinner!"

Xia Mu summoned the Claydol from the Poké Ball, and then...

Bang!

The Green Vine Snake placed the large basin it had been holding for a long time on the ground; it contained many noodles.

Bang!

Another large bowl filled with broth and ingredients.

"Ramen! Never had it before, huh? Hehe..."

Under the expectant gazes of Xia Mu and the two little ones, the clay giant accepted the two thick pieces of wood handed over by the green vine snake.

"Om-"

One bite.

The clay giant's large, glowing yellow eyes curved into crescent shapes, showing that it was very happy.

As they spent more time together, the clay giant gradually began to express its emotions more openly in front of Natsuki.

No longer like in the past, always blank and indistinguishable from stone statues.

Watching the clay giant devour noodles.

Xia Mu nodded in satisfaction.

"I'm glad you like it. It's a pity the shop is too small, otherwise you wouldn't have had to wait until now to eat..."

Xia Mu sat cross-legged beside the clay giant, sighing repeatedly.

Meanwhile, New Leaf Cat had already run onto the head of the Clay Doll Giant.

Watching the large basin, which was more than enough for her and the Green Vine Snake to swim in, disappear in an instant, she opened her mouth wide in cuteness.

"Meow (Finished eating?)"

"Buzz!"

The clay giant nodded, patted its belly, and indicated that it was full.

With a surprised expression, Shin-Ye-Nyan jumped off the clay giant and came to the large bowl that had previously contained noodles.

Lick it, bite it...

Pooh!

Xin Ye Miao stuck out her tongue in disgust.

Xia Mu chuckled upon noticing this.

"You know you can't eat this, why the sudden change of heart..."

Xia Mu suddenly paused, stunned.

He quickly looked up at the clay giant, at its empty hands, and at the vanished iron basin and thick wood.

"You ate the iron basin and chopsticks too?!"

"Om-"

The clay giant remained unfazed, stating that it had previously gnawed on stones and found this stuff even more chewy.

but.

Even so.

Xia Mu still asked Miss Joy to check the clay giant.

They were only relieved after confirming that the clay giant's body was completely unharmed.

Seeing Natsuki bustling around for him, the clay giant's gaze towards Natsuki softened even more.

Chapter Sixty-Six: The Culprit is the Contrasting Lolita

The next day.

Natsuki and Haruka left Fukiyo City.

Walking along the road, past the Tower of Heaven, Natsuki and Haruka finally saw the iron ants that had been bothering Miss Joy.

but.

Upon seeing the appearance of those iron ants, Xia Mu and Xiao Yao couldn't help but gasp.

"This is......"

"My God, what on earth happened?"

At this moment, Xia Mu even wanted to use the iron ants to spell out a large "misery".

It was clear that none of the iron ants had intact bodies.

Its outer steel armor was pitted and uneven, the metal tentacles on its head that resembled a dowsing rod had fallen off, and even the steel mandibles of several iron ants were damaged.

To know.

Iron ants' enormous steel mandibles are their greatest help when digging burrows, easily crushing even the hardest rocks in front of them.

Even when encountering ore during excavation, it easily crushes it with its giant jaws, turning it into nutrients for its steel armor.

Such a hard part is now damaged.

and.

Xia Mu then realized something even more important.

Like ants, Iron Ants are social Pokémon.

Therefore, when faced with an invasion, they never fight alone, but rely on cooperation to fight the enemy.

A Pokémon capable of beating a swarm of iron ants into this state.

They are either incredibly numerous or extremely powerful.

In any case, Xia Mu had already made up her mind.

After arriving at the lair and confirming the situation, they contacted Miss Joey and asked her to notify Officer Jenny or Wind Dew to resolve the issue.

At this time.

"Could they have encountered a natural enemy?"

Seeing the pitiful state of the Iron Ants, May immediately thought of the famous nemesis of the Hoenn region—Snake and Zangoose.

In the Hoenn region, if you encounter a heavily wounded Zangoose in the wild...

Most people's first reaction is that it's dried by a scorpion.

vice versa.

Therefore, upon seeing the appearance of the iron ants, Xiaoyao's first reaction was that these iron ants had encountered a natural enemy.

but.

"It doesn't seem like it..."

It's not that iron ants have no natural enemies.

Both the smelter ant that inhabits the Unova region and the sand serpent that inhabits the Galar region can be considered natural enemies of the iron ant.

The Melting Ant Beast melts the iron ant's steel armor with high-temperature flames, while the Sand Snail Python attacks the iron ant's eggs with sand.

Judging from the injuries on the iron ants, they had clearly suffered melee attacks.

and.

Although the iron ants looked miserable, the attacks were all aimed at the steel parts of their bodies, so their injuries were not serious.

As long as you maintain proper nutrition and eat plenty of minerals, it will grow back in no time.

It may even become harder.

"Making it sound like sustainable development..."

Xia Mu suspects that his money-making tips have been copied.