The indulgence of Xia Yu's parents exceeded his wildest imagination. Truly, only family would give so selflessly without expecting anything in return. A nutrient solution worth over a million was used without so much as a blink.
With the application of the energy nutrient solution, the little creature inside the Pokémon egg grew steadily stronger, and the egg's movements became increasingly pronounced.
A week later, with a crisp crack, the eggshell shattered, and a purple Noibat emerged.
"Welcome to this world," Xia Yu said, a hint of a smile in his eyes as he looked at the newly hatched Noibat. He took out a prepared Poké Ball, capturing the Noibat immediately. Then, he released it again, feeding it the energy cubes he had ready.
The tiny Noibat gazed at Xia Yu with a flicker of affection in its eyes. Though Noibat wasn't known for a gentle disposition, it felt a natural closeness to Xia Yu, the first being it saw. The enticing aroma of the energy cubes only deepened that bond. Eagerly, it climbed onto Xia Yu's hand, clutched the energy cube, and began to devour it heartily.
"Hidden Task [Starter Pokémon] Completed."
[Starter Pokémon]: Capture one Pokémon. (Progress: 1/1)
"Reward Obtained: Rare Item B-Grade [Dragon Scale]"
B-Grade [Dragon Scale]: A scale shed by a powerful Dragon-type Pokémon, brimming with surging energy. When worn by a Dragon-type Pokémon, it accelerates growth and enhances mastery over Dragon-type energy.
Item grading was a hallmark of this real Pokémon world. Unlike the games, where items like Water Stones were uniform, reality was different. In the games, any Water Stone could evolve Eevee into Vaporeon. But here, an S-Grade Water Stone, rich with Water-type energy, not only evolved Eevee into Vaporeon but also boosted its mastery of Water-type energy and its potential. A C-Grade Water Stone, however, could barely manage the evolution, offering no additional benefits. A D-Grade Water Stone might even fail entirely.
This was the disparity in item grades. The B-Grade [Dragon Scale] Xia Yu received was shed by a formidable Dragon-type Pokémon, possibly a powerhouse like Salamence or Dragonite. In contrast, a D-Grade Dragon Scale might come from weaker Dragon-types like Druddigon or Altaria.
The same item could vary drastically in effect depending on its grade. Obtaining a B-Grade [Dragon Scale] left Xia Yu thoroughly satisfied.
Retrieving the [Dragon Scale] from his system space, Xia Yu wasted no time equipping it on Noibat to hasten its growth and push it toward evolving into Noivern.
[Noibat]
Gender: Male
Type: Flying/Dragon
Potential: Champion-level
Ability: Telepathy
Moves: Gust, Moonlight, Tackle, Absorb, Supersonic, Clear Smog
Freshly hatched, Noibat already possessed six moves. Though none were particularly powerful, a few stood out. Moonlight was a potent recovery move, and Supersonic could be a nasty trick, causing confusion upon hitting. These were promising for a newborn Pokémon.
Xia Yu played with Noibat, bonding with it, while his mind turned to the issue of money.
Raising Pokémon was an expensive endeavor. As he was about to enter his final year of high school, practically an adult, Xia Yu could no longer rely solely on his parents. Before he had a Pokémon, his expenses were minimal. But now, with Noibat to train, costs were skyrocketing. He needed to find a way to earn money himself.
Xia Yu had already considered two paths. The first was leveraging his system's ability to appraise Pokémon potential. It was a quick way to make money but carried risks. If someone with ill intentions discovered his ability, it could put his life in danger.
The second path was legitimate entrepreneurship, specifically in stone collecting. Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamax, and Terastallization all required specific items to activate.
So far, this world had only publicly revealed Z-Moves, announced two years ago. A single Z-Crystal now fetched over a hundred million, and even then, they were nearly impossible to find. Whenever one appeared on the black market, it sparked a frenzy, with only trainers at least at the Elite level qualifying to compete for it. Gym-level trainers didn't even stand a chance.
Z-Crystals alone drove Champion-level trainers wild. Xia Yu couldn't imagine the chaos that would erupt if Mega Evolution, Dynamax, or Terastallization were revealed. But for him, this was an opportunity—a chance to capitalize on his foreknowledge and strike it rich.
Yet, Xia Yu also harbored concerns. If he amassed Evolution Key Stones and Mega Stones, and Mega Evolution was announced, his lack of strength or social standing could make him a target. Holding a fortune in Mega Stones without the power to protect them could drag his entire family into ruin.
"Compared to Mega Evolution and Dynamax, Terastallization is more common and accessible, making it the safest to reveal first. It has a lower barrier—only requiring a Tera Orb."
"The uproar from revealing Terastallization would be far smaller, making it the best starting point. Once I've built up wealth and strength, I can reveal Dynamax, and finally Mega Evolution."
Xia Yu mulled over his long-term plans for wealth. Beyond Tera Orbs, recharging Tera energy was another avenue for sustained income.
After Terastallization, a Tera Orb's energy would be depleted, rendering it unusable until recharged. While Tera Orbs were a one-time sale, recharging them was a steady business.
"Tera Orbs," Xia Yu murmured, opening his phone to search for news about Terastallization.
"Crystal Onix Discovered in Qiongzhou Province…"
"Crystal Eevee Found in Altamira Cave, Bearing a Mysterious Diamond-Shaped Item on Its Forehead…"
"Crystal Gyarados Spotted in Valencia, Sparking Tourism Boom, Trainers from Around the World Flock to Valencia…"
Searching for "Crystal Pokémon," Xia Yu found a few useful leads. Most Terastal Pokémon appeared near the Pyrenees Peninsula, in the regions of Kalos and Paldea, but there were also reports of Crystal Pokémon in Qiongzhou Province.
"After the college entrance exam, I'll take a trip to Qiongzhou Province. I might find something," Xia Yu decided. He posted an online ad: "High prices paid for rare and unique stones. Send photos and prices via private message. No scammers."
After finishing, Xia Yu played with Noibat a bit more before diving into his studies. With his final year of high school approaching, and the college entrance exam a year away, he had to stay focused.
In this second life, Xia Yu valued education far more than in his previous one. Having spent years without a Pokémon due to his system, he couldn't pursue a trainer's path early on, making his academic achievements even more critical.
If he couldn't become a top-tier trainer, he could aim to be a Pokémon Professor. In this world, Pokémon Professors held immense prestige, especially those researching cutting-edge topics like Pokémon breeding, Abilities, or moves. They were national treasures, protected by governments.
His money-making plans also tied to academia. If Xia Yu could establish himself in the academic world, revealing Terastallization would face fewer obstacles and threats. It could even serve as a shield.
From a young age, Xia Yu had set his sights on attending one of China's top universities, Xishu University. In his past life, he'd scored well enough to enter a prestigious university. Now, with eighteen years of experience, he was confident. Xishu was the baseline—his true targets were Capital University and Modu University.
…