Clutching the dull black stone, Xia Yu's heart pounded uncontrollably. No one would guess that this unremarkable rock concealed an S-Grade Thunder Stone.
Having secured the S-Grade Thunder Stone, Xia Yu had no intention of selling it. Such rare items were nearly impossible to find, with market values exceeding tens of millions. Missing this chance meant who-knows-how-long until the next one.
Currently, only seven known Pokémon could use a Thunder Stone:
Pikachu evolves into Raichu.
Eevee evolves into Jolteon.
Magneton evolves into Magnezone.
Nosepass evolves into Probopass.
Eelektrik evolves into Eelektross.
Charjabug evolves into Vikavolt.
Tadbulb evolves into Bellibolt.
All seven were powerful in their own right, and Xia Yu wasn't picky. It would come down to which one he encountered first.
From now on, he'd keep an eye out for these Pokémon. If he found any with Champion-level potential, he'd capture it without hesitation. He desperately needed more Pokémon.
The S-Grade Thunder Stone seemed to have drained all of Xia Yu's luck. After that, he found no more bargains. As the auction approached, he followed the crowd into the venue.
Xia Yu had attended an auction once before. Entry required a 1,000-yuan fee, and all items sold incurred a 10% commission.
After paying the fee, Xia Yu took his assigned seat, quietly awaiting the auction's start.
A woman in a red, slit dress strode onto the stage, signaling the auction's beginning. Her face was hidden behind a sparkling mask, revealing only her alluring figure.
"The August Auction is now open. I'm your host, Sister Red," she announced, her voice cool yet seductive, a perfect mature tone. "Our first item is a Pokémon with exceptional potential. Take a look."
As she spoke, a transparent case was wheeled onstage, containing a blue-and-white Froakie, a Pokémon exceedingly rare in China.
Froakie was wildly popular, thanks to its strong combat abilities and the unique Ash-Greninja form, beloved by Pokémon fans.
Xia Yu was no exception. Who wouldn't love a Pokémon that was both cool and powerful? But to his regret, this Froakie's potential was only near-Gym Leader-level, falling short of his minimum capture threshold.
"Froakie is a rare sight, almost nonexistent in China's wilds. It's a specialty of the Kalos region, and each one commands a high price. We went to great lengths to acquire this one. Hatched less than a week ago, it's perfect as a starter for new trainers. If you have kids at home, Froakie will be their loyal companion. Starting bid: 500,000, with increments of at least 50,000."
Xia Yu nearly choked. He'd dismissed this Froakie's potential, yet all his cash combined couldn't meet its starting bid. What a travesty.
"550,000!"
"600,000!"
…
Xia Yu had underestimated the wealth of these bidders. Froakie's price soared from 500,000 to 1 million, roughly the value of a near-Gym Leader-level Pokémon. Given Froakie's rarity, the price was likely to climb higher.
Sure enough, after more bidding, a chubby buyer snagged Froakie for 1.4 million.
"Congratulations to the buyer for securing Froakie. You may continue bidding, and Froakie will be delivered when you leave. Next, our second item."
High-value items like Froakie were rare. The following lots were more typical, with starting bids ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands—the black market's norm. Truly exceptional items went to legitimate auctions. Rare, questionable items like Froakie were the exception here.
Xia Yu didn't bid once, as none of the items suited his needs. It wasn't until the auction neared its end that another noteworthy lot appeared.
"Our next items are three Pokémon eggs. These are extremely rare Pokémon, but due to certain issues, they've sustained damage, making hatching more challenging."
Three cases, draped in red cloth, were brought onstage. Sister Red approached the first, yanking off the cloth to reveal a transparent glass case.
A Pokémon egg with visible cracks!
"I can't reveal this egg's origins, but I can tell you it contains an Axew," Sister Red said.
Xia Yu's gaze locked onto the cracked egg, and his system instantly provided its details.
[Pokémon Egg]
Axew
Gender: Female
Type: Dragon
Potential: Lord-level (Gym Leader-level, damaged)
Ability: Mold Breaker
Moves: ???
A Gym Leader-level Axew egg had Xia Yu's heart racing! Without his system's restrictions, he'd have done anything to claim it. Even with damaged potential, careful nurturing could restore it.
A fully grown Gym Leader-level Haxorus would rival an Elite-level Pokémon! Selling such an egg in the black market was a bold move.
But Sister Red's words hinted at its shady origins—otherwise, it wouldn't be here.
"Is that an Axew egg?"
"A Dragon-type, and a Haxorus at that!"
"Wait, two months ago, Dragon Valley's egg transport was attacked by the Dawn Society. A batch of eggs went missing. This egg…"
The Axew egg sparked a commotion, but Sister Red seemed unfazed. She moved to the second and third eggs, pulling off their cloths.
"The first egg starts at 1 million. These two are less impressive but still quite rare. Don't miss your chance. Starting bid for each: 200,000."
Xia Yu examined the remaining eggs. The second was noticeably small, as if underdeveloped. The third was dull, its shell speckled with black spots, suggesting the Pokémon inside was ill.
[Pokémon Egg]
Cyndaquil
Gender: Male
Type: Fire
Potential: Lord-level (Gym Leader-level, underdeveloped)
Ability: Blaze
Moves: ???
--------
[Pokémon Egg]
Magikarp
Gender: Male
Type: Water
Potential: Elite-level (near-Champion-level, critically ill from viral infection)
Ability: Rattled
Moves: ???
The Magikarp egg caught Xia Yu's eye, but disappointment followed. Why couldn't its potential be just a bit higher?
Near-Champion-level didn't meet his Champion-level threshold, so he couldn't capture it. Besides, with the auction's prices, his 200,000-plus wouldn't cover any of these eggs.
Despite their defects and dubious origins, these eggs were beyond his budget.
As the three prized eggs took center stage, the auction heated up. The Axew egg, starting at 1 million, didn't faze the bidders. Its price quickly surpassed 2 million and kept climbing, leaving Xia Yu's blood pressure soaring.
Dragon-types were rare, and this egg's high potential justified a price over 2 million, even with cracks.
Xia Yu sat back, watching the bidding like a spectator, with no intention of joining. Scoring an S-Grade Thunder Stone already made this trip a massive win.
"3 million."
A raspy voice called out a 3-million bid, drawing Xia Yu's attention to a figure in a black cloak. To his shock, a Houndoom lay beside them.
[Houndoom]
Gender: Male
Type: Dark/Fire
Potential: Elite-level
Combat Power: Elite-level
Ability: Flash Fire
Item: B-Grade Charcoal
Moves: Leer, Ember, Smog, Thunder Fang, Howl, Nasty Plot, Roar, Bite, Incinerate, Foul Play, Flame Charge, Will-O-Wisp, Reversal, Baton Pass, Flamethrower, Crunch, Inferno, Solar Beam, Fire Spin, Sucker Punch, Overheat, Heat Wave, Nasty Plot, Protect, Sludge Bomb
The luxurious stat panel stunned Xia Yu. An Elite-level trainer at an underground auction? This was trouble. Time to leave.
Even with Scizor and Keldeo for protection, they were no match for this Houndoom.
An Elite-level Pokémon was among Xingguang City's top-tier forces. This mysterious figure's presence here had ulterior motives.
Without hesitation, Xia Yu stood and slipped out of the black market. On his phone, he searched for information on Elite-level Houndoom.
In this connected world, Elite-level Houndoom were rare.
"Wanted Criminal: Xu Xiu"
"Gender: Male"
"Age: 48"
"Elite-level Trainer"
"Signature Pokémon: Zoroark, Krookodile, Houndoom"
"Xu Xiu is a formidable trainer, reaching Elite-level ten years ago with three Elite-level Pokémon: Zoroark, Krookodile, and Houndoom. Lacking a Champion-level Pokémon, he has not advanced to Champion rank. Three years ago, he massacred the Zhao family in Fengtian City, Shengjing Province, stealing their pseudo-legendary Tyranitar egg and fleeing. Current whereabouts unknown."
...