Poké Ball

Outside the Pokémon Center—

Fang Yuan and Eevee walked out.

After all that fuss, they were finally done.

Fang Yuan was still holding a red-and-white Poké Ball.

He had bought it after activating his Trainer ID. Like Pokémon, Poké Ball purchases were regulated. Although they were not expensive, there were limits on how many each Trainer could buy.

Just as there were limits on how many Pokémon each person could own.

Of course, wherever there was light, there were shadows. The Black Market and smuggling still existed, but they were already violations of the law, and whenever one was discovered, it was wiped out.

The Poké Ball had already been linked to Eevee's information and could be considered Little Eevee's "new home." During security checks on subways and airplanes, security personnel only needed to scan the Poké Ball to connect to the Pokémon Center network and identify whether any criminals had entered.

Although he had taken care of the important business, Fang Yuan was feeling a little disappointed.

"What a shame. It looks like there are only ordinary Poké Balls on the market." Fang Yuan looked despairingly at Little Eevee.

"Eevee..." Little Eevee replied listlessly.

Eevee's thoughts right now were simple: although it did not know why it should be listless, since its Trainer was unhappy, it would be unhappy too.

Fang Yuan sadly put away the Poké Ball. After all, Espeon and Umbreon, Eevee's evolutions, evolved through friendship, and the type of Poké Ball used was an effective way to increase friendship.

In the games, there were two such Poké Balls.

The Friend Ball: Pokémon caught in it would immediately become close to their Trainer, reflected in a numerical value.

The Luxury Ball: it was extremely comfortable to live in, and Pokémon caught in it would find it easier to become close to their Trainer, reflected in the efficiency of raising friendship.

Both Poké Balls were remarkable, and both were what Fang Yuan wanted to use for Eevee.

But unfortunately, they seemed not to have been discovered in this world. Or perhaps they had already been developed, but were not being sold.

Poké Balls could be called incredibly magical tools. They could change size—at full size, they were about as large as a palm and easy to handle, while shrunken down, they were the size of ping-pong balls and easy to carry. Most importantly, they could easily contain even Pokémon larger than humans. It was precisely because of them that Trainers had been able to develop.

"Forget it, Eevee. Let's go." Fang Yuan hesitated for a while before saying helplessly. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

Ordinary people might not know what Poké Balls were made of, but Fang Yuan did. Poké Balls were merely made from differently colored Apricorns or mixed metals. Poké Balls made from Apricorns of different colors had different effects, and those made from mixed metals had many functions as well. The most common Poké Ball was the red-and-white one in his hand, the most basic kind.

If Fang Yuan remembered correctly, the core material for making Friend Balls was the Green Apricorn.

As for Luxury Balls, he did not know. He had never paid attention to them.

He also knew a little about the materials needed for Poké Balls with other effects.

Moreover, although Berries and Apricorns had initially only come from Secret Realms, they were now widely cultivated for profit. There was a very good chance Fang Yuan could find a bargain.

"It's just not easy to explain. I don't know the other steps of Poké Ball manufacturing either. It would be great if I could work with someone trustworthy. What a headache..." Fang Yuan realized that much of what he knew was restricted from being turned into resources to strengthen himself. The cultural differences between the two worlds were simply too great. Perhaps he could only make use of those advantages after gaining a certain status and position.

"Don't worry. Sooner or later, I'll get you a more comfortable Poké Ball." As Fang Yuan walked, he rubbed Eevee's head.

Next, Fang Yuan planned to take it for a walk.

After many Rookie Trainers' Pokémon hatched, they did not immediately throw them into training or battle, and Fang Yuan was no exception. He felt that training and battling should wait until Eevee had passed its newborn stage, when its physical functions would be more or less fully developed.

Although Fang Yuan did not plan to let Eevee start training or battling anytime soon, that did not stop him from watching other people battle.

Before they knew it, the two of them had arrived at Flat City's Public Battle Arena.

Fang Yuan stood in the front row of the spectator area beside one Battle Arena. Rather than sitting down, he leaned over the railing and watched with great interest. Eevee's eyes were wide with curiosity as well.

Because the registration for Rookie Trainer status had just ended, quite a few Rookie Trainers had gathered here. Some were already battling.

Although these battles were clumsy, they were more than enough to stir the hearts of newcomers, drawing them in one after another.

Now that Fang Yuan was a Trainer, he could show his Trainer ID and enter to watch battles for free. Non-Trainers had to pay an admission fee.

However, if Fang Yuan wanted to battle, he would have to pay to rent a Battle Arena.

It was worth noting that Trainers in the city could only battle at Public Battle Arenas, Battle Halls, or clubs recognized by the Trainer Association. Battling on the roadside without a legitimate reason or letting Pokémon use moves could result in punishment. In serious cases, one might even have their Trainer status revoked.

Of course, people could not battle freely in the wilderness either. Every battle between Trainers had to be registered using their Trainer IDs, so most battles took place in official venues. These laws had been refined later on. They were cumbersome, but they made society more stable.

"Eevee~"

After a Bellsprout defeated a Nidoran♂ in the arena, Eevee instantly looked delighted, as if it were the one who had won.

Uh... was Eevee interested in battling?

"Do you like it?"

Fang Yuan rubbed his forehead against Eevee's again. He liked doing that—not only did he enjoy it, Eevee found it comfortable too.

"Eevee~~" Eevee nodded, but then it showed a troubled expression, apparently knowing that if it entered the arena, things would probably be very different.

"Looks like I was overthinking it. You're quite smart, aren't you?" Fang Yuan said with a wry smile.

"It's okay. Once you grow a little bigger, I'll make a detailed special training plan for you. Then, we'll defeat everyone."

"Eevee~" Eevee nodded expectantly this time, then turned back toward the Battle Arena.

Fang Yuan glanced at the sky and continued watching. They might be spending the whole afternoon here.

Still, he really could not praise the level of these Rookie Trainers.

They did not even know how to say, "Quick, dodge!" "I believe in you!" "Don't give up!" "Get up!" or "Hang in there!"

Those commands were all divine techniques...

Fang Yuan chuckled inwardly. Of course, those commands also depended on the Pokémon's own qualities and the bond between Pokémon and Trainer.

As he watched, Fang Yuan began thinking about how he should create a special training plan for Little Eevee...

Since he could devise a training program for Grass-type Pokémon, there was no reason a special training plan should stump him.