Mythical Pokémon Era: Global Ascension Chapter 33

Professor Xing's voice brought Roy back to his senses, and he looked out the window.

The car had just passed a checkpoint and was now traveling along an elevated highway.

Below the overpass stretched a vast wilderness.

Herds of Tauros and Rhyhorn galloped across the plains.

Sentret and Aipom darted through the woods.

Flocks of Pidgeot and Pidgeotto swept across the sky.

At a glance, there was no end in sight. Roy could even vaguely make out an area billowing with volcanic clouds.

"Th-this all belongs to the Breeding House?"

Roy was speechless.

You called this thing a "house"?

This house was ridiculously impressive.

"Of course not." Professor Xing smiled. Every Trainer visiting for the first time had the same reaction, and he was happy to explain. "The Breeding House is merely one department within this area."

"This entire area is officially known as the Sheng Hai National Pokémon Garden Reserve—"

"It was established eighty-two years ago."

"The Pokémon of all Professional-level Trainers nationwide can be placed here for care, where they receive civil servant benefits, complete with social insurance and housing funds."

"Even after a Professional-level Trainer retires, their Pokémon's benefits will not change. They can recuperate here, thrive, and reproduce."

"After so many years of development, the number and variety of Pokémon tribes here are no less than those in a Spirit Realm. In fact, in terms of talent and potential, Pokémon born here have an average standard even higher than those shaped by natural selection. You can think of this reserve as an artificially created Spirit Realm."

"Oh, right." As if recalling something, Professor Xing smiled. "Your Riolu was born here as well. Later, Heavenly King Luo transferred it to Sheng Hai University."

As they spoke, the car came to a stop.

The elevated road had ended, and they had to continue on foot through the area ahead.

Roy followed Professor Xing toward the Breeding House within the reserve.

All kinds of Pokémon frolicked within the reserve. They showed no fear upon seeing people and instead watched them with curious expressions.

The bolder ones came up to hug and nuzzle Roy.

Along the way, Roy was even surrounded and "robbed" by several Pikachu. They clung to him stubbornly, refusing to come down, chirping "Pika pika~~" as they acted cute and begged for food.

How could Roy possibly withstand that?

In a fit of helpless surrender, he took out the dessert he had prepared for Squirtle's dinner and handed it out to the Pikachu.

Squirtle: "???"

By the time they reached the Breeding House, Roy wore the thoroughly satisfied expression of someone who had petted far too many cats.

"You sure have good Pokémon Affinity, kid." Professor Xing's teasing carried a hint of surprise.

He had brought quite a few students here over the years, but this was the first time he had seen someone so popular with Pokémon.

Roy smiled and spread his hands. He could hardly say that he came with the Pokémon Affinity trait and could even use Aura Power, could he?

Forget ordinary Pokémon—even if a Legendary Pokémon appeared, he was confident he could build a connection with it and forge a good relationship.

"Old Xing!"

A middle-aged man in a researcher's coat came out from in front of the Breeding House to greet them.

After shaking hands with Professor Xing and catching up, the man looked at Roy and smiled. "My surname is Zhang. Just call me Dr. Zhang. I'm fully responsible for the Breeding House here. Tsk, tsk. You, Shenghai's rising star—I've heard plenty of people talking about you in the newspapers these past few days..."

After exchanging a few modest pleasantries, Roy followed Dr. Zhang into the Breeding House.

Before them stood rows upon rows of steel racks.

Each rack held rows of Pokémon Eggs submerged in nutrient solution, their egg patterns all distinctly different.

In front of every Pokémon Egg was a plaque listing its species.

Dr. Zhang continued his introduction. "The standards of our Breeding House are among the best in the world. I'm not bragging—aside from pseudo-legendary Pokémon from each region, as long as a Pokémon Egg is recorded in the Pokédex, you can find it here."

"So go ahead and choose boldly. Just pick whichever one you like."

Roy nodded and silently activated Aura Power.

For others, choosing a Pokémon Egg was much like drawing a lottery. Before a Pokémon hatched, no one could determine its talent or quality.

Therefore, they could only try to pick rarer Pokémon, with Starter Pokémon being the best choice.

But Roy was different. He could sense the aura of all things and use it to judge an egg's mental state.

And after getting Squirtle, he was no longer so fixated on Starter Pokémon.

As Roy walked, he sensed the aura of every egg.

Dr. Zhang followed behind him.

This egg's aura is vigorous. It should have a hardworking personality, and its Inner Focus talent is pretty good too. This egg's aura is so lazy—it'll probably hatch into a complete couch potato...

Roy felt as though he were shopping in a mall where every item on the shelves was something he loved...

He was having trouble choosing.

Wait, this aura is...?

Roy suddenly froze, stopping in his tracks as he stared blankly at a snow-white Pokémon Egg covered in icy blue patterns.

"Huh?" Professor Xing looked over as well and was immediately surprised. "Why doesn't this Pokémon Egg have a plaque?"

Dr. Zhang smiled bitterly. "The reason is simple. Even we don't know what Pokémon this egg will hatch into. Old Xing, you know about the newly descended Alola Spirit Realm, right? This egg came from there..."

"This Pokémon Egg belongs to an entirely new species that has not been recorded in the Pokédex."

Professor Xing frowned at that. "A Spirit Realm that hasn't fully merged is, by the rules, off-limits for capturing or raising Pokémon from within it... How did you obtain this egg?"

Dr. Zhang's expression immediately turned savage, and he gritted his teeth.

"Those damned poachers!!"

—Poachers.

They were criminals who sold, stole, or even hunted Pokémon without authorization from the government or the Pokémon League.

Once such people were arrested, they faced a minimum of ten years in prison, with the death penalty as the maximum sentence.

The punishment was extremely severe.

But as long as the profits were high enough, no matter the world or country, there would always be people willing to take risks for profit.

On the black market, the price of a pseudo-legendary Pokémon could even equal the combined annual GDP of a small Southeast Asian country.

Twenty years ago, a rumor somehow began spreading that eating Slowpoke tails could prolong one's life. Even though many experts and professors came forward to debunk it, they still could not stop the string of vicious incidents involving the capture and slaughter of Slowpoke.

Even today, the rumor that consuming Pokémon meat could extend one's lifespan still circulated in certain remote places.

Dr. Zhang said indignantly,

"Whenever a new Spirit Realm descends, poachers swarm toward it like hyenas that have caught the scent..."

"The Alola Spirit Realm that descended not long ago was no exception. Before we could seal it off, poachers slipped inside and plundered many Pokémon as well as relics and artifacts. They even set Pokémon nests on fire to force us to split our forces and rescue the Pokémon Eggs..."

"This Pokémon Egg was one of the ones we saved..."

Anyone who truly loved Pokémon hated poachers to the core.

Professor Xing sighed deeply. Not wanting to discuss such a heavy topic in front of Roy, he changed the subject. "Generally speaking, rescued Pokémon Eggs are returned to their habitats. Why did you bring this one out?"

If a Pokémon Egg did not remain in a suitable environment, it would affect the development of the Pokémon inside.

Therefore, before fully studying and documenting a Pokémon's habits and developing a specialized "hatching nutrient solution," the authorities would not remove a Pokémon Egg from its original habitat.

That went double for an egg belonging to an entirely new species. They did not even know what Pokémon it would hatch into, so there was even less chance of having a specialized hatching nutrient solution.

"There's a problem with this Pokémon Egg."

Dr. Zhang pinched the bridge of his nose and said worriedly, "The fire was too intense. Even though we acted quickly, several Pokémon Eggs were damaged. This was one of them. If we returned this Pokémon Egg to its original habitat, there would be only one outcome—a dead egg."

"We could only bring it out and attempt to save it..."

"Sigh, all the others died. This is the only one left..."

Dr. Zhang's expression made it clear that the rescue effort for this egg had not gone well either.

In fact, through Roy's aura senses, the egg's life fluctuations were already incredibly faint.

If the aura of other Pokémon Eggs was a bright blue torch burning with vigor,

then this Pokémon Egg was like a tiny flame amid a blizzard, barely holding on and liable to go out at any moment.

But...

It was still burning.

It still longed to live.

Of all the Pokémon Roy had ever sensed, this had the frailest yet most tenacious aura.

Something in Roy's heart stirred. He raised his hand and gently stroked the snow-white Pokémon Egg within the nutrient solution through the glass container.

A moment later, Roy smiled and suddenly said,

"I'll choose this Pokémon Egg."

"W-what?" Dr. Zhang froze.

"Roy, don't be ridiculous!" Professor Xing said irritably. "I know you love Pokémon and sympathize with it, but you can't let your emotions jeopardize your future."

"Professor, please believe me."

Roy showed no intention of changing his mind. His expression was earnest.

"I can't explain my reasons, but this is a choice I made after careful consideration."

"Besides, the school promised that I could choose any Pokémon Egg in the Breeding House. Since this Pokémon Egg is also being kept here, I naturally have the right to choose it... Dr. Zhang, I'm not breaking any rules, am I?"

"Th-this..." Dr. Zhang gave a bitter smile. "It does comply with the rules."

"You, you, you—" Professor Xing was furious. He pointed at Roy, trembling all over.