"What kind of ball is this?" Heath's interest perked up. Speaking of Silph Co., its most famous products were its Poké Balls, in all their varieties. As the leading company researching Poké Balls and holding a near monopoly over the industry, Silph Co. could be described as rich enough to rival a nation. However, it also researched a great many other projects, so its annual financial reports showed little money left over. Heath had once read its publicly released financial report: research funding accounted for eighty percent of its net profit, a truly outrageous proportion.
Heath thought this might be Silph Co.'s way of surviving. After all, even a dopey Slowpoke knew that monopolizing a good feeding spot would draw hostility from other Pokémon. As Kanto's leading enterprise, Silph Co. had accumulated enough wealth to put the League on guard. If it did not want the League to find an opportunity to deal with it, the best approach was to invest all its money and do some good.
Heath had never thought of the League as some organization of good people. In his eyes, the League was the largest organization of all, only a relatively friendly one-as far as ordinary people were concerned. To Silph Co., however, the League was like a Team Rocket that could turn sinister at any moment. Once something threatened the League, it became the League's enemy.
Heath had heard that the Poké Ball production lines in other League regions were all in the hands of their respective regional Leagues, openly raking in money while paying very cheap patent fees. Yet Silph Co. had no objections whatsoever.
It probably did not dare object, either. After all, compared with the League, Silph Co. was still somewhat small.
Still, Poké Balls were Silph Co.'s main business, so Heath