"I've got a weird stone in my possession."
Xia Yu's interest piqued as he read the private message. The seller, with the ID CrazyAugust, had attached a photo.
A small stone, radiating a dazzling glow.
"An Evolution Key Stone?!"
Xia Yu couldn't believe his luck. To stumble upon an Evolution Key Stone online in just a day was astounding. Suppressing his excitement, he began haggling with CrazyAugust.
"This stone's gorgeous. Where'd you find it?" Xia Yu asked.
"Family heirloom," CrazyAugust replied. "You want it?"
"Yep," Xia Yu said. "How much?"
CrazyAugust: "Hmm… I don't know the market price. Make an offer, and if it's fair, I'll sell."
Xia Yu: "Fifty, including shipping."
CrazyAugust: "Too low! This stone's stunning. At least 500."
Xia Yu smirked, tempted to accept outright, but he knew agreeing too quickly might raise suspicions. "500's way too much. 100, tops."
CrazyAugust: "No way. Look at that shine! Big bro, my girlfriend's birthday is coming up, and I want to buy her a necklace. I'm just a student with no cash. 500, please?"
Xia Yu: "I'm a student too. My family's not loaded."
CrazyAugust: "480, final offer."
After much back-and-forth, they settled on 399. To be safe, Xia Yu asked CrazyAugust to send another photo of the stone.
With the deal done, Xia Yu eyed the 300,000 in his account, his mind turning to new plans. He decided to visit Xingguang City's black market that night.
With that much money, he could snag some great finds, especially with his system's appraisal ability to spot bargains. The only concern was safety.
He'd been to the black market once before, with Xia Luo. With his brother, an Elite-level trainer, by his side, safety wasn't an issue. Going alone this time, he had to be cautious.
"I'll bring Dad's Scizor."
…
After nightfall, having eaten dinner, Xia Yu set out for the black market with his father's Scizor and Keldeo. He'd initially planned to bring only Scizor, but for extra security, he borrowed Keldeo as well.
Scizor was decent, at Lord-level strength, but Keldeo was one of his father's main Pokémon, boasting Gym Leader-level power. In a small city like Xingguang, it was a force to be reckoned with.
Xingguang City's underground black market was hidden in the old town's bar street, a hotspot for young people. The area buzzed with scantily clad youths, drunk and letting loose.
Xia Yu donned a black outfit and a mask, entering a bar called Night Star and heading straight for the second basement level.
The first basement was a legitimate bar, but the second was Xingguang's underground black market, where rare items often surfaced. A monthly auction showcased all sorts of oddities.
Last time, Xia Luo had mentioned that the bar had powerful backing. The Li family, Xingguang's dominant clan, was the majority shareholder, with the Xia family holding a smaller stake, earning decent dividends.
The Li family was a local powerhouse, monopolizing Xingguang's breeding and energy cube industries, amassing immense wealth.
But in recent years, the Li family had declined. Their aging Champion-level trainer was losing strength, and the middle generation had only produced one Gym Leader-level trainer, who hadn't even opened a Gym.
This put pressure on the Li family. With their vast businesses, they needed strength to fend off rivals. Desperate, they poured resources into the younger generation, main and branch families alike, nurturing anyone with talent.
The Li family urgently needed a Gym Leader-level trainer—or better yet, a Champion-level one.
Because of this, the Li family had repeatedly proposed a marriage alliance with Xia Luo, offering a lavish dowry. Their goal was to tie Xia Luo, the youngest Elite-level trainer, to their family. With his potential, he was almost guaranteed to become a Fire-type Champion.
But Xia Luo rejected them outright. He had a childhood sweetheart, and their bond was unbreakable. As for material wealth, the proud Xia Luo believed that once he became a Champion, money wouldn't be an issue.
…
Today was auction day. At the entrance to the second basement, two suited bouncers stopped Xia Yu, gave him a quick pat-down, and let him through.
Inside, the space opened into a bustling market. Stalls lined both sides, selling everything imaginable. Xia Yu strolled through, hoping to spot a hidden gem.
He paused at a stall with Pokémon eggs, using his system to appraise their potential.
Unfortunately, none had Champion-level potential. Xia Yu wasn't surprised—Champion-level Pokémon were rare, which was why he'd gone years without a starter.
Moving past the egg section, he reached the Pokémon area, split into two categories: juvenile and adult Pokémon.
Adult Pokémon were chained and caged, emaciated from being fed only once a day to sap their strength and curb aggression.
"Machamp…"
"Marowak…"
These Pokémon had low combat power and potential, the strongest being a near-Lord-level.
Passing the adult section, Xia Yu entered the juvenile Pokémon area, the most crowded section. The Pokémon here were mostly low-potential, malnourished, or defective rare species.
As he stepped into the area, his eyes lit up.
[Ralts]
Gender: Male
Type: Psychic/Fairy
Potential: Lord-level
Combat Power: Rare-level
Ability: Telepathy
Moves: Growl, Disarming Voice, Double Team, Confusion, Hypnosis, Draining Kiss, Teleport, Mean Look, Psybeam
A strong start—Lord-level potential right off the bat. Xia Yu's hopes rose; he might actually find a Champion-level Pokémon here.
"Hey, little bro, picking out a Pokémon?" The masked stall owner spoke up. "This Ralts is a great choice. Its final evolution, Gardevoir, is quite the looker."
The owner let out a sleazy chuckle.
...