Lucas stood in front of the long display table for a long time.
So long, in fact, that the young man in the plaid shirt beside him had crouched down, stood back up, crouched again, and repeated the process several times while Lucas remained completely still.
He was doing the math.
Should he spend every last League Credit he had?
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Lucas decided not to rush.
He would look around first.
The System’s scan results spread across his vision like a detailed map.
Most people in the trading area relied on experience and instinct when choosing Pokémon Eggs.
Some examined the shell patterns.
Others weighed the eggs in their hands.
A few even pressed them against their foreheads or listened closely, hoping to judge their quality by temperature or sound.
Those methods weren’t entirely meaningless…
But their success rate was painfully low.
A beautifully patterned egg might hatch into an ordinary Zigzagoon.
Meanwhile, a dull, rough-looking egg could hide a Pokémon with extraordinary potential.
Lucas didn’t have to guess.
He already knew the answers.
Makuhita
Potential: Pseudo-Gym Level
The Makuhita Egg sat among several nearly identical grayish-brown eggs.
Its shell was covered with faint horizontal stripes, giving it the appearance of a flattened rugby ball.
The surface felt rough and slightly grainy.
Among all the eggs on display, it was probably one of the least attractive.
Yet Lucas knew exactly what it contained.
Makuhita eventually evolved into Hariyama—a powerful Fighting-type Pokémon known for its incredible strength.
It would make an excellent helper around the farm.
When Lucas picked up the egg, the young man in the plaid shirt glanced at him in surprise.
Apparently, he couldn’t understand why anyone would choose such an ordinary-looking egg.
Lucas ignored him.
He carefully placed the Makuhita Egg into one of Devon Corporation’s portable incubators.
He continued searching.
Before long, he purchased three more eggs.
The second was an Azurill Egg.
Compared to the Makuhita Egg, it was noticeably smaller.
Its shell was an off-white color decorated with pale pink spots.
Azurill
Potential: Pseudo-Gym Level
The third egg belonged to Mankey.
It had been buried beneath several other eggs, almost completely overlooked.
Its pale yellow shell was covered with irregular brown markings, making it resemble a dried lump of cracked earth.
But when Lucas scanned it…
His eyes immediately lit up.
The System confirmed it possessed excellent potential.
After buying those three eggs, Lucas had spent 750,000 League Credits, leaving him with 250,000.
He could have stopped there.
Instead…
His attention drifted toward a single lonely egg resting in the far corner of the display.
Unlike the polished eggs surrounding it, this one sat alone on an old velvet cushion.
Its shell was almost completely white with a faint gray tint.
Near the top…
A delicate ring of pale golden markings formed something resembling a tiny crown.
It looked plain.
Forgettable.
No one had paid it any attention.
Lucas slowly walked over.
Then activated the System.
Eevee
– Gender: Female
– Type: Normal
– Ability: Adaptability
– Potential: Gym-Level
– Status: Healthy
Lucas’ fingers froze.
Eevee wasn’t especially rare.
But it was unquestionably one of the most beloved Pokémon in the world.
Not because of its base strength…
But because of its limitless possibilities.
Vaporeon.
Jolteon.
Flareon.
Espeon.
Umbreon.
Leafeon.
Glaceon.
And…
Sylveon.
Though Sylveon had yet to be officially discovered in this era.
A talented Trainer could evolve Eevee into whichever form best suited their team.
Lucas stared at the Gym-Level Potential displayed by the System.
His palms grew warm.
A Gym-Level Eevee with inherited Egg Moves was worth far more than 250,000 League Credits.
Without question…
This was the greatest bargain in the entire marketplace.
He gently lifted the egg.
Its shell was pleasantly warm.
Slightly rough.
Perfectly clean.
The faint golden markings shimmered softly beneath the lights.
Without another moment of hesitation…
Lucas bought it.
The final total came to exactly 1,000,000 League Credits.
– Makuhita — 250,000
– Azurill — 250,000
– Mankey — 250,000
– Eevee — 250,000
Not one credit more.
Not one credit less.
His savings had been completely emptied.
The staff carefully packed the four eggs into two portable incubators, placing two eggs inside each with soft cushioning between them.
Lucas paid the bill.
His account balance dropped from over one million League Credits…
To only a few thousand.
Seeing the number made him feel slightly uneasy.
Still…
Looking at the four precious eggs before him…
He knew the gamble had been worthwhile.
After paying, Lucas didn’t leave immediately.
Instead, he approached the reception desk.
“Excuse me.”
“Does Devon Corporation purchase Pokéblocks?”
The receptionist nodded before leading him to another counter.
A middle-aged man wearing glasses listened patiently before answering.
“Yes.”
“Devon Corporation purchases Pokéblocks.”
“However…”
“We only accept products with consistent quality and stable production.”
The purchasing price was 80 League Credits per Pokéblock.
That was twenty credits less than the System Store’s selling price.
Still…
Once Lucas’ berry production became stable, eighty credits per Pokéblock would generate considerable income.
“I’ll contact you once my production increases.”
Lucas accepted the business card the man handed him.
Printed on it was the contact information for Devon Corporation’s Raw Materials Procurement Department.
When Lucas left Devon Corporation, he returned Ralts to its Poké Ball.
Not because Pokémon weren’t allowed outside.
But because carrying four valuable Pokémon Eggs openly through the city wasn’t wise.
He stored the incubators inside the System Storage Space and walked beneath the afternoon sun.
About fifteen minutes later…
He arrived at the Pokémon Center.
Lucas had gradually realized that the Pokémon Center served far more purposes than simply healing Pokémon.
It functioned almost like a community center for Trainers.
People rested there.
Formed teams.
Exchanged information.
Bought and sold Pokémon Eggs, items, and supplies.
One corner of the lobby always hosted a free trading area.
Several tables stood available for anyone wishing to sell goods.
No rental fees.
No middlemen.
No commissions.
By the time Lucas arrived, it was already afternoon.
Only a handful of people remained.
Some Trainers crouched beside tables, carefully inspecting Pokémon Eggs.
In one corner, an older man quietly ate bread while sitting behind several Poké Balls.
A handwritten sign beside him proudly read:
“Already Hatched — Quality Guaranteed.”
Lucas selected an empty table.
Then he removed three eggs from one incubator.
Eevee.
Azurill.
Mankey.
The Makuhita Egg remained safely stored away.
He had never intended to sell that one.
Borrowing a pen from a nearby Trainer, Lucas wrote three lines on a sheet of white paper.
Eevee Egg — Female — Gym-Level Potential
Price: 1,000,000 League Credits
Azurill Egg — Pseudo-Gym-Level Potential
Price: 400,000 League Credits
Mankey Egg — Pseudo-Gym-Level Potential
Price: 400,000 League Credits
He propped the sign against the incubator before sitting quietly behind the table.
Fujiyama had repeatedly emphasized one important lesson in his notebook:
A farmer must always maintain working capital.
No matter how much Lucas liked Eevee…
He couldn’t allow himself to run out of money.
The Eevee Egg had to be sold.
Less than ten minutes later…
His first customer arrived.
She looked only a year or two older than Lucas.
Wearing a light green hoodie with long hair draped over her shoulders, she carried a small backpack.
Her eyes immediately settled on the Azurill Egg.
“Is this…”
“…an Azurill Egg?”
she asked uncertainly.
Lucas nodded.
“It is.”
“Pseudo-Gym-Level Potential.”
“You can see the shell pattern yourself.”
“The pink markings are unique to Azurill Eggs.”
“They can’t be faked.”
The girl crouched beside the table.
She carefully inspected the shell.
Weighed it.
Then gently held it beside her ear and gave it a soft shake.
Lucas patiently waited.
Beside him, Ralts tilted its head curiously while watching her.
“…Four hundred thousand…”
The girl bit her lip.
“Could you lower the price a little?”
Lucas shook his head.
“I’m already selling it below market value.”
“A Pseudo-Gym-Level Azurill usually sells for at least five hundred thousand.”
“I’m only asking four hundred thousand because I need the money urgently.”
She hesitated for nearly half a minute.
Finally…
She took out her League ID.
The transaction was completed at the Pokémon Center counter.
Lucas handed over the egg.
Four hundred thousand League Credits appeared in his account.
As the young woman walked away carrying the incubator…
Her excitement was impossible to hide.
Before leaving the building, she turned around and waved happily.
Lucas smiled and waved back.
Then he quietly checked his account balance.
His second customer arrived much later.
This time…
It was a middle-aged man wearing a faded jacket.
His chin was covered with rough blue stubble, giving him the appearance of someone who had spent years traveling through the wilderness.
He stood silently before Lucas’ table.
First…
He examined the Mankey Egg.
Then the Eevee Egg.
Finally…
His attention returned to the Mankey Egg.
He inspected it over and over.
Eventually, he looked up.
“Any Egg Moves?”
His voice was rough.
But serious.
Lucas nodded.
“It knows Fire Punch.”
The man stared at him for several seconds.
Apparently…
He was deciding whether to trust a seventeen-year-old seller.
Finally…
He reached into his pocket.
Instead of using a League Card…
He produced a thick stack of cash.
Although electronic payments were the norm nowadays, a few Trainers still preferred cash.
The man counted out forty 10,000-League-Credit bills and placed them on the table.
Lucas counted them carefully.
Everything was correct.
He packed the Mankey Egg into the portable incubator the man had brought with him.
The older Trainer accepted it without another word.
He turned to leave.
After walking several steps…
He suddenly stopped.
Turning back, he said,
“Kid.”
“You’ve got good merchandise.”
“If you ever get more quality eggs…”
“Come find me.”
He casually tossed a worn business card onto the table.
Lucas picked it up.
It contained only a name…
And a phone number.
No company.
No title.
Nothing else.
He carefully tucked it away.
The cash couldn’t be deposited directly into his League account.
Fortunately, the Pokémon Center offered that service.
He decided to deposit everything later.
Now…
Only one egg remained on the table.
The Eevee Egg.
With its one-million-League-Credit price tag, it was easily the most expensive item in the trading area.
Nearby sellers occasionally glanced in his direction.
Some were curious.
Others were skeptical.
Lucas simply sat quietly behind his table.
He wasn’t worried.
Those who truly understood the value of a Gym-Level Eevee…
Would come eventually.