Signing up for the Rookie Cup was straightforward. All Ethan had to do was fill out some basic information and pay a 1,000-credit deposit.
This deposit served as a guarantee to ensure Trainers showed up on time.
After all, matches were pre-scheduled, and if too many participants failed to show up, it could make the event awkward and chaotic.
But with money on the line, people were far more likely to remember their commitments.
Of course, the deposit would be refunded once the competition was over.
After finishing the registration process, Ethan noted that it was already around 10 a.m.
Deciding he might as well pick up some supplies while he was here, he made his way to the supermarket’s Berry section.
After selecting the ingredients he needed for crafting Maintenance Pokéblocks, he glanced down at the Snivy nestled in his arms.
“Anything you want me to buy for you?” he asked.
“Snivy?”
Snivy tilted its head and shook it gently.
It had only ever observed humans from the edge of the forest, so it didn’t really know what it could ask for.
Snivy had never seen a place like this supermarket before.
Still, it secretly noted one thing: using that small, square machine (a smartphone), humans could exchange for all sorts of items.
“Should I buy a Rotom?” Ethan muttered, falling into thought.
For a Gym or a daycare, Rotom was undoubtedly the perfect assistant. It could handle everything from data recording to weather forecasting and monitoring soil moisture.
Best of all, it didn’t count toward a Trainer’s Pokémon limit.
However, the idea quickly passed, and Ethan dismissed it with a quiet, “Forget it. I’ll buy one when I have more money.”
The funds his parents had left him were already dwindling.
After checking his finances yesterday, he found he only had around 320,000 credits remaining. A single Rotom would cost him 250,000.
It was important to keep some money in reserve for emergencies.
Besides, with the plantation’s current size, he could still manage it on his own.
With his supplies purchased, Ethan noticed some grass seeds on the way out.
After a moment of thought, he decided they’d be a good investment. Instead of letting the unused plots grow wild with weeds again, why not plant some grass instead?
He recalled that in Huqiao Village, a settlement under Wutong City’s jurisdiction, someone had established a large Miltank farm. Occasionally, they’d even purchase dried grass from others.
Even if no one bought it, Ethan figured he could always use the grass himself someday.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
The idea of raising Miltank to produce milk had long taken root in his mind.
As a proper Breeder, a daycare shouldn’t focus on just one type of Pokémon.
After all, League-certified breeding houses often raised dozens of Pokémon species. Some even served as a starting point for rookie Trainers to choose their Starter Pokémon.
Of course, that kind of operation would be incredibly busy.
Thinking about it, being a Breeder seemed to share some similarities with working a nine-to-five job.
(Sigh~)
Once all the errands were done, Ethan treated himself and Snivy to a steak dinner.
Snivy, however, offered its critique.
“Snivy,” (It’s not as good as your noodles...)
Ethan couldn’t help but laugh.
Of course not!
I’m a god-tier Breeder, after all!
In this world, thanks to the incredible power of Pokémon, a small number of ordinary animal species had already gone extinct.
Those that survived could only do so under human protection and careful conservation efforts.
Back home, the first thing Ethan did was prepare Maintenance Pokéblocks for Feebas.
By now, the process was second nature. In just ten minutes, he had a fresh batch of Pokéblocks ready.
【Maintenance Pokéblock: Grade C. Crafted from Beauty Berries and Spotless Grass, this Pokéblock is designed to maintain smooth and lustrous skin (or scales) with long-term use.】
【Effect: By combining the properties of Beauty Berries and Spotless Grass, this Pokéblock fully enhances their individual benefits. Upon consumption, it increases Charm by 15% for one hour.】
“Hm?”
Ethan let out a curious hum.
Charm as an attribute? How does that even work?
Would it affect me if I ate one?
He crumbled a warm Pokéblock into Feebas’s tank, watching as the little Pokémon eagerly devoured it.
As Feebas consumed the Pokéblock, a subtle transformation began.
Ethan rubbed his eyes, thinking he might be imagining things, but…
Feebas genuinely seemed to look a bit better.
Its scales, once dull and greyish-black, now appeared smoother and were starting to take on a creamy-white hue. Even its once-vacant eyes looked a touch more refined.
The change was significant.
“The effects are this good?”
Ethan glanced at Snivy and placed another Pokéblock in front of it. “Snivy, want to try one?”
Snivy eagerly accepted and began nibbling on the Pokéblock.
While the change wasn’t as pronounced as it was with Feebas, Snivy’s skin did appear smoother and shinier afterward.
“Looks like it’ll only take three or four more days before you can evolve,” Ethan mused, his gaze returning to Feebas.
After some time, he gently lifted Feebas out of its tank.
Examining its scales, which had been rough and uneven before, Ethan saw that they were now steadily improving.
Satisfied, he smiled.
With Milotic, he could…
Hehehe…
He could finally slack off!
In the summer heat, newly planted crops required frequent watering. With the added fertiliser, their water demands would only increase.
If Ethan had to manage it all himself, once the plantation was fully planted, he’d have to spend every day out there working.
But with a Milotic?
Watering would be a breeze.
(What’s wrong?)
(I’ll finish pulling the grass quickly.)
But for now…
Looking out at the sweltering heat outside, Ethan sighed. Resigned to his fate, he stepped into the blazing sun and headed toward the plantation.
As he expected, despite being planted just last night, the seedlings had already grown to around ten centimetres tall.
However, their leaves looked a bit wilted.
Snivy followed behind him, and upon seeing the patches of grass everywhere, it automatically began pulling them out.
This time, there was no pretense—its speed had significantly increased.
“Wait, Snivy, stop for a moment. Come here first,” Ethan called out, suddenly remembering he’d forgotten to teach Snivy its Grassy Terrain move.
“Snivy?”
Snivy froze, momentarily worried that Ethan had noticed its deliberate slowness yesterday. Feeling a bit embarrassed, it shuffled over with small, hesitant steps.
“Snivy…” (What is it?)
“Ah? No, not about that. I’m going to teach you something cool!”
Ethan grinned as he excitedly pulled a greenish-blue disc from his system storage.
According to the system’s instructions, the method for using the TM was straightforward—just press it against the Grass-type Pokémon.
This meant any Grass-type Pokémon could learn the move, regardless of species limitations.
“Snivy.”
Just as Snivy breathed a sigh of relief, it suddenly felt its mind fill with new information.
The next second, it instinctively activated the move.
A vibrant green energy radiated outward, and the two plots of land it had cleared yesterday were instantly overgrown with lush, green grass once again.
Snivy’s expression darkened.
