As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, John and Azure lounged on the open grassland, enjoying a barbecue. The scent of sizzling meat filled the air as Hariyama skillfully tended to the grill. Meanwhile, John and Azure took in the breathtaking scenery, relishing each bite of their meal.
John's Pokemon roamed freely across the vast plains, reveling in their temporary escape from the confines of battle. Tyrantrum, in particular, was having the time of its life, tearing across the field with reckless abandon. On the other hand, his Tyranitar—far less enthused—lay sprawled out on the grass, looking utterly unimpressed. Without any sand or rocky terrain nearby, it had little to do but doze off.
Azure scrolled through his phone, glancing up at John with an impressed look. "You really nailed the concept of individual value. Using it as a marketing strategy? Genius." He held up his screen, showing a trending topic on the internet.
John smirked. "That good, huh?"
The Ralts he had sold that morning had gone viral by midday. The internet was already abuzz with talk of his Mega Shiny Gardevoir, and now his newly opened breeding center had caught the public eye.
It should've been expected. But what really set the internet ablaze was John's introduction of the concept of individual value when advertising his Ralts.
Some skeptics dismissed it outright. Others, however, believed in John's expertise. After all, he had spent six months raising a Ralts to Gym Leader-level strength—an astonishing feat in itself. That, combined with his reputation as a student of Saul Badman and a researcher at Azure's laboratory, gave him undeniable credibility. Even if he couldn't prove his method scientifically, his results spoke for themselves.
By the afternoon, early buyers had already started putting his claims to the test. Skilled breeders had methods to gauge a Pokemon's potential, but they had never been able to quantify talent in the way John claimed to. Yet, through various tests—move-learning speed, energy manipulation, and more—it became apparent that the special attack "IV" Ralts John had labeled did, in fact, outperform standard Ralts in terms of special attack growth.
Naturally, controversy followed.
While some were convinced, others—especially well-known breeders and industry veterans—rejected the notion outright. The idea of measuring Pokemon talent in strict numbers had been explored before, but no one had succeeded. There was no way they were going to let some upstart trainer claim the breakthrough. Demanding proof, they took to the internet, challenging John to provide evidence of his method.
John, however, had no interest in engaging. "Believe it or don't," he shrugged, dismissing the noise.
"Do you really think individual value is just a marketing gimmick?" Azure asked, raising an eyebrow.
John leaned back, looking amused. "Isn't it?"
Azure narrowed his eyes. "But you're serious about it, aren't you?"
John rolled his eyes. The truth was, he didn't care whether people believed in it or not. The hype alone was enough. At this rate, his breeding center was on track to become one of the most well-known facilities in the country.
He turned his gaze toward the distant silhouette of his Gym. Given the way things were escalating, he expected far more than the three hundred visitors he had originally anticipated by the end of the month. To prepare, he had already contacted a construction team to expand the facility. The housing he had initially set aside for future apprentices? Bulldozed. He had no plans of taking on students anytime soon. He was only nineteen—still in school, for crying out loud. The idea of teaching others seemed ridiculous.
Besides, at his current pace, he'd outgrow the role of Gym Leader within a year—maybe even half that. By then, he'd be moving on to Elite-level challenges. There was no need to get bogged down with unnecessary responsibilities.
"I should set up an official website for the breeding center," John mused. "Screen potential customers a little."
Azure scoffed. "And I suppose you expect me to handle that for you?"
"You did suggest I get an agent, didn't you?" John countered with a smirk. "Consider this an interview. Give me five days, and I'll have a decision."
Before Azure could retort, a newly recruited staff member sprinted toward them from the direction of the Gym, looking flustered.
"Boss! There's someone here asking for you! Says his name is Zachary Hayes—claims he's your senior!"
John's eyes widened. "Zachary Hayes? He's here?"
Azure stood up as well. "Wait, your senior? That means he's one of Saul Badman's students!"
The two hurried toward the Gym entrance, where Zachary Hayes stood waiting, a travel bag slung over his shoulder. Behind him, a Salamence loomed, eyes scanning the surroundings with a watchful gaze.
"John!" Zachary greeted, bumping fists with him. "Congrats, man. Heard you landed yourself a Gym Leader position."
John grinned. "Couldn't have done it without all those sparring sessions during the holidays. Speaking of which, you got time to grab a drink?"
"Tempting," Zachary chuckled, shaking his head. "But I'm on a mission. Just passing through to drop something off." He handed over the bag.
John opened it to find a hundred shrunken Pokeballs inside.
"These are one hundred Growlithes," Zachary explained. "I've already sorted out the permits for their sale. Military representatives will be reaching out to discuss the transaction details. Just go over their terms and agree if everything checks out."
He then pulled out another Pokeball, this one different from the rest. It was solid red, adorned with yellow flame-like patterns.
"This one," Zachary said, "is a gift. Direct from the Dog King himself."
John's eyes widened. "The Dog King?"
Azure let out a low whistle. "Flame Pokeball. Now that's rare."
Seeing John's confusion, he added, "The Dog King is a world-renowned breeder specializing in canine Pokemon. Real name's Caine—he used to be part of the Elite Four. Even now, he works as a breeding consultant for the military's Arcanine and Mightyena divisions."
Zachary nodded. "He supplied the hundred Growlithes. When I mentioned you needed an Arcanine, he personally selected the best offspring from his ace Pokemon and sent it your way. Said you better take good care of it."
John exhaled, taking a moment to absorb the weight of the gift. Having a direct endorsement from a breeder of Caine's caliber was beyond anything he had expected.
"Well," he said, shaking his head with a grin, "guess it's true what they say. It's all about who you know."
"Exactly," Zachary smirked. "Anyway, make sure to thank him yourself. He left a message on his social media, expecting a response from you—something about individual values."
John sighed. "Of course he did."
Zachary laughed. "Better get used to it. You're making waves, kid."