Chapter 4: Crystallization

The indulgence from his parents exceeded Xia Yu’s imagination; after all, only family would give selflessly without expecting anything in return. Over a million worth of energy nutrient solution was used without a single blink.

With the application of the energy nutrient solution, the little creature inside the Pokémon egg grew steadily stronger, and the egg’s movements became increasingly pronounced.

A week later, accompanied by a crisp sound, the eggshell cracked, and a purple Sonbat emerged.

“Welcome to this world,” Xia Yu said with a hint of a smile in his eyes as he watched the newly hatched Sonbat. He took out a prepared Poké Ball and immediately captured the Sonbat. Then, releasing it again, he fed the Sonbat an energy cube he had readied.

The tiny Sonbat looked up at Xia Yu with a flicker of affection in its eyes. Though Sonbats were not known for their docile nature, it felt a certain warmth toward Xia Yu at first sight. The enticing aroma from the energy cube made it even more affectionate. It eagerly climbed onto Xia Yu’s hand, clutching the energy cube and feasting heartily.

“Hidden mission [Initial Pokémon] completed.”

[Initial Pokémon]: Capture a Pokémon. (Progress 1/1)

“Reward obtained: Rare item, Grade B [Dragon Scale].”

Grade B [Dragon Scale]: A dragon scale shed by a powerful Dragon-type Pokémon, imbued with surging energy. When worn by a Dragon-type Pokémon, it accelerates growth and enhances control over Dragon-type energy.

Item grading is also a feature of this real world. Unlike in games where items have no grades—for instance, all Water Stones in games allow Eevee to evolve into Vaporeon—in reality, it’s different.

In reality, an S-grade Water Stone contains abundant Water-type energy, not only enabling Eevee to evolve into Vaporeon but also boosting Vaporeon’s mastery of Water energy and aptitude. Conversely, a C-grade Water Stone barely allows Eevee to evolve without any extra benefits, and a D-grade Water Stone might even cause evolution failure.

This is the difference item grades make. The Grade B [Dragon Scale] Xia Yu acquired likely came from a powerful Dragon-type Pokémon such as Salamence or Dragonite. In contrast, a D-grade Dragon Scale might come from weaker Dragon-types like Shelgon or Altaria.

The same item varies widely in effect depending on its grade. Xia Yu was very satisfied to receive a Grade B [Dragon Scale].

Taking the [Dragon Scale] from his system storage, Xia Yu did not hesitate to equip it on the Sonbat to speed up its growth, hoping it would evolve into an Exploud Dragon soon.

[Sonbat]

Gender: Male

Type: Flying, Dragon

Grade: Elite

Ability: Telepathy

Skills: Gust, Moonlight, Tackle, Absorb, Supersonic, Clear Smog

The newborn Sonbat possessed six skills; while none were overwhelmingly powerful, several were quite useful. For example, Moonlight and Supersonic—one is a potent healing skill, and the other is an annoying attack that causes confusion upon hitting the opponent.

As Xia Yu played with the Sonbat, building their bond, he pondered ways to make money.

Training Pokémon was an expensive endeavor. Xia Yu was about to enter his senior year of high school, considered an adult now. Before having Pokémon, he didn’t need much money, but starting to raise Pokémon considerably increased his expenses. Therefore, he had to find ways to earn money himself; he couldn't rely on his parents forever.

In fact, Xia Yu had already thought of two avenues to make money. The first was to leverage his system’s ability to appraise Pokémon aptitude. This method was quick for earning but carried risks. If someone with ill intent discovered this ability, it would pose a significant threat to his life.

The second path was a legitimate business venture. He focused on stone collection. Whether it was Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamaxing, or Crystallization, all required auxiliary items.

So far, only Z-Moves had been publicly announced in this world, unveiled two years ago. The price of a pure Z-Crystal had soared to over a hundred million, yet supply was scarce. Whenever a pure Z-Crystal appeared on the black market, it was immediately snapped up. Most gym-level trainers didn’t even qualify to compete for them; only elite trainers at the rank of elite four or higher had a chance.

Z-Crystals alone were enough to drive elite trainers crazy. If Dynamaxing, Mega Evolution, or Crystallization were to be revealed, the uproar would be unimaginable. Xia Yu dared not even imagine it. But this was a golden opportunity for him—a chance to capitalize on his foresight.

Still, Xia Yu harbored some concerns. If he kept collecting evolution stones and Mega Stones, when Mega Evolution was finally announced, lacking the wealth or social standing to match the power of holding numerous Mega Stones could spell disaster. It could drag the entire Xia family into an endless abyss.

“Compared to Mega Evolution and Dynamaxing, Crystallization is undoubtedly more common and better suited for the first public reveal. Also, Crystallization has a lower threshold—it only requires a Crystal Orb to perform.”

“The excitement from announcing Crystallization would be much smaller, perfect for the initial reveal. After I accumulate enough wealth and strength, I’ll unveil Dynamaxing, and finally Mega Evolution.”

Xia Yu mulled over his future money-making plan. Beyond selling Crystal Orbs, replenishing Crystallization energy was a long-term income stream.

Once Crystallization is performed, the energy in the Crystal Orb is depleted, rendering it unusable. Only by recharging the orb can Crystallization be performed again. Charging orbs thus becomes a sustainable business.

Selling Crystal Orbs is a one-time transaction; charging them is a continuous source of profit.

“Crystal Orb,”

Xia Yu mused, then opened his phone and began searching online for news about Crystallization.

“Crystal Onix spotted in Qiongzhou Province…”

“Crystal Eevee with a mysterious diamond-shaped object on its forehead discovered in Altamira Cave…”

“Crystal Gyarados found in Valencia, sparking a tourist boom as trainers from around the world flock to Valencia…”

Searching the term “Crystal Pokémon,” Xia Yu found several useful leads. Most Crystallized Pokémon appeared near the Pyrenees Peninsula, spanning the countries of Grapea and Westania. There was also some information about one or two Crystal Pokémon in China’s Qiongzhou Province.

“After the college entrance exams, I’ll make a trip to Qiongzhou Province—maybe I’ll find something worthwhile,” Xia Yu thought. At the same time, he posted an online notice seeking to buy all kinds of rare and visually striking stones.

“High prices paid for various rare stones. Interested parties please send photos and prices via private message. Scammers need not apply.”

After completing these tasks, Xia Yu played with the little Sonbat a while longer, then opened his books to study diligently. Starting senior year, he had just one year left until the college entrance exam. He had to make the most of his time.

Having been reborn, Xia Yu valued academic credentials even more than before. Especially since, due to the system, he hadn’t captured a single Pokémon and couldn’t become a trainer, he now placed more emphasis on his education.

If he couldn’t become a top trainer, at least he could become a Pokémon Professor. In this world, Pokémon Professors held high status, especially those researching cutting-edge topics like Pokémon breeding, abilities, and moves—these professors were elite talents protected by their countries.

Moreover, Xia Yu’s money-making plan was closely linked to his academic standing. If he could secure a place in academia, the threats and resistance he faced upon revealing Crystallization would be far less, even serving as a shield.

Thus, from a young age, Xia Yu had set his goals and planned his life carefully. He was determined to attend one of China’s top universities, Xishu University.

In his previous life, Xia Yu’s grades had been excellent, gaining admission to a nationally prestigious university. After repeating eighteen years, he was confident. Xishu University was merely a stepping stone; Capital University and Modu University were his ultimate targets.