The surrounding breeders held their breath as they watched Silas's final operation. When the green light lit up and signaled that he had passed, many silently cheered for him in their hearts.
By the very end of the exam, aside from a few people, most did not have enough time left to attempt another run.
Naturally, those still working became the focus of everyone's attention — especially Silas.
"Remarkable talent at such a young age."
An elderly man with snow-white hair sighed in admiration.
He had remained at Breeder Rank 5 for eighteen years.
This year's exam topic wasn't particularly difficult, but with his age and declining reflexes, producing high-quality Pokéblocks was nearly impossible. He knew he had no hope of passing.
But his heart was already at peace. For many years, he had been well aware that his talent as a Breeder was poor, perhaps even below average.
That he had managed to reach Rank 5 at all was thanks only to the knowledge and experience he had accumulated with age.
Around him, others nodded in silent agreement.
"That concludes the Rank 6 Breeder practical exam.
A total of 94 participants. 14 passed.
Those who passed, please follow me to complete the necessary paperwork."
The proctor was strict and efficient. Once the announcement was made, he led the successful breeders away from the exam site.
Those who had failed left in groups of two or three, chatting as they walked. Their voices buzzed with discussion, exchanging observations and lessons from the Pokéblock-making challenge.
Meanwhile, Boss Sanqi nearly popped his eyes out of his head as he glanced at Silas walking beside him.
He couldn't understand it. Just moments ago, the kid hadn't even seemed to know how to operate the machine and now he had passed?
It wasn't that he begrudged Silas's success. But this was simply beyond imagination.
He had even prepared a whole speech to console the young man if he failed!
"Tch, the pass rate this time isn't bad. Probably the highest in the past five years, right?"
Several breeders chatted happily.
"Exactly. Quite an achievement. And really, we should thank young Silas here."
Silas blinked in confusion. Wait, what does this have to do with me?
The others quickly explained, each chiming in over the other.
Listening quietly, Silas pieced together the truth from their words.
He had been wondering earlier — Pokéblock-making was such a rare exam subject. Why did it have to appear the very year he took the test? Surely the League staff wouldn't make such a careless mistake…
But in reality, it was intentional.
The League had deliberately chosen a topic that struck at his weakest area as a skip-level candidate.
Of course, another factor was the historically low pass rates in recent years.
Take Yuki from a few years ago: she excelled in nursing Pokémon back to health, but her actual breeding skills were weak. That year's exam targeted her exact shortcoming.
And if you looked back further, in the years when pass rates were higher, the exams had been notoriously difficult.
Pokéblock-making wasn't impossibly hard, but neither was it easy. It was the perfect way to separate skill levels.
After all, receiving nothing but a berry ratio recipe and being asked to figure out the optimal speeds and rhythms within an hour — that demanded real knowledge and experience.
Normal Pokéblock recipes were far more detailed.
And that extra half hour given this year? It was intentional.
Without it, two or three fewer candidates would have passed at minimum.
Some might call this unfair — a deliberate attempt to make skip-level candidates struggle.
But the League had their reasons.
For one thing, candidates who were specially recommended to skip levels already had an advantage over those working step by step each year. If left unchecked, resentment could build between the two groups. The League wanted to avoid that.
For another, the skip-level system was designed to select not ordinary people, but geniuses among geniuses.
If a candidate couldn't handle a slightly more difficult exam, then they weren't qualified in the first place.
And in Silas's case — skipping straight to the Rank 6 exam — he was absolutely unprecedented. When the League first received Pewter Gym's recommendation, the officials had been stunned.
"So yes, we really do need to thank you," a female breeder said with a laugh. "That extra half hour wasn't just about time — it was about mental strain, too. Pokéblock-making leaves no room for sloppiness."
Her words drew nods and agreement all around.
"No, no. There's still so much I need to learn from all of you seniors," Silas replied humbly.
The others warmed even further to him. A polite and respectful young man like this was a joy to be around.
And Silas meant every word. As they walked, he realized that every single breeder who had passed today was truly skilled in their own right.
The most striking example? The Pokéblocks he had carefully selected for his two beloved partners — both had been developed and crafted by these breeders.
And what surprised him even more: Boss Sanqi wasn't just some eccentric merchant. His family were the very founders of the Dodrio Transportation Network, which operated in cities across the region.
No wonder he had said his specialty was raising Dodrio. In that field, he was undoubtedly second to none.
The group continued their conversation, spirits high as they left the exam hall together.
Soon, the League staff who had disappeared earlier returned, now wearing a warm smile completely different from the stern demeanor he had shown while proctoring the exam.
"Congratulations, breeders. You have successfully passed the Rank 6 Breeder examination.
Your Breeder rank information has been updated in the system, and the corresponding benefits have been sent to your League-issued wrist devices.
I hope to see all of you continue to grow stronger and contribute even more to the League in the future."
As he spoke, he let out a long breath.
"Of course, that's the usual talk. Now, on behalf of myself and the Rocket Corporation, I'd like to extend an invitation to you all.
I'm sure none of you are strangers to our name.
Our benefits and compensation packages are among the very best in Kanto — no less than Silph Co., Devon Corp.
What's more, as locals of Kanto, joining Rocket Corporation means no need for constant business trips. You'll have plenty of time to spend with your families.
Any breeder interested is welcome to stay behind for further discussions."
The proctor beamed with a smile.
Silas felt his stomach twist. Great. Giovanni, you're unbelievable!
Just as he thought this, the proctor turned his gaze on Silas.
"Especially you, young Silas. You're from Viridian City, aren't you? Then you must be familiar with Gym Leader Giovanni our boss himself.
With your talent, plus that connection, your rise would be unstoppable."
Silas forced a polite smile.
"Of course, every Viridian native respects Gym Leader Giovanni.
But unfortunately, I'll likely be working under Professor Oak or Professor Rowan in future research projects. I simply won't have the spare energy to take on anything else."
Naturally, Silas declined. His life was going well already — why would he jump headfirst into the dangerous mess that was Team Rocket?
"Ah, such a promising youth! Well then, perhaps there may be opportunities for collaboration between you and Rocket Corporation in future projects."
The man's smile didn't falter. He clearly already knew of Silas's ties to the two Professors, but his words carried an even warmer tone now.
Several breeders nearby, however, were startled. Silas had previously said it was through Pewter Gym's recommendation that he had been allowed to skip ahead in the exams. Yet now he was also connected to two world-famous Professors?
No wonder Professor Oak valued him so highly. Truly, geniuses were a breed apart.
As the meeting concluded, most of the breeders said their farewells and left — Silas included. Only three or four stayed behind, apparently curious about Rocket Corporation's offer.
It was proof enough of how desperately Giovanni sought out talented individuals.
Coupled with the natural goodwill many locals had for a "homegrown company," plenty were willing even eager to join Rocket Corporation.
After all, breeders needed to make a living too. Running a private shop or business in a city would never compare to the security and resources offered by a massive corporation.
Silas, of course, could say nothing. He had only just met these people — it wasn't his place to warn them that Rocket Corporation's true identity was none other than Team Rocket. Nobody would believe him anyway.
And he had to admit, Giovanni truly was ruthless: openly funding the League's cleanup of Team Rocket while secretly running it himself. Playing both sides so flawlessly, no wonder he had hidden his identity for so long.
"Rocket Corporation is making big moves this year. If I remember right, last year it was Silph Co. in the spotlight. Shouldn't it have been Devon Corp.'s turn this year?"
A breeder named Takumi shook his head in amazement.
"It's natural. They went public this year — everyone's watching to see how they grow. And Gym Leader Giovanni has such incredible vision!"
Another breeder, clearly a die-hard Giovanni fan, practically had stars shining in his eyes.
"Then why don't you join Rocket Corporation yourself?" his friend teased.
"Can't. My family runs a shop. If I abandoned it, my father would break my legs," the man sighed helplessly.
Everyone burst out laughing.
"Alright then, see you all next time! Don't let me reach Rank 7 while you're still stuck here!"
With that, the breeders went their separate ways.
"Oh, Silas! I'll add you to the Kanto Breeders' League group chat later. Make sure you accept, okay?"
An older sisterly breeder waved as she left. Silas smiled and nodded in return.
Just then, his wrist device buzzed with an incoming call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, did you pass the exam or not?"
It was Yuki's voice on the other end.
"Of course I did. You really think something like that could stop me?" Silas replied with mock disdain.
"Ha! Acting all smug now, are you?" Yuki shot back. If anyone else who knew her had heard this tone, they would have been stunned.
Gentle, kind Yuki — teasing someone so sharply? The girl had another side after all.
"By the way, that formula you asked me about last time — it's finally available for trade, isn't it?"
The two quickly turned the conversation toward business.
..
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