Ding-ding! Business at last!
Su Bai perked up instantly, putting on his brightest smile.
"Hello there! We don't sell contracted beasts here—we sell Pokémon. Would you like to take a look?"
The young boy hesitated, glancing over at Wang Tao, then pointed toward Grotle.
"Isn't that… a contracted beast?"
Wang Tao immediately scowled, clearly annoyed.
"What 'contracted beast'? That's my Pokémon!"
"Don't compare my partner to those mindless brutes!"
Although Grotle couldn't understand the words exactly, it still gave a grumpy snort—eerily in sync with its trainer's temper.
The boy took a startled step back, clearly intimidated by Grotle's size.
"Pokémon…? I thought that giant turtle was some new breed of contracted beast."
"Last time I saw it, it was just a tiny little thing…"
He gestured with his hands to show the original size.
Wang Tao blinked, then leaned in for a better look.
"Oh—it's you!"
"You're the one I kept seeing lurking nearby during my missions!"
"I thought I had a fan or something…"
"Turns out you were watching my turtle!"
Su Bai lightly patted Wang Tao's shoulder with a chuckle.
"He's right. That Grotle was indeed purchased from my shop."
"Unlike contracted beasts, which are unstable and aggressive by nature..."
"Pokémon are obedient, intelligent, and far more powerful overall."
"Since you're here, how about testing your luck?"
"Though fair warning... it can get pricey."
It was obvious that Wang Tao's monster-clearing spree had attracted some attention.
But Su Bai didn't mind. If anything, it was free marketing.
The boy hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
He had come here with the intention of buying a contracted beast anyway.
In this world, contracted beasts were considered a mixed blessing.
While high-level tamers could transfer contracts and sell their beasts to others, the effectiveness of such contracts would drop by more than half.
And with contracted beasts often going berserk, they posed serious risks.
But if this shop truly sold stable, intelligent creatures like the Grotle he just saw…
That would change everything.
Carefully stepping around Grotle, the boy approached the counter and said nervously:
"Alright, I'll give it a try. I've got the money."
"I'm Zhang Qun, by the way. Nice to meet you."
He handed over a crystal card.
Su Bai took one glance and nearly choked.
What the heck?! This innocent-looking kid has THAT kind of card?!
It was a black crystal card—the same elite-tier as Murong Nan's.
You needed at least ten million credits in your account to qualify for one.
Since when did young rich heirs become so common?!
Still, Su Bai kept calm and placed the card on the scanner.
"No need to pay just yet. Let's pick your Pokémon first."
He pushed the Pokédex toward Zhang Qun.
"See this handprint icon? Just place your hand on it."
"O-Okay!"
The boy pressed his palm to the Pokédex.
The screen flashed. Countless silhouettes scrolled past—until finally, one stopped.
A plump, strange-looking Pokémon appeared on screen.
Su Bai's brows jumped.
"Another lucky draw?!"
Wang Tao also leaned over, eyes wide.
"Whoa! That thing looks kinda scary!"
The creature shown had a bulky, shark-like head and a massive, toothy grin.
Its stubby limbs, big round eyes, and short tail gave it a so-ugly-it's-cute kind of vibe.
Zhang Qun blinked in confusion.
"What's an 'O-O Emperor'?"
Su Bai scratched his chin and chuckled.
"He means 'European Emperor'—a slang term for someone with insane luck."
"Though whether that luck is good or bad... well, that remains to be seen."
He gave Zhang Qun a rather sympathetic look.
"This Pokémon is called Gible."
"From the name, it might not sound like much... but it's actually a Dragon/Ground-type Pokémon."
"Any Pokémon with Dragon typing is bound to have incredible potential."
"Gible is a powerful and incredibly rare Pokémon."
Wang Tao's eyes widened with awe.
"Wait—Dragon-type?! That's insane!"
Now that he knew what it was, the stubby, shark-headed Pokémon that had once seemed awkward now looked incredibly cool in his eyes.
In this world, mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes were part of well-known legends.
Even if Gible didn't look like a dragon, Su Bai said it was—so it had to be true!
"Dragon-type Pokémon are always awesome!"
Zhang Qun's eyes sparkled with excitement, but then he frowned.
"But… didn't you just say my luck might not be good?"
Su Bai sighed and glanced up at the floating screen again.
His mouth twitched slightly.
The price tag flashed clearly:
[Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon – Minimum price: 80 million credits]
Eighty. Million. Credits.
Even if someone managed to pull one, could they actually afford it?
And if a sincere, eager kid like Zhang Qun drew a pseudo-legendary on his first try…
There was a real chance he'd never be able to afford it.
It was practically a tragedy waiting to happen.
Su Bai gave him a sympathetic look.
"Because this Pokémon isn't just any Dragon-type…"
"You saw what Grotle could do—Pokémon are extraordinary creatures."
"Each one is a powerful partner, capable of forming deep bonds with their trainer."
"And among over a thousand species, some are… very special."
"Just as Death Beasts range from lowly Poochyena to the Domain-level tyrants…"
"Pokémon, too, have those that stand at the very top."
"They possess mythical powers beyond human comprehension."
"Some control time and space. Others command the oceans or rule the skies. There are even those who protect entire planets…"
"There are legends of Pokémon capable of creating entire worlds."
"These divine beings are known as Legendary Pokémon—or 'god-tier' Pokémon."
"Their power is so immense, it rivals the might of actual deities."
Zhang Qun's jaw dropped lower with each word.
Control time and space?
Command oceans, lands, and skies?
That kind of power put even the strongest Forbidden Zone Lords to shame.
And those world-creating Pokémon? That was practically...
Godhood.
Even the most elite Awakeners would be nothing in comparison.
Unable to contain his shock, Zhang Qun blurted out:
"Wait… are you saying this Gible is—?!"