The circular auditorium fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into a chorus of competing bids.
Fifty million was a substantial sum, but how could information about a Legendary Pokémon's whereabouts be worth merely fifty million?
In this world, wealth was abundant among many, but true power remained scarce. Those who possessed sufficient strength found that wealth naturally followed in its wake.
Jacob had clearly underestimated the fervor of this particular crowd.
Within a single minute, the price skyrocketed, climbing rapidly to a terrifying figure.
Jacob shook his head, rationally deciding to withdraw from the bidding. This was merely information regarding a Legendary Pokémon, not the Legendary Pokémon itself.
He settled back into the soft leather sofa, adopting a relaxed posture as his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He observed the frenzied competition in silence.
Though he harbored genuine admiration for the Legendary Pokémon Zapdos, the current circumstances suggested that he and the Electric-type Legendary were simply not meant to cross paths.
After an intense series of escalating bids, the information concerning Zapdos was ultimately purchased by a mysterious buyer occupying Box 18.
Box 18.
Jacob committed this number to memory.
"The auction is approaching its conclusion. Next, we present the second-to-last item—the whereabouts of a Giant Pokémon."
"Over a month ago, someone discovered a Pokémon resembling a Giant Lapras and recorded video documentation."
"This information package includes the precise location of the Giant Pokémon, along with complete video footage."
"The starting bid remains at zero, with minimum increments of one hundred thousand."
Compared to the previous offering, this information held the greatest significance for Jacob.
"You'll handle the bidding again. Money isn't a concern," Jacob said, turning toward Sylvia seated beside him.
Recognizing the familiar phrase, Sylvia nodded with barely contained excitement. Although the funds weren't her own, she clearly relished the thrill of competitive bidding.
In contrast to the auction for Zapdos's information, this Giant Pokémon auction attracted noticeably fewer competitors. Sylvia didn't hesitate, placing bids with rapid-fire determination.
Following several rounds of bidding, Jacob successfully secured the information at a steep price.
Upon hearing the final figure Sylvia announced, Jacob felt a twinge of regret despite himself. Although Raya had promised reimbursement, he inexplicably experienced a sense of loss, as though he were spending his own money.
"Let us congratulate our distinguished guest in Box 16 for successfully acquiring the Giant Pokémon information."
"Next, we present our final auction item. Due to certain special circumstances, this item was not included in the original auction catalog but has been added at the last moment."
Clap, clap.
The host clapped his hands together, and several Machamp pulled two enormous glass cases covered by drapes onto the stage.
The host held a microphone in one hand while resting his other hand on the drape. He began introducing the final auction item, building anticipation for the upcoming bidding.
"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to maintain the suspense just a bit longer. I'll provide a brief introduction while the drape remains in place."
"I'm certain all of you are extremely curious about what could possibly serve as the grand finale of this monthly auction."
"First, this final auction item is no trivial matter. Globally, there currently exists only one such item."
"Second, this item possesses extraordinary qualities. At the seller's explicit request, this item is available solely for trade, not for purchase. It may only be exchanged for rare treasures, Pokémon, Pokémon eggs, valuable information, and similar items of worth."
"Finally, due to the unique nature of this item, please exercise extreme caution regarding your personal safety after acquiring it. We strongly advise against international travel."
"Very well, without further delay, please observe for yourselves."
The host's dramatic introduction piqued Jacob's interest considerably. He directed his gaze toward the covered cases with growing curiosity.
Whoosh.
The host suddenly pulled away the black drapes, revealing the contents within the transparent glass cases.
All the spotlights converged on the two cases, illuminating their contents clearly.
Each case contained a human being.
Disheveled hair, vacant eyes, and metal collars secured around their necks, wrists, and ankles.
One male, one female.
They appeared relatively young, approximately seventeen or eighteen years old, with facial features bearing a striking resemblance—twins, perhaps.
"Those are just two people?"
"What's so special about that?"
"I anticipated something remarkable, but it's merely two humans. Though I must admit, they're quite attractive."
"What's their background? Are their family members Elite Four trainers or Champions, to warrant such excessive praise?"
Similarly, Sylvia and Caleb in the private box appeared somewhat disappointed.
Given the host's extravagant buildup, they had expected some extraordinary treasure. Sylvia had even prepared to place another bid, only to discover the items were simply two human beings.
Unlike the others, the moment Jacob laid eyes on these two individuals, though he maintained his outward composure, his mind raced with startling realization.
These two were fundamentally different from every other person he had encountered. These two could actually be analyzed by his system!
It was important to understand that for ordinary humans, the system displayed no information whatsoever. Only Pokémon triggered such data displays.
???
Gender: Male
Type: ???
Tera Type: ???
Aptitude: ???
Combat Power: ???
Ability: ???
Moves: ???
???
Gender: Female
Type: ???
Tera Type: ???
Aptitude: ???
Combat Power: ???
Ability: ???
Moves: ???
"Unknown anomaly detected..."
"System initiating repairs..."
"System repairs complete..."
???
Gender: Male
Species: Human-Pokémon Hybrid
Abilities: Unknown
???
Gender: Female
Species: Human-Pokémon Hybrid
Abilities: Unknown
This male and female were actually human-Pokémon hybrids.
Jacob's shock was profound. Throughout Pokémon games and lore, human-Pokémon hybrids had indeed existed. The most famous example was N, the wielder of either Zekrom or Reshiram, depending on the version.
However, in this reality, this marked the first time Jacob had encountered actual human-Pokémon hybrids.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please quiet down for a moment."
"Allow me to introduce the identities of these two individuals."
"Twenty years ago, a brilliant scientist abroad named Nash conducted groundbreaking research. Through unknown technological methods combined with Pokémon abilities, he successfully created the only pair of human-Pokémon hybrid twins in recorded history."
"These are that unique pair of twins."
"Because they are human-Pokémon hybrids, they possess numerous extraordinary abilities, including telepathic communication with Pokémon and Psychic-type powers."
"The metal restraining rings on their necks and limbs serve to suppress their Psychic abilities. Please do not attempt to remove these rings carelessly."
"You may now begin bidding."