After successfully swooping in and snatching that Shiny Beldum egg with Elite-level potential, Shiba's mood was excellent.
His fingertips brushed across the cool outer shell of the incubator. Inside, the silver-white Pokémon egg that emitted a faint metallic gleam floated quietly, as though a future steel emperor slumbered within.
This would be one of his future core teammates, another solid stepping stone toward becoming a Champion.
After securing this precious treasure, Shiba finally shifted his attention back to reality.
His gaze turned toward the girl beside him—Takai Yuko.
Next, it was time to choose a new partner for her.
The corridor of the Breeding Center echoed with a faint energy hum. The two walked side by side in comfortable silence.
"Yūko, do you have a preferred typing?"
Shiba's voice was soft but clearly reached her ears, carrying a calm warmth that made one feel at ease.
Yuko, still absorbed in observing the various Pokémon eggs behind the glass rooms on both sides, paused and began seriously considering the question. Her long lashes trembled lightly.
"Hmm… my Machoke is a pure Fighting-type physical attacker."
Her voice was clear and pleasant.
"So I want a Pokémon that can fill in my offensive coverage… preferably one with strong Special Attack."
"A special attacker, huh?"
Shiba understood immediately.
"I see."
He asked no further. A clear target had already taken shape in his mind.
With a mere thought, the Prophecy System silently activated.
In an instant, the world before his eyes transformed completely.
The once ordinary sea of Pokémon eggs was now shrouded in halos of varying brightness. Countless streams of information flashed rapidly across his retinas like cascading waterfalls.
Large patches of white halos represented ordinary potential.
The occasional blue halo signified Gym-grade potential.
These, Shiba ignored entirely.
For a gift to Yuko, Gym-grade potential was the bare minimum.
His steps never stopped as he led her forward, yet his gaze scanned through the shelves with astonishing precision.
Eventually, he stopped in the section dedicated to Psychic-type Pokémon.
Even the air here felt more tranquil, diffused with faint spiritual energy.
Shiba's eyes pierced through dozens of eggs before finally locking onto one.
In a temperature-controlled cradle lay a Pokémon egg with a pale green shell, decorated with two distinctive red horn-shaped markings.
Unlike the others, this egg radiated a bright, almost tangible purple aura.
Its noble and mysterious glow stood out among the many white and blue halos—striking and unmatched.
This was the one.
He stepped forward, not touching it, only focusing his gaze on it.
Golden text slowly emerged in his vision:
[Prophecy Fragment: This egg will hatch into a female Ralts, which will ultimately evolve into Gardevoir. Potential: Quasi-Elite!]
A Quasi-Elite-potential Gardevoir!
Shiba's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
A perfect Psychic-type special attacker—graceful, beautiful, and a flawless match for Yuko's cool, ethereal demeanor.
It was practically made for her.
"Yūko, this one."
He turned slightly and pointed at the unique egg.
Yuko followed his gesture and was captivated at first glance.
"Ralts?"
Her eyes immediately lit up with pure joy.
"So pretty!"
Seeing her expression, Shiba's smile deepened.
He summoned the staff, handled the purchase, and once the valuable Quasi-Elite-grade egg was placed into a portable incubator and handed to him, he did not hesitate for even a moment—he passed it directly to Yuko.
"It's for you."
His movements were natural, as if handing her a glass of water.
"Eh?"
Yuko froze, her breath stopping for a moment.
She looked at the extraordinarily precious Pokémon egg in his hands, then at his calm face. Her mind went completely blank.
"For me? This… this is too valuable…"
She quickly regained her senses and waved both hands, flustered.
This wasn't an ordinary Pokémon egg. Judging by how seriously Shiba had selected it, its worth was unquestionably immense.
"Between us, do we need to say such things?"
He didn't pull back his hand—just quietly met her eyes.
His gaze was calm and gentle, yet held an undeniable firmness.
"You becoming stronger puts me at ease. Take it."
Under that gaze, Yuko felt her heartbeat accelerating. Warmth climbed up her cheeks all the way to her ears.
The words of refusal stuck in her throat and refused to come out.
Finally, with trembling hands, she accepted the heavy gift.
The incubator felt warm to the touch.
Yuko held it tightly against her chest, as though cradling the most precious treasure in the world. Her heart overflowed with sweetness and emotion.
However—at that warm moment, a sharp, grating voice abruptly pierced the air behind them.
"Hmph! How generous!"
The voice carried unfiltered jealousy and spite.
"All that fuss for a Ralts egg. Even if its potential is good, so what? Can it compare to my pseudo-legendary?"
Shiba and Yuko turned around.
There stood Sunada Kaoru, whose loss of the Shiny Beldum opportunity had left him mentally unhinged. He crossed his arms, glaring at them with envy.
It seemed he had used his family connections to obtain a decent egg after them—and now was desperate to regain some face.
Shiba didn't even bother to frown.
He simply turned away again, treating the man like empty air.
He focused instead on gently instructing Yuko:
"Ralts can sense feelings very well. Early on, you'll need to raise it with love and patience."
His voice remained soft, tinged with subtle fondness.
"It will understand your emotions, so you must treat it kindly—like family."
His gentle demeanor contrasted sharply with the twisted expression of Sunada Kaoru, who was on the verge of exploding from being ignored.
Yuko nodded obediently, her attention fully on Shiba and the egg in her arms—not sparing even a glance for Sunada Kaoru.
Finally, with Sunada Kaoru's eyes practically spitting flames—eyes that looked ready to devour him alive—Shiba left with Yuko, entirely satisfied.
Stepping out of the Breeding Center and into the warm afternoon light, Shiba's mood remained perfectly untouched.
In fact, he even felt an odd sense of anticipation.
This walking "treasure-finding rat" might bring him yet another prophecy… and another gift.
(End of Chapter)
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