Lounge, Jubilife Pokémon Center
Austin and Dai Yui continued chatting casually, while the two younger women quietly stuck together, successfully isolating the self-assured woman named Mieko.
Mieko carried herself with an air of certainty, as if first place was already hers by default.
Soon, a young staff member entered, holding a printed sheet. With a professional smile, she read aloud:
"Austin Black, 97 points.
Mizuki Hano, 88 points.
Mieko Nobana, 81 points.
Brenda Wood, 77 points.
Dai Yui, 73 points.
Congratulations. All five of you have advanced to the second round."
She paused briefly before continuing,
"The second round will prioritize Pokémon selection based on your first-round scores."
Dai Yui's eyes widened. He couldn't help blurting out,
"Damn—what kind of monster are you?"
Mizuki and Brenda exchanged glances, then both looked toward Austin.
They had assumed he was just slacking off during the first round.
Turns out, he was just that good.
Mieko clenched her teeth, clearly unconvinced.
"How is this even possible? That's ridiculous!"
Finishing a 97-point paper in under forty minutes was something she simply couldn't accept.
The staff member replied calmly,
"The test was graded automatically by the system. If you have any objections, you may apply to review Mr. Austin Black's paper."
Mieko immediately raised her hand.
"I object."
The staff member sighed softly, a little helpless.
"Very well. Please follow me."
Out of pure curiosity, Mizuki and Brenda followed along.
After reviewing Austin's answer sheet, Mieko fell completely silent.
Only then did Mieko realize she probably looked like a full-blown villain.
No one suspected Austin of cheating.
The test paper had been randomly generated from the entire question bank. Before the exam, no one—not even the examiners—knew the exact distribution of multiple-choice, true-or-false, or written questions.
Scoring 97 points meant only one thing.
He was genuinely skilled.
Dai Yui, towering more than half a head over Austin, gave his shoulder a hearty pat.
"As expected from someone whose family runs a Breeding House—real family heritage. I have to come interview at your place for an interview in a couple of days."
Mieko, who had been quiet for a long while, finally asked,
"Your family runs a Breeding House?"
Austin nodded.
"Yeah. I learned from my grandfather growing up."
"No wonder," she muttered.
The staff member seized the moment.
"If Ms. Mieko has no further objections, shall we proceed with the second round?"
. . .
Second Round: Practical Assessment
The second round turned out to be refreshingly straightforward.
The staff member led them into another room, where five Pokémon waited quietly:
Electrike, Marill, Cherubi, Glameow, and Skorupi.
"Each of you will select one Pokémon to manage," she explained, "and prepare a suitable food item. The judges will evaluate your performance."
As she spoke, Austin casually scanned the room and noticed several discreet surveillance cameras.
So they're watching from the monitors, he thought.
"These Pokémon are all rather picky," the staff member added.
"Based on first-round scores, Mr. Austin Black will choose first."
Austin pointed toward the small, green-furred canine sitting in the corner.
"I'll take Electrike."
His choice surprised everyone.
Normally, Marill, Cherubi, or Glameow would've been the safer picks.
Marill might fire off a Water Gun at worst—but Electrike? If it got annoyed, someone was getting shocked.
Selections continued in order, and by the time it was Dai Yui's turn, only Skorupi remained.
Dai Yui didn't mind at all. He clapped his hands and grinned.
"Alright then—come on, little Skorupi."
Faced with the towering Dai Yui, Skorupi immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
The Skorupi that had been itching to show off earlier now obediently followed behind him.
Austin slipped on insulating gloves and selected a non-conductive brush from the rack.
"Electrike," he said calmly, sitting down on the floor. "Come here."
He then took out an Energy Cube, instantly drawing Electrike's attention.
The moment the Energy Cube appeared, the other Pokémon stirred as well—
especially Glameow, who swallowed unconsciously.
[Ding — Energy Cube proficiency increased by 109 points]
. . .
Observation Room
In the adjacent room, several judges—including Nurse Joy—watched intently.
"Dai Yui has a strong presence," one judge remarked. "Even Skorupi seems intimidated."
"That can be a double-edged sword," another replied. "Too much pressure can make it harder to bond."
Joy nodded slightly.
"Insulating gloves, non-conductive brush… Mr. Black's fundamentals are extremely solid."
"Yes," another judge agreed. "Electrike stores electricity in its fur. Grooming is essential, and his preparation is spot-on."
"Now we'll see whether Electrike relaxes," someone added. "If not, he'll get shocked."
An elderly judge suddenly leaned forward.
"That's a high-quality Energy Cube—Oran Berry based, used for stamina recovery."
Energy Cubes were divided into four tiers: low, medium, high, and perfect.
With Austin's growing skill, producing high-quality cubes was already within reach.
Oran Berries carried a complex flavor—spicy, sour, bitter, and astringent—yet balanced beautifully when prepared correctly.
"If Austin made this himself," someone said quietly, "then his talent is exceptional for his age."
"Could it be made by Elite Alex?" another speculated.
"That's possible."
While the judges discussed, Austin was already brushing Electrike's fur.
Aside from the risk of electric discharge, the task itself wasn't difficult—just brush along the natural direction of the fur.
Throughout the process, Electrike rested its head comfortably on Austin's lap, remaining calm and cooperative no matter how he worked.
Nurse Joy entered the score.
"Fur management—full marks."
Score: 100 points.
"Electrike's body language also shows that it's extremely comfortable," one judge noted.
"Alright," another followed up, "let's see how he handles the food preparation."
When it came to food, there were several options. He could prepare a simple dish, or attempt something more demanding—Poffins or Energy Cubes.
An Energy Cube machine sat neatly against the wall of the exam room.
Austin walked over to it without hesitation, choosing the same model he was most familiar with.
"He's making an Energy Cube," someone murmured.
Austin removed the inner lining first, inspecting it carefully before wiping it down. He made sure there were no residual smells or impurities left behind.
Nurse Joy nodded slightly.
"He's even considering flavor contamination. Very meticulous."
Austin had already used an Oran Berry–based Energy Cube earlier and had a rough grasp of Electrike's taste preferences.
Sticking with Oran Berry was the safest and smartest option. There was no reason to change.
From a basket of Oran Berries, he activated Identification, selecting only the highest-quality ones.
About twenty minutes later, the Energy Cube dropped from the machine—crystal-orange and flawless in appearance.
Austin blinked in surprise.
Identification immediately supplied the result:
[Near Perfect Oran Berry Energy Cube]
Near perfect.
This was the highest-quality Energy Cube Austin had ever produced.
A rich, layered fragrance filled the room almost instantly, and the faint sound of Pokémon swallowing echoed from several directions.
One of the elderly judges suddenly stood up, eyes bright with excitement.
"This one's even better than the previous cube!"
He was a specialist in Energy Cube evaluation. More than anyone, he understood how absurdly difficult it was for someone of Austin's age to produce a cube of this caliber.
"Hey—don't even think about it!"
Dai Yui grabbed Skorupi just as it tried to scuttle over and steal a bite.
"Alright," Austin said warmly, "let the Pokémon have a taste."
. . .
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