[Pokémon: Mudkip]
[Level: 5]
[Type: Water]
[Ability: Torrent]
[Moves: Tackle, Growl, Water Gun, Ancient Power, Bite, Counter, Mirror Coat]
[Potential: Elite Four]
As Mudkip chose to follow him, its full information appeared before Ethan's eyes.
Looking at the data, Ethan couldn't help feeling surprised.
"Ancient Power…"
"Counter…"
"Mirror Coat…"
"These are all extremely rare moves."
"And Mudkip knows all of them?"
Ethan could only think—
No wonder its potential is Elite Four–tier.
[Calculating Opportunity Critical Strike Multiplier…]
[Ding! Congratulations, host has triggered a tenfold critical strike!]
[Purple-tier Opportunity ×10…]
[Congratulations! Host has obtained Red-tier Opportunity: Champion-Potential Mudkip]
As the system notification ended—
A flash of crimson light bloomed briefly over Mudkip's body before vanishing in an instant.
Ethan immediately noticed the change.
On Mudkip's status panel, the potential line had shifted from Elite Four to—
Champion.
Everything else remained the same.
"Hiss…"
"Champion-potential Mudkip, huh?"
Ethan was genuinely pleased.
Elite Four–potential Pokémon were already rare.
Champion-potential ones were even more so.
While it couldn't compare to his Divine-potential Metagross, a Mudkip with Champion potential was still an exceptionally rare find within the Donghuang Alliance.
Seeing that only Mudkip's potential had increased, while its strength remained unchanged, Ethan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Looks like opportunity critical strikes don't directly boost a Pokémon's strength."
"Metagross probably advanced because its potential jumped too drastically."
"And that power increase came as a side effect."
Even so, Ethan grinned as he looked at Mudkip.
"Mudkip, from today onward, we're partners."
Hearing this, Mudkip broke into a bright smile.
It was very satisfied with its future Trainer.
After choosing to follow Ethan, Mudkip walked alongside him toward the adoption hall exit.
On the way, a buzz-cut boy couldn't help staring at Mudkip and Ethan's close interaction.
For some reason, he felt as if something that should have belonged to him—
Had been taken away.
"Iris, how's it going?"
As Ethan passed by Iris Jade, who was still hesitating among several choices, he asked with concern.
Hearing his voice, Iris looked up and immediately noticed Mudkip walking beside him.
"Ethan, you picked one already?"
"That fast?"
"Is this Mudkip your choice?"
"Yes."
"I felt a strong connection with this little guy."
"Almost like it was fate."
Ethan smiled.
Mudkip nodded enthusiastically.
"Mu~kip!"
"I see…"
"This Mudkip has developed really well."
"Its potential shouldn't be low either."
"Your intuition is scary good."
"Unlike me—I'm still stuck deciding."
In this world, no one could directly see a Pokémon's potential.
But potential often left subtle clues.
Iris had narrowed her choices down to a few strong candidates—and that was exactly why she was hesitating.
Seeing her troubled expression, Ethan spoke up.
"Iris, when it comes to things like this, you need to decide decisively."
"The more you overthink, the messier it gets."
"The Pokémon here all come from strong parent lines."
"How bad could they really be?"
"As long as you train them properly, they'll definitely grow strong."
"And even if their potential isn't perfect, it's not like it can't be broken through."
"If everyone gave up just because of potential, wouldn't noble families monopolize the entire Trainer profession?"
"But in reality, civilian Trainers have always been the backbone of this world."
"Even among the Donghuang Alliance's Elite Four, two of them came from ordinary families."
Ethan spoke calmly.
Though he was the Champion's son, his father hadn't come from privilege.
Victor Stone had grown up an orphan, clawed his way into Donghuang Academy through sheer effort, and only later met Anna Stone.
By the time their relationship became public, Victor was already a high-ranking professional Trainer.
The Jade family had only provided resources afterward.
Everything else—Victor had earned himself.
Powerful second-generation Trainers existed, sure.
But they were extremely rare.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many scandals online about useless rich kids.
Hearing Ethan's words, Iris froze.
She hadn't expected her younger cousin to say something so grounded.
Her view of him changed instantly.
Why am I hesitating so much?
Just pick the one I like.
None of the Pokémon here were weak.
With that realization, Iris finally made her choice.
She selected an Alolan Vulpix—the Ice-type variant.
The little Pokémon was adorable, soft, and elegant.
Ethan liked it a lot.
Unfortunately, it was his cousin's pick.
"You're done already?"
"Both of you?"
Outside the adoption hall, Harold Jade looked genuinely surprised as Iris and Ethan emerged together.
After all, they'd been inside for less than five minutes.
"That was fast."
"Grandpa, choosing a Pokémon is all about mutual connection."
"And besides—how could Pokémon raised by the Jade Family Breeding Park be bad?"
Ethan spoke clearly and confidently.
The parents waiting nearby heard every word.
They all knew Harold Jade and had greeted him earlier.
Hearing his grandson say this, their worries instantly eased.
If even the family's own children were satisfied picking freely—
Then their own kids certainly wouldn't be treated unfairly.
Without realizing it, Ethan had just earned the Jade Family Breeding Park a huge boost in reputation among the elite circles.
Harold Jade, an old fox, immediately saw through it.
He knew Ethan might be young, but he was sharp.
That was exactly why Harold liked him so much.
Sometimes, Harold even regretted that Ethan didn't carry the Jade surname.
Otherwise, he might've handed the entire breeding park over to him someday.
Still, he looked at Ethan indulgently.
Then, as Iris and Ethan stood side by side, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Oh right, Ethan."
"You just adopted a Pokémon."
"And Iris did too."
"How about the two of you have a Pokémon battle?"
A Pokémon battle?
Ethan blinked.
To be honest, despite living in this world for so many years—
He had never actually participated in a real Pokémon battle.
The suggestion immediately sparked his interest.
And at that very moment, another system notification rang out.
[Ding! Blue-Tier Opportunity Detected: Water Gem]
[Condition: Win the battle!]
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