"Hey everyone! I'm currently at the ercial district of the Yale Provincial High School League ference. Let me show you the crowd here."

  Lin Lin flipped her smartphone camera to the rear.

  As a popur live streamer, she boasts over five million fans on a video ptform, thanks to her striking looks and figure.

  Despite being a top student at Shu Uy, she had e to Lake City for a task that cided with the Yale Provincial High School League ference.

  Perched on her shoulder is a newly hatched Pichu, gazing wide-eyed at the bustling new world around it.

  Whe spots something intriguing, it lets out a few excited cries.

  A flurry of ents quickly popped up on the live stream.

  "I just want to see the anchor, not the event!"

  "This looks like a Pokémon marketpce."

  "The anchor is at the fereoo; so am I!"

  "h school league in Bash province just ed up. There were a lot of partits."

  "How far along is the high school league in Yale Province, anchor?"

  Lin Lihe ents and replied, "The team petition is still ongoing, but it's nearing its end. I heard there's an amazing trainer here in Lake City."

  "He has a Silver Metagross."

  The mention of the Silver Metagross sparked an explosion of ents.

  "Silver Metagross? Anchor, surely that's just hearsay!"

  "Maybe you're not aware, but that's Walker Elite's grandson—everyone knows him!"

  "As the grandson of ae trainer, he's not someoo challenge."

  While Julian typically scrolls through video websites to watch various tent, he sometimes enters videos of his own battles—captured in schools, public arenas, or clubs by spectators.

  Thanks to his Silver Metagross and the reputations of his grandfather, a Steel Elite, and his father, a famous national gym leader, he has garnered some online fame.

  Once Julian began training with his Silver Beldum, he knew he couldn't remain low-key, especially when dispying it publicly.

  "Without his grandfather and father, he wouldn't be anything."

  "Everything hao him because of his family."

  While some were envious, others were critical. Lin Lin chose not to ent, avoiding unnecessary drama.

  In the shopping district of the ference, many streamers like Lin Lin were broadcasting live, hoping to capitalize on the league's popurity.

  As they walk, Julian entered several people with selfie sticks streaming their experiences.

  "Julian, look! There's an Arohere!" Will excimed, pointing at a breeding shop that had Aron for sale.

  Aron, a Steel-type Pokémon, evolves into Aggron, known for its incredible defensive abilities.

  John's stro Pokémon, aside from Metagross, was this very Aggron.

  It's famous among trainers, especially since Joh as a key pyer, aside from his Metagross.

  pared to the pseudo-legendary Metagross, Aron still has market potential si's avaible at premier breeding shops.

  "What's weird about that,"

  Julian said, he didn't find it odd sihis shop was still part of their family business, and most Aron in circution were bred and sold by them.

  However, all the avaible ones had qualifications of green or below.

  A -qualified Aron wouldn't be sold in a market like this.

  Top families in Drakoria often monopolized one or two powerful Pokémon, which helped maintain their status.

  "Thirty million!!" Will excimed, leaning in closer.

  "This green-qualified Aron costs 30 million? That's insane!"

  For parison, his green-qualified Charmander only cost a little over a million.

  Charizard, when fully evolved, was just as strong as Aggrohe price difference was shog.

  "At this price, you could get a det Pokémon on the bck market," Will muttered.

  "Supply and demand makes Aron more valuable; they're simply not as on as Charmander," Julian crified.

  "Where you find Charmander in such abundance?" Will retorted challengingly, as Julian was suggesting Charmander were everywhere.

  Han interjected, "Every Fire-type trainer has a Charizard. It's standard."

  "Aggron, oher hand, is a hallmark for Steel Elite trainers."

  Beyond the price differeraining requirements varied signifitly.

  Charizard primarily needed energy blocks taining fire energy, while Aggron needed ores to maintain its defensive prowess.

  If you're not ae, you 't really affgron, unless you reduce your iment in other Pokémon.

  As a result, individuals from normal family backgrounds typically aim to capture an Aron ohey reach the Elite level.

  At the shop specializing in Aron, a rge crowd had gathered, mostly people like Will who were simply there for the eai.

  "Look at that crowd over there; let's go check it out,"

  Lin Lin suggested, notig a throng f around one particur store while others were less frequented.

  She directed her live broadcast toward the bustling se.

  "An Aron for 30 million? That's a steal! I'll offer 50 million. If you refuse, I'll raise it to 100 million. If you agree to sell, I'll act like I never made the offer," someone excimed.

  "It's so adorable; I just want to hold it close!"

  "It's 120 pounds up there; are you sure you ma?"

  "Look, there's a kid over there who 't take his eyes off you!, anchor" pointed out one viewer.

  "Holy, how superficial! They're all just infatuated with the anchor's looks," someone else remarked.

  "Anchor, don't go for the younger ones. He looks like a high school student."

  Julian was actually focused on Lin Lin, or more precisely, on the Pichu on her shoulder.

  Pokémon: Pichu

  Level: 2

  Qualification: Green

  Ability: Static

  Props: None

  Gender: Female

  Moves: Thunder Shock, Tail Whip

  Disc Moves: None

  Geic Moves: Charge, Fil, Thunder, Volt Tackle

  "Julian, so your idol is Lin Lin?" Will mused, notig how ily Julian was watg Lin Lin, prompting a curious expression on his face.

  No wonder Julian didn't like Chase. He seemed to prefer irls.

  "Get lost!" Julian shot back, annoyed, kig his leg out before turning to leave.

  "Don't go! Do you wao help you get her tafo?" Will yelled after him.

  But Julian ignored him.

  "Looks like he's still shy. What do you think, Han?"