Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

Very soon, the auction had already progressed halfway without anyone even noticing.

Some people who had remained calm at the beginning, as the auction reached its peak, also began to lose their composure. At times, the bids were not just about buying something, but simply for the sake of competing.

Competing for pride.

"The next item, ladies and gentlemen present, is something you absolutely cannot miss—especially the gentlemen looking for a good gift. This is an item we've never seen before in the numerous auctions organized by Team Rocket. Even I am very tempted by it," said the presenter enthusiastically. She then clapped softly.

It was admirable how the presenter maintained her energy. While many in the audience showed signs of fatigue or impatience, she remained as radiant and passionate as ever, as if every item were one of her personal treasures.

Then, the assistants brought in the next piece. Upon removing the red cover, they revealed a massive, gleaming pearl.

Under the venue's special lighting, the pearl radiated dazzling sparkles.

Immediately, all eyes turned to it.

Although in the Pokémon world the truly valuable items were those related to Pokémon, pearls and other luxuries were, to many trainers, little more than simple decorations.

However, there were always people with a lot of money.

People who didn't care about the cost of useful things, but placed enormous value on what was beautiful.

Like precious diamonds or rare pearls.

"This pearl is no ordinary pearl. It was obtained from an Elite-level Clamperl. It is completely natural, without any human interference. There may not be more than three pearls like this in the entire world. I don't need to say more about its value, do I?"

"The starting price is thirty million, with minimum increments of one million. Let the auction begin!"

Upon hearing the presenter's explanation and seeing the pearl displayed on screen along with Team Rocket's certification, most were astonished.

An Elite-level Clamperl?

If true, this pearl could indeed be one of only three in the world.

No one knew better than trainers how difficult it was to raise a Clamperl. They were even more troublesome than Shellder. And if that Clamperl was wild, its rarity was even greater.

Elite-level wild Pokémon were rare, and a wild Elite-level Clamperl even more so.

But after the initial shock, many people showed disdainful expressions.

As rare and precious as it was, it did nothing to help the development of a Pokémon; its only value lay in its beauty.

Although some didn't appreciate it, there were always those who did.

In the private boxes, many people began to participate. From the seating area, all the wealthy women also started to place bids.

This time, it was a war between women.

Very soon, the price climbed to one hundred million.

And the trend showed no signs of stopping; in fact, it kept rising.

"Women are truly terrifying, no matter which world you're in," Cain thought as he sat watching the auction.

However, he couldn't help but feel somewhat pleased.

To him, that pearl didn't hold that much value.

Of course, it had its price, but he never imagined it would go so high.

The value of such luxuries wasn't defined solely by the item itself. If it hadn't been the first day of the auction, or if there weren't so many wealthy women present, its price wouldn't have been that high.

But there just happened to be plenty of rich people, and the atmosphere had escalated from simple buying to fierce competition.

Some women even recognized the voices of their rivals, which only fueled their desire to win. Not even the intervention of men could stop them.

In the end, a pearl with a real value around three hundred million was sold for five hundred and ten million.

When Cain saw that final price, he was stunned.

Were there really that many rich people now?

Buying a pearl that seemed of little value to him for over five hundred million.

That pearl was beautiful, but impractical. In the end, it had all been driven by impulse.

Cain had made a fortune.

With that outcome, he now felt even more confident for the upcoming auctions.

He only hoped that useful items would appear, like materials for the quality enhancement potions for Lairon and Pupitar.

Or for the future evolutions of Horsea, Bagon, and Ralts. Since he had the resources, he should make use of them.

It was better to buy the materials soon and produce the potions to remove that concern.

The auction continued with a series of valuable materials and items.

Every time the auction seemed to be getting boring, the presenter managed to liven things up, keeping the audience in a constant state of excitement.

Cain purchased some materials.

Some were related to the quality enhancement potions, while others were not directly related, but could benefit his Pokémon.

He spent a large sum of money.

The auction was nearing its end, and the voices of the participants in the private boxes were growing louder.

"After this item, we will have the final three pieces of the auction. I'm sure everyone has been waiting for this moment," announced the presenter.

"But before the grand finale, let's look at this last item. What could it be?"

A cart was brought onto the stage. When the cover was removed, it revealed a Pokémon egg placed inside an incubator.

"What is this? Did Team Rocket run out of items? Bringing a broken egg as the last item before the finals! What are they thinking?"

A voice from the audience exclaimed disdainfully.

It was true—the Pokémon egg was damaged.

"Sir, mind your words!" The presenter, who had maintained a smile the entire time, now showed a stern expression. Her once kind eyes turned sharp like a hawk's, locking onto the man who had spoken.

Seeing the change in her expression, Cain nodded slightly.

Team Rocket certainly didn't send just anyone on stage. The more critical the moment, the more they had to show their strength.

The man had made the mistake of speaking without thinking.

Immediately, several Team Rocket members approached, and the man, pale with fear, was "invited" to leave.

The presenter regained her calm and friendly demeanor.

But no one dared underestimate her again.

(End of chapter)