Chapter 853: Appetizer

Chapter 853: Appetizer It was around the time when the auction was about to begin that the busy Nick finally returned to where Yuga and Malva were seated.

After all, he was the one participating in the bidding on behalf of Lysandre in this auction, while Yuga and Malva were merely serving as bodyguards.

Amid the anticipation of the crowd, the auction's host calmly took the stage.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I am Joseph, honored to be the host of this auction. I hope that each of you will acquire the Pokémon you desire today."

The host, Joseph, was a man in his fifties. However, according to Nick's introduction, he was a senior breeder from the Green Flame Day Care, and he even held some prestige within the Breeder's Association.

"Well, I'm sure nobody wants to hear me ramble on, so I hereby announce that this auction is officially underway." Sёarᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

With a gentle tap of Joseph's small hammer, the auction began.

The first Pokémon to kick off the auction was a Bellsprout with a green potential.

As Joseph introduced this Bellsprout, its photo and relevant data appeared on the large screen behind him.

The photo displayed the health and growth status of this young Bellsprout clearly, while the data showcased its traits, potential, and acquired moves, among other details.

As the opening Pokémon, this green potential Bellsprout was fairly ordinary. Many people joined the bidding, but those with true stature, like Diaval, Cynthia, and Diantha, remained silent.

"Mr. Shimizu seems to be a Grass-type Trainer as well. This Bellsprout looks decent. Won't you join in the bidding for some fun?" Malva casually asked Yuga, listening to the bidding voices.

Yuga shook his head. "Does Ms. Malva think I need another green potential Pokémon?"

Malva replied, "You run a Day Care. High potential Pokémon should never be in short supply, right?"

Yuga said, "Today, I'm not here representing myself. I won't get involved in this matter. What do you think, Mr. Nick?"

Nick, hearing this, replied, "Indeed, it's better to avoid unnecessary trouble. It's just a green potential Pokémon, not worth it."

In the end, the Bellsprout was sold to someone Yuga didn't recognize for 400,000.

For Pokémon like Bellsprout, the price, while not low, wasn't too high either. If market prices fluctuated, it could still be considered a reasonable deal. However, within the context of the auction, it wasn't considered significant.

Following Bellsprout, there was a Pokémon Egg, belonging to the Zubat species.

The final price for this Zubat Pokémon Egg was slightly higher than the Bellsprout, but not by much.

Zubat had a better species potential than Bellsprout, but the prices for young Pokémon were generally higher than Pokémon Eggs, so the difference in value wasn't significant.

Many people had their eyes on the blue and indigo potential Pokémon that were to come later, so the bidding for the green potential Pokémon in the beginning wasn't particularly fierce, and the prices remained reasonable.

This auction had a high standard, only featuring Pokémon with green potential or higher. Common Pokémon like Rattata and Caterpie, even if they met the potential criteria, weren't considered worthy of inclusion in the auction list.

Following the auction of green potential Pokémon and Pokémon Eggs, Pokémon like Tangela, Paras, Murkrow, Zigzagoon, and Wurmple were auctioned off. Most of these Pokémon originated from the Five Giants' Day Cares.

During the auction of green potential Pokémon, there was a small climax when Green Flame Day Care presented a green potential Bulbasaur and Bug Day Care offered a Scyther.

The appearance of one of the Kanto starter Pokémon, Bulbasaur, attracted a lot of attention and ultimately sold for 850,000.

In terms of the Pokémon's intrinsic value, this price was undoubtedly high. Yuga's signature Pokémon, Trapinch, was only worth around 500,000 each.

In terms of battle strength, Trapinch was certainly on par with Bulbasaur.

However, Pokémon like Bulbasaur brought with them the aura of being a member of the Kanto starter trio, adding extra value. Coupled with the fact that this was an auction, the price was naturally driven up.

Of course, for those who loved Bulbasaur, 850,000 was not considered high at all.

Although Bulbasaur was one of Green Flame's signature Pokémon, it was clear that they couldn't sell many each year, and they couldn't make much impact on the market.

With a price slightly higher than Bulbasaur, Scyther reached nearly 900,000. The two bidders seemed determined not to let the price fall behind Bulbasaur, although Scyther's inherent strength didn't necessarily surpass Bulbasaur.

It was more about rarity.

Rare Pokémon always commanded higher prices. It was a rule in the Pokémon world.

Luckily, both bidders had some restraint, realizing the price was getting too high. Otherwise, Scyther might have sold for a million.

Outside, a green potential pseudo-legendary Pokémon probably went for just one or two million.

Of course, having the money was one thing, being able to purchase it was another.

The green potential Pokémon were just the appetizer for this auction. After selling more than fifty green potential Pokémon, it was finally time for the eagerly awaited blue potential Pokémon to make their appearance.

There was only one indigo potential Pokémon, so those who knew they couldn't compete for it naturally shifted their attention to the blue potential Pokémon.

"All right, the auction for green potential Pokémon has concluded. Next up is the auction for blue potential Pokémon."

"The quantity of blue potential Pokémon is not as abundant as the green potential ones. So, for those of you who wish to acquire your desired Pokémon, don't easily give up. After all, opportunities come and go in the blink of an eye."

Before the auction of blue potential Pokémon began, Joseph motivated the competitors with these words.

The first blue potential Pokémon was the aesthetically pleasing Finneon, a Water-type Pokémon. Finneon was known for its ability to emit bright light from the patterns on its dorsal fin after absorbing sunlight, making it visually stunning.

Finneon wasn't particularly strong in battles, but its rarity and aesthetics made it desirable. The bidder for Finneon wasn't one of the Five Giants but someone they had invited to participate, a private owner.

The first to place a bid was, unsurprisingly, Wallace. As a Water-type Coordinator who had reached the Grand Festival, Finneon suited his preferences. Although Finneon wasn't exceptionally strong, a blue potential Pokémon naturally commanded a high price.

Compared to the bidding for green potential Pokémon, the competition for blue potential Pokémon was much more intense. Despite Wallace's strong bid, there were still several other contenders vying for Finneon.

In the end, Wallace secured Finneon for 4.35 million.

While the price might be considered high, blue potential Finneon was only slightly more valuable than a typical green potential pseudo-Legendary.

However, Wallace was willing to pay, and no one could stop him.

The competition for the second Pokémon was even fiercer, as it was a rarer Absol. Even Yuga hadn't expected to see Absol in this auction. The bidder was Midnight Day Care.

Both Cynthia and Diantha joined the bidding for Absol, but in the end, it was a middle-aged man who secured Absol for 7 million.

According to Nick, the man who won Absol was a high-ranking member of the Kalos League, wealthy and influential.

The third Pokémon was a dual Grass/Poison-type Pokémon, Roselia, and it was auctioned by Aroma Day Care. The bidding for Roselia was just as intense as Absol, and it sold for 6.3 million.

The fourth Pokémon was a hidden ability Speed Boost Scyther auctioned by Bug Day Care, which reached a final price of 8 million.

The fifth blue potential Pokémon, offered by Sea Day Care, was their signature Pokémon, a pink Shellos, which sold for 7.2 million.

As the auction progressed, emotions ran high among the bidders, and prices soared.

The final blue potential Pokémon was provided by Green Flame Day Care, and it was a Growlithe.

Green Flame Day Care, with its reputation, managed to outshine the other four Day Cares. They gained attention for their green potential Bulbasaur and now the blue potential Growlithe.

Unsurprisingly, the appearance of Growlithe brought the auction to another climax.

After Absol, Cynthia and Diantha once again entered the bidding, and even Dialva and Bruno joined in.

As a Pokémon monopolized by the Jenny family, the rare, handsome, and powerful Growlithe, one can imagine how fierce the competition must have been.

Yuga looked at the adorable picture of Growlithe and felt tempted, but despite his interest, he didn't have the financial power to compete with the others.

Everyone here was a big shot, and compared to their financial strength, Yuga was just a little brother.

The bidding escalated rapidly.

"9.1 million!"

To everyone's surprise, Malva, who was sitting next to Yuga, placed a bid.

Growlithe was indeed attractive, and even the Fire-type Malva couldn't resist its charm.

9 million! Yuga couldn't help but sigh in his heart: rich.

"Mr. Nick, are you not bidding? This Growlithe is really good," Yuga turned to Nick and asked.

Nick shook his head, "Let's skip on the Growlithe; our target is the grand finale." Besides, Malva had already placed a bid, and he didn't want to compete.

Of course, Nick didn't mention that last part.

Yuga nodded in agreement and continued to watch as the price continued to rise.

As the price kept climbing, individuals like Diantha, Cynthia, and Dialva, who aimed for blue potential Pokémon, eventually stopped bidding. If they continued, they would miss out on the Indigo potential Pokémon later.

"10 million!"

Malva continued to bid fearlessly.

Others needed to consider the upcoming Indigo potential Pokémon, but Malva didn't. He was quite determined.

In the end, Malva secured the Growlithe for 13 million.

Seeing this price, Yuga couldn't help but marvel: the world of the wealthy is truly exciting.

However, Yuga had a nagging question in his mind.

Weren't the other Pokémon in this auction meant to set the stage for the final Indigo potential Pokémon? Yet, a Pokémon like Growlithe appeared and stole the spotlight. Wouldn't this be detrimental to the auction of the ultimate Indigo potential Pokémon?

Or was there another reason...

Thinking about this, Yuga couldn't help but shudder.

Having successfully won Growlithe, Malva took a deep breath. She had been quite nervous when she first placed her bid, mainly because there were so many wealthy individuals here.

"Congratulations, you got what you wanted," Yuga said.

"Congratulations, Malva," Nick added.

Malva responded with gratitude, "Thank you."