It had been 4 days since his space expanded once more and it was currently Kyoday, which meant his father was home for breakfast.
They were eating, when a thought suddenly struck Mikail.
'It has been nearly 10.5 months since I woke up on Terra, but I never really tried to find out what my father's current job is.
I mean I know they were trainers previously.
My father even became a Senior-class trainer by the time he was 18, which should be remarkable now that I think about it.'
Mikail gave his father an appreciating look that puzzled Edward before he continued with his reflections.
'They later decided to quit their journey, got married and settled down, and a little more than 2 years later little old me was born.
I assume the money for the house and everything was earned during their journey but I honestly didn't hear, ahem listen to ahem, anything about what my father does nowadays.
Now I'm curious.
I don't think he has a completely civilian job, since he still has to pay for the resources their Pokemon need and I am not sure a civilian job, that is not of the highest station, could afford that.
So, it has to be something for active or reserve trainers.'
Mikail focused on his father.
"Daddy, what's your job?"
Edward, who was surprised by Mikail's question answered.
"Daddy is working at the Magikarp breeding farm and laboratory by Lake Hope.
I am the supervisor in charge of security of the breeding farm."
Edward mused to himself before continuing.
"How to describe that in simpler words?
Daddy makes sure everything at the Magikarp farm is safe and nothing goes wrong."
Mikail was startled.
'That's a better vocation than I expected, either Senior-class trainers are better regarded than I thought or the position itself is not seen as high as I think, at least not in a Tier 2 town.
Or maybe it's a bit of both.'
"Great.
Daddy makes sure everything right.
We go to Lake Hope but I not see your workplace."
Mikail questioned his father.
"Hahaha.
Lake Hope is really big.
The part we go fishing at is a small part of it.
My workplace is further away, at a restricted portion of the lake.
Special nets have been used to separate a part of the lake to establish the breeding center."
Edward laughed a bit before replying to Mikail, who was curious about what exactly they did at the Magikarp breeding farm.
"What do they do at farm?"
Mikail who wanted to satisfy his curiosity inquired.
"There are a few things that are done at the farm, but the most important 3 are the following.
One, the farm sells Magikarp as a meat source to multiple customers.
Two, the farm chooses standard Magikarp with good potential to sell to interested parties.
Three, the laboratory studies Magikarp that differ from the standard."
Mikail showed an enthusiastic look, which was not hard since he was interested.
'The size of the place has to be massive if it supports so many different activities since they need separate facilities for those procedures.
I noticed how my father said that he is responsible for the security of the farm, leaving out the laboratory.
I am curious as to what the laboratory researches exactly.
Magikarp evolves to Gyarados and that's one of the strongest non-legendary Pokemon species out there.
So any research that has to do with Magikarp has the potential to be great.'
"What does the labor study?"
Hearing his question, Arya who had been simply listening to the conversation between her boys interjected.
"Now that my boy mentioned this, I feel curious about their research as well.
Magikarp may be a lot of work but Gyarados is worth every effort if one can control it."
Edward pondered on how to answer his wife and son.
"I am only responsible for the security of the breeding farm, so I don't know much about the laboratory.
From what I heard, the laboratory studies and observes the various changes Magikarps go through while mutating/changing, and the results of the mutation process, as well as how or why this happens.
The differences in the evolved Gyarados is a research subject as well.
I have heard, and I can confirm it because I have seen it for myself as well, that Magikarp has one of the most obvious mutation processes among all Pokemon species.
They change the color of their scales during the mutation process.
The further the progress the more of their scales change their color.
For example, if a Magikarp has absorbed a source of ice energy then a few of their orange scales change to a light blue.
The more ice energy it absorbs the more of its scales turn light blue."
Arya, who was listening earnestly to her husband's explanation summarized what she heard in a way she thought Mikail would understand.
"So they study colorful Magikarp to find out how and why they change their color."
Mikail nodded seriously, which made his parents chuckle, and supported his mother's summary.
'Wow, that's what I call a simplification of the highest degree.
But, I believe I can top that.'
"That's right.
They look at colored Magikarp."
Mikail's parents started laughing when they heard Mikail's seemingly serious answer.
"Hahahaha."
While his parents were laughing Mikail was thinking about what he had learned.
'This has stirred my curiosity.
I have decided to make Magikarp the specimen species of my first round of experiments.
I'm going to study the influence of different energy types on them, as well as their changes during the progress, visual or otherwise.
The resulting difference in abilities, type variations, as well as their evolution, are naturally research topics as well.
The fact that I will most likely end up with an army of Gyarados and its variants as a result of the experiments is simply a happy coincidence.'
He had decided on the experiment direction, now he had to plan its implementation.
'I can find Magikarp in nearly every body of water, so finding a few with good potential to breed them should not be that hard.
Once I have enough breeding pairs in my space, I will after some time have a constant supply of good Magikarp to experiment on.
Using the bad ones for their meat, and the good ones for experiments means no waste.
As for the energy resources used in my experiments, for that, I will have to find supplement materials like azure kelp and hard stone for every element.
This way my space can analyze and replicate it, supplying me with a constant stream of resources for my experiments.
It would be best to have multiple different materials for every type.
The food and nutrition of the Magikarp can be covered by my berries and the bad Magikarp.'
Mikail, who had already decided on his future experiments and the necessary steps for their execution was roused out of his musing by his parents.
"All that talk about Magikarp has made me want to fish.
How about we go to Lake Hope today."
Came from Edward.
"Yeah, I agree.
Let's go there.
I am sure Mikail wants to see some Magikarp, right honey?"
Arya replied to her husband while asking her son.
"Yes.
I want to see Magikarp."
Mikail agreed wholeheartedly.
This would be helpful towards his plans.
Ever since his visit to the doctor, his parents had relaxed their safety measures somewhat, giving him more leeway.
'I can analyze all Magikarp we catch and find a way to shift the ones with deep yellow or better potential to my space.
No more wasted chances.
It's going to take a while to complete breeding pairs with good potential even without wasting chances.
Moreover, I will have to wait until enough good Magikarp hatch to support my experiments, which is going to take time as well.
The ones that hatch with bad potential are thrown into the marine sub-space or directly used as food.
Cold I know but that's life.
At least the ones in the sub space are never going to turn sentient thanks to my wish so I will never have to feel bad about eating them.
No matter how smart as long as it's not sentient I won't feel bad.
As for eating or using sentient Pokemon in the future, that's life and to the winner goes the spoils.
I am not sure how I will react when the time comes but I accept that such a time will come.
A consequence of the struggle for survival.
So the earlier I start the better.
This definitely will help me in the future.'
Mikail's parents prepared everything and they set out to Lake Hope.
They arrived at their usual spot and set up their stuff.
Once everything was set up Mikail and his father started fishing while Arya was relaxing and sunbathing on their blanket.
It took them 8 tries to find a Magikarp bad enough to fit his father's requirements as food material, he released the others into the lake again.
Mikail, who had checked all of them let them go as well since their potential was not good enough.
They kept fishing for the next hour but the best potential he saw was a deep orange, which while not bad was nowhere near good enough to meet his requirement.
At least he could confirm that he was stronger than the average (low) iron-stage Magikarp because he could see the full status screen of all of them until now.
By the 50th Magikarp, his father had 5 that he kept inside the inflatable pool for later.
He only had to catch one more Magikarp that fulfilled his condition before he would stop.
Meanwhile, Mikail was getting frustrated by his bad luck.
Not a single one of the Magikarp they had caught so far had even light yellow potential, not to mention the deep yellow one he set as a minimum requirement.
The 53rd Magikarp was a pleasant surprise.
While it did not have the potential he wanted, it at least had yellow potential.
'Species: Magikarp
Gender: Male
Type: Water
Potential: Yellow
Stage: (low) Iron-stage
Genetic variation: None
Abilities: Swift Swim
Talents: None
Affinities: Water
While you don't meet my initial requirement, I don't think we are going to catch anything better today, so I am going to invite you inside my space.
Better than nothing, at least it's nearly there.'
Mikail took the Magikarp from his father.
While its weight was about 12 kilograms he had no problem carrying it.
His father showed no surprise at this, so he went to the water and lowered the Magikarp to the water.
Mikail then acted as if he was releasing it, while secretly pokenapping it into his space.
He released a sigh of relief when no one reacted to the vanishing of the Magikarp, not having noticed his actions.
Happy with his success he returns to his father's side.
He decides to check up on the situation inside his space once he is alone in his bedroom.
Just as he had suspected they catch no other Magikarp with good potential until his father gets his 6th one and stops fishing.
Edward prepares the Magikarp and grills them afterward.
After all of them had eaten, Pokemon included, they played around for a bit before relaxing.
Mikail took his nap there and they played around once more after he woke up.
They returned home shortly before evening, put their things aside, cleaned themselves, and had dinner.
After dinner, they watched a movie together and Mikail went to bed afterward.
Once he was sure that he was alone and would not be bothered he focused on his space.
The first thing he saw was the analysis report of his main space.
'Analyzing...., Magikarp analyzed.
Start improving potential...., potential successfully improved.
Start optimizing genes..., genetic optimization failed.
Unlocking extra abilities...., unlocking extra ability succeeded.
Unlocking talents...., unlocking talents failed.
Checking energy storage....., energy storage can support activity.
Generating tailored habitat...., absorbing additional energy from outside..., habitat successfully generated.
Add habitat to main space....., main space successfully expanded.
Relocate Magikarp to habitat..., relocation successful.
Energy storage emptied.
Process finished.
Woooaaahh.
That's way more than what happens with materials.
Awesome, not only was its potential increased but another ability was unlocked as well.
The failure to unlock genetic traits or talents is acceptable.
You can not always win.
I have to be content that I got this much already.
I hope the absorption of outside energy did not cause a commotion.
Wait, it seems to happen subtly so it should have gone unnoticed.
Nice to know that there is some information on my space in my knowledge package that I can examine if necessary.
Let's see how my expanded main space looks now and what Magikarp's new and improved status screen is like.