[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For $5][www.p@treon.com/zaelum] [Thank You For Your Support!]
Upon discovering Giratina, Dak's mind overflowed with plans for the Pokémon League, particularly with the VIP benefits for the Pokémon Pokédex which he began conceptualizing and researching immediately.
About five days later, after intense efforts by Dak and Monet working overtime, the Pokémon Pokédex v1.0 was finally completed.
The prototype, coded as "001," was a red Pokémon Pokédex owned by Bon.
Apart from the basic Pokémon data, it included special VIP benefits, accessible via a "VIP Benefits" icon on the Pokédex's homepage.
1. Eligibility to participate in the Mystery Hatchery House auctions.
2. The privilege to bring up to ten people for a tour of Pokémon Island annually, except during special periods.
3. Priority booking for hotels and seating at events on Pokémon Island, with access to the island three days before other guests.
4. Lifetime free access to Pokémon recovery services at Pokémon Centers worldwide.
5. Free admission to Pokémon School and complimentary educational materials.
[Further benefits to be updated free of charge]
These five benefits constitute the VIP treatment exclusive to Pokémon Pokédex owners.
With these services added, the total cost of manufacturing one Pokédex came to 1,000 Magical Coins, equivalent to ten million Belly.
Dak planned to sell each unit for one hundred million Belly, a tenfold markup.
This price was considered reasonable given the lifetime benefits it offered, with potential for additional perks in the future.
Ongoing updates and upgrades for the Pokédex would be covered by the Hatchery House, a cost taken on by the business which, although minor, could accumulate significantly over decades.
To prevent future losses, Dak removed a proposed benefit—"10% off all services at the Hatchery House"—from the list.
Dak was careful to ensure these VIP benefits wouldn't create an unfair advantage by turning members into "pay-to-win" players, distancing them significantly from others.
Instead, these benefits were designed to enhance their experience and prestige, making them feel special and more willing to invest in the Pokédex.
"Sigh, we finally completed the development."
Dak and Monet, in the workshop, looked at the Pokémon Pokédex they held, relieved.
Especially Monet.
An ordinary girl, she had been working from early morning till late at night alongside Dak, and dark circles had formed under her eyes from exhaustion.
She was truly determined to assist Dak.
"So, we can start selling the Pokédex now, right?"
Monet slumped on a chair, her long green hair disheveled.
"Emmm, not yet. Let's wait a couple of weeks until the four hundred Pokémon eggs from the Navy are about to hatch. By then, they'll likely need the Pokédex urgently. I need to check on the Pokémon in the meantime."
Dak still had a few concerns.
For instance, the disposition of the upcoming Giratina.
In the Pokémon world, Giratina was known to be temperamental and not easy to deal with, possessing a strong territorial instinct. Anyone who wandered into its Distortion World would likely get a rough welcome.
If this Giratina shared the same traits, it could be problematic.
While it might allow Dak into the newly formed world due to their natural affinity, it might not welcome other beings.
Dak considered ways to persuade Giratina.
He could force Giratina to obey through system constraints, but he preferred not to do that.
Respecting the will of Pokémon was essential to earn their genuine loyalty and cooperation.
Even if Giratina allowed others into its realm, the exact nature of that world was uncertain. If it was a complete replica of the Distortion World from the Pokémon universe, significant alterations might be needed.
"Dak."
Monet looked at Dak, hesitating slightly.
"Monet, if calling me by my name makes you uncomfortable, feel free to use a different title. I just don't want there to be a sense of distance between us, which is why I asked you to use my name."
Dak sensed Monet's difficulty in addressing him directly.
Each person has their unique traits, like Bon Clay's loyalty and Bellamy's admiration. For Monet, it was her profound respect and extreme loyalty to her leader.
In the original narrative, Monet always addressed Doflamingo with respect as 'Young Master,' and she was the first executive willing to die for him, likely due to Doflamingo saving her and Sugar in their original timeline.
Now that Dak has taken on the hero's role, Monet sees no reason to treat him differently.
However, it was this respect that made it difficult for her to call Dak by his name directly, similar to Bellamy's excessive admiration and indebtedness, placing themselves beneath Dak.
"Um," Monet pondered, unable to decide on a suitable title.
"Bell calls me 'Boss.' Maybe you could do the same? I don't like being called 'manager' or 'boss.'"
Dak suggested an alternative for Monet.
"That doesn't sound good."
Unexpectedly, Monet rejected the suggestion. Dak had thought of her as compliant, someone who would accept whatever was said.
"What would you like to call me, then?"
"Leader?"
Monet recalled the recent meeting Dak had led, then proposed a title.
The head of the Pokémon League would be the Leader.
"Isn't that a bit too grand?"
Dak was slightly embarrassed but couldn't suppress a smile.
"Of course not, Leader-sama~"
Monet quickly picked up on Dak's fondness for the title.
"Hehehe, let's keep it low-key."
Dak quickly waved his hand and then fled the workshop.
With the Pokémon Pokédex issue resolved, he could now focus on training Pokémon, a task that had fallen on Robin these past few days.
Dak didn't favor one over the others; he held high hopes for each Pokémon in the shop.
"Robin, how's the branch coming along?"
While watching the little ones practice, Dak also asked Robin, who had been handling communications with Bon and Iceberg while he was preoccupied.
"It's going smoothly, we should be open in about two days. People in Water 7 have noticed the developments at the North Shore, and the crowd there is growing, awaiting the Hatchery House's opening. It's getting rather chaotic."
Robin, wearing glasses that added to her intellectual appearance, reported, "But the Navy has stepped in to maintain order. Occasionally, Sceptile takes a stroll outside and drags a Sea King from the nearby sea, which quiets everyone down significantly."
Dak nodded.
Sceptile wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so this tactic likely came from Bon's advice.
At that moment, the shop door opened, and a regular customer walked in.
"Mihawk? It's been a while since I last saw you. What brings you here today?"
Dak greeted the newcomer with a smile, also noticing the Psyduck in Mihawk's arms.
The old Mihawk wouldn't casually carry anything around, let alone a plump duck. It seemed Mihawk and Psyduck had grown quite close.
"Dak, it seems Psyduck is sick."
Mihawk, always stoic, cradled the Psyduck without any coldness in his actions.
He didn't even glance at the Pokémon eggs scattered across the lawn but went straight to Dak, presenting the Psyduck.
"Ah?"
Dak was surprised.
He hadn't expected a Pokémon to fall ill so soon, given the current small number of Pokémon.
"Let me have a look."
Robin put down her Pokédex and removed her glasses to come over.
Sugar, who had been training with the Pokémon, also paused to look at the Psyduck in Mihawk's arms.
"Quack."
Psyduck noticed its surroundings and weakly waved a chubby hand, greeting everyone.
Its voice was hoarse, and a bit of mucus dripped from its nostrils, quickly sucked back in.
The reflex to snort mucus back was quite rapid.
Or rather.
It didn't require mental effort, being more of a bodily instinct.
"Common cold."
It wasn't a serious issue and was easy to resolve. Dak could quickly tell, "How long has it been?"
"First day."
"Uh, no big problem."
Dak nodded, impressed by Mihawk's sensitivity in noticing Psyduck's discomfort on the first day.
Honestly, had Mihawk not mentioned Psyduck's illness, Dak might not have noticed right away, as the little duck always seemed so oblivious, making it hard to spot any issues.
Unfortunately, though not serious, a cold can't be treated with a recovery device.
[Recovery Device: Performs strong physical recovery for Pokémon, quickly repairing physical injuries sustained in battle, an essential machine in Pokémon Centers.]
That was the specific function when the recovery device first appeared.
The device could restore the energy Psyduck lost due to the cold, temporarily improving its condition, but it wasn't a permanent solution.
This was why, despite having recovery devices, Pokémon Centers still needed Nurse Joys, Chanseys, and some surgeons. It was also why Dak was eager to recruit medical staff.
Now, Dak had to handle it himself.
Treating simple illnesses was part of a breeder's essential skills, and the common cold fell into that category, so Dak could manage it.
(End of Chapter)