The Breeding House, one of the most critical facilities at the Trainer Academy, served as a vital place for students to store and care for their Pokémon.
Since Advanced-level Trainers could only carry six Pokémon with them at a time, and many of these Trainers captured far more than six, the Breeding House was established to keep and nurture the extra Pokémon they couldn't carry.
In the Breeding House, Pokémon received top-level care from expert breeders.
These breeders ensured that every Pokémon remained in prime condition, offering a service that was widely used by Advanced Trainers.
Such facilities were not unique to the academy; many similar Breeding Houses existed in the market, providing services to trainers who needed a place to keep their Pokémon.
However, the cost of these services varied significantly based on the quality of care. For instance, fostering an Advanced-level Pokémon for a month could cost as much as 3 million.
Some top-tier Breeding Houses even offered advanced services, such as training the Pokémon to increase its level while being cared for. This ensured that even during a long stay, the Pokémon would continue to grow stronger.
Of course, these premium services came with prices that could easily bankrupt many trainers.
In addition to fostering services, most Breeding Houses also offered options for selling Pokémon or even selling Pokémon eggs, making them versatile hubs for Pokémon-related business.
Julian had agreed to attend Imperial University because of the extraordinary terms laid out by Teacher Ella from the Admissions Office. Had the offer not been good enough, Julian would have chosen Shu University, the arch-rival of Imperial University.
Among the many benefits promised to him, one of the most enticing was that he could spend up to one billion in the Breeding House to purchase a blue-qualified Pokémon.
(T/N: it's not in dollars, but still a high number nonetheless)
That's right, it's a purchase, not a gift.
This offer was an incredible deal. The blue qualification represented Pokémon with pseudo-champion potential, and such Pokémon were almost impossible to find in the open market.
If sold, a blue-qualified Pokémon could easily fetch 50 billion or more, but Imperial University had offered Julian the chance to acquire one at no cost.
At the entrance of the Breeding House, Shen was already waiting. She had also been given the opportunity to choose a Pokémon, though hers was cyan-qualified, a level below blue.
Shen seemed satisfied, as this time she only had to wait five minutes for Julian to arrive. Her earlier annoyance with him had faded, and she now looked at him more warmly.
They handed their student ID cards to the staff, who then directed them to different floors—Shen to the second floor and Julian to the third.
As Julian arrived on the third floor, he was surprised to see a familiar face.
"Teacher Ella?" Julian said, recognizing the Admissions Officer.
Teacher Ella smiled warmly. "I thought you might come to pick your Pokémon on your first day."
Julian raised an eyebrow. "You've been waiting for me?"
"Yes," she replied. "I'm curious to see which Pokémon you'll choose."
The staff brought Julian a booklet, detailing the available blue-qualified Pokémon.
There were only five, which was no surprise given how rare they were.
Each Pokémon had its gender, moves, abilities, and even information about its parents listed, as the blue qualification often came from having at least one or both parents with the same level of aptitude.
Imperial University had managed to secure five blue-qualified Pokémon, a testament to its prestige as one of the top universities in Drakoria.
The five available Pokémon were: a level 15 Bagon, a level 20 Growlithe, a level 10 Treecko, a level 10 Sandile, and a level 17 Elekid.
Bagon and Elekid, in particular, stood out as they were the offspring of two champion-level Pokémon.
"I'll take you to see them," Teacher Ella said, gesturing for Julian to follow.
The five Pokémon were housed in a special mimetic room on the third floor, which was designed to simulate their natural environments.
The room was about half the size of a football field, providing ample space for the Pokémon to move around and develop their personalities.
Keeping them together, rather than in isolation, helped foster social skills and avoid making them withdrawn or antisocial.
Each Pokémon had its own senior breeder assigned to its care, ensuring that it received the best attention.
"Bagon, Growlithe, Treecko, Sandile, Elekid—come here!" called one of the breeders, who had been informed about Julian's visit.
The five Pokémon approached, each displaying its unique temperament.
Julian activated his Probing Eyes, confirming that all five had blue qualifications and were in excellent health. This was no surprise, considering the meticulous care they had received.
Teacher Ella sighed lightly. "It's a shame there aren't any Steel-type Pokémon here."
Julian, smiling, replied, "I already have plenty of Steel-types."
Julian's family had a strong affinity for Steel-type Pokémon, so he had no shortage of them. Teacher Ella, momentarily taken aback by his comment, fell silent.
As the five Pokémon stood before him, their distinct personalities became apparent.
Bagon looked indifferent, Growlithe was wagging its tail enthusiastically, Sandile appeared calm, Treecko had a rebellious glint in its eyes, and Elekid looked at Julian with a mischievous, taunting expression.
Despite the significance of the decision, Julian didn't hesitate for long.
"Growlithe, would you like to come with me?" he asked, crouching down and extending his hand.
He had expected that if Growlithe was hesitant, he might need to battle to capture it.
However, Growlithe proved to be as friendly as it looked. Without any hesitation, the little Pokémon began licking Julian's hand, eagerly accepting his offer.
Seeing Growlithe's response, Julian smiled. The breeder assigned to Growlithe, who had been standing nearby, seemed both sad and proud.
"You'll have to take good care of it," the breeder said, his voice filled with emotion.
Like a parent watching a child leave home, he was reluctant to let go. He had raised Growlithe from an egg, watching it grow every day.
Now, seeing it leave with its new Trainer brought a mix of sadness and pride.
The breeder didn't wish for Growlithe to be "happy" just because it found a Trainer; he wasn't that sentimental.
Rather, he was just an ordinary person feeling the natural sadness of seeing a Pokémon he had nurtured leave. It was like a father marrying off his daughter, only to watch her walk away with her new life, not even glancing back.
*****
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