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Chris met the legendary figure half an hour after arriving at Dragon University.
But instead of meeting in the principal's office, the encounter took place in Chris's small dormitory, as it would've been impossible for Chris to carry such a large tree to the principal's office.
The kind old man took a sip of the chrysanthemum tea Chris had brewed and, while savoring it, closely inspected the Enigma Berry tree.
"This Enigma Berry tree is remarkable," he said. "It's the largest I've seen. The soil here is full of nutrients left from decayed Enigma Berries, meaning it must have been growing wild for many years, unnoticed. When its fruit falls to the ground and sprouts, it draws in nutrients freely, without competition. This cycle of rotting and nourishing the soil has allowed it to thrive and produce more fruit." Vladimir's expertise in breeding was clear, and Chris was left speechless.
"Not bad!" Vladimir praised again, then turned to Chris. "Are you interested in selling it to me? If you were a Breeder, this tree could be a valuable asset, perhaps enough to support you all the way to becoming a Gym Leader or even an Elite. Isn't that worth considering?"
"Uh, Principal, I'm not really interested in cultivating it. Instead of letting it go to waste in my care, I'd rather give it to someone who knows how to raise it properly. That way, it'll reach its full potential, and I can still benefit from it," Chris replied simply.
Honestly, he just wasn't that interested.
Theodore had already explained the basics of the Enigma Berry tree to Chris. The fruiting cycle was incredibly long: one year for flowers, one year for fruit, and another for maturity. It would take three years for each harvest.
Compared to his handheld device, this tree was of little use to him.
Rather than keep it, Chris thought it was better to strike a deal with someone experienced.
He felt confident in working with powerful individuals like Theodore or Vladimir.
"Then… what if the school helps you raise it?" Vladimir proposed. "The school could take care of the Enigma Berry tree on your behalf. When it bears fruit, you'd get half of the harvest as payment. How does that sound?"
"Thank you, Principal, but with my current abilities, I doubt I'd still have ownership of the tree by the time it bears fruit," Chris chuckled, shaking his head. He appreciated Principal Vladimir's generous offer.
The principal truly seemed interested in supporting him.
The school would handle the tree's care, and Chris would only need to share half of the Enigma Berries. Once he was strong enough to manage it independently, he could reclaim full ownership.
But there was one major issue.
Though Vladimir was the head of Dragon University, he didn't own it outright.
During the tree's cultivation, others would likely try to lay claim to it. The Enigma Berries allocated to the school would be distributed internally, but Chris himself would be an easy target for those who didn't receive any.
With his handheld computer, it was only a matter of time before he became a top-tier Trainer. Rather than face such complications and distractions, he thought it best to make a private, one-time deal with Vladimir.
After considering Chris's reasoning, Vladimir agreed. "Alright, then. Is there anything you'd like in return?"
It was finally time for Chris to make his request.
He had already decided what he wanted on the way back.
"I want a chance to go to the Dragon's Nest in the East China Sea to capture a Pokémon!" Chris said eagerly. He'd been eyeing that rare Flash Axew for ages, and this would be the perfect opportunity. If he could secure this chance, it would save him from having to compete in the school tournaments for such a reward.
"Don't you already have a Gabite?" Vladimir asked.
"With quasi-legendary Pokémon, there's no such thing as having too many," Chris replied confidently.
Vladimir nodded but gave a word of advice. "Don't rely too heavily on the power of so-called quasi-legendary Pokémon. Ordinary Pokémon, when raised with care, can be just as strong."
"And apart from that, anything else?" Vladimir inquired.
Chris continued, "What can you give?" High-level Pokémon items weren't in short supply for him; even if he didn't have one on hand, he could buy one from the treasure app. Plus, he wasn't sure how much further he could negotiate reasonably.
Vladimir considered this briefly, then extended his hand. In an instant, a Gengar appeared beside him, opening its huge mouth, allowing Vladimir to reach inside to retrieve the items.
This…is this how experienced Trainers store their items?
Gengar's stomach seemed to contain a pocket dimension—a perfect vault for prized items.
If I don't already have a Gengar, I have to get one!
From Gengar's stomach, Vladimir carefully pulled out three items: a green seed, a metal box, and a crimson stone glowing as brightly as the sun.
"These three are part of my personal collection. You may choose one," he offered.
Chris's eyes widened. Secret treasures!
These items were on another level, far beyond ordinary high-tier Pokémon items.
Not only did they provide stronger boosts than standard items, but once a Pokémon fully absorbed them, they could gain a unique special ability. However, no one could predict the exact ability each secret treasure would provide until it was completely absorbed.
Textbooks only mentioned the concept of "Secret Treasures" without detailing them, as most Trainers would never even see one.
Chris examined the items closely. The first was the Miracle Seed, which boosted the power of Grass-type moves.
Since he didn't have a Grass-type Pokémon, that one was an easy pass.
The second item was a Metal Coat, ideal for enhancing the power of Steel-type moves.
Perfect! He already had a Lairon, and once his Onix evolved into Steelix, it would also be Steel-type. He'd initially planned to use a top-tier Metal Coat, which increased Steel-type moves by 30%, to evolve his Onix, but this secret treasure-level Metal Coat was a much better choice.
Nothing could evolve Onix more powerfully than this Metal Coat.
Glancing at the third item, he saw the Sun Stone.
But since he didn't have a Pokémon that evolved with a Sun Stone, it was an easy decision.
There was only one option that truly suited him.
"I'll take the Metal Coat."