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Theodore was taken aback when Chris asked the question.
"Why join a research team?"
Chris was also the first person to ask this in response to his own invitation.
"Or, is there any benefit for me to join your research team?" Chris rephrased, knowing exactly what he wanted.
Chris had come to apply to Dragon University to learn about breeding, obtain a breeder's license, and eventually open a breeding center to better raise his own Pokémon.
So, after joining Professor Theodore's research team, would it help him earn extra points toward his breeder's license?
Or help him cultivate a powerful Probopass?
But the problem is, I don't even have a Nosepass, and I don't intend to raise one.
If there are no extra points, and it's not about training a Probopass, why join Professor Theodore's research team to study Nosepass?
Waste of time?
I could spend that time playing games, maybe catch a Flash6V Nosepass. How would I even train it? No matter how I do it, it'll be the strongest Nosepass!
"Benefits..." Theodore was surprised by Chris's bluntness. In his opinion, this wasn't something a freshman would usually say.
Theodore suddenly remembered the calm demeanor of this young man when they first met, a rising star in the Dragon Kingdom, and the sharp conversation they had.
"Ha." Theodore chuckled softly and spoke loudly, "Joining my research team will give you a special business card. After graduation, whether you stay here or go abroad, you'll be welcomed by many research institutions."
"I'm not interested in research institutions, and being a Pokémon researcher isn't part of my career plan," Chris replied directly.
Even career plans are out in the open.
Once again, Theodore felt Chris's maturity and pragmatism when it came to the real world...
"My research team has 500 million in annual funding, and even the base salary for members is at least 1 million. Members also enjoy benefits like two all-expenses-paid trips a year. If you take on a position, both pay and benefits increase."
"I'm not short on money," Chris said with a slight shake of his head.
To him, a million? I could make that just calling Delia.
It's just a day's "pay" for gaming.
As for the 500 million, that's for experiments. How much would I even get to use?
Theodore was speechless for a moment. Yes, Dragon University was a prestigious institution, and many breeding majors came from wealthy families, so it made sense.
But if you don't want fame or money, you must want something, right?
After a moment's thought, Theodore decided to ask directly, "Then what do you want?"
A spark lit in Chris's eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for—the chance to talk about "channels."
"What kind of channel?" Theodore asked.
"A channel for purchasing rare resources, and a way to buy treasure-grade Pokémon items at regular prices," Chris explained.
After hearing about the research team's focus on Nosepass breeding, Chris had thought carefully.
He didn't need fame or profit. What he needed were advanced Pokémon items, the kind only accessible through certain social standings.
The Pokémon items currently available on the market were the most common ones.
Take the "Black Belt" for example. In real life, it's not a game; there's always a range in quality.
The basic Black Belt increases the power of Fighting-type moves by 1%-20%.
But what about a better Black Belt?
For example, a Black Belt with a bonus of more than 20%!
In the games, the 20% bonus is the limit, but in this world, it's different.
Not only can there be more than 20%, but some Pokémon items might even have bonuses exceeding 30%.
These items, which surpass typical limits, are called "treasures."
In addition to having superior bonuses compared to ordinary Pokémon items, the extra percentage of treasure-level items can be absorbed by the Pokémon, becoming a permanent boost!
Take the Black Belt as an example. A Black Belt with a 21% bonus will, after being held by a Pokémon for a while, reduce its bonus to 20%. The 1% that's lost is permanently added to the Pokémon's strength. Even if the Pokémon switches to another item later, this additional power remains!
It's this special feature that makes treasure-level Pokémon items highly sought after by countless trainers.
But the better something is, the rarer it becomes.
Treasure-level Pokémon items are hundreds of times rarer than regular ones.
As a result, ordinary platforms accessible to most people don't offer treasure-level items. They're often bought before they're even listed for sale.
Fame? Chris wasn't interested. Profit? He could earn that himself. But treasure-level Pokémon items? He had no access to them. He wasn't even sure if these treasures could be obtained in the handheld world.
The sooner he gained access to this channel, the better he could make his Pokémon stronger.
"Channel..." Theodore repeated thoughtfully, turning the word over in his mind before looking up at Chris.
He realized that the freshman standing before him didn't seem eighteen at all. He came across more like someone thirty-eight, an adult who prioritized practicality and self-interest.
"The channel, I can provide that for you," Theodore agreed. Then he added, "But, what can you offer me in return?"
With that question, their relationship shifted. It was no longer a mentor accepting a student, but two businesspeople negotiating a deal.
Chris sighed in relief. He hadn't viewed Theodore as a tutor, but there was always the chance that Theodore might still see him as a student. If he had been dealing with one of those old-fashioned professors, they might have angrily said, *I'm doing you a favor by accepting you as my student!*
"I can provide all of my research materials on Nosepass," Chris offered, referring to the breeder knowledge passed on by Miss Roxanne.
"And I can supply a sufficient number of Nosepass. From what I know, there aren't many areas in the Dragon Kingdom where Nosepass are found, so you likely don't have many available." Since this was a transaction, Chris had carefully considered his bargaining chips ahead of time.
A flicker of surprise crossed Theodore's face. "You have access to Nosepass?"
Chris smiled, neither confirming nor denying it.
"Alright!" Theodore decided quickly, instructing his assistant to modify the original contract. He turned to Chris and said, "If you can deliver 100 Nosepass within a week, my channel will be open to you permanently!"
When the revised contract was placed in front of Chris, the terms had changed. It was no longer a contract for a student working under a teacher, but an agreement between two business partners.