Check out my other books, Pokemon : Starting with an Overpowered Gameboy advance, Pokemon : A Different Ash, Pokemon : I am A Breeder/Champion
Join my Patreon for 60 more chapters and earlier updates of all of my works
patreon.com/Tempest_29
In the black market, as long as the rules of trading are not broken, other practices are generally lenient.
Although the stall owner's tactic of playing word games might be morally questionable, it merely exploits loopholes in the rules rather than outright breaking them. However, if someone agrees to buy a Pokémon with a freebie in advance and then reneges after payment, the situation could escalate. In such cases, the stall owner might find it difficult to continue operating in this black market.
The Trainer wearing the Beedrill mask understood this and knew he couldn't take action against the stall owner. Reluctantly, he gritted his teeth and accepted the situation, aware that escalating the matter would cast him as the rule-breaker.
The commotion ended quickly, but it drew attention to Jack's stall, which had previously been overlooked.
"Wow! An Evolutionary Stone? A Teddiursa with 3-star potential?"
The exclamation came from a Trainer wearing a Pidgeot mask. His voice suggested he was fairly young, and his words immediately grabbed the attention of the nearby crowd.
"An Evolutionary Stone? Really? What type?"
"It's true! It's a Grass-type Leaf Stone!"
"Unbelievable! My Weepinbell needs a Leaf Stone to evolve into Victreebel, but I spent all my savings earlier. If I hadn't, I'd buy it in a heartbeat!"
"Sure, buddy. I saw you shopping just now. You spent less than 200,000 Pokédollars. Do you think that's enough to buy an Evolutionary Stone?"
The once-quiet stall became a hive of activity, with Trainers flocking to see what was going on. The commotion attracted even more people, but most were simply curious spectators. The price tags on Jack's merchandise discouraged those without the funds to make a serious purchase.
"A 3-star Teddiursa? Do you have a certification from the Pokémon Alliance?"
Jack, annoyed by the noisy crowd, perked up at the prospect of a potential buyer. The inquiry came from a man in a suit and tie, wearing a Teddiursa mask.
"I don't have one," Jack admitted, "but you can have it appraised here in the black market. If it's verified as 3-star, you'll pay the appraisal fee. Otherwise, I'll cover it."
The man hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "Alright, deal. If it's a 3-star Teddiursa, I'll buy it."
Staff from the black market organizers, stationed throughout the venue, quickly arrived to take Jack's Poké Ball for evaluation. Jack and the man waited at the stall.
Jack wasn't worried about foul play. The black market's long-standing reputation in Mountain City relied on fair dealings. Any shady behavior would have undermined its credibility years ago.
The appraisal didn't take long. Soon, the staff returned the Poké Ball and addressed the duo. "It's confirmed—a 3-star Teddiursa. The appraisal fee is 50,000 Pokédollars. Will you be paying in cash or via transfer?"
"Transfered!"
The man in the suit beamed with happiness and transferred the 50,000 Pokédollars without hesitation.
Jack was surprised upon learning the appraisal fee was 50,000 Pokédollars. While he knew Pokémon qualification evaluations were lucrative, he hadn't realized just how profitable they could be. If he weren't so cautious about exposing his unique ability, he might have been tempted to set up his own stall specializing in appraisals.
"Little brother, give me your account details, and I'll transfer the money immediately," the man said confidently, demonstrating the attitude of someone used to smooth transactions.
After hearing the notification on his phone, Jack saw the balance increase significantly. The middle-aged man then left with the Teddiursa's Poké Ball, packaged neatly.
Staring at his phone's new six-figure balance, Jack couldn't help but sigh. "No wonder so many people dream of becoming Trainers. Only those who've lived through it understand how vast the gap is between Trainers and ordinary people."
The surrounding Trainers couldn't hide their envy as they watched the man purchase the Teddiursa. For a Teddiursa with 3-star potential, any competent Trainer could easily help it reach the professional level. Once it evolved into Ursaring, it would likely achieve even greater success.
In this world, Trainer ranks were divided into several levels: Rookie Trainer, Professional Trainer, Gym-level Trainer, Elite-level Trainer, and Pokémon Master, also known as Champion-level Trainer. Though professional-level Trainers might seem unremarkable at first glance, they formed the backbone of the Trainer community. Professional Trainers made up 50% of all Trainers, with Rookie Trainers comprising another 30%. The rest were more advanced levels.
With the Teddiursa sold, Jack relaxed at his booth. The 800,000 Pokédollars he'd earned, combined with his previous 40,000, left him with a comfortable balance of 840,000. For now, his financial troubles were resolved.
Selling the remaining Leaf Stones would be ideal, but Jack wasn't in a rush. He figured he might eventually catch a Pokémon that required a Leaf Stone for evolution.
After politely declining a few Trainers who attempted to bargain, Jack decided to put up another sign clarifying his stance: No Bargaining. Once the new sign was displayed, much of the crowd dispersed. It was a small city with limited spending power, and high-value items like evolutionary stones only appealed to Trainers whose Pokémon specifically needed them.
As the day wound down and Jack considered closing the stall, a voice called out to him.
"Hello, I want to buy your Leaf Stone, but I don't have enough money right now. How about I give you 1,000,000 Pokédollars and this space bracelet?"
Jack looked up to see a short, thin young man wearing a Charizard mask and holding a high-end space bracelet. The young man presented the bracelet confidently.
Jack inspected it carefully, recognizing it as one of the most advanced models. If memory served him correctly, the bracelet's internal storage space was comparable to the size of a large football field. The flagship store price for such a bracelet ranged between 500,000 and 600,000 Pokédollars. Combining the bracelet with the offered cash made the total value roughly equivalent to 1,500,000 Pokédollars.