"Buddy, what you're saying makes sense, but people have their own needs. Like, if I want to give my niece a Pokémon, and I have options, why wouldn't I pick one with high looks and a good ability?"
The delivery station owner agreed with Ye Yinchuan's point but couldn't help voicing his own thoughts.
"You're absolutely right. That's why I said this is just my personal viewpoint. People have different preferences when it comes to raising Pokémon. But as a Pokémon streamer—even though I don't have many followers yet—I'm still somewhat of a public figure. I need to say what I believe is right, loudly and clearly."
"All I want is to encourage people to be more accepting and responsible when it comes to Pokémon. Treat them with care and respect. Especially, don't abandon them just because they're not what you expected or label them as useless."
The owner nodded. "Streamer, I respect people like you. I hope you keep your passion and don't let society wear you down."
"You don't have to say that. I can tell you love Pokémon too. Otherwise, you'd have tossed this Meowth a long time ago, right?"
The owner gave a bitter smile and didn't say more.
Their conversation had also been heard by the audience in the livestream, sparking an intense discussion. Despite differing opinions, the chat remained mostly respectful.
[This is the kind of morally upright Pokémon streaming we need! Big thumbs up!]
[I may not be as kind-hearted as the streamer, but I support his stance!]
[The owner has his struggles too. If he took in every Pokémon, his store would turn into a rescue center!]
[My sister's Growlithe has no ability and poor stats, but it's her second pair of eyes.]
[I just checked the poster's profile. Her sister is blind… That Growlithe is truly special. If someone called it useless, I'd be heartbroken!]
Amidst the discussion, one particularly aggressive comment appeared:
[Stupid streamer, I don't get why people even watch this. Trash is trash. No matter what you say, it's still trash! If you want to raise garbage, don't drag others down with you!]
The response was immediate:
[Are you illiterate, or did Pinduoduo slash your brain in half?]
[Coming in here spewing garbage? Totally unnecessary.]
[This dude is way too toxic. Streamer, ban him!]
Ye Yinchuan glanced at the comment, immediately handing out a permanent ban and blacklist. There was no reasoning with people who just came in to insult others.
"Alright, I believe most people here love Pokémon and can have rational discussions. Now, let's get back to this Meowth."
His gaze returned to the Pokémon's status screen:
[Pokémon: Meowth]
[Level: 2]
[Type: Normal]
[Gender: Male]
[Base Stats: C-Rank (290)]
[IVs: B-Rank (91)]
[Ability: Technician]
[Nature: Careful]
[Moves: Growl, Fake Out, Scratch]
[Status: Slightly nervous (gradually calming down)]
[Evolution Path: Meowth → Persian]
"This Meowth's ability is Technician."
Ye Yinchuan spoke with certainty, not caring if anyone had heard of it before.
[Technician? Never heard of that one.]
[Pass it on, the streamer is making up abilities!]
[Pass it on, Meowth invented this streamer!]
[Are you serious? I just searched online—this ability doesn't exist!]
Seeing the chat's reactions, Ye Yinchuan's suspicion was confirmed.
Because he was livestreaming from his phone and couldn't check himself, he had to rely on the audience.
It seemed the real-world knowledge of "Technician" was nearly nonexistent!
No wonder this Meowth had been labeled ability-less.
There were probably many other Pokémon in the same boat—hidden abilities going unnoticed, leading to their talents being wasted.
Ye Yinchuan felt like his streaming now had a new purpose:
To uncover the truth behind these misunderstood Pokémon and show the world their real value.
"I know you're all impatient, but hold on."
He considered how to best explain this ability's function and significance.
"This ability was actually discovered by a Pokémon research friend of mine recently. It hasn't been publicly documented yet, so you won't find it online."
[Wow, the streamer really has connections. First, a billionaire friend. Now, a researcher. Next, he'll be tight with the Pokémon League…]
[Be honest, streamer. Is this 'friend' actually you?]
[Please, just explain! My Meowth is on edge waiting!]
"The simplest way to understand Technician is that it boosts the power of weaker moves."
Ye Yinchuan realized his wording was awkward and quickly corrected himself.
"For example, the move Scratch has a standard power of 40 according to the latest Pokémon Skill Research Association's international guidelines. You guys should know this, right? If not, look it up."
The Pokémon Skill Research Association was a global academic organization specializing in Pokémon move analysis. They provided standardized power ratings for moves, particularly for professional trainers.
Casual trainers might have heard of the association but rarely paid attention to move power rankings.
[Wow, this is legit! I just checked, and it really is 40 power. Tons of research papers on it too!]
[Right, Scratch's power is 40, but the Pokémon's strength and mastery also matter!]
[So, does Technician boost Scratch's power?]
"Someone in chat got it right. Technician can increase Scratch's power from 40 to a maximum of 60. Now, imagine how strong this Meowth could be if trained properly."
[Holy crap! Wouldn't that make it OP in the early game?]
[Streamer's research friend must be legit. No way you'd figure this out without extensive testing.]
[Are you sure you're not just making stuff up?]
[So, what counts as a low-power move?]
"I don't know the exact limit, but the skill association considers moves with 60 power or lower to be in that range."
[Hold up! Doesn't that mean any 60-power move this Meowth learns would function as a 90-power move?!]
[No way! That's broken!]
[90 power is already considered high! Usually, those moves have drawbacks, but this Meowth can use them without any!]
"Everyone, calm down. Remember, I said 'up to'—the boost isn't fixed. According to my friend's research, an untrained Pokémon with Technician usually only gets around a 10% boost."
Ye Yinchuan quickly clarified, seeing the chat go wild.
[Oh, so a 40-power move would only be boosted to 44 at first? That's not too crazy…]
[Still strong! Definitely a top-tier ability!]
[I'll pay 500 bucks for this Meowth. Seller, you in?]
"This stream prohibits illegal Pokémon trading. If you try it, you'll be banned."
He turned back to the status screen, contemplating the ability's description.
[Technician: Pokémon with this ability naturally excel in skill-based combat, enhancing moves with a power of 60 or less by 10-50%, depending on their mastery.]
"Talent needs the right person to recognize it. A good Pokémon can be overlooked simply because no one realizes its true potential."
Smiling, Ye Yinchuan left the delivery station, walking home with Snorlax by his side, feeling a sense of fulfillment.
(End of Chapter)