Chapter 13: A Net Worth of 300 Million?
The Pokémon Department Store was an enterprise directly under the National Pokémon League and was the largest chain of stores in the country. With the League's credibility as a guarantee, the quality of the goods inside was very reliable, but the drawback was that the prices were also relatively high.
The Pokémon Department Store in Seaside County was located in the most prosperous part of the town. The road outside was bustling with traffic and a huge flow of people. Combined with the evening rush hour, the traffic was absolutely terrible. However, Basalt had come by bicycle, so the congestion on the main road had nothing to do with him, which made him very happy.
Park the bike, take off the helmet, lock the bike—the motions were smooth and seamless.
Looking up at the massive Pokémon Department Store building, Basalt smacked his lips. "It doesn't look that different from the big shopping malls back on Earth, like Wanda or Intime, does it?"
He walked through the main entrance and saw that the interior was filled with all sorts of merchandise, from small items worth a few dozen Pokédollars to precious goods worth hundreds of thousands.
Upon entering the department store, the most prominent counter on the first floor was filled with a wide variety of Poké Balls. From the standard red-and-white Poké Balls to Great Balls and Ultra Balls, and even special-function balls like Dive Balls, Luxury Balls, and Heavy Balls—they had everything.
Oh, wait… no Master Ball.
However, as far as Basalt knew, although Master Balls existed in this world, their function wasn't a 100% guaranteed catch. Because real-world technology was like paper in the face of powerful Pokémon, humanity had come to a conclusion: only magic can defeat magic. This was the fundamental reason why Pokémon trainers had become the world's mainstream profession.
Continuing further inside, Basalt saw the Pokéblock counter, the Berry counter, the Evolution Stone counter, and more.
Basalt stopped in front of the Evolution Stone counter, carefully observing the items through the display glass. There was the Fire Stone, with what looked like a flame burning inside it; the Water Stone, containing a mysterious droplet of water; the green Thunder Stone, with a lightning bolt symbol…
"Hello, sir. May I ask which type of Evolution Stone you are interested in?"
Seeing Basalt stop and look as if he intended to buy something, a saleswoman with her hair tied up in a bun and wearing a professional OL-style uniform quickly approached him. Her service awareness was excellent.
However, when Basalt saw the "99,999" on the price tag, he quickly waved his hands. "I'm just looking…"
I'm poor. I am not worthy!
The Pokémon resources in this world were relatively abundant because Pokémon were a renewable resource. As long as there was a small population, they could reproduce quickly. But Evolution Stones were different. They took an extremely long time to form and were a non-renewable resource—once used, they were gone. Therefore, their prices were much higher than that of Pokémon.
"Um… excuse me, what does the 'Low-grade' suffix on these Evolution Stone labels mean?"
Basalt had a sharp eye and noticed the large characters on the product label, a look of confusion on his face.
Even though she knew Basalt wasn't buying, the saleswoman was still very professional. She explained in a warm and friendly tone, "Based on the purity of the energy contained within, Evolution Stones can be divided into four grades, from low to high: Low-grade, Mid-grade, High-grade, and Flawless-grade."
"A Low-grade Evolution Stone can only satisfy a Pokémon's most basic evolutionary needs. Higher-quality stones, because they contain richer and purer energy, can not only evolve a Pokémon but also enhance some of its abilities and strengthen its constitution. There are many benefits."
"It's rumored that Flawless-grade Evolution Stones contain no impurities at all, and the entire stone becomes crystallized. If a Pokémon uses a Flawless-grade stone to evolve, the pure energy can even improve the Pokémon's innate potential and talent…"
The saleswoman explained in great detail with a smile, but Basalt wasn't listening anymore. His mind was filled with only two words: "Flawless-grade" and "crystallized."
Because the two Smooth Rock Crystals in his backpack were completely crystallized items. Could they be of the so-called "Flawless-grade" quality?
"Excuse me, do you have any Flawless-grade Evolution Stones here? Could I see one?" Basalt was eager to compare.
"Sir, you must be joking. A Flawless-grade Evolution Stone is a treasure that one might not find in a lifetime. They are extremely rare, and even if you have the money, you can't find one on the market. How could they possibly be sold in a store? However, I do have a picture of one here. If you're interested, you can take a look."
The saleswoman took out a book that looked like an entertainment magazine, flipped it open, and on one of the pages was a picture of a completely crystallized, purplish-black gem that was crystal clear.
Flawless-grade Dusk Stone! The Demon's Eye!
Basalt looked at the small text below the picture. It said that this Evolution Stone was named 'The Demon's Eye' and had been sold at a world auction in America a few years ago for the price of 150 million US dollars to a tycoon from the Middle East. It was reportedly used to evolve a Doublade into an Aegislash.
"150 million? In US dollars?"
Basalt's breathing quickened, his face flushed. Because although the Demon's Eye in the picture had a different color and shape from his Smooth Rock Crystals, its crystallized characteristic was exactly the same.
In other words, Basalt's Smooth Rock Crystals were very likely the Flawless-grade Smooth Rocks of this world. The value of a Smooth Rock was comparable to that of an Evolution Stone. In other words…
I'm carrying 300 million in my freaking backpack right now? In US dollars?!
Basalt instantly perked up, his eyes blazing with a fiery light.
If I have assets worth 300 million US dollars, why the hell am I still in high school? Why the hell would I take the college entrance exams?
He could sell one Smooth Rock Crystal, then buy a Larvitar, a Beldum, a Gible, and a Jangmo-o with the Dustproof ability to raise. After lying low and developing them for a while, wouldn't his sandstorm team be complete?
Let's go, taking off!!!
I'm going to conquer this world! Basalt thought with a wicked grin, his heart filled with ambition.
Once his sandstorm team was fully trained, he would be punching Gym Leaders, kicking the Elite Four, and making the national Pokémon League Champion politely step down. He would reach the pinnacle of life!
But after another moment's thought, Basalt realized a problem.
His Smooth Rock Crystals came with him from his transmigration. They couldn't just be revealed to the world, could they? He couldn't explain their origin. He couldn't just say he found them on the side of the road, right? He'd have to hand them over to the police.
Besides, wealth attracts unwanted attention. He was just a young, weak kid. He might not be able to protect such a fortune.
"Looks like I can only secretly use them for my own Pokémon." Basalt sighed.
Since he couldn't sell them openly, his dream of a super-luxurious sandstorm team composed of four pseudo-legendaries… was also gone.
This entire emotional rollercoaster took place in Basalt's mind. But in the eyes of the saleswoman, all she saw was the handsome young man in front of her go from being as fierce as a tiger, seemingly about to conquer the world, to as dejected as an old dog, as if he had been thoroughly conquered by the world, all while muttering to himself.
Does this handsome guy have multiple personality disorder? the saleswoman thought, silently taking a step back to maintain a safe distance from Basalt.
Dejectedly leaving the Evolution Stone counter, Basalt walked over to the counter displaying training equipment. He fixed his gaze on a device that looked somewhat like a mobile phone.
The Gravity Machine.
This was the true purpose of his trip.