There were two days left until the Wallace Cup began.
The winner would receive a prize of 50,000 League Dollars and a specially made Ribbon.
Unlike standard Contest Ribbons, which were only valid in their specific region, the special Ribbon obtained from the Wallace Cup served as an entry ticket to the Grand Festival in any League region, making it incredibly valuable.
However, for Hakuya, whose goal was not to become a Coordinator, this was at best a collector's item.
The more important prize was the 50,000 League Dollars.
"Seriously, why are items bought online so expensive?"
Scrolling through the e-commerce platform on his PokéNav, Hakuya couldn't help but click his tongue.
Much like his previous life, the Pokémon world had similar online shopping platforms.
Many postal companies, with the help of the network infrastructure built by Porygon, combined the delivery services of Dragonite, Pidgeot, and Delibird, allowing Trainers to purchase various Pokémon items online.
For example, the Metal Coat that evolved Scyther into Scizor; the Electirizer that evolved Electabuzz into Electivire; the Deep Sea Tooth that evolved Clamperl into Huntail... And naturally, the item that evolved Milcery into Alcremie—the Sweet—was also listed.
Ever since he got violently elbowed and soft-locked by the Speed Boost Mega Zygarde last night, Hakuya had been contemplating evolving Milcery into Alcremie.
Only by evolving her and drastically boosting her Special Defense could she hope to withstand Mega Zygarde's absurd 216 base Special Attack.
However, the prices of evolution items seemed a bit steep.
Even on the generally cheaper online platforms, thanks to the massive popularity of the Milcery and Alcremie line among pastry chefs, the price of a Sweet had been driven up to around 60,000 League Dollars.
"Looks like I can only afford to buy it online after I win the Wallace Cup..."
Hakuya shook his head helplessly, suddenly feeling that his wallet was pitifully thin.
He currently only had the 10,000 or so League Dollars he had won from roadside Trainers. As for his salary as a temporary Battle Instructor, he wouldn't receive it for another week. Even if he desperately wanted to elbow that illegal Mega Zygarde as soon as possible, he had no choice but to wait until he won the championship prize money from the Wallace Cup.
"Meowha, meowha~"
Just then, Floragato, who had been waiting faithfully by his side, tugged at Hakuya's sleeve with a look of eager anticipation.
It was almost mealtime, and the large cat's stomach was getting ready to rumble.
"How about we try making our own Pokémon food today?"
Snapped back to reality, Hakuya rubbed his chin and pondered.
Increasing income and reducing expenditure. Not only did he need to earn more money, but he also needed to save wherever possible.
The free food portions provided by the Pokémon Center could no longer keep up with Floragato and the others' massive appetites. And compared to buying expensive nutritional food directly from the Poké Mart, making his own using Berries and other ingredients was clearly a much more cost-effective and reliable option.
Moreover, he suddenly remembered the Pokéblock Case Lisia had shoved into his hands along with the Contest Pass.
Making his own Pokéblocks sounded like a great idea.
"La-woo~"
The little jet plane, hurrying over upon hearing the news, sent a psychic telegram he couldn't quite decipher.
...
Pokéblocks are a type of snack that Pokémon absolutely adore.
Legend has it that if you feed this snack to your partner Pokémon, they will happily accompany you on your adventures.
Of course, that was just an exaggerated saying.
Functionally, they were similar to Poké Puffs: packed with rich nutrients and highly filling. Some specially crafted Pokéblocks could even boost a Pokémon's Coolness, Beauty, and other Contest conditions, making them extremely popular among Coordinators.
Furthermore, unlike in many fanfictions, in the real Pokémon world, foods like Pokéblocks or Poké Puffs weren't some magical elixir that instantly boosted a Pokémon's combat power; they were simply common, nutritious foods tailored for different Pokémon.
"Nai~" "Hmm... This looks severely burnt."
Inside the Trainers' School, Hakuya looked at the charred, blackened mush of Berries in the cooking pot and nodded thoughtfully.
The materials needed to make Pokéblocks required molds, glass stirring rods, a cooking pot, and various types of Berries. Therefore, after bringing some fresh Berries harvested from Randomized Emerald, he came to the Trainers' School to borrow the equipment in the classroom.
As for the specific process of making Pokéblocks, he only knew what he had seen in the anime in his previous life. Although he had memorized all the steps out of boredom back then, when he actually tried to do it himself, Hakuya realized everything was going wrong.
"Mr. Hakuya, are you trying to make Pokéblocks?"
Not far away, a beautiful figure blinked her jewel-like crimson eyes, her gaze falling on Hakuya, who was struggling desperately with the cooking pot.
Ms. Roxanne had changed her outfit today.
Her hair, usually tied up with ribbons, now flowed freely over her shoulders, possessing the texture of premium silk.
She wore a simple, unadorned white top. From her generous chest downwards, the lush, alluring curves suddenly cinched in, tracing the delicate, feminine lines of her waist.
And what would normally be ordinary jeans were made breathtaking by the shape of her full, perfectly rounded rear and her long, graceful, slender legs. A sliver of her ankle, smooth and translucent as white jade, peeked out slightly from the cuffs, dazzlingly pale.
"Yeah. Because I'm a bit short on funds recently, I thought I'd see if I could make my own Pokémon food. But... it looks like I've failed."
Hakuya nodded, a troubled expression appearing on his face.
He wasn't sure if it was an issue with his stirring speed, but the Berry batter he had boiled down had now turned into a charred, black lump.
As expected, without systematic training as a Breeder, making homemade Pokémon food was quite difficult.
Roxanne leaned closer, peering into the cooking pot, and immediately spotted the problem.
"It looks like this was caused by stirring too slowly during the cooking process."
As a teacher at the Trainers' School, her curriculum wasn't limited to type matchups and basic battle tactics. It also included foundational Breeder knowledge, such as treating injured Pokémon and making homemade Pokémon food.
By her usual strict standards, Hakuya's pot of burnt Pokéblock batter would instantly receive a grade of zero.
Seeing this, Roxanne's 'teacher mode' went back online. Her expression turned serious. She tied her long hair back into a neat, high ponytail with a hair tie, put on a work apron, and immediately entered teaching mode.
"Since I happen to have some free time right now, allow me to teach you how to properly make Pokéblocks, Mr. Hakuya."
"Huh?"
Hakuya stared blankly.
But at this moment, Ms. Roxanne didn't give him a chance to speak. Her slender hands gently but firmly pushed him back in front of the table.
When Roxanne entered her teaching mode, she possessed an inexplicable, unquestionable aura of authority.