What should I do if my pet loves watching anime?

It was already evening when we returned to the camp.

Gu Beiri carefully wrapped the century-old piece of lightning-struck wood in insulating cloth and placed it inside the backpack.

This thing contains energy, but in a strong electric field environment like Leiji Mountain, there is no need to worry about it attracting lightning or dissipating energy.

"Today's harvest has far exceeded expectations," he thought as he prepared a simple dinner.

Mare the sheep rested against his leg, munching on an energy cube, the static electricity on his body shimmering softly, clearly still savoring the victory he had just won.

"The Counterattack Shield performed quite well in its first battle, but its flaws are also obvious."

Gu Beiri wrote in his notebook:

[Shield of Counterattack - Initial Version Evaluation]

advantage:

1. Highly effective against energy-based attacks (such as stealth rocks).

2. Rotating current has counter-attack/interference capabilities.

3. Can be linked with electrical systems to improve stability.

Things to note:

1. It consumes a huge amount of energy and can currently be maintained for about 60 seconds.

2. Insufficient defense against physical impacts (can only dodge when hit by a nose-shaped object).

3. When activated, it affects your movement speed and agility.

4. Requires extremely high concentration and makes it difficult to perform complex operations simultaneously.

"And most importantly—targeting blind spots."

Gu Beiri brought up the data panel in his mind.

[Elf: Mare the Sheep]

[Attribute: Electric]

【Characteristics: Electrical Manufacturer】

[Qualification: A+]

[Skills: Tackle, Shout, Electric Shock, Electromagnetic Wave, Electric Field]

[Custom Skill: Counterattack Shield]

Electric-type moves are completely ineffective against Ground-type Pokémon, and Grass, Dragon, and Electric types are inherently resistant to Electric-type moves.

Although Mareep can use Normal-type moves like Tackle, its power is too low, making it like a tickle against Rock or Steel-type opponents with high physical defense.

"We must broaden the scope of our attack," Gu Beiri decided.

What's most urgently needed right now are skills that can effectively counter ground and electric attacks.

Grass-type moves are the first choice—Grass is super effective against Ground, Rock, and Water, which perfectly compensates for the weaknesses of Electric-type moves.

Power Gem is also a good choice.

Moreover, the energy driving method of the Power Gem is similar to Gu Beiri's next step of development.

Although Mare the Sheep can level up and learn Power Gem, that will be a long time from now.

We can't afford to delay any longer.

…………

The day after returning from Leiji Mountain, Gu Beiri took the first subsidy from the research institute and rode his old tricycle to Linhai City.

The Pokémon-Friendly Shop in Linhai City is far larger than that in Bamboo Town. It's a three-story building with a striking red and white Poké Ball color scheme on the exterior walls. The windows display a variety of expensive Poké Balls, evolution stones, and rare items.

Gu Beiri walked into the store, and the dazzling array of goods made him somewhat dizzy.

But he wasted no time and went straight to the skill disc section.

In the display cases of the special zone, CDs gleamed enticingly under the soft lighting. Each booth had a brief technical introduction next to it.

[Skill: Energy Ball]

[Attribute: Grass]

Price: 128,000 Alliance Coins

[Skill: Tying Grass Knots]

[Attribute: Grass]

Price: 85000 Alliance Coins

[Skill: Leaf Blade]

[Attribute: Grass]

Price: 52000 Alliance Coins

Gu Beiri frowned.

Grass-type moves were more expensive than he had imagined.

He continued looking down, searching for "Draft"—a relatively basic Grass-type physical skill with a power of only 50.

However, it can increase the user's speed after use, making it very suitable for slow-speed Pokémon like Mareep.

Finally, he found it in a display case in the corner.

[Skill: Drafting]

[Attribute: Grass]

Price: 128,000 Alliance Coins

Thirty-eight thousand...

Gu Beiri calculated his savings.

The institute's 120,000 subsidy helped pay off a 50,000 loan from my family, and I spent over 10,000 on training supplies and food. Now I have about 60,000 Alliance Coins on hand.

"That's enough." He breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next target made him frown again.

[Skill: Power Gem]

[Attribute: Rock]

Price: 128,000 Alliance Coins

128,000!

This is just the official price.

Rare skill discs are often in short supply and may fetch even higher prices in the end.

Gu Beiri gave a bitter smile.

Buying the herb had already cost him almost half of his savings, so the power gem was out of the question.

"Sir, is there anything I can help you with?"

A waiter in a red uniform walked over with a professional smile on his face.

"I want to buy the drafting skills CD," Gu Beiri said.

"Okay, please wait a moment." The waiter opened the display case and carefully took out the disc.

The disc was packaged in a specially made transparent box with a grass-green pattern on the surface and a skill icon—a leaf floating forward—printed in the center.

"Would you like to test your compatibility?" the waiter asked. "We offer free basic compatibility testing to ensure your Pokémon can learn the skills."

"need."

Gu Beiri took out Mareep's Poké Ball.

The waiter inserted the disc into a device similar to a card reader, and then attached a sensor patch to the Poké Ball.

A few seconds later, the test results were displayed on the device screen:

[Subject of testing: Mare the sheep]

[Attribute: Electric]

[Skills Compatibility Assessment: Drafting]

Energy affinity: Low (25%)

Learning success rate: Moderate (53%)

[Recommendation: Must be used in conjunction with a Grass-type Energy Guide to increase stats to 75%]

This level of skill is normal. Of all Mare's skills, only three are Grass-type skills: Cotton Defense, Cotton Spore, and Grass.

Of these, only drafting is an offensive skill.

"The level of approachability is a bit low," the waiter said tactfully. "However, the success rate of learning is close to 50%, and with the help of a guidance agent, there is still a good chance."

"How much does a delivery device cost?"

"Grass-type basic energy guide, one bottle costs 8,000 Alliance Coins, and usually three to five bottles are needed."

Gu Beiri's heart tightened.

This adds at least 24,000 yuan to the expenses.

But he didn't hesitate: "I bought it. Draft the disc, and add four more syringes."

"Okay, the total is: 38,000 skill discs, 32,000 guide agents, for a total of 70,000 Alliance Coins."

70,000...

Gu Beiri gripped the bank card in his pocket tightly.

"Swipe your card."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

After the transaction was completed, Gu Beiri walked out of the store with the bag containing the disc and the guide agent, feeling a little unsteady on his feet.

Ninety thousand Alliance Coins were spent just like that.

But he doesn't regret it.

Skills are the foundation of a Pokémon's strength, and this investment is essential.

But... what about the Power Gem?

On the way back, Gu Beiri kept thinking about this question.

He can't possibly raise 120,000 yuan on his own in the short term.

Should I ask my parents?

No way. The family loan has just been paid off; he can't add to his parents' burden.

Advance payment to the research institute?

That's not very realistic either, the subsidy is paid monthly, and he just received his first payment...

"Perhaps..." Gu Beiri took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts.

Su Wenya's name lay there quietly.

The young researcher had always taken good care of him, and his family seemed to be well-off, with frequent access to non-public resources.

After much hesitation, Gu Beiri finally dialed the number.

"Feed?" Su Wenya's voice came through the background noise, as if she were in a public place.

"Sister Wenya, this is Gu Beiri. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need your help with something."

"Speak, what is it?" Su Wenya's voice was tinged with laughter.

"I want to buy the Power Gem skill disc, but the official price is too expensive."

Do you know of any channels that could help me find something at a reasonable price?

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"The Power Gem...it's definitely not cheap. Are you planning to let Mareep learn it?"

"Yes, I want to broaden its striking range."

"That's a good idea." Su Wenya paused for a moment. "I do know of a small, non-public auction where rare skill discs occasionally leak out at prices lower than the official ones."

But an invitation is required for entry, however…”

"But what?" Gu Beiri asked anxiously.

"However, I need a male companion to accompany me to a social party tomorrow night."

Su Wenya's voice carried a hint of helplessness.

"It was arranged by my family, and I couldn't refuse."

But every time I go, I get surrounded by a bunch of boring people, which is so annoying.

"If you're willing to come with me and help me fend off those inviters, I'll get you an invitation to the auction and I can even lend you some money."

Gu Beiri was stunned.

A social party? A male companion?

This was completely beyond his comprehension.

"I...I've never been to that kind of event before, so it might not be appropriate..."

"It's nothing, just going out to eat, drink, and dance."

"You just need to stand next to me, and if someone asks me to dance, just say sorry, she's with someone tonight."

Su Wenya chuckled and said, "It's very simple, and there will be lots of delicious food at the party, all free."

That last sentence made Gu Beiri's heart flutter.

A free dinner... can save you the cost of a meal.

More importantly, the Power Gem skill disc.

"Okay, I agree," Gu Beiri said.

"I'll pick you up at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Remember to dress formally, at least wear a white shirt."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Beiri was still a little dazed.

He looked down at his faded work pants and then touched the bill of 70,000 Alliance Coins in his pocket.

"Let's be more formal... I think I only have one white shirt, and that's what I wore to the interview."

And... does this count as him selling himself into servitude?