Pokémon: Trainers Start as Bounty Hunters.

"Hello, this is an experimental machine from the Siluf-1 Research Institute. It's broken. Do you have anything here that can be repaired?"

"Daigo already told you, right? He should have left my things here with you. I've come to get them."

"These are my honorary citizen card and Yuantian Group premium VIP card. Can you help me calculate what discount I can get on these items?"

"Kayoko-senpai, I didn't expect you to be in charge of the shop at the research institute. I want some special rocks, in large quantities, hehe."

He busily moved between the different floors.

Everyone who heard him talking to the shop assistants and even the shop owner gaped in astonishment.

Which rich young master is out experiencing life again? His network of connections is just too strong.

Thankfully, Zhe was wearing a mask; otherwise, he would never have been able to leave Manjin Department Store normally today if he had been recognized.

The turmoil from yesterday's incident has not yet subsided.

Even on the large screen at Manjin Department Store, an animated GIF of Rainbow Feather's appearance was being played.

After running for about two hours, Tetsuya finally managed to complete the initial part of today's plan.

However, some things are still nowhere to be found.

For example, the high-quality ice stone that Tetsuya longs for.

"It seems that if all else fails, we'll have to ask Cona."

He sighed.

"Sir, would you like to know about tonight's auction? It's a grand event that only happens about once every three months."

Zhe had only been standing still for a few seconds when the publicity staff shoved a poster into his hand.

Looking up, I realized that, without me noticing, these kinds of staff members had suddenly appeared on every floor.

An auction?

Hearing this familiar yet unfamiliar statement, Tetsuya curiously unfolded the poster.

Do you want all sorts of rare treasures? Do you want to become a powerful trainer? Do you want to provide better assistance to your Pokémon?

Full Gold Auction has everything you want!

"The slogan is a bit outdated."

He made casual comments.

However, it must be said that it piqued Tetsuya's interest.

Maybe he'll find something he wants at the auction.

His gaze was fixed on the bottom of the poster.

How to participate: Achieve a top-sixteen ranking in the battle event held on the fifteenth floor. (Participants will also receive an additional mystery prize based on their ranking!)

Tetsuya smiled.

That's really in line with the culture of the elf world.

Very normal.

A rich person is not necessarily a powerful trainer, but a powerful trainer is definitely a rich person.

An auction is an event where economic strength speaks volumes.

Aside from those actively invited by department stores, the best way to find wealthy people is through spirit battles.

He decisively stepped into the elevator heading to the fifteenth floor.

It's just the top sixteen, no big deal.

Moreover, such stringent selection rules made him even more interested in the auction.

It's worth noting that Manjin Department Store sees hundreds of thousands of customers every day.

Among so many people, the trainers who rank in the top sixteen must be the ones getting auctioned off in a very high-profile manner.

Chapter 378 Reencounter with Lei Si

Tetsuya quickly followed the flow of people to the fifteenth floor of the Manjin Department Store.

It seems that quite a few people are interested in this auction.

Well, not necessarily.

Looking at the excited expressions of the people around him, Tetsuya thought that they were probably just interested in Pokémon battles.

After all, aside from regional tournaments, it's rare to see so many trainers gather together for battles.

The experience of watching it live is completely different from watching it on TV.

I randomly joined a line to register.

What followed was a boring wait.

Tetsuya took advantage of the break to learn about the rules of the competition.

It's very simple: 1v1 battles, the winner advances to the next round, until the top sixteen and the final champion and runner-up are determined.

It's not a perfectly fair competition format, but it's very reasonable.

If it were a proper 3v3 or 6v6 match, the result might not be known until next week.

Moreover, this battleground is different from the usual large venues; it's a relatively small arena.

"In this way, some large Pokémon will be useless, while smaller Pokémon will have a lot of advantages."

Tetsuya stroked his chin as he analyzed the situation.

Although he didn't think he and his partners would lose in this kind of competition, he still had to follow the principle of strategic contempt while tactical caution.

The procession moved slowly.

Because there are many registration points, the progress is not too slow.

At this pace, the preliminary preparations can be completed in about half an hour.

It has to be said, this is truly a large company.

Tetsuya arrived quickly and casually handed his catalog and honorary citizen card to the staff.

The staff member was taken aback, then a genuine smile suddenly bloomed on their formulaic face: "Thank you so much for your support, Trainer. Welcome to Golden Mall."

Without hesitation, he swiped his hand on the machine, and Tetsuya's identity information was registered.

"For this competition, you can choose to use your real name or a code name, I don't know?"

Wearing a mask and hat to conceal his identity, Tetsuya thought for a moment, then a strange smile appeared on his lips: "Code name, Crimson."

"Alright, Crimson Trainer, here is your number plate. Please keep it safe and pay attention to notifications. I wish you a satisfactory result."

Okay, thank you.

Tetsuya took his things and left without looking back.

The staff quickly sent several messages on their communication devices.

He was overjoyed to see the praise from his superiors.

The trainers who signed up later were getting impatient: "Hey, can you hurry up?"

He knew that the guy who had just signed up was not someone to mess with.

The Pokémon encyclopedia alone speaks volumes about his status. Coupled with the card of unknown material and the staff's attitude, it's even clearer how formidable that guy named Crimson is.

However, that's no excuse for not serving you for several minutes.

"Excuse me, sir, I'll register you right away."

The staff member's face immediately returned to its formulaic state.

In two words: professional.

This was just a minor incident at one of the many registration points.

Apart from the few people behind Tetsuya, no one paid any attention.

However, a young man in the group not far away looked at Tetsuya's back and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

I feel like I've seen him somewhere before.

"Trainer Rai, this is your number plate. Please note the battle information."

The staff called his name a few times.

Lei Si snapped out of his daze, nodded arrogantly, and then put away his number plate.

Even if I've seen him before, so what? He'd probably be another loser.

He's already thinking about his opponent in the final.

On the other side, Tetsuya, who had arrived at the waiting area, sighed silently as he looked at the dazzling array of food and drinks.

The organizers are very generous, but he can't eat it.

He was still wearing a mask on his face.

Tetsuya could only watch as the other contestants ate with great enthusiasm, while he could only admire them with his own eyes.

Indeed, the price of fame is painful.

Over the loudspeaker, one number after another was called out, and trainers came and went in a constant stream.

However, Tetsuya, codenamed Crimson, was never called upon.

Strangely, he specifically asked the staff about it.

According to the staff, he received a bye in the first round because the number of participants was exactly odd.

In the following rounds, his opponents all forfeited, so he didn't have to fight.

Well, as soon as Tetsuya heard this, he knew that he had definitely been given special treatment.

This was the first time he had truly enjoyed the treatment of a privileged class.

It actually feels pretty good.

He was happy to do so.

Otherwise, having to play a match every now and then would be too troublesome.

However, the organizers couldn't be too blatant about it.

Otherwise, if only a dozen or so people are left, it would be a bit like treating everyone else like fools to have Tetsuya, who has never been on the field before, have his first battle.

Therefore, not long after he asked the staff, Tetsuya met the first opponent in this mall battle.

Upon seeing the familiar figure across from him, his mouth involuntarily widened slightly beneath his mask.

"Crimson vs. Raikou, battle begins. Please release your Pokémon simultaneously."

After confirming the identities, the referee promptly announced the start of the match.

That's right, Tetsuya's first official battle was against Raiji.

If he hadn't known that the organizers had given him special treatment, he would have thought they were up to something.

Although Lei Si is not a very good person, his strength is absolutely outstanding.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been chosen by the Cerulean Gym to represent them in the battle back when he was on the St. Anne.

Perhaps this also shows that the organizers are fair?

Seeing his opponent standing there motionless for some reason, Lei Si impatiently urged, "Hey, can you hurry up? I'm waiting to catch the next match."

Tetsuya chuckled: "Don't be in such a hurry, Raiji, do you want me to beat you up that badly?"

Upon hearing this voice, a hint of surprise flashed across Lei Si's cold face: "So it was you."

He will never forget Tetsuya.

The battle aboard the Saint Anne was one of the few defeats he had suffered since his debut.

In particular, the trainer who defeated him was a younger guy.

"Hmph, sneaking around."