The gate of the Pokémon Breeding Center was now visible. There were no more buildings in this area, just wide, open lawns.
When Eichi and Tetsu reached the entrance of the Pokémon Breeding Center, many students were already there.
The Pokémon Breeding Center was a very tall, large building. It was like a high wall blocking everything outside. The overall architectural style was simple, featuring white and green colors that blended well with the surrounding environment. On the roof, two massive windmills slowly and continuously rotated.
Since today was Sunday, many students, including upperclassmen, were coming and going to catch Pokémon at the center. One upperclassman walked out with a smile on his face, and his companion asked, "What Pokémon did you catch?"
The upperclassman replied, "Haha, I finally caught a Tauros! Its aptitude is excellent."
"Congratulations!" his companion said.
Hearing their conversation, Tetsu excitedly told Eichi, "Let's go, Eichi."
"Mhm."
Inside, the center was still lively, with several staff members at the counter responsible for reception. Eichi and Tetsu went to a less-crowded counter to queue. They were lucky, and it was soon Tetsu's turn. The staff member at the counter was a woman.
She smiled. "Students, please state your names."
"My name is Tetsu," Tetsu said.
"Eichi," Eichi supplied.
The female staff member said, "Alright. Please pay the fee to enter, or you may use credits." Tetsu took out his League Card from his pocket and handed it to the staff member. He then pointed to Eichi and said, "This is my friend; he's just accompanying me."
While processing the payment, the staff member said, "Okay, as long as the security check is fine."
After the payment was completed, the female staff member instructed, "I will now go over some things to note. First, when you enter, your Pokémon will be checked. Furthermore, any Pokémon you catch inside must be registered when you leave." She then took two rectangular devices from a cabinet beneath the counter and handed them over. "These are called Positioning Alarms. They can be used for positioning, and if you are in danger, press the button on top, and we will know and arrange for rescue."
Tetsu and Eichi took the Positioning Alarms. Eichi attached his to his belt.
The two then proceeded inside. At the entrance, a machine blocked the way. It looked very similar to a security gate from Eichi's previous life, though the staff members did not use a handheld metal detector.
Eichi stepped up to the platform of the machine. A "beep" sound rang out. On a staff member's computer nearby, six Poké Balls appeared. The latter three were empty, while the first three contained Pokémon: Beedrill, Scizor, and Heracross.
Next was Tetsu. He also stood on the platform. With a "beep," his Pokémon appeared on the computer: Ampharos, Miltank, and Noctowl.
After the check, they were allowed to enter.
Upon entering, they saw a vast plain, and next to it, there was a forest. Countless Pokémon could be seen across the plain, including those from the Kanto, Johto, and even other regions.
At that moment, a chorus of Pokémon roars sounded. They turned to see a group of Tauros running wildly. Tauros loved to run constantly across the plains. Next to the Tauros was a herd of Doduo and Dodrio.
Eichi activated his Eye of the Bug Emperor. The potential of the Tauros was laid bare before him. The worst-qualified among them were at least Good Talent Grade; there wasn't a single Ordinary one. No wonder the students at the academy prefer to catch Pokémon here, Eichi thought.
Students at Silver Academy could also catch Pokémon in the forests outside the academy for free. So, why did everyone prefer to catch Pokémon at the Pokémon Breeding Center?
Safety was the primary reason. Everyone in the Breeding Center was given a Positioning Alarm. If they encountered danger, pressing the alarm would ensure rescuers arrived in the shortest possible time. Therefore, safety was guaranteed. The wilderness, however, was different. If you encountered danger, no one would come to your rescue, making the risk extremely high.
Another reason was the wide variety of Pokémon available. Except for a few extremely rare ones, most Pokémon could be found there, including Pokémon from other regions. Most importantly, as Eichi had just observed, the Pokémon's Talent Grade was at least Good. However, the Pokémon in the Breeding Center did not have high levels. The strongest were only at the Elite Rank; Gym Leader level Pokémon were transferred to other areas. Therefore, Beedrill's strength was more than enough to ensure Eichi's safety.
After enjoying the scenery for a while, Eichi asked, "What Pokémon are you planning to catch?"
Tetsu laughed. "I don't know yet."
"Hmm? You don't know?" Eichi asked.
"I haven't decided," Tetsu explained. "When catching a Pokémon later, I'll just see if there's one I like. If I see one I'm drawn to, I'll naturally try to catch it."
"Then why did you ask me to come?" Eichi questioned.
Tetsu laughed sheepishly. "Uh, I just wanted someone to accompany me, or else I'd be a bit bored alone. Most importantly, there are some Pokémon from other regions that I don't recognize. You can introduce them to me when we see them. Also, I heard your eye for Pokémon is especially accurate, so you must tell me if you spot any with good Talent Grade."
"Understood," Eichi said. "Let's go."
"Great!"
The two consulted and decided to check the forest first, as there would be a wider variety of Pokémon species there.
As soon as they entered the forest, they could hear the sounds of various Pokémon. Eichi took a deep breath. Tetsu mimicked Eichi, inhaling deeply.
"This is the smell of nature," Tetsu declared. "So fresh."
Eichi was speechless.
The two began moving through the forest, encountering many Pokémon along the way, such as Pidgey, Spearow, Spinarak, Sentret, and Ledyba.
Eichi kept his Eye of the Bug Emperor active at all times. Sure enough, all these Pokémon had at least Good Talent Grade. However, most were Good, with only a few being Excellent. He only spotted one Outstanding Pokémon: a Pineco. He pointed it out to Tetsu, but Tetsu was uninterested; he didn't like it. Eichi could only continue the search, as Tetsu had mentioned he wanted to catch a Pokémon from another region.