"A Big-Jawed Ant?..."
Tartaglia looked curiously at the Trapinch that had fallen asleep in Andrei's arms after drinking a bottle of Moomoo Milk.
It has powerful Dragon attributes in its future, but lacks the potential and qualifications of a Pseudo-Legendary.
Dragon type!
Pseudo-Legendary!!
This is the Pokémon of my dreams.
Tartaglia clenched his fists, his warrior spirit ignited not by battle, but by the gacha mechanic.
He made up his mind, swearing a silent vow to the god of luck:
I won't stop until I get a Dragon type + Pseudo-Legendary!
"It's my turn."
Tartaglia clicked [START] on the Pokédex screen.
[WHO AM I?]
The Pokédex flashed with countless black silhouettes.
Tartaglia's eyes were full of heat, staring at the screen with the anticipation of a hunter sighting prey.
Soon, the black frame froze and lit up:
[Fennekin] (The Fox Pokémon)
"A fox?" Tartaglia frowned, clearly not satisfied. "It looks... fragile."
Hiroshi's voice came from behind the counter, leisurely and informative.
"This is one of the original 'Starter Pokémon' (The Royal Three) from the Kalos Region."
"The three Starters there are Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie."
"Why are they called the 'Royal Three'?"
"These are species carefully selected from the three attributes of Grass, Water, and Fire in each region of the Pokémon world. They are the most suitable for novice Trainers due to their balanced growth and high potential."
Hiroshi clicked his tongue.
Tartaglia's luck was actually really good.
He was the first customer in the store to win a "Starter" in the lottery.
The System's internal quotation also illustrated the status of the Starter Pokémon. It was valued at a full 10 Million Mora—higher than Growlithe, Trapinch, and even the Larvesta that can evolve into Volcarona.
However.
Tartaglia, who had already set his flag, changed his expression and seemed quite troubled.
Hiroshi was stunned when he saw how conflicted the Harbinger was. He already pulled a Starter. Is he still dissatisfied?
You have a great appetite and courage!
Fatui or not, Hiroshi didn't take these "villains" too seriously. He treated them all equally as long as they were not poachers.
Therefore, Hiroshi sighed slightly and gave some earnest advice for the sake of business.
"In Teyvat, there are Anemo, Cryo, Pyro, Hydro, Geo, Electro, and Dendro—a total of seven elemental powers."
"The Grass, Water, and Fire attributes of the Starter Pokémon happen to align perfectly with the rules of Teyvat... Do you understand what I mean?"
"Pokémon with corresponding attributes will be more at home here!"
But Tartaglia thought about it for a long time and gritted his teeth.
"I'd better take a look at the next one!"
"After all, there are still 4 chances left, and I want to draw a Dragon + Pseudo-Legendary!"
Hiroshi: ???
Okay, I won't persuade you anymore. I like a confident handsome boy like you. Go ahead and gamble.
He shook his head and said nothing more.
Tartaglia gritted his teeth and clicked [SKIP], ignoring the Fennekin.
The result of the second draw quickly emerged:
[Vulpix] (The Fox Pokémon)
"Um? Another fox?" Tartaglia was confused.
Hiroshi felt something was wrong.
Fennekin and Vulpix.
They were both Pokémon classified as foxes.
Moreover, if Fennekin was not chosen, Vulpix was definitely a downgrade in terms of rarity.
Seeing that Hiroshi had no explanation, Tartaglia's complexion showed signs of gradually darkening. He started the third draw.
[Nickit] (The Fox Pokémon)
"Another fox?!"
Damn it.
This is getting evil.
Next to them, Keqing and Andrei also began to feel that the atmosphere was developing in a strange direction.
"Well..."
"Lord Tartaglia, it seems that you have stabbed a fox in its lair," Hiroshi shrugged, holding back a laugh.
Tartaglia: ...
His fingers were a little stiff. He couldn't fix it. It was a mistake.
"I don't believe that the next one will be the same..."
Beep.
The fourth draw.
The harsh words that echoed around the store hadn't even finished fading.
The Pokédex showed the name of the fourth baby Pokémon:
[Zorua] (The Tricky Fox Pokémon)
It still looked like a fox, but the color of its fur had changed to black and gray with red accents.
Hiroshi's eyes lit up.
A Dark-type Pokémon!
This kind of Pokémon is proficient in the art of transformation (Illusion) and often turns into a human or other Pokémon to hide its true appearance and avoid danger.
In reality, once trained, Zoroark is a master of espionage and special operations. It can greatly enrich a Trainer's tactics.
"Zorua..."
Tartaglia's whole face twitched. He was furious.
Fox. Fox. Fox. Fox.
Is the System mocking me?!
"The cunning ones gather," Zekrom's voice rumbled from the ceiling, dripping with irony. "They sense a kindred spirit in the deceiver."
Tartaglia clicked [SKIP] with his fingers, almost cracking the screen.
The fifth draw!
Come out here—Dragon Type, Pseudo-Legendary!
"Eh?"
"Is this... Vulpix again?"
Andrei looked around and saw something strange.
It looked like a Vulpix.
But the Vulpix that appeared on the Pokédex at this time was purely white as snow.
[Vulpix (Alolan Form)]
"This is an Ice Vulpix," Hiroshi said, opening his hands to Tartaglia, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
"When it evolves into the Alolan Ninetales, I would like to call it one of the most beautiful Pokémon in existence...!"
"Being strong is a temporary thing, but being beautiful is a lifetime thing."
The meaning of these words was obvious. No matter if it is in the Ninetales or Alolan Ninetales form, it is difficult for this Pokémon to catch up with a Dragon-type Pseudo-Legendary in terms of raw physical strength.
But Hiroshi did not finish his words. After all, in the real world, if you draw a self-disciplined Ice Vulpix that will continue to learn and train on its own, it will not be difficult to become the main player of a Championship team.
Tartaglia's eyelids twitched violently.
He had used all five chances.
Five foxes.
"Manager Hiroshi, can you... give me another draw?"
His voice was dry, revealing deep despair.
"Just one time! Just once is enough!"
"I'm willing to spend 10 Million Mora to buy just one more chance!"
Hiroshi shook his head politely and said:
"At the level of Novice Trainer, all customers are treated equally, and all customers only have 5 opportunities per week."
"In addition to improving the Trainer's certification level later, our store does not provide any additional methods!"
Tartaglia:
(ㄒoㄒ)!
He felt like crying and dying for a moment.
Why set up a Flag?
Why did I reject the Starter?!
Hiroshi sighed. He had repeatedly persuaded him before that none of the starting Pokémon of the 'Royal Three' were bad. In the Pokémon world, they were the exclusive starting Pokémon for the children of the rich and powerful.
But Tartaglia was very ambitious. Hiroshi also wanted to do this business, but he couldn't break the rules.
Just when the atmosphere in the store was filled with solemnity and the Childe's depression...
Keqing's voice suddenly came from the side, breaking the silence.
"Ah."
"Store Manager, please help me take a look at this Pokémon..."