He tapped the screen lightly.
[System Prompt: Establishing connection...]
The hundred or so viewers in the stream held their breath.
The tragedy of the Machop chopping its dad was still fresh in their minds, and everyone was eager to see what kind of crazy stunt this newly crowned "Munchlax Master" would pull next.
Beep— The connection went through, and the video feed flared to life.
However, the moment the split-screen appeared on the right side of his phone, not only Miles, but the entire chat was dumbfounded.
Wasn't this a little too... hardcore?
Instead of the tranquil, nature-loving girl cuddling a Grass-type Pokémon they had all pictured, the screen showed a fully suited-up "biohazard soldier."
The background revealed a cramped studio apartment, but every crack around the windows had been sealed tight with yellow industrial tape, and thick wet towels were stuffed under the door frame.
The streamer, going by the handle "Fawn in the Woods," was wearing a bulky, disposable medical hazmat suit and a heavy-duty gas mask equipped with a high-end filter canister.
The only visible part of her was a pair of bloodshot, despairing eyes.
If it weren't for the stream's title, viewers might have assumed they had clicked into a Chernobyl cleanup documentary.
"W-woo... Master... save me..."
A muffled, sobbing voice echoed from beneath the gas mask.
Filtered through the canister, she sounded like she was speaking underwater, radiating a profound sense of helplessness.
"Please, take a look for me... I'm really having a breakdown! Everyone says you're a god. Tell me, is my Oddish completely hopeless? Do I have to throw her away just to survive?"
The camera shook as she panned the lens toward a corner of the room.
A delicate little pet bed lined with soft cushions sat there, clearly arranged with a lot of love and care at some point.
But right now, a trembling Oddish was huddled inside it.
She was barely half a meter tall, and the five leaves sprouting from her head—which should have been vibrant and upright—drooped sadly like frostbitten eggplants.
Her ruby-red eyes were brimming with grievance, an inferiority complex, and extreme caution.
The Pokémon seemed to know she was despised, desperately trying to curl herself into an even smaller ball.
She didn't even dare to breathe too loudly for fear of angering her owner.
It was a sight that was both amusing and heartbreaking. The live chat instantly exploded.
[Viewer "Kindergarten Food Snatcher": Holy crap! What is this getup? Are you cosplaying Breaking Bad?]
[Viewer "Melon Eater": Isn't this an overreaction? It's just an Oddish. Sure, they're Grass/Poison-types, but normally they're just like weeds. Since when are they this potent?]
[Viewer "Passerby A": Sis, you're exaggerating. Oddish don't even have stink glands. They only start smelling when they evolve into Gloom. Yours hasn't even evolved yet, and you're treating it like a biochemical leak. Is it all in your head?]
Just then, an incredibly obnoxious comment drifted across the screen, glowing with a rainbow VIP effect.
[Viewer "I Troll Therefore I Am" (Lv. 5): Heh, it's a script! This is absolutely scripted! Last stream he got a muscle bro to play the victim, and now he's got a chick acting out Resident Evil? It's literally impossible for an Oddish to stink! This streamer has absolutely no shame when it comes to clickbait. Do you take us viewers for idiots?]
The user behind the handle was clearly a veteran internet troll, immediately throwing accusations the moment he arrived.
Miles glanced at the chat feed but didn't rush to defend himself.
Instead, his gaze pierced through the phone screen and past that thick hazmat suit, locking dead onto the pitiful Oddish huddled in the corner.
'God-Level Pokémon Insight, activate.'
Buzz— A stream of data surged across his retinas once more. The first thing to pop up was the basic stat panel.
[Target: Oddish (Growth Stage)]
[Type: Grass/Poison]
[Gender: Female]
[Level: Lv. 21 (Evolution Threshold Reached)]
[Ability: Chlorophyll (Speed doubles in sunlight)]
[Nature: Modest (Sp. Atk ↑, Attack ↓. Calm personality, dislikes conflict, thoughtful)]
[Moves: Acid, Poison Powder, Mega Drain (Egg Move)]
[Overall IV Evaluation: S (A one-in-ten-thousand masterpiece! Both Special Attack and Special Defense have reached their racial limits!)]
'Whoa!' Miles marveled.
An S-rank IV!
This was the first S-rank Pokémon he had laid eyes on since transmigrating!
On top of that, it even possessed the powerful Egg Move, Mega Drain!
If this setup landed in the hands of any rookie trainer, they would absolutely groom it as their core ace.
But... why did her owner despise her stench? Why did she even want to throw her away?
Miles shifted his gaze further down to the most crucial module: the God-Level Insight.
When he read the two oddly glowing Fate Entries, the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably upward into a grin.
Case closed.
This was no "biochemical weapon"; this was a buried, priceless treasure!
[God-Level Insight: In-Depth Analysis]
[Current Status: Toxic Fermentation / Self-Suppression]: This is the root of the "stench"! This Oddish is extraordinarily gifted, possessing a massive and incredibly pure reserve of Poison-type energy. However, due to her [Modest] nature and immense love for her owner, she sensed her owner's distaste for the smell of poison. Consequently, she desperately suppressed herself, attempting to lock the toxic gases inside her body. It acts exactly like a pressure cooker with a blocked relief valve. The more she suppresses it, the more intensely the toxins ferment inside her. The faintest wisp of gas that occasionally leaks out is actually highly concentrated "biochemical poison."
[Fate Entry (Gray): Abandoned Grass] - If abandoned, she will die of a broken heart. Her corpse will transform into a highly toxic swamp, leaving a ten-mile radius entirely barren of life.
[Fate Entry (Gold): Fragrance Queen] - When things reach their worst, they will turn for the better! She is a natural-born "Master of Toxicology." The toxins in her body are not filthy waste, but rather the purest of botanical essences. Once she completes her evolution and shatters the shackles of "Self-Suppression," she will awaken a unique [Fragrance Conversion] ability. She will be capable of transmuting her deadly toxins into a god-tier aroma that can heal all things and soothe the soul! That fragrance will be priceless and sought after by all!
After reading all of this, Miles didn't just understand the situation—he wanted to slam the table and applaud.
What a reckless waste of God's gifts!
This girl actually wanted to throw away the future "Fragrance Queen"?
How was that any different from tossing a winning lottery ticket worth five million dollars straight into the trash?
Cough. Miles cleared his throat and withdrew his gaze. Looking at the sobbing "gas-mask girl" on the screen, he offered some comfort.
"This Oddish of yours is far from simple."
Hearing Miles's praise, Fawn in the Woods didn't show much excitement. Instead, her expression grew even more conflicted.
"I know... The teachers at my school said the same thing. They said she's an S-rank prospect."
She sighed, her voice laced with utter helplessness. "But Master... what's the use of her being good? You say she's amazing, but the truth is, I just want to throw her away!"
As soon as she said this, the live chat was in an uproar once again.
[Viewer "Kindergarten Food Snatcher": Throw it away? You're throwing away an S-rank Pokémon? Sis, are you crazy? Give it to me instead!]
[Viewer "Melon Eater": What a reckless waste! An S-rank prospect? Once it evolves into a Vileplume, it'd be a main attacker for sure!]
[Viewer "I Troll Therefore I Am": Heh, the script is way too obvious. Throwing away an S-rank Pokémon just like that? Stop trying to humblebrag.]