Unlike scanning a fully-grown Pokémon, an egg was a mystery. Because it was unhatched, Luke's System couldn't provide a species name or a move list. It simply displayed [ Pokémon Egg ].
Fortunately, the talent-level color coding still worked perfectly. Silas's private collection was a wall of Purple potential, but Luke was instantly transfixed by two distinct flickers of Gold.
He had never seen a Gold Nameplate in his life. These were creatures with Champion-tier talent—the kind of Pokémon that could define an era.
The first was on the fifth shelf, sitting alone in a position of honor. It was a soft pink, covered in deep-toned petal patterns. The second was tucked away on the edge of the third shelf. It was a pale green shell marked with a distinct black cat-paw print.
Silas watched Luke's gaze drift between the two and thought to himself, As expected.
Silas had suspected Luke possessed a "Supernatural Resonance"—a rare human ability to sense potential. In this world, such things were uncommon but not unheard of. There were Psychics who could levitate, Mediums who channeled Ghost energy, and martial artists who could shatter boulders. Silas himself possessed the Viridian Force, a gift from the forest that allowed him to heal wounds.
Seeing Luke eye the pink egg on the top shelf, Silas felt a sharp pang of heartache. He had risked his life in the Viridian Secret Realm to retrieve that egg. A Master Breeder in Zijin City had spent two hours examining it, solemnly declaring it was a future Champion. Silas had intended to save it for Chloe's eighteenth birthday to be her future ace.
But a promise was a promise. If Luke chose it, Silas would honor the deal, no matter how much it hurt.
Luke, however, was thinking two steps ahead. He noticed the pink egg's place of honor and realized how much Silas valued it. Taking it would be a bridge-burner. Furthermore, while the pink egg was a "known" treasure, the green egg on the third shelf was a hidden variable.
He asked Silas about their origins.
Silas spoke of the pink egg with grand, embellished tales of jungle survival. As for the green one, he was more dismissive. He'd won it as a prize at a World Performance Competition in the Brittany League, sourced from the famous Glory Breeding House.
A performance competition prize? Luke's mind whirred. No competition would give away a confirmed Champion-tier egg as a trophy. That meant the Glory Breeding House, the organizers, and even Silas himself all believed the green egg was "only" Elite Four tier.
Only Luke's System saw the gold.
If he didn't take it, this Pokémon would live its life being treated as an "excellent main force," never realizing its true peak. Only Luke would look at it from day one and see a King.
"I've made my choice," Luke said, pointing to the edge of the third shelf. "I'll take the green one."
Silas was visibly stunned. He was offering a legendary treasure, and Luke chose a competition trophy? "Are you sure, Luke? You know where that other one came from."
"I'm sure," Luke said, his voice firm. "I see a possibility in this egg that no one else has discovered. Please, Master Silas."
Silas let out a sigh of immense relief, his respect for the boy deepening. He fetched a glass-domed Portable Incubator from a nearby cabinet and handed it over. "Go on, then. Go welcome your new partner."
Luke took the device and walked to the cabinet, his heart hammering with excitement. He carefully nestled the green egg into the soft microwave-emitting lining. As the shell swayed gently under the sensors, Luke felt the first thrum of a bond with a life yet to be born.
By the time Luke stepped out of the Verdant Gym, the stars were high. He pulled out his phone to check the time, only to see a wall of notifications. 99+ Missed Calls.
He'd kept his phone on silent during the poacher raid and the subsequent "secret mission" at the Gym. Panicked, he sat on a park bench, placed the incubator beside him, and hit the video call button.
A silver-haired girl appeared on the screen instantly, her face flushed with fury.
"Luke Rhodes! You have a lot of nerve! A whole day! Not a single text back?!"