-104- Meow Meow Hatching (Please Subscribe!) (3/10)

The next day, Tongsi went to school as usual.

Students in other classes were still undergoing their diagnostic exams. It was said that the classes in the Battling Department were competing with extreme intensity. Any student who stood out in these exams would receive prioritized cultivation from the school. Even the Pokémon Association might invite these top-tier students to join the "Supernova Project." Because of this, even students who had previously wanted a carefree life were now fighting with everything they had.

In contrast, the Breeding Department was much more relaxed. After having morning tea and chatting about life with the girls in his class, Tongsi attended a Pokéblock making lesson in the afternoon. Several girls had already studied the production process beforehand and performed quite well in class. It was unclear if their frequent glances toward Tongsi were an attempt to win his favor, but upon seeing the Pokéblock Tongsi produced, they were all struck with utter astonishment.

How was it possible for Tongsi’s Pokéblock to be crafted so perfectly?

"Tongsi, tell me, have you been practicing in secret?" Chu Xuanyan asked, feeling somewhat indignant. How could Tongsi manage to outshine her in every aspect?

"Not at all. This is my first time making one," Tongsi replied with a shrug.

He was joking, of course. He had even mastered the production of high-grade pink-blue Pokéblocks; surely, he wouldn't struggle with such low-level ones? Even though it was his first time crafting this specific monochromatic type, the process was relatively simple. Not only did Tongsi succeed on his first attempt, but the result was flawless.

Soon, Tongsi’s Pokéblock became the benchmark for the entire class. All the girls began using his work as a template to imitate their own.

"Tongsi, your Pokéblock is truly excellent. You should really consider getting certified by the Pokéblock Association," Xia Yan suggested after taking a small taste of his creation.

"Get certified?" Tongsi had never considered that there were qualifications for making Pokéblocks.

"That's right. The Pokéblock Association grades every maker. With your current level, getting a Junior Maker certificate shouldn't be a problem." Xia Yan held Tongsi’s creation in high regard. Both its color and flavor met the standards of commercial Pokéblocks sold on the market.

"Is that so? I might look into it when I have time." Tongsi wasn't particularly interested in the certificate itself, but he wanted to use the association to release his formula for the pink-blue Pokéblocks. Compared to ordinary monochromatic ones, the utility of the pink-blue variety was significantly higher.

The only drawback was the high production cost. Most people probably couldn't afford to make them. Furthermore, some of the Pokéblock-making machines on the market were quite outdated; the pink-blue variety required a new type of berry-mixing machine. It was fair to say that the pink-blue Pokéblock was the aristocrat of its kind.

However, Tongsi didn't think this was a bad thing. If the pink-blue Pokéblocks were to become universal one day, the market for monochromatic ones would likely vanish. He even suspected that the pink-blue Pokéblocks might affect the pharmaceutical market to some extent. A Pokéblock that could raise a Pokémon's maximum HP—with zero side effects—would naturally take priority over medicine.

"It seems that even if I join the Pokéblock Association, getting the pink-blue Pokéblocks released won't be an easy task," Tongsi mused, frowning. The moment market economics were involved, things became troublesome. If these Pokéblocks were ever released, how would the pharmaceutical industry retaliate? Meanwhile, Tongsi became curious about the other types of mixed-color Pokéblocks available in his system. If the pink-blue ones had such significant utility, what about the others?

As he pondered this, the bell rang. Tongsi was the first to leave the classroom, eager to head home. If all went well, the Meowth egg in the incubator should hatch today. As a responsible breeder, he couldn't let a Pokémon hatch inside the incubator alone.

Back at the JOJO Breeding House, Tongsi felt a wave of relief when he saw the egg showing only slight movement rather than cracking. "Meowth, you little one, you've been hyperactive even inside the shell. I hope the old lady will like you once you hatch."

He took the egg out of the incubator. Eevee, drooling with star-filled eyes, stared intensely at the egg that had been soaked in nutrient solution. It must taste divine!

"Bip-bip..." Electrike, seeing this, quickly pulled Eevee away, signaling that it wasn't for eating. If not for Electrike, Tongsi truly worried that his stock of eggs would dwindle. Eevee really wanted to eat everything.

Shuckle crawled out of its shell and onto the table, striking a fighting pose as if it wanted to karate-chop the egg.

"This is not a tool for your combat practice! Shuckle, get aside!" Tongsi felt speechless; neither of these two gave him any peace.

Soon, the Meowth egg began to shake violently. A flash of white light erupted, and Tongsi heard the sound of the shell cracking.

"Meow..." A milky-white Meowth appeared before Tongsi’s eyes amidst the fading light. It was covered in egg fluid, licking its paws with its tongue.

"Welcome to the world, Meowth." Seeing the little one was healthy, Tongsi felt at ease. Some Pokémon developed complications at birth, requiring immediate transport to a Pokémon Center for treatment. While many large breeding houses employed Pokémon doctors to care for hatchlings, Tongsi handled multiple roles himself.

He gave the Meowth a quick bath, though the kitten looked quite reluctant. As expected, cats hated water, even newborn ones. Once he finished cleaning the egg fluid off, the Meowth started rolling around on the floor again.

"This Meowth is certainly energetic. I wonder if the old lady will like it." Tongsi was a bit worried. She had hoped for a quiet companion, but this Meowth was almost too lively to manage.

After contacting her, the old lady finally arrived at the breeding house in the evening.

"Shopkeeper, is this Meowth to be my pet?" She wore her reading glasses today, specifically to get a good look at the Meowth that would be her future companion.

"Yes, but it’s quite energetic. I’m not sure if you’re okay with that," Tongsi said, feeling it best to be honest. Since hatching, the Meowth had been rolling around and biting anything fuzzy. It was arguably too lively.

"It’s fine, it’s fine! Being lively is good. I’m usually too lazy to move, so if this little one can get me moving, that’s just exercise, isn't it?" It was clear she adored the Meowth.

Tongsi handed her the Poké Ball. She spent some time playing with the Meowth to build a bond before recalling it to the ball to head home. Before leaving, she thanked Tongsi repeatedly, promising to bring her card-playing friends over to purchase a Pokémon next time. Tongsi, of course, was more than happy to oblige.