Pokémon: Global Invasion

Chapter 15: Protector

At the counter,

looking through the exquisite glass display at the Pokémon items inside, Ryoma noticed that most of them were Poké Balls, ranging from the most common red-and-white Poké Balls to Ultra Balls—there were even about ten different types on display.

Aside from the Poké Balls, most of the items were relatively useless, but since they originated from the Secret Realm, they held some collector's value.

Naturally, items with special abilities were absent from the shop, which was to be expected; those special items are rare, and each one is considered strategic-quality material that no organization would generously sell.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Ryoma continued to scan the display, but suddenly, he froze in place.

In the corner of the counter, he spotted a brownish-red metallic item, folded into a house-like shape, lying quietly!

"This is... the Protector?!"

Ryoma's pupils contracted suddenly, and a hint of uncertainty appeared on his face.

It's important to note that the Protector is a precious item that allows Rhydon to evolve into Rhyperior. How could it possibly appear in this shop, treated as an inconspicuous collectible for sale?!

"Wait a minute."

"That's not right! I remember the Protector item only facilitates the evolution of Rhydon into Rhyperior; it seems to have no other function, right?"

"Every item found in the Secret Realm is certainly studied, but the Protector has no special abilities at all!"

Ryoma began to recall the properties of the Protector item, and the more he thought about it, the more excited he became.

It was clear that the Devon shop hadn't discovered the true use of the Protector, so they only regarded it as a piece of special metal from the Secret Realm!

Ryoma felt his heart racing; after all, Rhyperior was meant to be the core member of the Sandstorm team he envisioned!

It has the dual typing of Rock and Ground, which not only allows it to be immune to Sandstorm damage but also provides a 50-point boost to its Special Defense!

It's important to note that Rhydon is already a very strong Defense Pokémon. Its Attack, stamina, and Defense are all excellent, but it has some weaknesses in Special Attack and Special Defense.

If it could gain the Rock-type boost in Special Defense during sandstorm weather, its Defense would certainly increase significantly.

Finally, paired with Rhyperior's Solid Rock ability, it would undoubtedly become a nightmare for all opponents!

Ryoma's mind raced as he looked at the price tag for the Protector, which was listed at 1,000,000 yen. While this price seemed high if the Protector was merely regarded as a collectible, it didn't seem particularly valuable compared to the ornate carvings also priced at 1,000,000 yen.

Clearly, the practicality of these collectibles combined with the million-yen price tag suggested that even the Devon Store didn't expect to sell them. They were likely to be more of a store centerpiece!

After all, items from the Secret Realm could also signify the strong backing behind the Devon Store!

Although the price of 1,000,000 yen was steep, Ryoma felt a surge of excitement. The value of the Protector was undoubtedly much greater than that; if the merchants knew its true purpose, the price would absolutely skyrocket!

"Even for 1,000,000 yen, I have to get it! Opportunities like this are rare, and even if I can't use it, I could sell it along with my knowledge of Rhyperior for a hefty profit!"

Ryoma thought to himself, feeling that this was an incredible opportunity. If he missed it, he felt he would regret it for a lifetime!

However, even if the listed price of the Protector was 1,000,000 yen, it was definitely not something Ryoma could afford right now.

He furrowed his brows and, at that moment, suddenly noticed a poster on the wall.

"Devon Store Black Friday Million Yen Voucher Contest?"

Seeing the large letters on the poster, Ryoma's eyes lit up.

Walking over for a closer look, he found that on Black Friday, the Devon Pokémon Shop would hold a Pokémon battle tournament, allowing all qualifying Pokémon Trainers from across the country to participate in this celebration of Pokémon and shopping.

Moreover, the ultimate winner would, without exception, receive a fantastic grand prize of a million-yen voucher!

"One million!"

"The Devon Store is really making a big splash, comparable to Rakuten's Double Eleven red envelope giveaway for winning a million-yen prize!!"

"However, this is a tournament aimed at intermediate Trainers nationwide. I remember the TI8 prize pool was an astonishing 11 million, so given the popularity of Pokémon battles in this world, a million-yen voucher prize makes sense!"

After thinking for a moment, Ryoma set aside his earlier surprise and scanned the items priced at 1,000,000 yen and the "Million Yen Voucher."

It was evident that the pricing of these collectibles was quite deliberate. Was it intended as a promotional strategy?

But who would be foolish enough to exchange a million-yen voucher for these collectibles?

Well...

Ryoma felt he might be that fool, but he didn't mind doing such foolish things a few more times!

"Black Friday, huh?"

"It's only August now, so there are still almost three months until Double Eleven!"

Ryoma's eyes blinked with excitement, and he quickly found a staff member to inquire about the details.

"Only intermediate Trainers under the age of 22 are eligible to participate in the contest?"

After listening to the staff member's introduction, Ryoma felt enlightened. This tournament was undoubtedly aimed at all Trainers. If even beginner Trainers could register, the number of participants would be overwhelming.

By setting the minimum requirement as intermediate Trainers, they could filter out a significant portion of competitors, greatly saving time.

At the same time, to ensure fairness in the competition, limiting participants to intermediate Trainers avoids having high-level Trainers involved, which significantly enhances the spectatorship of the tournament.

After all, if high-level Trainers participated, there would be no need for a match; they could simply give away the million-yen voucher, defeating the purpose of this Pokémon Battle!

However, the Devon Store setting the age limit at under 22 years old has a significant rationale.

At 22, a person is typically around the age of graduating from university.

This tournament could very well be the best launchpad for them to enter society. By showcasing their strength and potential in this competition, they would surely be highly sought after by major companies, right?!

A talent exchange tournament for graduates?

"This arrangement couldn't be better! If there were no age limit, all sorts of characters could throw their hats into the ring. If a veteran stuck at the peak of intermediate Trainer for years showed up, then the million-yen voucher would be in jeopardy!"

Ryoma was quite pleased with the rules set by the Devon Store. With this, he still had a chance to make a go for it!

However, Ryoma was currently just a low-level beginner Trainer, which meant he had to obtain the intermediate Trainer certification before the registration deadline in November.