Chapter 69:

With a flick of his wrist, Cain broke the buttons on their Pokeballs to prevent the Pokemon inside from escaping. The A.I. System's scan revealed the Pokemon in their possession - a level 25 orange aptitude Arbok, a level 24 orange aptitude Fearow, a level 22 orange aptitude Raticate, and a level 18 yellow aptitude Zubat.

Cain was surprised to see a yellow aptitude Pokemon among them. Though it was only level 18, its value alone exceeded that of the other three combined.

With a grin on his face, Cain shrunk the Pokeballs and placed them in his pocket. Though these Pokemon were average in strength and aptitude, they were still worth a pretty penny on the black market. As a former Pokemon hunter, he knew the value of these creatures all too well.

He then collected all the money and valuables from the two, counting his loot with a satisfied smirk. 100,000 Pokédollars - not a bad haul for a day's work. The life of a thief was certainly lucrative, but it was also dangerous.

Finally, Cain's gaze landed on the floating egg. He approached it, taking the incubator in his hand, and the egg's data appeared before him.

Pokémon: Skorupi (Egg Form) (Light Blue)

Gender: Male

Level: 1

Type: Poison + Bug

Ability: Unknown

Held items: None

Egg moves: Screech, Agility, Poison Tail, Pursuit

Basic moves: Bite, Poison Sting, Leer,

Taught moves: None

Technical Machines (TMs): None

Lo and behold, it was a Skorupi egg. Yet, this Skorupi was beyond what he had expected, possessing an aptitude that shone like the sky on a crisp winter's day - a blue aptitude, to be precise. Though its hue was light, it was a far cry from the verdant shade of green.

Cain's heart was already beating like a Taiko drum at the mere sight of Skorupi, but the discovery of its high aptitude made him feel like he had struck gold. Its hereditary prowess was also a force to be reckoned with, boasting not one, not two, but four egg moves. If he could nurture it to become a Drapion, it would be the ace up his sleeve.

Despite being in the dark about Skorupi's ability, each of its three abilities were top-notch, with distinct paths for growth. Thus, he resolved to pour all his effort into raising this Skorupi.

To top it off, a Pokémon that had been nurtured from birth shared a special bond with its trainer. The first person it laid eyes on after hatching would be regarded as a parental figure.

Who would have guessed that he could stumble upon such an exceptional Pokémon just by swapping out his mask at a random spot?

This marked the third Pokémon egg that Cain had procured. The first egg he got was that of a Beedrill, which he sold to Umbra. The second was a Larvitar, a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, but sadly it could not be hatched. Now, the third egg contained a Skorupi with a light blue aptitude.

It seemed that fate was smiling upon Cain, granting him nothing but the finest Pokemon eggs. Though the Larvitar egg may have been the most valuable, this Skorupi egg was the first that he would personally nurture from hatchling to full-fledged warrior.

Gazing at the data shimmering on the incubator's interface, Cain observed that its incubation period would last a mere three days. In just a short while, the egg would crack open, and a fresh-faced Skorupi would make its debut in the world. And when that momentous event finally arrived, Cain would need to prepare a proper meal for his newborn.

Nourishing the creature with the most fitting Pokéblock would be a breeze with the A.I. system's help. No need for Cain to fret over finding the perfect recipe - the system would calculate and concoct the ideal blend.

But there was a caveat: newborn Pokemon could not stomach Pokéblocks immediately. They were too young and fragile to digest such complex fare. Instead, they required supplementary food.

Thus, Cain hatched a new plan.

He resolved to head straight to the black market's Pokemon sales area and acquire a Miltank, whose milk brimmed with nutritious energy. For infants, nothing beat the creamy richness of Miltank milk. And the higher the Miltank's aptitude, the more nourishing it was.

True, Miltank milk could be purchased directly, but the milk that had been stored for a prolonged period contained artificial preservatives, and thus couldn't reach peak nutritional value. For optimal nutritional value, it was best to obtain a Miltank outright.

Cain had originally intended to purchase one after discovering a way to hatch the rare Larvitar egg. That way, he could provide the growing Larvitar with the exceptional milk and give it an edge in its early stages. A head start, if you will.

Alas, it seemed Cain's plan to buy a Miltank had to be hastened. Resolute in his decision, Cain wasted no time. He instructed Gastly to take the incubator and conceal itself in his shadow, which had become a veritable storeroom. Besides the newly-acquired Skorupi egg, there was also the precious Larvitar egg.

Slowpoke returned to its Pokeball, and Murkrow remained perched on Cain's shoulder, a loyal sentinel.

Clad in a fresh skin mask he'd just procured, he retrieved another black robe from his storage belt and draped it over his form. Then, he slipped away from the secluded alley, his presence unremarkable.

Cain now possessed six exquisite skin masks, each capable of facilitating a different persona.

He had a purpose for each identity, too.

The skin mask Umbra had gifted him was Cain's Pokemon Association alias - the most crucial of his disguises, and one that must remain shrouded in secrecy.

The human skin mask he'd donned was intended for his other occupation: Pokemon Hunter.

In his previous life, Cain had earned his first fortune as a Pokemon Hunter, granting him the means to nurture his own Pokemon. Though there was an element of luck involved, in this life he possessed a higher starting point.