Chapter 346: Winning & Leaving

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"A life energy collector from a Spirit Master family?"

"So these little jade artifacts are actually Life Jade? This is my first time seeing one."

"It really is a Life Jade. I've seen one at a major auction before, but the quality seems a bit inferior to the ones on display now."

After listening to Mina's explanation and seeing the three extraordinary jade artifacts on the auction stage, many bidders in the audience immediately perked up, showing great interest in the three jade pieces.

"I believe that all of you esteemed guests have sharp eyes. These three jade artifacts are not just ordinary life energy collectors. According to the appraisal of a senior expert from Team Rocket, each of these jade pieces is classified as a mid-tier life Life Jade. Each one can store up to 10 cubic units of life energy—more than enough to sustain two Ghost-type Pokémon for their daily needs."

"These three mid-tier Life Jade will be auctioned separately, each with a starting bid of 200 million PokeDollars. The minimum bid increment is 5 million PokeDollars. Now, let's begin with this exquisite jade hairpin—the auction starts now!"

Seeing the lively atmosphere, Mina was delighted. She waited until the guests gradually quieted down, all eagerly anticipating the bidding, before raising the microphone to her lips and continuing with a charming smile.

"230 million!"

"Don't be stingy! 300 million!"

"You think you can outbid me?—450 million!"

Just as Mina had predicted, many trainers present were highly interested in raising Ghost-type Pokémon but had never done so due to a lack of resources.

Now that the opportunity had arrived, a large number of trainers eagerly jumped into the bidding. After all, the pursuit of powerful Pokémon was the natural instinct of every trainer.

They were all willing to pay a hefty price if it meant enhancing their own strength.

With the fierce competition, the price of the jade hairpin skyrocketed. In no time, the bid had reached 630 million PokeDollars, and it showed no signs of stopping.

However, when the price hit 700 million, the excitement in the room began to cool down. Only a few wealthy bidders remained, though their bid increments had significantly decreased.

Eventually, the exquisite jade hairpin was sold for 730 million PokeDollars.

"It seems that the general market price for a mid-tier Life Jade is around 700 million. Anything beyond that is considered an overpay."

Sato did not participate in the bidding for the first mid-tier Life Jade. Instead, he observed the entire process carefully.

The jade hairpin was far too feminine for his taste—he was more interested in the jade ring and the jade pendant.

Besides, there were three mid-tier Life Jade available, so there was no rush. His goal was to estimate their approximate market price to ensure he could acquire one of the remaining two at the lowest possible cost.

"If I'm not mistaken, the woman I encountered at the entrance of the mid-tier auction hall earlier must have been Ayako. These three mid-tier Life Jade are likely hers. This auction has certainly been rewarding—I've practically hit the jackpot."

Sitting comfortably on a sofa with his legs crossed, Sato watched as the bid for the jade ring continued to climb, feeling rather pleased with himself.

Thanks to his careful study of The Grimoire of Dark Spirits, Sato had gained a significant understanding of Ghost-type Pokémon.

With the system's support, he was confident that he could raise a Ghost-type Pokémon with special abilities.

Ghost Pokémon, by nature, were already deceased, lingering in the world of the living for various reasons.

As a result, they were inherently different from ordinary Pokémon, possessing many mysterious and unpredictable abilities.

For example, Gengar's shadow body not only allowed it to merge into other creatures' shadows to absorb their life energy, but some Gengar could even split their shadows, creating tangible shadow clones.

The most terrifying Gengar could even control shadows, indirectly manipulating their owners.

In ancient times, a single powerful Gengar could command an entire army of undead.

Another example was Banette's curse power.

Born from deep resentment, certain Banette could curse a target from over a hundred miles away, causing persistent misfortune at best or instant death at worst.

The most dangerous Banette could establish a life link through the blood of a living being, harming others by cursing itself.

In extreme cases, a Banette could sacrifice itself to deal severe damage—or even kill—an opponent far stronger than itself.

Then there was Mismagius' nightmare ability, allowing it to easily put living beings into a deep slumber and invade their dreams.

Inside the dream world, Mismagius could create horrifying nightmares, trapping victims in endless terror while feeding on their fear.

If the target couldn't overcome their fears or receive outside help, they could remain trapped in the nightmare until they died of sheer fright.

In short, The Grimoire of Dark Spirits had given Sato a wealth of knowledge about Ghost Pokémon and how to train their special abilities.

At the same time, he was deeply fascinated by these unique powers and eager to harness them for himself.

Now, all he needed was to secure one of the remaining mid-tier Life Jade. With it, he could start searching for a Ghost Pokémon with exceptional potential and train it into a truly special and formidable creature.

Of the three available collectors, Sato naturally preferred the jade pendant due to its superior concealment.

Thus, when the jade ring was up for bidding, he still chose not to participate.

Unlike the jade hairpin, the jade ring was more versatile—suitable for both men and women—so its price surpassed the hairpin's.

In the end, the jade ring was sold for 750 million PokeDollars.

By the time the final item—the jade pendant—was up for bidding, the competition grew even fiercer.

After all, if Sato had recognized its advantage in concealment, others naturally had as well. Everyone understood the wisdom of keeping one's wealth hidden.

However, by carefully gauging the price expectations and financial strength of the other bidders, Sato ultimately secured the jade pendant for 770 million PokeDollars.

After successfully obtaining the pendant, he also spent 120 million PokeDollars on a rare, abridged book on Bug-type Pokémon breeding, which contained valuable insights into raising Beautifly.

With his business concluded, Sato didn't bother staying for the final headliner auction item and instead left immediately.

As soon as he exited the auction hall, he swiftly changed his identity.

After successfully shaking off any potential trackers, Sato resumed his disguise as a low-ranking Team Rocket grunt and used Team Rocket's teleportation station to safely leave Saffron City's underground black market.

With that, Sato's venture into the Saffron City underground black market came to a perfect conclusion.