4. Terastallization

Jacob's parents' affection for him exceeded his expectations. It was true that only family would give so selflessly. They spent more than one million Pokédollars on type-specific nutrient solution without even blinking an eye.

With the nutrient solution at work, the little creature inside the Pokémon egg continued to thrive, and the egg's movements became increasingly noticeable.

A week later, with a crisp crack, the eggshell shattered and a purple Noibat emerged from the shell.

"Welcome to this world," Jacob greeted the newly hatched Noibat with a smile in his eyes. He took out the prepared Poké Ball and placed it against the Noibat, capturing it immediately. Then he released the Noibat again and fed it the Pokéblocks he had prepared long ago.

There was a hint of affection in the little Noibat's eyes when it looked at Jacob. Though Noibat wasn't typically a docile Pokémon, it showed remarkable friendliness toward Jacob at their first meeting. Combined with the appealing aroma from the Pokéblock, Noibat became even more receptive, eagerly climbing onto Jacob's hand to take the Pokéblock and devour it.

"Hidden quest [Starter Pokémon] completed."

[Starter Pokémon]: Capture a Pokémon. (Progress 1/1)

"Reward: Rare item B-level [Dragon Scale]"

B-rank [Dragon Scale]: A powerful scale shed by a formidable Dragon-type Pokémon, containing potent energy. When held by a Dragon-type Pokémon, it accelerates growth and improves control over Dragon-type energy.

Item grading was also a feature of the real world. After all, items in the games weren't divided into tiers. For example, all Water Stones in games could evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, but reality worked differently.

In the real world, an S-level Water Stone contained a large amount of water energy, which could not only evolve Eevee into Vaporeon but also enhance Vaporeon's mastery and aptitude for water energy. Conversely, a C-level Water Stone could barely trigger Eevee's evolution into Vaporeon without providing additional benefits. A D-level Water Stone might even cause the evolution to fail completely.

This was the significance of item tiers. For instance, the B-level [Dragon Scale] that Jacob obtained likely came from a powerful Dragon-type Pokémon, probably a formidable Pseudo-Legendary like Dragonite or Salamence. A D-level Dragon Scale would probably be shed by a weaker Dragon-type Pokémon like Druddigon or Jangmo-o.

The same item could have vastly different effects depending on its quality tier. Jacob was quite pleased to receive a B-level [Dragon Scale].

Taking the [Dragon Scale] from the system space, Jacob placed it on the Noibat without hesitation to accelerate its growth and help it evolve into Noivern as quickly as possible.

[Noibat]

Gender: Male

Type: Flying/Dragon

Potential: King-level

Ability: Telepathy

Moves: Gust, Roost, Tackle, Absorb, Supersonic, Defog

The newly hatched Noibat possessed six moves. Though none were particularly powerful, some were quite useful. For example, Roost and Supersonic—one was a potent recovery move, while the other was the irritating sound-based attack that confused opponents when it connected.

While Jacob played with the Noibat and cultivated their bond, he also contemplated ways to make money.

Raising Pokémon was an expensive endeavor. He was about to enter his senior year of high school and was nearly an adult. Before having a Pokémon, he hadn't needed much money. Now that he'd begun raising a Pokémon, his expenses had suddenly increased. Jacob knew he needed to find ways to earn money independently; he couldn't rely on his parents forever.

Jacob had considered two money-making approaches. The first was to leverage the system's ability to identify Pokémon potential for profit. This method could yield quick returns but carried significant risks. If someone with ulterior motives discovered Jacob's ability, it could put his life in serious danger.

The second approach was to start a business. He would focus on collecting special stones. Whether for Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamax, or Terastallization, certain accessories were needed to complete these transformations.

So far, only one Z-Move had been publicly revealed in this world, announced just two years ago. Now, the price of a Z-Crystal had been inflated to hundreds of millions, and the key issue was that supply couldn't meet demand. Whenever a Z-Crystal appeared on the market, it was purchased immediately. Ordinary Gym-level trainers weren't qualified to compete for them—at minimum, only Champion-caliber trainers could hope to acquire Z-Crystals.

The Z-Crystal alone was enough to drive top trainers into a frenzy. Jacob couldn't imagine the sensation that would occur if the yet-undiscovered Dynamax, Mega Evolution, and Terastallization were made public. But this presented a perfect opportunity for Jacob to make a fortune using his foreknowledge.

However, Jacob also harbored concerns. If he accumulated evolution stones and Mega Stones, when Mega Evolution was eventually announced, without the strength or social standing to match his wealth, disaster would befall him and his collection of valuable stones. The entire family could be dragged into an endless abyss because of him.

"Compared to Mega Evolution and Dynamax, Terastallization is undoubtedly more commonplace and more suitable to be announced first. Plus, the threshold for Terastallization is lower—it only requires Tera Orbs to complete the transformation."

"The sensation caused by announcing Terastallization will definitely be smaller, so it's best to release that information first. After I've accumulated sufficient wealth and power, I'll announce Dynamax, and finally Mega Evolution."

Jacob was mentally outlining his future money-making strategy. Beyond Tera Orbs as a source of income, replenishing Tera Energy would also provide long-term profits.

After Terastallization, the Tera Energy in the Tera Orb would be depleted, rendering it temporarily unusable. Only after recharging the Tera Orb could Terastallization be performed again. Recharging services would be another revenue stream.

Selling Tera Orbs represented a one-time transaction, while recharging them offered continuous, sustainable income.

"Tera Orbs."

Jacob considered this and turned on his phone, beginning to search for news about Terastallization online.

"Crystal Eevee found accidentally in Glimwood Tangle. A mysterious diamond-shaped item was observed on its forehead..."

"The discovery of Crystal Gyarados in Valencia has triggered a tourism boom, with trainers from around the world flocking to Valencia..."

Jacob searched for entries related to "Crystal Pokémon" and found some useful information. Most of the Terastallized Pokémon appeared near the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain, with one or two reports of Crystal Pokémon in Starwood Province of China.

"I'll visit Starwood Province after the college entrance exams; maybe I can find something valuable," Jacob decided. Simultaneously, he posted a message online seeking to purchase various rare stones and visually appealing minerals.

"Buying all kinds of rare stones at premium prices. If interested, please send photos and price expectations via private message. No scammers, please."

After completing these tasks, Jacob played with the little Noibat for a while longer, then opened his books and began studying diligently. He would be a senior at the start of the school year and would take his college entrance exams in one year, so Jacob needed to maximize his study time.

In this new life, he valued academic qualifications more than in his previous existence. Especially since he hadn't been able to capture even a single Pokémon in the past few years due to system issues and couldn't become a trainer, Jacob placed even greater importance on his education.

If he couldn't become an elite trainer, he could always become a Pokémon Professor. The status of Pokémon Professors in this world was quite prestigious, particularly those researching cutting-edge topics like Pokémon eggs, abilities, and moves. Pokémon Professors were leading talents in various countries and received government protection.

Additionally, Jacob's current money-making plans were closely tied to his academic credentials. If Jacob could establish himself in academic circles, the threats and resistance he might face when eventually announcing Terastallization would be significantly reduced—his academic standing might even serve as a protective shield.

Therefore, Jacob had set a goal at a young age and planned his life accordingly. He was determined to gain admission to Frosthollow University, one of the most prestigious universities in all of China, through the college entrance examination.

In his previous life, Jacob had achieved excellent grades and was admitted to a top-tier university in China. Having effectively studied for eighteen additional years in this life, Jacob was brimming with confidence. Frosthollow University was just the baseline; Capital University was his ultimate goal.