Just as Su Bai was soaking in the magic of the newly activated Pokémon Habitat, the system's voice continued to echo in his mind:
[At midnight each day, all Pokémon in the Habitat will automatically reset to ensure diversity within the ecosystem.]
[To enter the Habitat and purchase a Pokémon, customers must first pass a Pokémon Knowledge Test at the entrance.]
[Customers who already own Pokémon and possess a sufficient number of Training Points may bypass the test and purchase directly.]
[Note: The selection process between customer and Pokémon is mutual.]
[While the customer chooses a Pokémon, the Pokémon is also choosing its Trainer.]
[The Habitat is not a store meant to sell Pokémon—it is a sanctuary designed to find true partners for them.]
[Host must adhere strictly to this standard. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the Habitat will be compromised.]
Su Bai nodded repeatedly in agreement.
He had always suspected it before, but now it was finally confirmed.
The so-called "random selection" of Pokémon by the system had never been random.
It was, in fact, the system itself matching suitable Pokémon to compatible Trainers.
And now, with the Habitat in place, potential owners needed to prove their knowledge before even getting the opportunity to choose.
This system reduced the chance of a mismatch—whether it was a Trainer choosing the wrong Pokémon, or getting one they wouldn't truly care for.
Looking back, the original "Pokémon Home" system was a simplified, almost crippled version.
Only now had it become something closer to a true Pokémon sanctuary.
"If I could, I'd be happy spending the rest of my days here…"
Su Bai crouched down and gently patted the head of a passing Pichu.
As the master of this sanctuary, the Pokémon didn't resist his touch.
But if it had been a customer who reached out so suddenly, the little thing would have zapped them without hesitation—this was a Pichu, after all.
"I'll let Diancie and Meloetta play here for a while longer."
Smiling at his playful companions, Su Bai walked over to a small, nameless door near the entrance.
As he pushed it open, a wave of familiarity swept over him.
Inside was a small storefront, and above it hung a worn but lovingly preserved wooden sign:
Su Family Pet Shop.
"So this… this is where it all began."
Su Bai couldn't help but chuckle.
He stepped into the pet shop and opened the rear door.
The backyard remained as it always had—bare dirt and untouched terrain.
Beyond that backyard, however, was now the grand Pokémon Habitat.
As long as this door stayed open, Su Bai could watch the Pokémon frolicking about in their miniature world.
Meloetta and Diancie spotted Su Bai standing at the entrance and waved at him from afar.
"…This is really something special."
Su Bai waved back with a warm smile before quietly stepping out of the Habitat.
Though he was tired, and longed to rest in this familiar environment, he still had work to do.
There were more facilities on the blueprint left to activate!
The main hall was a circular structure. The entrance led directly to the front counter.
Behind the counter was the Pokémon Habitat.
To its side stood another empty counter, closely connected to the Habitat.
A sign hung above it:
Pokémon Daycare Center.
"Hmm… I guess this place won't see much use right now?"
Su Bai walked behind the counter and activated the Daycare.
In this world, people were often reluctant to keep their Pokémon inside Poké Balls for too long.
Take Wang Tao, for example—if his Grotle and Hippopotas weren't so massive, he'd probably be cuddling them in his sleep.
At first glance, the daycare seemed redundant.
But then the system explained:
[Pokémon Daycare Center inspection complete. Successfully activated.]
[The Daycare can house Pokémon when their Trainers are injured or temporarily unable to care for them.]
[While inside, Pokémon continue to grow, though at a slower rate.]
[Training Points are required based on duration, with rates adjusted according to the Trainer's condition.]
"…Leave it to the system to think of everything."
Su Bai slapped his forehead.
He opened the door behind the daycare counter and found a small yard—like a miniature version of the Pokémon Habitat.
It was empty, of course, with no Pokémon currently in need of care.
"Pokémon can be healed in machines, but people… can't."
"Even with awakened powers improving healthcare in this world, not everything can be healed instantly."
"Honestly, this makes perfect sense."
Su Bai gave the system an approving nod.
After all, in a world plagued by Death Beasts, most Trainers would inevitably be forced to face danger head-on.
Pokémon may be strong—but their human partners could still be injured… or worse.
This wasn't some game. If a Trainer neglected their own safety and got attacked by a Death Beast, well—no one would be surprised by what followed.
Of course, there were Pokémon like Mr. Mime that could look after their injured Trainers.
The old Principal Lu Liangpeng was a perfect example.
But those were rare exceptions.
For most Pokémon, that level of support was beyond their capability.
This place wasn't just a daycare.
It was more like… a shelter.
"No matter what, I hope this place stays empty forever."
Su Bai shook his head, then turned toward the door on the far right side of the main hall.
Behind it was the Pokémon Training Center.
As the door opened, a space similar to the Habitat appeared—filled with simulated environments.
But unlike the Habitat, there were no Pokémon inside.
Instead, as the system's voice rang out, specialized equipment began appearing throughout the training grounds.
[Pokémon Training Center inspection complete. Activated successfully!]
[Training done here grants Pokémon double the results.]
[The facility charges Federation Credits.]
"Federation Credits, huh? That's fair."
Su Bai nodded and left the training center, heading toward the last facility.
The Training Center was clearly intended for Pokémon with no clear training paths.
After all, the Pokémon sanctuary wasn't only for powerful awakened Trainers.
Even awakened civilians with non-combat professions—or people who hadn't awakened at all—still had chances to receive Pokémon.
If they lacked confidence or ability to face Death Beasts, the Training Center gave them a way to improve.
Charging Training Points here would've been unreasonable. Credits were the better choice.
"…Man, this Pokémon Center really gets you moving."
Su Bai muttered as he reached the far-left side of the main hall.
This was the entrance to the Pokémon Battle Arena.
Taking a deep breath, Su Bai pushed open the heavy doors.
The arena's foundations were clearly deeper than the other rooms, providing more vertical space for what lay ahead.
What met his eyes was a massive battle stadium—like one ripped straight from the anime.
A towering scoreboard loomed above.
Seating encircled the entire field, perfectly designed for an audience.
And flanking the main stadium were eight smaller battlefields, each with its own distinct environment.
One was half-filled with water—obviously meant for Water-type Pokémon.
These smaller arenas didn't have seating—spectators would have to watch standing, like at a fighting ring.
"Now this is an upgrade. Way better than the patch of dirt I had in my backyard."
"There's plenty of space too. More than enough for Pokémon to go all out."
Su Bai nodded in satisfaction.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe that such a grand structure only cost two hundred million…
Maybe this world's construction capabilities were just that insane.
But hey—Su Bai wasn't complaining.
[Pokémon Battle Arena inspection complete. Activated successfully!]
With the system's familiar mechanical chime, Su Bai suddenly felt a subtle shift.
A strange, indescribable force of rules surged through the entire arena.
"…Is this because I've awakened Grass-type power? I'm getting more sensitive to rules?"
"What kind of rules are these?"
Right then, the system answered:
[Battle Arena protected by special rules. Once a battle starts, the rules take effect.]
[No matter how powerful the moves used in battle, damage will not extend beyond the arena. Spectators are fully protected.]
[Terrain within the arena will automatically reset after each battle.]
[Arena access requires Federation Credits, charged by time.]
Listening to the system, Su Bai kept nodding.
No objections here—this place should be paid in Credits.
Just look at the size of it. Training Points weren't cash.
While selling Pokémon brought in a decent income, there were many places where real money was still essential.
Besides, the point of battling was to sharpen your Pokémon and earn Training Points.
Using those same points to access the arena would be self-defeating.
Su Bai was thoroughly satisfied.
Just as he thought the system had finished, though…
A new announcement made his ears ring in disbelief.
[All Pokémon Center facilities activated successfully!]
[Next objective: Kanto region Pokémon are about to arrive!]
[Host, please prepare for the appearance of Kanto Pokémon in the real world.]
[Once all preparations are complete, wild Kanto Pokémon will begin appearing around Haicheng!]