Chapter 969: Settled
Yuga stayed at Professor Birch's research institute for two days, and soon it was the day of the competition for the Pokemon starter breeding project.
Except for YoYo Day Care, which was a private Day Care, all other competitors came from official Day Care Center under the League's jurisdiction.
The heads of the other Day Care Center were accompanied by many staff members, making Yuga, who was alone, stand out.
In total, there were eleven competitors, including YoYo Day Care, which was more than Yuga had anticipated. However, despite the larger number of competitors, Yuga was still quite confident.
His target was the Fire-type Starter.
Surprisingly, most other competitors had set their sights on Grass-type and Water-type Starter, Only one other competitor had the Fire-type Starter as their goal, just like Yuga.
After Professor Birch explained, Yuga understood the reason behind this.
In the breeding of Water, Grass, and Fire-type Pokémon, the living environment for Water-type Pokémon needed to simulate water bodies such as rivers, seas, or lakes.
The environment for Grass-type Pokémon had to resemble forests, grasslands, and green surroundings. But the environment for Fire-type Pokémon was the most demanding.
The living environment for Fire-type Pokémon, even if not as extreme as a volcano, still required a relatively rich concentration of Fire-type energy.
Many breeding facilities for Fire-type Starter were directly located near volcanic areas. For example, the Charicific Valley in the Johto region was a famous Charmander breeding site, and the Charmanders bred there had exceptional talents.
Of course, it didn't mean that Fire-type Pokémon could only be bred in special environments.
In a regular environment, you can still breed Fire-type Pokémon, but it's clear that Fire-type Pokémon bred in an ordinary environment won't be as outstanding as those bred in a special environment.
The same principle applies to the breeding of Water-type and Grass-type Pokémon—they also have specific environmental requirements.
The reason there are only two competitors for the Fire-type Starter breeding project, including YoYo Day Care, is because the cost of artificially simulating the breeding environment for Fire-type Starter is much higher than that for Trecko and Mudkip. It also demands high level Ecopark construction technology.
While the Pokemon Starter breeding project is indeed a lucrative opportunity for the League's various Day Care Center, the League allocates a fixed budget to these Dsy Care Centers each year.
When benefits are equal, competitors naturally prioritize Trecko and Mudkip over the Fire-type Starter.
Because there are fewer Day Care Center competing for the Fire-type Starter, Yuga's advantage is greatly magnified.
YoYo Day Care's competition for the Fire-type Starter breeding project is a Day Care Center from Pacifidlog Town.
Pacifidlog Town had a development level similar to that of Verdanturf Town before its expansion, so the scale of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center was not large.
It was not highly regarded among the League's major Day Care Center, and their competitive advantage was naturally much lower.
The League doesn't solely establish Day Care Center in cities or towns based on their development levels. The natural environment there is also of paramount importance. An appropriate natural environment can often significantly reduce the cost of breeding Pokémon.
However, the development level of a city can indeed influence the League's attention to the Day Care Center. The more attention the League gives, the better the development of the Day Care Center.
Initially, the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center had a strong disdain for Yuga, the owner of a private Day Care, and always looked down on him. But during their competition, they were directly defeated.
The reason was simple—Yuga won through financial power.
Yuga might not be able to reveal the existence of the Volcano Sub-Ecopark, but one thing was certain: simulating the environment for Fire-type Pokémon breeding could be accomplished not only through the construction of Ecoparks using technology but also through the use of a large number of Fire Stones.
Of all evolution stones, Yuga had the most Fire Stones because he owned a Fire Stone vein.
Placing a certain number of Fire Stones in the environment where Fire-type Pokémon lived could significantly increase the Fire-type energy, achieving the same breeding effect as in the extreme environments.
However, in this situation, Fire-type Pokémon would continuously absorb the energy from the Fire Stones during their growth, leading to a significant consumption of Fire Stones. The cost of this method was even higher than simulating a Fire-type environment with an Ecopark.
But Yuga had no fear. Using Fire Stones to breed Fire-type Pokémon was ultimately just a cover for concealing the Volcano Sub-Ecopark existence. He didn't actually need to do it, and even if he did, he could afford it.
Before coming, Yuga had arranged the main Ecopark with a large number of Fire Stones to create a suitable environment for the growth of Torchic and took photos of it.
During his competitive speech, Yuga showcased the new environment that had been painstakingly created with a substantial number of Fire Stones, making the breeding environment displayed by Pacifidlog Town appear very plain in comparison.
This clear contrast directly led to the defeat of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center in the competition.
Unlike the attribute gem veins, which were entirely under the League's control, the League allowed individuals to possess evolution stone veins.
So, the fact that Yuga owned a significant number of Fire Stones didn't surprise others too much. Some people who knew Yuga's background even felt it was only natural.
After all, Mr. Kuni'o wouldn't leave his only disciple without some resources.
The defeat in the competition made the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center feel extremely humiliated because he had always looked down on private Day Cares like YoYo Day Care.
He had never expected to suffer such a major loss at the hands of a private Day Care.
The head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center immediately proposed a Pokémon battle against Yuga to prove who was better at breeding Fire-type Pokémon, as he believed that a battle was the best way to demonstrate breeding proficiency.
Clearly, the private Day Care had outperformed the Pacifidlog Day Care Center, and this made the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center extremely unsatisfied.
The host of the breeding project competition was Professor Birch, and when he heard the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center propose a Pokémon battle against Yuga, he almost thought he had misheard and asked, "Are you serious?"
Not everyone present was familiar with Yuga, and the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center was one of them.
Yuga was also taken aback by the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center's audacity to propose a battle. He hadn't expected such a reaction.
The head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center had a close relationship with the head of the Evergreen City Day Care Center, who immediately had a change of expression when he heard his friend's challenge.
He discreetly pulled the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center aside and whispered, "Are you out of your mind? Do you even know who he is?"
The Evergreen City Day Care Center had lost in the competition for the Treecko breeding project, just like the Pacifidlog Day Care Center. However, they handled their loss much better than the people from Pacifidlog.
"He's the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town," the head of the Evergreen City Day Care Center reminded his friend. While he hadn't met Yuga in person, he was well aware that the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town was an Elite level Trainer.
The head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center, despite his bravado, began to change his tune. "Well... What does that matter? Verdanturf Town's Gym Leader is a Grass-type Trainer, and we're supposed to have a Fire-type Pokémon battle!"
Even though he wanted to maintain his pride, the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center was starting to regret his impulsive challenge.
He wasn't a Trainer himself, but each Day Care Center had its resident Trainers, and lately, the Pacifidlog Day Care Center had recruited a formidable Fire-type Trainer. This was the basis for his confidence in challenging Yuga.
However, no matter how confident he was, he didn't believe that his Trainer could defeat the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town, an Elite level Trainer.
However, Professor Birch saw the embarrassment in the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center and stepped in to defuse the situation.
"The selection for the Torchic breeding project has already been won by YoYo Day Care. It's not in accordance with the rules to decide it through a battle, so let's not mention it again," Professor Birch clarified.
"I... I understand... I was too impulsive..." the head of the Pacifidlog Day Care Center admitted, his confidence shattered.
He sat back down, casting furtive glances at Yuga, afraid that Yuga might hold a grudge.
On the other hand, the head of the Evergreen City Day Care Center could only pat his friend's shoulder in consolation.
Yuga smiled and shook his head at the situation.
And with that, the competition for the Pokemom starter breeding project was settled.
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