Even Evelyn wasn't an exception!
That's why they understood all the more—naivety usually ended in being completely devoured.
Only someone like Nathan, who was both cautious and likable, made people feel truly at ease.
After the contract was signed and the fifty million was transferred, Evelyn quickly left with her bodyguards—so fast she didn't even stay for a meal.
At this moment, Serene looked at Nathan as if seeing him in a whole new light. She flashed an alluring smile and said:
"Let's have lunch together. I know a place with great food. We can also discuss our collaboration."
Serene had now completely confirmed that Nathan was a capable and promising partner.
In terms of strength, he could fully bring out the power of a Elite-level Pokémon.
As for potential—there was no need to elaborate. It was simply inhuman!
"No problem, I'll call Dyson and Anna too."
Nathan nodded in agreement.
Evelyn, as the major investor, just needed to wait for dividends.
But Serene, Wendy, and the Lore siblings were people he needed to grow closer with.
Taking out his phone and notifying the siblings, Nathan began making Pokéblocks.
There was still a bit of time before lunch, which made it a perfect opportunity to feed his Pokémon.
Whenever he had time, Nathan would usually make Pokéblocks on the spot to feed his Pokémon.
In his words, closeness and bonds were forged in such meticulous efforts.
"So, this is how Pokéblocks are made? I really don't get any of it!"
Watching Nathan's fluid and practiced movements, Serene shook her head a little disappointed.
It was like recognizing individual characters in a sentence, yet not understanding the sentence itself—leaving one completely confused.
That was also why Nathan didn't bother hiding his method.
If Pokéblock-making were that easy to copy, he wouldn't have needed to buy professional knowledge from the system.
Thankfully, the system shop was always affordable and high-quality, making it perfect for someone like Nathan who started with nothing.
In less than half an hour,
A large batch of Pokéblocks, each emitting a mouthwatering aroma irresistible to Pokémon, was completed.
Even without understanding the technicalities, Serene could sense the incredibly high quality of these Pokéblocks.
The Poké Balls at her waist even began to stir!
"Vol~"
With a slightly spoiled-sounding cry, Volcarona—now noticeably larger—was released by Nathan.
If it got any bigger, Volcarona wouldn't be usable as a pillow anymore.
Maybe one day, Nathan would become a plush doll for Volcarona to snuggle instead.
"Volcarona, no more acting spoiled—go eat!"
Seeing Volcarona flying around him instead of eating, Nathan patted it and spoke gently.
"Vol~"
Volcarona let out another affectionate sound before finally flying over to the Pokéblocks and beginning to eat.
Next, Nathan released Pangoro, Metagross, Flygon…
All of them, without exception, had deep emotional bonds with Nathan—pure and sincere to the point of envy.
"How nice…"
Watching the harmony between the boy and his Pokémon, Wendy couldn't help but express her admiration.
Although her relationship with her own Pokémon was also good—much better than the average Trainer thanks to her background as a Breeder—
Compared to Nathan, the difference was obvious even to the naked eye.
"Yeah, really nice… giving true affection to his Pokémon, and receiving their love in return."
Serene nodded in agreement, not a hint of impatience in her voice.
Seeing this scene before her, Nathan's potential rose significantly in Serene's mind once again.
Not all strong Trainers in the Pokémon League had this kind of bond with their Pokémon.
But those who did—
Even if they weren't exceptionally talented—often achieved greatness eventually.
"Compared to him, I don't even know what stupid things I was doing when I was young…"
Thinking back on her younger self, Serene couldn't help but let out a wry smile.
Still beautiful.
But no matter how beautiful, time can't be turned back.
There's no way for this elegant woman to return to the past.
…
At noon, under the blazing sun, Nathan found an excuse to sneak up to the hotel rooftop.
After feeding his Steelix, he brought two beauties—one tall, one petite—to a secluded restaurant.
Despite its out-of-the-way location, it wasn't some dingy little eatery.
It had air-conditioned private rooms and visibly clean interiors.
The moment one walked in, a wave of coolness greeted them.
"You picked the place, you order the food."
Once seated in the private room, Nathan slouched in his chair like a salted fish and spoke lazily.
Thankfully, the sun wasn't too harsh today—otherwise, he felt like he'd be dried into fish jerky.
Serene chuckled and ordered a few small dishes. Soon after, Dyson and Anna arrived, having followed the location pin.
Clearly, this place was really out of the way.
Or maybe, the siblings had never been able to afford restaurants before.
While waiting for the food, Nathan began assigning tasks to Wendy.
Things like the general plan for the studio, choosing a location, purchasing equipment…
That's right—Nathan wouldn't be involved in these tedious affairs.
He'd already spent enough time here.
The Spring City and the unknown Secret Realms were what he needed to prepare for next.
Otherwise, with Volcarona's current level, there was almost no chance of it reaching Champion-tier before the National Tournament.
After all, for ordinary people—even wealthy prodigies—it could take years just to train a Elite-level Pokémon to Champion level!
Some couldn't even get to Elite level in the first place.
By the time Nathan's mouth was dry from talking, all the dishes had been served.
Wendy was fine—being a Breeder, she came well-prepared.
Dyson and Anna, on the other hand, had their eyes spinning like mosquito coils.
Still, the two of them didn't need to know too much.
As long as they could make quality Pokéblocks and produce them in quantity, that was enough.
In Emerald City, Nathan's main goal was to build a strong reputation.
Once that reputation was established, tourists would naturally come to reap the benefits.
When Nathan won the National Tournament, all it would take was a little advertising—
cough cough
Just a brief mention would do.
At that point, starting a Pokéblock company would be no big deal.
A National Tournament Champion under the age of 20—if not unprecedented, then certainly extremely rare!
By then,
Even if they didn't fear Nathan's visible strength, the Pokémon League would still have to consider his weight.
"This food's really good, all classic home-style dishes too."
While eating, Nathan said with some surprise.
After eating so many energy bars and camping meals in the wild, this meal really hit the spot.
And it wasn't even expensive.
Even after stuffing himself and ordering two chilled watermelons, it still cost less than a thousand Pokébucks.
"Heh, of course my recommendation would be good."
Serene smirked smugly, then switched to a serious tone.
"Alright, down to business. Kid, how many high-grade Pokéblocks can you supply each month?"
"I mean the kind suitable for Elite-tier Pokémon."
Nathan tapped his finger on the table and replied after a moment's thought:
"Not many, but enough for one Elite-level Pokémon."
Although he spared no effort in feeding his own Pokémon—never skimping on Pokéblocks—
Elite-tier Pokémon had huge appetites.
He couldn't afford to waste resources every day.
"Is there any chance you could supply more? I'm willing to pay extra!"
Serene frowned slightly and pressed further.
At that, Nathan more or less understood her intention.
For someone to confidently send their daughter to the National Tournament, they had to have a strong lineup.
At minimum, that meant at least one Elite-tier Pokémon.
Of course, "good results" here generally meant placing in the Top 8 or Top 16.
Even though the National Tournament gathered nearly all the top young Trainers,
Elite-level Pokémon weren't exactly growing on trees.
Look at Evelyn—daughter of the prestigious Mist family—her starter Pokémon was still only at Gym level.
Elite-tier was still a distant dream.
Understanding this, Nathan broke into a smile.
"How about this, Sister Lee? I can provide one extra batch of Pokéblocks."
"But the condition is—"
Before he finished speaking, Serene hurriedly said, "Don't worry, although I'm not from a wealthy family, I still have a lot of savings over the years!"
"But don't even think about things you shouldn't be thinking about, or you might end up getting impotent!"