Black Crest Jubilife Breeding House
Austin retrieved the data from the computer and sent it to Officer Jenny through Blue.
While waiting for Jenny's assistance with the investigation, Blue gave Austin a brief explanation of why he had come.
When Grandpa Alex was young, he traveled to the Kanto region and became close friends with Professor Oak. Professor Oak taught his grandpa advanced breeding techniques. In return, the old man tried to teach Professor Oak how to cook, but the only thing he managed to pass on was how to boil instant noodles using his Charizard flame.
Blue waved a hand. "Let's skip that part."
Grandpa was never one to brag about his past. He rarely spoke about his earlier achievements.
He had even visited Pallet Town a few years ago, so Blue had met him before. Austin, however, had never known that.
"Some time ago, Mr. Alex called my grandpa, Professor Oak, with a request," Blue continued.
"The original plan was for you to go to Pallet Town for further study. But Professor Oak said you were busy running the Breeding House, so he sent me instead."
Blue gave a small shrug. "I'm also the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym, you know."
As a dutiful grandson, he had no choice but to make the trip.
…
They sat in the living room, each with a bottle of iced oran berry juice in front of them.
Blue leaned back against the sofa, legs crossed, relaxed but observant. "Tell me about yourself. When did you start breeding Pokémon?"
"I received a Lucario egg three years ago. That was the first time I tried breeding."
Thinking about Ryu's early days, Austin felt a quiet sense of pride.
Blue nodded.
His posture shifted. He sat upright, expression steady.
"I agreed because of Mr. Alex. More accurately, because of Professor Oak. Whether I would actually teach you was something I considered on the way here. If you turned out to be incompetent, I would have left immediately."
Austin's lips tightened. Direct, as expected.
"I'm not your formal teacher," Blue said. "But for the next seven days, I'll teach you everything I can. How much you absorb depends on you."
He glanced at the time. "If there's nothing urgent, we start this afternoon. I'll make preparations."
With that, Blue walked out.
He opened the door and froze.
Leon stood there, clearly having been pressed up against it.
"What are you doing?" Blue asked, staring.
"Just passing by," Leon replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Austin!" Leon called as soon as Blue stepped away. "What were you two talking about?"
Austin looked toward the corner. "You can come in."
Leon had tried to appear casual, but he was far too obvious.
"Grandpa asked him to teach me breeding knowledge. Seven days."
Leon straightened, suddenly serious. "He's a Champion. Learn properly."
A moment later, he muttered, "Even if it was only five minutes."
Austin suppressed a smile. "I understand."
Whether Blue held the title of Champion was secondary. What mattered was his breeding skill.
Blue had cultivated a full defensive team for Viridian Gym in less than a year. Red's Pokémon had also benefited from his guidance. The two had even swapped full teams for a week in the past, testing training philosophies and refining strategies.
Red's strength was not his alone. Part of it came from Blue's influence.
Blue, in turn, had learned about emotional bonds and trust from Red.
They pushed each other forward.
…
Austin updated his PokéStream account:
I'll be studying for the next seven days, so I'll be busy. My fifth video will be posted after I return.
Blue sent a message to Red:
No time. Teaching for seven days.
Red looked from the computer screen to his Pokégear.
"Seven days for both of them?"
He shook his head. "Forget it. I'll go find someone to battle."
.
Ding.
[You have received a new side quest: Blue's Approval.]
[Objective: Gain Blue's approval within seven days of study.]
[Reward: Unknown.]
Austin accepted without hesitation.
…
That afternoon, in the back kitchen, Blue began with a brief update before the lesson.
"There's an issue with that Trainer's registration details. Officer Jenny is still looking into it."
"So the Feebas situation is probably connected to that Trainer?" Austin asked.
Blue gave a short nod. "Very likely. We'll leave that aside for now. Let's start."
His tone shifted. Casual conversation was over. This was class.
Blue gestured toward a neatly arranged pile of ingredients prepared earlier with Amanda Black's help.
"Can you make Pokémon food?"
"Yes," Austin replied, steady and confident.
Blue studied him carefully. He had no intention of lowering his standards.
"Show me. Make a batch for my Arcanine. His taste preference is standard among Arcanine."
Pokémon food was no simpler to make than Energy Cubes or Poffins. It tested knife precision, temperature control, and seasoning balance. Every detail mattered.
Austin selected a plump wild duck. Not a Farfetch'd, just an ordinary duck, but well chosen.
Step one was deboning.
Blue had specifically asked Amanda to pick a duck with firm muscle and a heavier bone structure. The flavor would be good, but the deboning would be more demanding.
Austin's movements were controlled and efficient. No wasted motion. No hesitation.
When he finished, Blue pressed the stopwatch.
"Seven minutes and fifty-three seconds."
He examined the carcass. The separation was clean. The structure remained intact. No torn flesh.
"Very good," Blue said. "Better than I expected. Continue."
Knife work was not the core of Pokémon food since the final product would be minced. Still, the refined technique reflected discipline.
Austin chopped the duck meat along with supplemental ingredients, adjusting ratios according to Arcanine's typical palate. He incorporated seasonings gradually, forming a balanced mixture before mincing it into a smooth paste.
Heat control became critical.
Too long and the texture would harden. Too high and the pellets would crack or fail to bind.
Austin maintained steady temperature control, adjusting the flame with careful timing. When the meat formed evenly structured pellets, he removed them from the heat.
Finally, he ground selected dried Berries into a fine powder and sprinkled them evenly across the surface.
Blue inspected the finished product in silence.
He found no flaws.
"Come out, Arcanine."
The Poké Ball opened in a flash of light. The large Arcanine landed with solid weight.
Blue placed the food in front of him. "Eat."
Arcanine lowered his head immediately, tail swaying as he began eating. The pace was eager but not frantic. He paused briefly, then resumed with visible satisfaction.
Blue watched the reaction, then turned to Austin.
"Your foundation is strong. Honestly, you could manage well even without these seven days."
Austin shook his head. "It's because I also raise an Arcanine."
He did not allow himself to sound proud. There was no guarantee Blue would stay if he sensed arrogance.
Blue's expression softened slightly. "This afternoon, we move on to Ground-type Pokémon nutrition."
He preferred students with ability and restraint. Teaching them required less correction and more refinement.
Once he began, Blue held nothing back.
After taking over Viridian Gym, he had studied Giovanni's notes, a compilation known as Secrets of the Earth. Ground type development had become his specialty.
He laid out precise ingredient ratios, mineral balance requirements, and protein adjustments for varying terrain training conditions. Every number was exact. Every explanation was direct.
Austin listened carefully.
For the next seven days, there would be no wasted time.
. . .
Please do leave a review and powerstones, which helps with the book's exposure.
Feel like joining a Patreon for free and subscribing to 30+ advanced chapters?
Visit the link:
[email protected]/GRANDMAESTA_30
Change @ to a