After a few minutes, ensuring no one else would join, the "Breeder" hosting the gathering spoke:
"That should be everyone, let's begin."
As his words fell, after a brief silence, one person couldn't wait any longer and asked:
"Is the person who could find the Dragon Fire Fruit here? Today is the last day of the week."
Because everyone attending the gathering wore masks and black robes, he didn't know if Natsuhiko had joined.
"Huh—Dragon Fire Fruit? Do you know how scarce Dragon Fire Fruit is in Goldenrod City lately?"
Someone couldn't help but mock.
"Indeed, and because the wild Pokémon around Goldenrod City have become overly restless, it's not easy even to venture out and make a quick catch," someone else chimed in.
Recently, the changes around Goldenrod City reduced the income of ordinary Trainers who relied on field exploration to find valuable items or catch Pokémon to sell.
The prices of Pokémon in the black market are also continuously rising, but all prices are uncontrollably rising.
Hearing them, the slender man who needed the Dragon Fire Fruit looked quite displeased under his mask.
It wasn't the deposit of 30,000 Alliance Coins advanced to Natsuhiko that bothered him; it's just that the Dragon Fire Fruit was indeed a material he desperately needed.
At this moment.
Leaning against the wall, Natsuhiko spoke, "I brought the Dragon Fire Fruit; its quality is definitely high grade."
As he spoke, all eyes in the room turned to him.
Did someone actually get the Dragon Fire Fruit?
Upon hearing this, the slender man suddenly stood up.
But before he could speak, Natsuhiko continued, "But you know the current market for Dragon Fire Fruit and the situation in Goldenrod City. I almost couldn't make it back getting these Dragon Fire Fruits, so...."
"You'll need to pay more."
This was a clear case of raising the price on the spot.
But he didn't care, as he had a reasonable grasp of the Dragon Fire Fruit market in Goldenrod City. It's something that would be snapped up instantly.
He was not worried about selling it.
"You." The slender man widened his eyes.
But with Natsuhiko standing there calmly with his arms folded, the man couldn't muster any anger.
Price hikes were quite common in such gatherings.
No one knew each other, and there were no friendly relations, so prices fluctuated; the price was whatever it was supposed to be.
The cash-strapped Natsuhiko was never one to take a loss.
"Hey, buddy, if he doesn't want it, sell the Dragon Fire Fruit to me, name your price."
"I want it too!"
The assisting voices from others illustrated the true definition of scarce yet in high demand.
The slender man gritted his teeth and quickly said, "Fine! How much more?"
"Fifty thousand," Natsuhiko said slowly.
"Alright, let's trade right away!" The slender man sighed in relief.
Fortunately, it was only fifty thousand; he was genuinely worried that Natsuhiko would ask exorbitantly. Fifty thousand was just within his acceptable range.
Natsuhiko shrugged, handing over two Dragon Fire Fruits to the "Breeder," while also receiving Master Suzuki's notes and seventy thousand Alliance Coins.
He knew how to measure; this price was roughly what he estimated to be the slender man's psychological price range.
After all, money is important, but what mattered most was Master Suzuki's breeding notes.
Upon getting the notes, he flipped through a few pages.
"No need to check; the 'Breeder' already authenticated it. This is indeed Master Suzuki's notes," said the slender man who received the two Dragon Fire Fruits, his resentment easing considerably.
"It's genuine."
The "Breeder" nodded in agreement.
Natsuhiko said nothing but still flipped through a few pages.
What others say is ultimately what they say; it only counts when he confirms it himself.
After confirming, Natsuhiko quietly put it away.
He was systematically learning the knowledge of breeders, and Master Suzuki was one of the people he had been following. He had a certain ability to discern whether it was from Master Suzuki.
His actions did not cause any annoyance from the "Breeder," who instead nodded slightly in appreciation.
In gatherings that were almost devoid of guarantees, caution was necessary.
Natsuhiko's actions showed his high vigilance, which was a necessary quality for an excellent Trainer.
One commission was completed.
Those who didn't get the Dragon Fire Fruit felt a bit regretful.
Now, such things in Goldenrod City could turn a significant profit if resold, especially if someone urgently needed them. Raising the price on the spot wasn't a dream.
Natsuhiko still had more Dragon Fire Fruits, but after understanding the overall market in Goldenrod City, he dared not openly sell them or let others know he had a stock.
Although this gathering was rather secretive, someone eventually knows his identity, which was too risky and unreliable.
He chose to proceed prudently.
The gathering continued.
Sporadically, a few more transactions were completed under the witness of the "Breeder."
At this point, a man wearing a clown mask stood up.
"I have something here; I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely unusual. Anyone or any Pokémon in direct contact with it gets poisoned."
As he spoke, the person wearing latex gloves held up a palm-sized, pitch-black, jelly-like object that shimmered with tiny glimmers, presenting it to everyone's view.
Seeing this, Natsuhiko's eyes narrowed.
Sitting on a single-seater sofa, the "Breeder" subtly straightened his posture.
With the appearance of the item, a thick stench slowly spread through the room.
"What's this? It stinks," someone complained.
"Poisonous? Could this be Black Mud?" someone speculated.
Unconsciously, everyone's gaze fell on the "Breeder."
The "Breeder" smiled slightly, "Appraisal fee, five thousand. Do you want it?"
Five thousand? Appraisal fee?
Is this how the "Breeder" profits from this?
This money is easy to earn.... Natsuhiko mused inwardly.
But appraising such a thing isn't done with just a word; it requires a vast reserve of knowledge.
Since this "Breeder" could host such gatherings over a long period, it undoubtedly proved his extensive knowledge and the reliability of his appraisal results.
The clown man hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "Okay."
If this really was Black Mud, the five-thousand appraisal fee would be worth it.
After receiving five thousand Alliance Coins in cash, the "Breeder" chuckled lightly, "This isn't Black Mud."
Upon hearing this, most of the people in the room lost interest immediately.
"But," after comforting the clown man, he continued, "But it is necessary for refining Black Mud. If I'm not mistaken, it should be something left from a Senior Level Muk after its death. It has some toxicity. With a bit of purification and a few more, it might coagulate into Black Mud.
Of course, it's not pure and seems to have a mix of other substances that need more in-depth study."
The residue after Muk's death?
That could be beneficial to Poison-type Pokémon, right?
Several people in the room became interested again.
"I'll offer fifty thousand!"
"I'll offer fifty-five thousand, I'll take it."
"Sixty thousand!"
"..."
Standing against the wall, hidden under his hood, Natsuhiko slightly shook his head unnoticeably.
The "Breeder's" appraisal matched his expectations; only the final emphasis was different.
This was indeed the product left behind by Muk's death, and it could indeed produce Black Mud, but its value did not lie entirely on the surface. The mixed substances in it also carried value.
At least to Natsuhiko, the mixed substances might be more important.
He didn't know why the "Breeder" didn't point it out, perhaps because he hadn't discovered it. But Natsuhiko guessed that it might be because extracting those mixed substances was very difficult, difficult enough not to mention.
If not extracted, it was just Muk's product.
And for most people, it was just Muk's product.
So, in a strict sense, the "Breeder's" appraisal was correct.
Coincidentally, Natsuhiko happened to have a method, not uncommon but very straightforward.
So, as the bidding gradually stabilized, he called out his price.
"One hundred thousand."
Upon hearing his bid, the "Breeder" gave a knowing smile.
He wasn't trying to cheat the clown man because that stuff was really hard to extract, and even if pointed out, it wouldn't much change the price.