"Sir, the two Pokémon you mentioned are far too rare, and Zoroark isn't even native to this region. If you truly wish to obtain one, we can try to contact the breeding facilities in other areas and see if we can have it transferred for you,"
The sales assistant said softly, her tone both professional and considerate. From what she said, it seemed the official breeding centers across different regions were all interconnected.
"Alright, there's no need to trouble yourselves that much. Please just show me the catalog of Murkrow available."
After a brief moment of thought, Sieg decided to stick with his original plan, to choose a Murkrow.
He took the catalog handed to him and flipped to the section dedicated to Murkrow.
"There are only about twenty or so available?" Sieg asked in mild surprise.
"Murkrow is already a relatively niche Pokémon," the assistant explained patiently. "Its evolution requires a Dusk Stone, which makes it even less popular among most buyers."
She then stepped quietly back to the corner, not wanting to disturb Sieg's selection process.
Of course, she left out another key reason.
Murkrow was a dark-type Pokémon, and many believed that seeing one at night brought misfortune. Because of this superstition, Murkrow was often viewed with suspicion and avoided.
But Sieg, a well-read and experienced breeder, had already looked into the lore and rumors surrounding Murkrow before even stepping foot in the facility. Naturally, he wasn't swayed by the superstitions.
He also didn't blame the sales assistant for keeping that detail to herself. After all, she was just trying to make a sale.
"I'll take this one, number 19."
After reviewing all the Murkrow available, Sieg pointed to the one that caught his eye.
This Murkrow possessed the hidden ability Prankster, a top-tier support trait that boosted the priority of status moves. Even more impressive, once it evolved into Honchkrow, its ability would shift to Moxie, raising its attack stat after every knockout.
But what truly sealed Sieg's decision were the absurdly powerful inherited moves this Murkrow had:
Sky Attack, Roost, Astonish, Drill Peck.
Sieg's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was, without question, the most outstanding Pokémon he had ever seen in terms of inherited move potential.
After finalizing the selection, he followed the assistant to a separate room and officially added this Murkrow to his team.
Standing before the it, Sieg's eyes softened. His hand slowly extended forward to pet it.
"Sir, be careful!"
The assistant moved to warn him, knowing all too well how vicious most dark-types could be, especially the notoriously crafty avian ones.
But to her shock, the Murkrow didn't resist at all. It calmly allowed Sieg to stroke its feathers, a scene so rare it left her momentarily speechless.
Unlike the other Murkrow in the room, whose eyes glimmered with malice and cunning, this one's gaze was filled with quiet strength and clarity.
Sieg could sense a fierce desire for growth in those eyes. He gently picked the bird up and gave it a quick once-over. It was in good condition, no visible injuries.
It didn't struggle in his arms. Whether it was due to the League's unusually gentle training, or the Murkrow's natural temperament, Sieg didn't know.
"Murkrow, would you like to come with me?" he asked softly, his voice low and gentle as he gazed at the bird in his arms.
The Murkrow blinked up at him with curious eyes. Though it seemed reluctant to part with its familiar surroundings, the spark of longing for the outside world glimmered brighter.
"Kraaa…"
It let out a harsh, raspy cry, as if declaring its answer.
With the League exchange voucher presented, Sieg successfully brought the Murkrow into his care.
"Sir, we look forward to your next visit!" the assistant said warmly as he departed.
Amidst the reluctant gaze of the sales assistant, Sieg finally left the breeding center.
However, he didn't return to the Pokémon Center right away. Instead, his next destination was the Breeders' Guild.
Compared to the bustling scene from several days ago, the guild was now a little quieter, though it still hummed with life and chatter.
After showing his basic League identification, Sieg stepped into the main hall. Since he was merely there to purchase some materials, there was no need to reveal his full identity.
The first-floor hall was vast. Sieg wandered through the various stalls for more than half an hour before completing his round.
"Evil Fruit, Ebony Wood, Dark Berries…"
Sieg purchased a large amount of dark-type herbs and materials, all intended for his current team.
Items related to dark-types were always consumed quickly, so it was important to replenish them regularly.
"Murkrow is still in its infancy stage, so I'll need to prepare a medicine specially suited for newly hatched Pokémon."
He spent a small fortune at one particular stall to acquire a bottle of Moomoo Fresh Milk. But this wasn't the kind of ordinary beverage-grade milk found in common shops.
This milk came straight from the Gym in Goldenrod City in the Johto Region. It was said that more than eighty percent of the world's Miltank population was monopolized by their operations.
A bit like how the Jenny family cornered the market on Growlithe, and the Joy family partnered with Happiny.
Selling high-quality milk produced by Miltank had become one of Goldenrod Gym's core industries, and they were making a fortune off it.
"Young man, let me tell you, this bottle of milk came from a Miltank over level 60! It's worth every Pokédollar!"
Despite the vendor's enthusiastic praise, Sieg eventually gave in and spent ten thousand Pokédollars on a single bottle of milk.
And as the old man claimed, it truly was rich with nutrients.
After yet another round of spending, Sieg's wallet was noticeably thinner. As night began to fall, he finally decided to head back to the Pokémon Center.
The first thing he needed to do was register his newly acquired Murkrow. After all, it would soon be an official member of his active roster.
Now, Sieg had four Pokémon officially registered under his name: Crawdaunt, Sharpedo, Eevee, and Murkrow.
As for Fearow and Shroomish, he hadn't used them publicly or entered them in any competitions, so there was no need to register them for now.
"Sieg, your Pokémon registration is complete!"
Nurse Joy Chloé handed over the Pokéball with both hands. Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, warm and soothing.
Her soft expression immediately drew the envy of the male Trainers nearby. Their eyes turned green with jealousy as they looked at Sieg, as if they wanted to kill him on the spot.
But Sieg seemed entirely unaware of the tension. He simply nodded politely to show his gratitude, then turned to leave.
Just then, Nurse Joy suddenly called out, "Sieg, please wait a moment."
Sieg paused and turned back, looking at her with slight confusion.
She smiled and explained, "The materials you asked me to gather before, I've found them. They've been delivered to your room."
Sieg's eyes lit up with surprise at the news.
He had previously asked her for help in collecting dragon-type materials. His plan was to use them to craft Pokéblocks that would help Crawdaunt train in the move Dragon Dance.
Unfortunately, dragon-type materials were rare, and he hadn't made much progress finding them on his own. That's why he had turned to the Joy family for assistance.
"Thank you, truly. I have no idea how much it cost to gather them all, so please allow me to pay extra."
Sieg had never liked owing anyone favors. So, without hesitation, he offered to compensate her immediately.
"Hehe, no need for that. You're already considered one of our Joy family's investments, so think of yourself as half a family member," she replied with a playful grin, waving his concerns away.