"Two billion two hundred million! Aren't you going to bid for the final item?" Clair shouted again, raising the bid by another ninety million.
"Two billion two hundred ten million! Then your Dragon Tamer lineage need not concern themselves further," the man countered sharply.
No further bids followed.
By now, the price had far exceeded the actual value of the Extreme speed Dratini Egg. The two factions refused to back down, not just for the Pokémon itself, but because their pride was at stake. Yet prolonging this battle would only benefit Team Rocket.
The Dragon Tamer clan had arrived at this auction under immense pressure. Now that their identity had been exposed, retreating would mean humiliation.
Truthfully, many attendees already knew the occupants of Private Room Three belonged to the Dragon Tamer lineage. However, given their prestige, few dared to provoke them openly. Most preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict—unless someone reckless enough to challenge them appeared.
And today, they had found such a challenger.
An average man unafraid to clash with the mighty Dragon Tamers. The crowd watched eagerly, relishing the spectacle.
"Hmph! Two billion two hundred fifty million. Bid higher, and it's yours. The Dragon Tamers won't waste further resources on this," Clair declared, her tone defiant yet calculated.
Had an elder spoken these words, it would have been a disgrace. But coming from a young girl like Clair, it was an acceptable retreat.
"Tch, how terrifying. Fine, I'll concede. I'm a reasonable person, after all," the man sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Most understood his game—he had no real interest in the egg. He simply wanted to bleed the Dragon Tamers dry.
Mission accomplished.
The true market value of an Extreme speed Dratini rarely surpassed 1.8 billion. Even with its rare trait, its potential had limits—not every Trainer could maximize its abilities.
But for the Dragon Tamers, this egg was an investment.
They possessed methods to enhance a Pokémon's latent potential. More importantly, their Dragon's Den could nurture future powerhouses. A single Dragonite thriving there could lead to more—strengthening their lineage for generations.
Battling prowess was secondary. Bloodline preservation came first.
Two billion two hundred fifty million was no small sum, even for the Dragon Tamers. But the long-term gains justified the cost.
"Let us congratulate the guest in Private Room Three for securing this extraordinary Dratini Egg!" The auctioneer's face glowed with satisfaction, a stark contrast to her earlier hesitation during the Riolu Egg bidding.
The price had skyrocketed beyond expectations.
"Now, let's proceed to our penultimate item!"
With the crowd's excitement still high, she seized the momentum.
"This next relic carries a tale of intrigue. Discovered in the uncharted depths of Kalos, it appears to be a fusion of two distinct objects. The first component resembles a Smooth Rock, capable of extending Sandstorm conditions—a boon for Rock and Ground-type Pokémon."
She paused, gauging the room.
"The second component… well, our researchers detected immense mystical energy within it. Yet its exact purpose remains… undetermined."
Her tone lacked the earlier conviction.
The shift was palpable. Where the Dratini Egg had electrified the room, this item elicited skepticism.
Even the auctioneer seemed uncertain. Why place an enigmatic artifact so high on the roster?
The truth is that she herself is a little unsure.
An unknown item was placed as the second to last item, and no one knew who arranged the order.
As a host, she could only endure it silently.
When the people below heard that the Rockets themselves were not sure, most of them showed no interest.
It is something that even the Rockets are sure of may be a scam, so why are you auctioning something that even you are not sure about?
Do you think everyone is a fool?
"However!" she interjected, rallying. "Our Team Rocket scientists confirmed one critical detail: Even a peak Champion-level Pokémon's full-force attack leaves no mark on this object. That alone speaks to its immeasurable worth!" The host also realized that her previous explanation had caused a misunderstanding to others, and made a final attempt to save the situation.
With a flourish, she unveiled it.
Atop a triangular Smooth Rock sat a crimson orb, pulsating with an eerie glow.
This yellowish-brown stone looks like a kind of item that Pokemon can carry, the Smooth Rock, at first glance.
As for the stone inlaid in the middle that emitted a strange light, most people looked puzzled.
If it was wrapped with ordinary material, these people know that the value of such a stone is definitely not high, but since it was wrapped with Smooth Stone, the value of the stone in the middle needs to be studied.
This time, no one thought that the Rockets were trying to scam people.
The main reason is that Smooth Stone itself is relatively rare and not easy to obtain.
Especially for Rock and Steel-type Pokémon, if someone uses a sandstorm lineup, this stone is even more valuable.
The point is, the precious Smooth Stone is just wrapping, and the stone in the middle is the real thing.
I'm just not sure what the stone in the middle is.
No one recognized it.
Team Rocket's uncertainty only deepened the intrigue.
"Opening bid: 100 million Pokédollars. Minimum increments of 1 million. Begin!"
The auctioneer masked her doubt with practiced poise.
Although Smooth Rock is rare, it does not need to cost 100 million. The current base price for the auction is 100 million. How many people would be willing to take a gamble?
The appraisers had been stumped as they really couldn't figure out what the orb was for.
The Smooth Rock seem to be just the packaging, so the things inside must be of great value.
They had no choice but to put the stone as second last to see if there was anyone who really knew the value of it and could recognize it.
Maybe there will be some people willing to bet on the stone in the middle?
If it is really priceless, and someone buys it cheaply, that would be a big loss.
The person who provided this thing this time is not a simple person, and the Rockets cannot afford to offend him. It was their superiors who ordered them to sell this item.
If that person knew that the item he brought out was only sold for such a small amount of money, it would not only be embarrassing for him, but also for the Rockets.
But if it fails to sell, then it will be easy to deal with.
All they could say is that the thing that the boss took out was so rare that no one present knew what it was, so no one dared to buy it.
It's okay if it's sold at a high price. Even if the base price is 100 million League Dollars, everyone left in the room probably still have at least 100 million League Dollars left.
Anyways, the Rockets must not offend the person this time, even if it means wasting a precious finale spot.