245 Young Elite Preparatory Camp

On the second day after returning, Yuga transferred Audino to Gardenia.

Audino didn't object to Yuga's request to be stored in a Poké Ball because it understood that this was necessary for using trade machine.

The reason Yuga sent Audino away so quickly was to ensure a swift return. On the day Audino left, around noon, Yuga and the others found themselves collectively starving. At that time, Audino had already prepared lunch, but Yuga had completely forgotten that Audino was gone.

The days without Audino felt particularly challenging for Yuga. With no one to accompany him in learning about nurturing Pokémon, he had to rely on Misaki for company.

The workload for making Pokéblocks had significantly increased, especially with the addition of Water-type Pokéblocks, making it more demanding than ever.

By the way, Yuga named these Water-type Pokéblocks "Rippling."

As for the Pokéblocks that enhanced beauty, Yuga couldn't release them to the public yet, so he had to make them himself.

Fortunately, the Miltanks were always with Audino, taking care of the Pokémon in the Ecopark, so Yuga didn't have to worry about that aspect. Otherwise, he would have been overwhelmed.

Yuga wasn't the only one struggling to adapt; the residents of YoYo's Day Care also faced difficulties, particularly in the matter of eating.

After Audino left, the role of the head chef fell back to Yuga, the owner. Although Yuga's dishes weren't terrible, they paled in comparison to Audino' culinary skills.

It took the residents of YoYo's Day Care nearly five days to gradually adjust to this new situation.

One day, Yuga was sitting in front of the shop, lost in thought, when he suddenly saw Rand passing by. Yuga called out to him.

"Rand, are you heading to school?"

Rand nodded.

"Did your teacher mention that you need to participate in wilderness training?"

Rand nodded again, replying, "Yes."

"Are you going to attend?" Yuga continued.

"I want to, but Dad won't allow it!"

After hearing Rand's response, Yuga inquired, "Is this training mandatory, or is it voluntary?"

"It's voluntary."

Yuga nodded after hearing this.

The school teacher's choice of Petalburg Woods for wilderness training seemed rather odd. Given that it was voluntary, not many parents would agree to let their children participate.

After some contemplation, Yuga couldn't figure out what to do, so he set the matter aside for the time being.

In the afternoon, Yuga finally succeeded in creating Pokéblocks that enhanced beauty.

Yuga thought for a moment and decided that although he couldn't sell them in his store yet, he could give some to Robert to try out. These items would be a boon for Coordinators like him.

With that in mind, Yuga called Robert.

"What's up? How come you, the busy bee, have time to call me?" Robert's voice came from the other end of the phone quickly.

Yuga chuckled and said, "Look at how you're talking; I can't even make a phone call to you without scheduling it!"

"Alright, what's the matter? You wouldn't call me without a reason!" Robert's tone was one of someone who knew Yuga well.

Yuga replied with some irritation, "You really don't know how to appreciate things. I'm calling to offer you a little bonus!"

"A bonus? What kind of bonus?" Robert asked in confusion.

"I've developed a new type of Pokéblock. Although I'm not planning to sell it publicly right now, considering our friendship, I'll send you some to try out."

Yuga couldn't reveal that he obtained the Pokéblock formula from the system, so he claimed to have developed it himself.

"A new Pokéblock? It won't have any side effects, will it? Or are you trying to make me a guinea pig?" Robert asked with a hint of suspicion.

Robert wasn't genuinely suspicious. Judging by the high-quality Pokéblocks introduced by YoYo's Day Care, he knew that Yuga's latest creation was far from ordinary.

Yuga didn't pay much attention to Robert's doubt and said, "I'll send you some first for testing. Hey, know the benefits before coming to me, and it's 'pay after delivery'!"

"You still want money?" Robert joked.

"Of course, not even a cent less!"

After discussing business, Yuga and Robert chatted for a while, and Yuga unintentionally mentioned the strange behavior at Luna's school.

Upon hearing this, Robert paused for a moment and explained, "What you're describing might be the selection for the League's Young Elite Preparatory Camp."

"Young Elite Preparatory Camp? What's that?" Yuga asked in amazement, as if he had never heard of such a thing.

"It's not surprising that you don't know. It's a secret program, a talent development initiative by the League."

"Talent development program?"

"Yes, even though the League is a unified organization, when you introduce regional divisions, competition arises. This talent development program aims to enhance the competitiveness of each region within the League."

"The selection this time targets children under ten, regardless of their status or background, and it's open to all students in Trainer Schools. They don't inform the candidates they're undergoing selection to gauge their determination."

"But they're so young; why focus on their determination…" Yuga found their approach a bit strange.

"You see, many prodigies show their uniqueness at a young age. Like my senior…"

"Alright, alright…"

Interrupting Robert, Yuga had to admit that some prodigies were indeed exceptional.

"Is this selection dangerous?"

"It should be safe; the selection locations are not particularly perilous. Moreover, the League has assigned elite Trainers to accompany them. It's unlikely there will be any danger since the participants are all children."

"In that case, should I let Luna go? She seems really eager." Yuga was unsure of what to do.

Robert chuckled and said, "That depends on your choice. It's said that children selected for the preparatory camp will receive a free, promising starter Pokémon."

"Such great perks?" Yuga was astonished.

"Of course, it's a talent development program. You need to invest to nurture talent. I recommend you let Luna try it; opportunities like these are rare, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

"I still need to think about it. Mainly, I'll discuss it with my aunt and uncle; I can't make the decision alone."

In the end, Yuga believed that it was better to leave the decision-making authority regarding Luna to her parents, with himself as a reference.

"Remember, this is confidential information. Don't disclose too much to others! I've made a special exception to tell you, so you should be thankful!"

"I know, I know. You think I should be grateful for sharing some good stuff with me? You act like I'm asking you for money. I won't bother you anymore; think about it yourself."

With that, Robert hung up, leaving Yuga alone with his thoughts.