Chapter 7 Interview!

"I'm not," replied Hu Yang when asked, trying to grasp the other person's meaning.

In the world of Pokémon, various professions exist apart from trainers aiming for the Pokémon League. There are coordinators, breeders, Pokémon doctors, researchers, and forest rangers who aim for contests and more.

A trainer's role is to train and battle with Pokémon, relatively straightforward.

In comparison, a breeder's job is far more intricate.

As the name suggests, breeders aim to raise exceptional Pokémon, tending to their daily needs and well-being.

This specific breed of breeders is much more demanding than trainers.

As seen in the Pokémon anime, Brock mentioned that breeders have diverse responsibilities.

Creating Pokémon food is just the tip of the iceberg.

For instance, in the Pokémon games, breeders can identify a Pokémon's innate talent and maximize its potential through careful breeding, making this profession highly regarded.

Behind their seemingly limitless knowledge, breeders must also be skilled in fields such as nutrition, medicine, botany, and pharmacy.

For an ordinary person starting from scratch, earning the title of Rookie Breeder would be an accomplishment, not to mention elite breeders who run breeding facilities and offer their services to trainers.

However, this doesn't mean that breeders are better than trainers.

People have limited energy. Those specializing in breeding may lack command skills, while those focusing on training may not excel in breeding Pokémon.

But one thing is certain, elite trainers often possess excellent Pokémon breeding abilities as well.

Upon hearing Hu Yang's response, the interviewer appeared disappointed. Had they overthought it?

As the first candidate to complete the second assessment, Hu Yang was the first to enter the final test room.

The last segment was the interview.

Hu Yang entered the room to find three people seated at the podium.

In the middle was an elderly man with gray-white hair and glasses. The first person to arrive was a very young child, looking surprised.

A female teacher in professional attire next to her was taken aback and asked, "Little boy, did you enter the wrong classroom?"

Hu Yang was speechless. "I didn't go the wrong way."

The female teacher hesitated, glanced at the old man beside her, and asked uncertainly, "Principal, what should we do?"

Kiriyama Hideki, the school's Principal for Pokémon Primary Rank, gazed at the teenager below and said, "Let's proceed as usual."

The female teacher nodded and began explaining the interview rules to Hu Yang: "In this test, you can choose a question from this lottery box, express your own opinion on this question, and we will assess your suitability for a teaching position at our school based on your answer."

This segment primarily evaluated the candidate's logical thinking and spontaneous response skills.

Hu Yang had no objections. He stepped forward, reached into the lottery box, and swiftly drew out a red ball.

Opening the ball revealed a note with a question written on it.

Q: What is your view on Braviary's decision to let young Rufflet train alone in the wild forest?

Hu Yang was taken aback.

He recalled a similar scene from the latest Pokémon movie, "The Adventures of Pikachu and Coco."

Rufflet had been injured in the forest, and Coco and Zarude had helped it recover. However, Braviary had come and taught it a lesson.

This episode contrasted Zarude's fatherly love for Coco, showcasing two different kinds of parental affection.

One was protective and sheltering, while the other was deep, expecting the child to grow and soar higher.

With this in mind, Hu Yang organized his thoughts and slowly began, "I believe this is an expression of Braviary's paternal love for Rufflet."

The female teacher nodded thoughtfully and urged him to continue.

Hu Yang could infer Braviary's ecological role in this world from the movie's plot. He continued:

"For wild Pokémon, danger can strike at any moment in nature."

"When danger arises and Braviary isn't with Rufflet, the consequences could be dire."

"That's why Braviary uses this method to toughen Rufflet, helping it adapt to hardships and mature quickly."

"In nature, it's all about survival of the fittest, and Braviary recognizes that."

Upon hearing this, the three interviewers displayed different expressions.

The left female teacher frowned, the middle Principal Kiriyama showed admiration, and the right male teacher appeared deep in thought.

The female teacher was the first to question, "Don't you think this approach is cruel?"

Hu Yang smiled shyly and replied, "It may seem harsh, but it's also the only way for Rufflet to reach greater heights in the future."

The female teacher couldn't find a counterargument.

Hu Yang added, "Of course, this is a perspective for adults. For a child, such a perspective might indeed seem cruel. That's when we emphasize the element of parental love."

This statement required no further explanation; everyone understood it.

The female teacher asked, with a puzzled expression, "You look very young."

Hu Yang responded, "Well, I might look young, but I'm actually twelve years old."

Was there a significant difference?

The female teacher wanted to ask but refrained.

At this point, Principal Kiriyama, seated in the middle, repeated the phrase "survival of the fittest in natural selection." He smiled with satisfaction and said, "That's a perfect response. Congratulations, you've passed the assessment. If your performance in the first two tests is satisfactory, you'll be hired."

"Principal..." The female teacher looked at the old man in surprise, wanting to express her concerns about the irregularity and age inappropriateness of the candidate, but before she could speak, she was interrupted.

Principal Kiriyama seemed to anticipate her thoughts and said, "Age is not a problem, and education is not a problem. What matters is that he has the ability and a caring nature towards children. Based on these two qualities alone, he's more suitable than many others."

He then turned to Hu Yang and inquired, "May I ask why you chose our school?"

Hu Yang hesitated for a moment and asked uncertainly, "Have you had lunch?"

The female teacher and male teacher exchanged puzzled glances.

However, Principal Kiriyama, with a discerning eye, noticed Hu Yang's modest attire and knew it was affordable street-market clothing. He asked, "Do you have no family?"

Hu Yang felt a bit embarrassed and replied, "They've passed away. I'm on my own."

He recounted the story he had told Officer Jenny and added a few details, such as his non-existent parents being knowledgeable Pokémon scholars from whom he learned since childhood.

The three listeners expressed their reactions. The female teacher exclaimed, "What irresponsible parents!"

Principal Kiriyama showed sympathy in his sigh.