When the item pushed toward him turned out to be a Pokéball, the evaluator didn't show any expression.

The evaluation process for the auction had started a few days ago, and nearly a third of the requests were for Pokémon evaluations.

Pokémon auctions were completely normal at events like this. However, only a few Pokémon ever passed the evaluation—after all, not just anyone could offer Pokémon of the required quality.

The evaluator placed the Pokéball into a device off to the side.

This device provided a preliminary evaluation of the Pokémon's quality and level. If the preliminary results met the standards, a deeper analysis would be conducted to determine its value.

Even rare Pokémon weren't accepted if they failed to meet the minimum quality or level standards.

He pressed the scan button, and within just three seconds, the preliminary results appeared.

Upon seeing the results, the evaluator's usual monotonous expression changed.

"Please wait a moment. This Pokémon needs to be verified by our supervisor," he said to the hooded stranger in front of him, with a slightly apologetic tone, before disappearing from the room.

It didn't take long—about a minute later, a middle-aged man wearing a Team Rocket uniform entered through a side door, accompanied by the evaluator.

With a smile meant to appear friendly, the middle-aged man exchanged a few polite words before inviting the client to a VIP room.

"Sir, are you sure you want to auction this Pokémon?" the man asked with a smile.

The question made Cain roll his eyes internally. If he didn't intend to auction it, why would he have brought it?

However, with a simple nod, he answered, "Yes."

Inside the Pokéball he had submitted was the Elite-level Cofagrigus Cain had captured on Mt. Chimney during his exploration of the secret dimension.

The evaluator had been stunned by the preliminary results and had no choice but to alert the supervisor.

It was an Elite-level Pokémon. Its quality didn't need detailed confirmation—any Pokémon that reached that level would have at least superior-grade quality, equivalent to a light blue tier or higher.

In all the auctions organized by Team Rocket, Elite-level Pokémon were rare sights. While not unheard of, they were definitely not common.

And interestingly, this time there was an unusually high number of Pokémon at this level slated for auction, which would raise the prestige of the event to a new peak.

Everyone knew that training Pokémon was a grueling task, especially breaking past the barrier that separated quasi-elite from true Elite level. For many, this obstacle was insurmountable.

For someone able to purchase an Elite-level Pokémon and train and tame it, facing elite-level trainers would no longer be an unreachable dream.

Even if the buyer didn't reach the rank of an elite-level trainer themselves, they could at least be considered a powerful contender.

Not everyone had the patience or skill to raise Pokémon from scratch, and many preferred to buy already developed ones to save time and resources.

In his past life, Cain had followed that approach.

However, in this life, he valued more the bond and harmony he built with his Pokémon, so he chose not to go down that path.

The staff's attitude toward Cain was filled with respect.

After all, anyone capable of auctioning an Elite-level Pokémon had to have either a formidable backing or the personal strength to defeat a Pokémon of that caliber.

"In addition to this one, I'd also like to auction these Pokémon," Cain said, his voice impersonal from beneath his black cloak.

He pulled out other Pokéballs, which contained the quasi-elite-level Cofagrigus and the peak quasi-elite-level Chandelure.

The supervisor briefly inspected the Pokéballs and, with a wide smile, accepted the request.

He then pulled a ticket from his pocket.

"Sir, this is your seat card for the auction. As you know, all the private booths have already been reserved, but there are still VIP balcony seats available. From there, you can enjoy the event and watch the auction of the Pokémon you've submitted," the supervisor explained in a courteous tone.

Cain took the ticket without saying a word.

In all Team Rocket auctions, the second-floor VIP seats offered a privileged view and greater comfort compared to the crowded first-level seats.

Although the supervisor claimed the private booths were completely booked, Cain knew that wasn't entirely true. His contributions simply weren't yet significant enough to guarantee one of those exclusive boxes.

If he had submitted a Pokémon at Advanced Elite Four level instead of a freshly promoted Elite, they probably would have rearranged things to ensure he had access to a private booth.

Still, he didn't dwell on it. As long as the Pokémon sold for a good price, that was all that really mattered.

"By the way, I'd also like to sell this. I don't have time to go from shop to shop. Would you be able to accept it?" Cain added, pulling several boxes from his storage space.

Inside the boxes were pearls and large pearls collected from Clamperl, along with a special box containing the pearl from the Elite-level Clamperl and several pearls from the quasi-elite-level ones.

He also handed over a box full of toxic spikes collected from Qwilfish.

The supervisor was speechless upon seeing the items.

"Are these... Clamperl pearls? And this large one... is from an Elite-level specimen?" he asked, almost trembling.

The supervisor's expression of awe and respect only grew as he realized he had stumbled upon an exceptional client.

His tone shifted quickly, and with the widest smile yet, he bowed slightly and offered, "Sir, would you like me to try and arrange a private booth for you? I'm sure that with your prestige, it won't be a problem."