Alex stood a short distance away, watching the children without interfering, his expression calm but attentive as he observed every small reaction and hesitation.

He had deliberately given them enough time to learn over the past few weeks—not just simple facts, but a foundation that would allow them to think for themselves.

Most of them had already arrived with a basic understanding of Pokémon, and with the additional lessons they had received in the orphanage, recognizing the names on the cards in front of them should not pose any real difficulty, especially not for these 6 children.

What interested Alex far more was how they would use that learned knowledge.

His gaze gradually settled on Luis.

Unlike some of the others, who shifted slightly or kept glancing at the Poké Balls with barely restrained excitement, Luis remained focused.

He read through the information carefully, then went back a second time, his expression tightening as he clearly began weighing advantages, growth potential, and probably even long-term outcomes.

Alex noticed the subtle change in his posture and found himself faintly approving. Luis wasn't looking for the easiest option. He was thinking ahead. Which was not only a good choice now, but also later on.

Several minutes passed before Luis finally made a decision. Without rushing, but without hesitation either, he reached forward and picked up one of the Poké Balls. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Magikarp.

Alex's eyes narrowed slightly in interest, though his expression didn't change.

It was a risky choice. A Pokémon that offered almost nothing in the early stages, requiring patience, discipline, and a certain degree of faith to raise properly—otherwise, once it evolved into Gyarados, it could easily become uncontrollable, rebelling against its trainer and even attacking them.

Most beginners avoided it for exactly that reason. But at the same time, everyone knew what it could eventually become.

A risky start in exchange for overwhelming potential.

Choosing Magikarp as a first Pokémon felt, to Alex, at least a little arrogant, and it wasn't a decision he would have made himself.

Especially not when there were other options available that were not only reliable, but already strong without carrying such a high risk.

For someone like Luis—who usually approached things with a calm, logical mindset—it was an unexpected choice.

Alex found himself wondering what had led him to it. Before Alex could think further about it, Lena stepped forward as well.

In contrast to Luis, she seemed more certain, as if she had already made up her mind while he had still been considering his options. Her hand moved without hesitation, and she picked up another Poké Ball.

Feebas.

Alex's gaze shifted briefly between the two siblings, a quiet realization forming as he considered their choices together.

Both had selected Water-type Pokémon. Both had chosen species that were notoriously difficult to raise and offered little immediate strength. And yet, both carried exceptional long-term potential that could far surpass more straightforward options.

Although Alex has to admit that Milotic is a much safer option than Gyarados It wasn't the decision Alex himself would have made.

He would take Baltoy, who learns teleportation once he evolves into Claydol. But that didn't make their choice wrong. A good relationship between Pokémon and trainer is much more important than the Pokémon species.

If anything, it told him something far more valuable than a perfect answer ever could. Neither of them had chased immediate power. Instead, they had chosen a path that required patience and effort.

Alex watched them for another moment, noting the absence of doubt in their expressions now that the decision had been made.

Because in the end, the species of a Pokémon was never the most important factor. A strong Pokémon without trust could become unstable, difficult, even dangerous.

But a "weaker" Pokémon, raised with the right mindset and a solid bond, could exceed expectations in ways most trainers would never anticipate.

If Luis and Lena had chosen those Pokémon because they genuinely felt something—whether it was instinct, understanding, or even something they couldn't yet explain—then this decision might turn out better than any calculated choice.

Alex let his gaze move across the remaining children before speaking in a calm, measured tone. "Aurora, you're next."

Aurora stepped forward without hesitation. Unlike Luis, she didn't spend much time reconsidering her options. Her special eyes moved briefly over the remaining choices before she reached out and took one.

Heracross.

Alex gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. It was a solid choice—powerful, reliable, friendly, and with clear potential if trained properly. There was nothing flashy about the decision.

He then looked at the three remaining children. "You three are up together."

The order, at first glance, didn't seem to match the test results perfectly. But that had never been the point. What mattered to Alex wasn't just raw performance on a single test, but overall potential, mindset, and how much he personally valued each of them at this stage.

That didn't mean he had low expectations for the last 3.

Only that the first three held a slightly different weight in his eyes—for now. that could change at any time.

Douglas stepped forward first and chose Machop, clearly favoring immediate strength and straightforward growth.

Maverick followed, choosing Baltoy—a decision that, from a purely logical standpoint, offered the highest chance of long-term survival among all the available Pokémon. It wasn't flashy, but in terms of reliability, typing, and future utility, it was a good choise.

Finally, Camila selected Taillow, which Alex considered a solid decision. In his assessment, choosing a Flying-type Pokémon was rarely a bad choice.

Alex watched each of them carefully, taking a mental note not just of what they chose, but how they chose it.

Once they stepped back, his eyes shifted to the table again.

6 Poké Balls remained. 2 Poké Balls contained Snorunt.

For a brief moment, Alex frowned slightly. He didn't quite understand why neither of them had been chosen.

Froslass, after all, was a strong Ghost-type Pokémon with surprisingly manageable behavior compared to most of its type. It offered both versatility and long-term value—far more than most beginners would realize.

His gaze lingered on them for a second longer.

'Strange. Are Ghost-type Pokémon really that unpopular?'

Ghost-, Psychic-, and Dragon-type Pokémon were widely considered by most trainers to be among the three strongest types, which was exactly why Alex had expected the two Snorunt to be far more popular choices.

Out of all the options, those two Snorunt—and Baltoy—had been his personal top choices. Yet only one of them had been taken.

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if the story total of 100 powerstones in 24 hours, I will upload 1 bonus chapter tomorrow.

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