Sieg took a deep breath, steadying himself, then began feeding the materials into the machine one by one.
He prioritized the items that required special processing, carefully controlling the order, quantity, and timing with meticulous precision.
His actions flowed like water, seamless and refined, without a hint of hesitation or waste.
The three examiners exchanged glances, nodding in admiration, their eyes gleaming as though they'd discovered a hidden gem.
He removed impurities, ground the ingredients into paste, refined and separated the components, blended them together, added aromatic spices, simulated molding, and finished by drying and solidifying the final product.
Every step was executed flawlessly, and just as the Pokéblock was about to form, Sieg added a special ingredient to enhance its fragrance.
In less than ten minutes, a perfectly formed Pokéblock rolled out from the machine's chute.
The examiners were visibly impressed. Abandoning formalities, they immediately stepped closer to Sieg, eagerly picking up the Pokéblock and studying it in detail.
"Mmm, glossy sheen, smooth surface, and a rich aroma, this is top-grade quality!" said the middle-aged examiner with clear excitement.
Mr. Oswald was even more direct. Without hesitation, he pulled out a tool, scraped off a small piece of the Pokéblock, and brought it to his mouth to taste.
"A genius..."
Mr. Oswald murmured under his breath.
Seeing the head examiner voice his approval, the other two joined in with high praise.
"Indeed, his knowledge foundation may still need improvement, but given his age, his Pokéblock crafting is absolutely exceptional!"
"Kid, we've come to a unanimous decision to pass you in the junior breeder assessment. From this moment forward, you're officially a Junior Breeder of the Rustboro Breeders' Guild!"
A 17-year-old Junior Breeder!
While a few individuals earned this title each year, those came from across thousands of cities and regions, handpicked from an enormous pool.
And most of those cases carried some amount of favoritism, whether due to background or connections. They barely scraped through thanks to privilege.
But someone like Sieg, who passed purely on merit, was extraordinarily rare.
"Heh, kid, from today onward, you're one of us. This is your official certification."
Mr. Oswald pulled out a badge from who-knows-where, shaped like a sun. Though not as radiant as the one pinned to his own chest, it bore the mark of recognition.
Engraved beneath in fine script were the words: Junior Breeder.
This was the badge of certification!
With it, Sieg now had access to a range of privileges and benefits reserved exclusively for breeders.
In fact, it was arguably even more prestigious than some League-affiliated identities.
"Kid, when you're free, come visit our Guild regularly. Chat with us, share your insights and grow even more..."
After sincerely thanking the examiners, Sieg left the room under their proud and approving gazes.
And as he stepped out, the breeder badge already hung proudly on his chest.
The moment he exited, he was immediately met with the sight of that arrogant young man, who still wore a grim expression, clearly still brooding over his failure.
Just as the young man was about to launch into a mocking remark, his eyes fell upon the badge pinned to Sieg's chest.
His words caught in his throat, stuck as if something was lodged in it, and all he could do was gape in stunned silence.
"Impossible?!"
The shout rang through the small waiting room, drawing everyone's attention at once.
Only now did the others turn their eyes and finally notice the badge on Sieg's chest.
"My goodness, kid, this is astounding! A Junior Breeder at seventeen, your future is limitless!"
Mr. Otis was the only one who remained somewhat composed, but even he couldn't help expressing his amazement.
With those words, the entire room broke through its silence.
The room immediately erupted into a flurry of excited whispers. One after another, people gathered around Sieg, surrounding him with curious questions.
"Is he really just seventeen?!"
"No way, that's actually a Breeder's badge!"
"Oh my god, somebody kill me already, what have I been doing with my life for the past twenty-something years?!"
Even Nurse Joy, who had just moments ago been smiling cheerfully, stood frozen in shock. Her gentle, beautiful eyes widened in disbelief, and an expression of utter astonishment spread across her soft, rosy face.
Her cherry-pink lips parted slightly, her heart thudding wildly in her chest before she finally snapped out of it.
"A once-in-a-century prodigy...!"
The phrase surfaced instantly in her mind.
If Sieg had been someone not worth recruiting before, he now possessed a status high enough for her to approach him humbly.
She wanted to open the Pokédex right then and there and report this news back to her family. Unfortunately, during the assessment, all communication devices had been collected and placed under centralized management.
Even so, Nurse Joy gracefully stood up and walked toward Sieg without hesitation.
Meanwhile, the arrogant young man who had once basked in the glory of having a grandfather who was a certified Intermediate Breeder was now sitting in stunned silence, his whole body limp, his face full of disbelief.
Just then, a flash of white appeared before his eyes, it was Nurse Joy in her iconic nurse uniform walking toward him.
He assumed she had come to comfort him. After all, given his grandfather's status, he still held a respectable place in Rustboro City.
He forced a smile, preparing to bask in her sympathy.
But to his horror, Nurse Joy bypassed him entirely and, just like everyone else, showered Sieg with admiration.
He had been completely ignored.
In that moment, it felt like everyone around him was laughing at him. All the praises being lavished on Sieg were like countless invisible slaps to his pride.
Before the exam, he had boasted with great confidence that he would pass and become a Breeder.
But not only did he fail to realize that dream, he was now a witness to the rise of a true prodigy.
His mind blanked out. He didn't know what he was thinking anymore. Time passed in a blur. By the time nearly everyone had left the room, a staff member had to call out to him to snap him back to reality.
As he jolted awake, his face flushed crimson. He no longer cared about anyone's gaze. He leapt to his feet and dashed out, fleeing the Breeder's Guild in utter shame.
…
"Seventeen-Year-Old Junior Breeder! A Prodigy Emerges Once Again!"
That headline immediately took over the front page of Rustboro City's news.
The name Sieg spread like wildfire, not just within the city, but throughout the entire breeder community. After all, only a handful of geniuses emerged every year, and each one of them was a topic of fierce discussion.
Back inside the Breeder's Guild, President Oswald sat behind his desk, calmly reading the latest League newspaper with a broad grin that hadn't faded since the start of the day.
Just then, a staff member came rushing in, shattering the calm.
Panting heavily, the staff member reported, "President! A call just came in from the Breeder Headquarters!"
The moment he heard those words, Oswald immediately set down his newspaper, straightened his clothes and adjusted his expression. Then he picked up the receiver with a respectful tone.
"Hello? Yes, yes! Of course, we'll never let the League's support and Headquarters' expectations go to waste."
After hanging up, the deeply lined face of Oswald could barely contain his joy. His aged hands trembled slightly, his eyes shining with excitement.
The call had confirmed that Headquarters would be increasing Rustboro City's breeding division's resource funding by fifty percent for the second half of the year.
At last, the Rustboro Breeder's Guild was getting rich too!