He didn’t rush to speak. Stephen Clark continued to examine the other small bottles. Besides similar potions, there were also some powders, all of which piqued his curiosity.

After thoroughly observing everything, Stephen Clark suddenly realized that his actions were a bit impolite. However, the potion he was holding at that moment made him frown.

If his judgment was correct, this potion had some minor flaws.

“Sorry for looking for so long.”

Apologizing, Stephen Clark said, “May I ask, have these potions been certified?”

“What do you mean?” The girl whose face was hidden by her hat looked a bit puzzled.

“The effects of the other potions should be fine, but this powder has some minor flaws. If I’m not mistaken, it’s made from Gloom’s saliva, Qingluo fruit, Astringent Grape leaf, and Blue Silver grass. It’s a potion that treats burns on grass-type Pokémon faster than Bitter Berry or Burn Heal.”

Stephen Clark knew the pharmacology of this powder, and the combination was correct, but the problem lay with the Gloom’s saliva.

“You used saliva from a female Gloom, but the correct formula requires saliva from a male Gloom. Although the side effects aren’t significant, if used in a critical moment, it could cause unexpected issues.”

Stephen Clark could discern the effects of most of the potions at the girl’s stall, though there were a few whose principles he couldn’t figure out. But this powder made Stephen Clark hesitate. He happened to have read about Gloom in a miscellaneous book, which mentioned that the saliva of male and female Gloom had subtle differences in effect.

“If you don’t believe me, I suggest you get it appraised.”

Leaving these words behind, Stephen Clark walked away. By the time the girl reacted, he was already gone.

Chapter 7: The Wavebreaker Sets Sail

Stephen Clark left in a hurry. He tended to meddle in other people’s business, mainly because most of the potions the girl had made used knowledge at the level of a junior breeder, which caught Stephen Clark’s attention.

If he was right, these potions were probably all made by her own hands. Despite her young age, she already possessed the skills of a junior breeder, which surprised Stephen Clark and made him feel less superior.

To randomly encounter a girl at a small stall with abilities no less than his own—on such a vast continent as Hoenn, there must be many talented people. What little he knew might not be much after all.

There were even a few potions at her stall whose principles he couldn’t figure out.

As for the flaw in that powder, Stephen Clark only noticed it by chance. He happened to know the difference between the correct and incorrect combinations because he’d seen this exact mistake before. It wasn’t that the girl was inferior to him, but rather that everyone has their own area of expertise. Stephen Clark just happened to know about this particular topic. Even top breeders wouldn’t dare claim to know everything.

“I’d better just wait patiently.”

Watching as the sky gradually darkened, Stephen Clark prepared to quietly await the coming of tomorrow. He needed to prove that his four years of hard work had paid off, and the junior breeder’s exam was the way to do it.

Only after becoming a junior breeder would he truly have the confidence to be independent.

He found a relatively open spot to set up his tent. Stephen Clark released Beautifly; Pokémon are more alert than people, and with the two of them outside together, he’d have some company and protection against accidents.

Another night passed, peaceful and calm.

On Stephen Clark’s last night in Slateport City, nothing out of the ordinary happened; it passed quietly.

The next day...

At dawn, Wingull soared over the ocean, gliding on the sea breeze.

Early in the morning, Beautifly woke up and flapped its wings to wake Stephen Clark.

Stephen Clark glanced at the time—it was six o’clock. There was still an hour before the Wavebreaker set sail, so there was no rush.

Beautifly kept a punctual schedule, so with it waking Stephen Clark, he didn’t have to worry about being late.

After packing up his things, Stephen Clark took down his tent, found a water source to wash his face, and headed for the port.

Although it was still early, there were already plenty of people waiting to board. By the time Stephen Clark arrived, quite a crowd had gathered outside the port.

“So many people.”

Stephen Clark complained.

The bustling port was packed with a constant stream of people. Even though the staff worked hard to maintain order, it was difficult to keep things organized.

After who knows how much time, Stephen Clark finally boarded the Wavebreaker.

“It wasn’t easy—so many people.” The other passengers who squeezed on with him all sighed in relief.

Next was to find his room. In truth, the rooms weren’t very important. The trip on the Wavebreaker from Slateport City to Dewford City took less than a day, and the so-called rooms were quite basic—just a place to rest.

After all, the Wavebreaker wasn’t meant to be a luxury cruise ship.

Stephen Clark was traveling alone, so he quietly stayed in his room.

But after a while, someone knocked on Stephen Clark’s door.

“Hello—it's lunchtime. Would you like to go to the dining hall?!”

It was a staff member from the Wavebreaker, reminding passengers about lunch. As for whether Stephen Clark would go eat...