Chapter 54: Audition
Arthur wasn't particularly excited about the opening of the protected area. The questions he asked were as pragmatic as ever.
"What's the specific live stream plan? Are there any requirements for the exploration route? How many days will it last? Besides me, have you arranged for other streamers?"
It was difficult for him to get excited. Two hundred years ago, there was almost no place near the Alliance border that he hadn't visited.
But back then, he mostly descended as a conqueror, leading the mechanized forces and accompanying trainers of that era.
Now changing to the role of an explorer, he felt his status had somewhat diminished.
At least two hundred years ago, he definitely wouldn't need a ticket to go to that outer sea area, and the intelligent Pokémon tribes in the area would definitely appear before him to "welcome" him...
However, this calm and collected demeanor unexpectedly made Eleanor Vance feel he was very reliable.
This fifteen-year-old teenager was even more composed about this than the twenty-seven or eight-year-old streamers in the company.
"The protected area will be open for a month, and the live stream time will naturally be the same.
You can freely decide on the exploration route after entering the protected area, but the requirement is to try to circle all the islands in that area. Your team will help you plan the specific details after the participants are finalized."
"Team?"
Arthur quickly realized that this live stream seemed different from his previous experiences.
"Of course, this protected area live stream will be made into a 'Wilderness Survival' style series. Naturally, it won't be just you entering the area. It will also include your photographer, support team, assistant, etc. The estimated number of people is five to eight. If you have a good assistant candidate, you can choose them yourself."
"Does the assistant get paid?"
"Of course. The assistant can appear on camera with you, with the same base salary. You'll also share the 30% auction commission."
Hearing this, Arthur immediately thought of Justin, who was currently struggling financially and working various part-time jobs.
This should be more reliable than him continuing to deliver food.
"Okay, I should be able to find a candidate."
"Then you'd better hurry. Although we don't have any streamers more competitive than you in our company, the organizer of this project has contacted more than just our agency. You need to bring your assistant as soon as possible. There should be a round of auditions held by the organizer."
Among the internet celebrities under Articuno Media, not many specialized in the trainer field, and even fewer had a professional technical style. Arthur knew this when he signed the contract. After all, they strongly suggested he become a Pokémon conservationist back then.
The advantage was naturally less competition within the company.
But the disadvantage was also significant. For example, at this moment, it was difficult for others to have much confidence in the streamers recommended by this agency.
Arthur wasn't too worried about this. After saying goodbye to Eleanor Vance, he immediately told Justin about this opportunity.
"There's a job here, to be an outdoor streamer exploring a protected area, but it requires a month-long leave. Do you want to come?"
Justin replied instantly: "Yes!"
It was relatively easy to take leave from the youth training camp. In fact, only the basic classes in the morning were mandatory. As long as you didn't fail the semi-annual tests, there were no strict attendance requirements.
Two months ago, Flora skipped the first day of class and there were no repercussions.
However, the youth training camp fees wouldn't be refunded, and the two hours of free coaching each day wouldn't be extended, so the trainees were the ones at a disadvantage overall.
But Justin's thinking was very clear at this time—
The youth training camp's free coaching sessions were only two hours a day. As long as he stuck close to Arthur, he had a hunch that he might not need to find coaches at the base in the future.
So he replied so quickly, without any hesitation.
This saved Arthur a lot of unnecessary explanation... cough, persuasion.
Seeing Justin's straightforward response, Arthur silently canceled the subsequent persuasive speech he had prepared and changed it to— "Then come with me to the audition the day after tomorrow."
"Got it, bro."
Two days later, Arthur brought Justin to see Eleanor Vance again.
Looking at this young man, not much older than Arthur, Eleanor Vance felt a bit of a headache.
"This is the assistant you found? I remember the average age in the youth training camp is normally around nineteen?"
One Arthur was already giving her a headache when she reported it, but at least she had interacted with him for a while and knew that Arthur was far more mature and calm than a normal fifteen-year-old.
But now there was another one of this age...
To be honest, she was even starting to worry that the program organizers might receive complaints from parents after the show aired.
But Arthur didn't care about that.
"I'll take good care of him."
Eleanor Vance looked at him strangely.
She thought to herself, aren't you younger than him?
But having interacted with Arthur for so long, she surprisingly found that this statement wasn't wrong.
However, while she thought it was fine, others might not think the same.
The next moment, before Eleanor Vance could reply, a mocking laugh came from a distance.
"Heh, sending two little kids to audition, Articuno Media must really be out of options. If you can't find streamers, just don't come and embarrass yourselves. Why don't you obediently go back to selling your nutritional flakes?"
Arthur and his group of three turned their heads at the same time and noticed a group of six or seven people walking from another direction.
Among them was even a familiar face.
It was a senior trainee from the youth training camp, two classes above them. Although they weren't very close, they had at least seen each other a few times.
So the identity of this group was obvious—
They were probably streamers from another agency also here for the audition.
Misery loves company, and this saying was true everywhere.
Faced with the mockery, Eleanor Vance replied calmly and confidently.
"The streamers we recommend are also experts from the professional club's youth training camp. Age has never been a limitation in the field of trainers."
Eleanor Vance was very clear about what the organizers wanted. The audience watching this protected area exploration wasn't interested in wilderness survival, but in wild Pokémon!
So the Pokémon's level was the top priority in the streamer recruitment process. Compared to that, so-called wilderness survival skills weren't that important, at most just a bonus.
Similarly, age wasn't a significant disadvantage.
After the "miracle" of the Golden Autumn Cup, Eleanor Vance had always been confident in Arthur's Pokémon's strength.
But there were some things she didn't know after all.
For example, as soon as she finished speaking, the trainee from the Sea Carp Club in the opposing group immediately countered.
"Heh, experts? Just these two kids? That's hilarious. You probably don't know, but these two brats are the bottom two in the latest ranking test in our club's youth training camp!"
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