Dak was stunned; he hadn't expected Newgate to suddenly pop such a question.
Moreover, for him, standing at 1.8 meters tall, Newgate's 6.6-meter stature was oppressively overwhelming, casting a shadow over him as if eclipsing the sun.
"Sorry, while I don't mind being friends, joining a pirate crew wouldn't be conducive to running my shop."
Dak shook his head, expressing his most genuine thoughts.
"Gurarara, I knew it, you're an extraordinary fellow."
Newgate laughed, not minding Dak's refusal.
He had seen it coming; Dak was destined for great things, whether through the power he wielded or the subtle air of authority he maintained even in the presence of the entire Whitebeard crew.
He wasn't wrong in his judgment.
"Then, please follow me, I'll take you to my shop."
Treating a customer like royalty, Dak became the ultimate salesman, very polite.
"Hmm, tell Marco the location, and he'll adjust the course."
Newgate hadn't quite caught on and called Marco over.
"Ah? Uh, sorry, I didn't explain properly. 'The Magical Breeding House' is located in the void, and while there are pathways to the shop from anywhere in this world, it doesn't actually exist within this world. So, it can't be reached by sailing."
Dak scratched his head, succinctly elevating the prestige of his shop in just a few words.
Having already shocked the Whitebeard Pirates, he might as well add a bit more flair.
He wasn't trying to show off or play coy; he was simply stating the truth.
"Hey, hey?! Are you serious? If it weren't for the power you just showed, I'd have thought you were crazy and kicked you into the sea."
Marco looked at Dak, not seeming to joke around and was somewhat shocked.
His worldview was beginning to crumble.
"Really?"
Newgate, however, remained calm, having already seen Darkrai demonstrate its spatial power.
Even though what Dak was saying now seemed even more unbelievable, it wasn't too hard to digest after the warm-up, that is, before hearing the next part of Dak's explanation.
"In truth, there are endless worlds within the universe, which I refer to as the myriad realms. Your world is but one among them, and 'The Magical Breeding House' exists in the spatial cracks between these myriad realms."
Did Dak lie?
No, everything he said was true, merely using the art of language to further elevate the prestige of The Magical Breeding House.
After he finished speaking, the entire Moby Dick fell silent.
The sea was calm, and the surroundings fell into a deathly hush.
"Do you realize the gravity of what you're saying?"
Newgate was the first to speak up, staring at Dak with wide eyes.
Dak's words were shattering his worldview; he couldn't believe what Dak was saying.
"I know it's hard for you to accept. Come with me."
Dak shook his head, understanding Newgate's perspective.
When he first crossed over and received the system, he felt the same way. It's one thing to face the brutal reality of crossing over; it's another to believe in such concepts before experiencing them.
Dak walked towards a certain door, with Newgate following behind.
As soon as Newgate moved, the entire crew of the Whitebeard Pirates followed suit.
"Wait, wait, wait! 'The Magical Breeding House' has just opened, and the shop is quite small. It can't accommodate so many people at once."
Dak quickly turned to stop them.
How could a space of just a hundred square meters fit so many people?
"Hey, you just made it sound so impressive!"
"I didn't say anything wrong, though."
Dak shrugged somewhat innocently.
The Magical Breeding House was indeed just starting out, but it was bound to become impressive in the future.
"Marco, Satchi, you two come with me, the rest stay on the Moby Dick."
"Yes, Pops." Newgate swiftly selected who would accompany him.
Marco was a given, and Satchi was chosen for his keen interest in Pokémon, which caught Newgate's eye.
Dak nodded and then led the three forward.
Newgate's exaggerated footsteps echoed behind Dak, a reminder of the exaggerated physiques prevalent in this world.
"Hey! Dak, don't trick us!"
Satchi, quite familiar by now, sidled up to Dak.
"Right, if you're lying, just join us and be Pops' son, hahaha."
Marco's wariness had dissipated; he could tell Dak bore no malice.
"I won't trick you."
Dak, now in full view, led everyone to a large door and began to push.
It wouldn't budge.
"This is the captain's quarters."
Marco stepped forward and opened the door, revealing the Moby Dick's captain's quarters.
Now everyone started to view Dak with skepticism.
After all, Dak seemed too weak to even open a door.
"No, it's not that you can't push the door, but that it has to be me who opens it to reach the destination."
Dak shook his head to clarify, then pondered his next move.
He couldn't just hand out 'Magical Tokens' willy-nilly.
"Then we'll just press your hand and push together."
Satchi bounced over.
"Alright, let's try."
Dak agreed, placing his hand on the door.
Satchi then pressed his hand over Dak's and pushed, creating a somewhat awkward scene.
But that wasn't important!
Because the door opened, and what lay beyond wasn't the familiar captain's quarters but another room.
"Nani?! It's actually real?"
"Where is that? There's grass and a lake, and I see a tree."
"Look, aren't those colorful eggs under the tree?"
"Those must be the Pokémon eggs he mentioned."
The scene became quite lively.
Members of the Whitebeard Pirates couldn't help but crowd around, craning their necks to peek into the space beyond the door.
Since the door was large, many could see into the interior.
This made Dak realize he might need to hang a curtain in front of the door in the future for some privacy.
"Let's go."
Dak, reassured by the sight of his shop, knew he was safe once inside.
Darkrai, eager as ever, flew into the shop first, checking on the eggs under the tree.
Then, Dak stepped inside.
Marco and Satchi followed without hesitation.
"Wait, Pops! Don't come in!"
"Don't enter!"
Just as Marco and Satchi had set foot inside, they immediately stretched out their hands to stop Newgate from entering.
"What's wrong?"
Newgate frowned, looking at Dak, not sensing any trickery from him.
"Our strength, it's suppressed."
"Right, I feel incredibly weak upon entering here, probably couldn't even beat a goose in the kitchen."
(End of Chapter)