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[Naruto: Monthly Passive]
[Naruto: Superpower Roulette]
[One Piece: My Crew Is Trash!]
[New: Pokémon Breeder In One Piece]
Dak watched Newgate with a sudden burst of imagination, picturing him on a battle stage shouting to an opposing trainer, "Let's show them our bond!"
"Pfft!"
Dak couldn't help but laugh, despite trying hard to cover his mouth.
"Huh? What are you laughing at, boss?"
Marco, who was in the midst of his dilemma, turned to look at Dak.
By now, Dak's words had been validated, and his status had subtly risen in their eyes. Marco and Satchi no longer felt it appropriate to casually use Dak's name, despite Dak's indifference to formalities.
"Nothing much, just in time. You pick, and I have some things I'd like to share with you."
Dak first shook his head, then his expression turned serious.
Now, on his own turf, he spoke with confidence, and there were things he felt he had to address.
"Go ahead."
Marco, noting Dak's serious tone, raised an eyebrow.
"Pokémon are fascinating creatures. The amount of affection you give them is returned in kind. They have their own will and thoughts, not mere wild instincts but a level of consciousness comparable to humans. When they're born, they're like a blank slate, and you are the brush that colors their lives. If they don't grow into what you expect, there's no doubt it's because you, as their trainer, have failed."
Dak's words captured the full attention of Newgate and his crew.
His blunt delivery, devoid of any sugar-coating, was something few would dare to express directly to these three.
Most people would tremble just standing in front of them.
Dak didn't sense any negativity from their gaze; they were simply listening intently to what he had to say.
"These children are handed over from me. I must choose suitable partners for them. I don't care what they become in the future, whether they're heroes in the spotlight or notorious villains, as long as it's their choice. As long as they're not bullied and live happily, I won't interfere in their growth."
Dak primarily addressed Newgate with these words.
He believed that as the father of many children, Newgate would understand his feelings.
"But, if they are bullied and come crying back to me, no matter who it is, I'll settle the matter thoroughly. The Magical Breeding House will always back these children."
Dak spoke naturally, without premeditation. He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to say this now, but he was genuinely concerned about the little ones being bullied in the future.
He positioned himself as their 'maternal home'.
From now on, whoever came to take a Pokémon from the shop, he would repeat these words.
Darkrai nodded in agreement from the side.
Though it had only a brief acquaintance with the unborn little ones, it wouldn't hesitate to teach a lesson to anyone who bullied the Pokémon.
"Alright."
Newgate gestured for Marco and Satchi, who were about to make promises, to stop and simply nodded in acknowledgment.
He knew that promises and assurances meant little at this time.
Time would tell if the Whitebeard Pirates were qualified partners.
"Then, I entrust them to you."
Dak bowed to Newgate and sighed in relief inside.
Edward Newgate.
He trusted this man.
It remained to be seen which lucky child would be chosen by him.
"Pops, how about this one?"
After a long deliberation, Satchi pointed to a tenderly pink egg.
"I find this one the most pleasing to the eye, as if... emmm... this child is destined to be part of our family."
Marco nodded in agreement.
He felt a comfortable energy emanating from the pink egg, unrelated to Observation Haki, more like a resonance with his own fruit powers.
"Alright, let's choose her. She looks like a girl."
Newgate glanced at the egg and smiled warmly, the tiny pink sphere smaller than his fingernail.
"Hahaha, Pops wants a daughter now, huh?"
Satchi couldn't help but laugh, patting Newgate's knee.
Marco, his eyes shining, picked up the egg from the ground, cradling the warm egg in both hands, appearing lost in thought.
Although it was still just an egg, Marco could feel the tender and vigorous life within.
This was their unborn family member.
Darkrai watched as Marco took away the egg it had just held, feeling suddenly forlorn and retreating into Dak's shadow.
"What do you need in exchange?"
Newgate looked at Dak.
Such a potentially powerful magical creature surely couldn't be bought with ordinary means, right? Even if it cost a billion berries, they wouldn't mind.
This was a consensus among Newgate and his crew.
But they all had the intuition that Dak wouldn't overcharge them.
"One million berries."
Dak glanced at the egg and spoke quietly.
The system hadn't set a maximum price for Pokémon eggs, only a minimum of one hundred thousand berries.
This was the first Pokémon egg he was selling, of significant meaning. And though he hadn't had a chance to care for the child before selling it, at least the Whitebeard Pirates were trustworthy customers.
Various emotions tangled in his heart, becoming complex, but Dak eventually stated a relatively low price.
The price was less than a hundredth of a Devil Fruit's.
"Okay."
Newgate nodded, not saying more, and led the children back towards the shop's exit.
They all knew whether the price was high or low; Dak's setting of the price wasn't a surprise because they sensed that Dak wasn't a purely profit-driven merchant.
They needed to go back for the money; berries weren't something they usually carried, especially since their clothes often got torn in fights.
"Hey, by the way, boss, it's Pops' birthday today. Come join the party on the Moby Dick."
Satchi turned back to Dak before leaving.
"A birthday? Alright, you go ahead. I'll come over in a bit."
Dak stepped forward, thinking of the deck on the Moby Dick as he placed his hand on the door, which then expanded to allow Newgate to pass through.
Outside was the very place they had entered from.
"See you."
Newgate left a message and was the first to exit, returning to the Moby Dick.
Marco and Satchi followed him out.
Dak, left in the shop, opened the [Mission Panel].
(End of Chapter)