"W-What did you say!?"
Cobra's eyes widened in shock, and despite being under the influence of Leo's abilities, he couldn't help but rise to his feet in excitement.
As a diligent king, Cobra regularly read the major news outlets, and he had heard of the dimensional merchants before. However, due to the vast distance between the East Blue Sea and the Grand Line, it felt like these tales belonged to another world entirely. In his initial panic, Cobra had failed to recognize Leo.
But with Leo's recent words and the intensity of the moment, Cobra quickly pieced things together, instantly realizing Leo's identity.
"You... You're the dimensional merchant from the East Blue Sea!?"
Cobra's hand trembled as he pointed at Leo, his voice filled with disbelief. In his mind, he silently added: 'The mysterious figure who commands strange creatures and even defeated an admiral!'
Although the existence of other worlds and dimensional merchants was still a topic of debate across the seas, no one dared to dismiss Leo's formidable power after hearing that he had defeated an admiral. As a descendant of one of the twenty original kings, Cobra had a deeper understanding of the admirals than most.
An admiral was someone of at least island-level strength, and for someone to defeat such a force was beyond what Cobra, or any kingdom, could resist.
The more he knew, the more fear crept into his heart. At that moment, Cobra felt a wave of relief. He realized that if Leo hadn't controlled his emotions, he might have been too terrified to speak.
Remembering Leo's earlier words, Cobra's excitement grew, and he quickly composed himself.
"I apologize, Lord Dimensional Merchant. I was overwhelmed for a moment."
After taking a deep breath to calm down, Cobra cautiously asked, "Is the deal you mentioned earlier real?"
Leo smiled gently and responded with ease, "Of course, turning the desert into an oasis is not a big deal at all."
'As long as you have enough money, anything is possible,' Leo added silently.
Moments earlier, Leo had explored Alabasta's treasury. It was evident that the Kingdom of Alabasta, as one of the original twenty kingdoms, possessed vast wealth. While their resources might not compare to those of the Celestial Dragons, the system had valued the kingdom's treasury at an astounding 300,000 points—a value equivalent to 30 billion Beli.
Leo suspected that if Cobra hadn't been so dedicated to his people, using much of the kingdom's resources to improve their lives, this amount could have been five or six times greater. After all, unlike other government-affiliated countries, Alabasta didn't suffer from the crippling burdens of the Celestial Dragon Tribute.
Meanwhile, Cobra, hearing Leo's confirmation, couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and bitterness.
Not a big deal? The Neferutari family had been trying to reclaim Alabasta from the desert for centuries, investing countless resources and efforts just to reach their current state. Despite all their efforts, they still had to dedicate significant resources each year to assist the hardest-hit regions far from the coast.
Reflecting on the stories about dimensional merchants and Leo's abilities, Cobra only needed a few seconds to accept the reality of Leo's powers.
Excitedly, Cobra declared, "Lord Dimensional Merchant, if you can improve Alabasta's harsh environment, I swear in my name as the King of Alabasta and as the leader of the Neferutari clan... I will do everything in my power to repay you!!!"
In his eagerness to secure this opportunity, Cobra made a solemn vow.
However, Leo simply smiled at his earnestness.
"No need to get so worked up, King Cobra," Leo said, his tone light. "As I mentioned, this is just an ordinary task."
With a snap of his fingers, Leo activated a mysterious power that transported Cobra's consciousness. Suddenly, he found himself standing in a desolate town, far from Alabasta's palace.
The town was barren, its ground dry and cracked. The villagers were emaciated and pale, their misery apparent.
"Where is this place? Are they suffering from drought too?" Cobra wondered aloud, frowning in confusion.
Even in the driest parts of Alabasta, it had been years since he'd seen such severe conditions.
As Cobra observed the scene, a group of strange, pink creatures appeared in the distance, slowly making their way toward the town. The creatures had plump bodies and large, round eyes that seemed vacant and dull. Their awkward, lurching movements made them seem rather unintelligent.
The creatures approached the village, stepping clumsily on the uneven, cracked ground. They seemed oblivious to the smoother path nearby.
Finally, they reached the center of the village. Under the curious gaze of the villagers, the leading pink creature suddenly opened its mouth. As if following a cue, the other creatures did the same, their vacant eyes gazing up at the sky.
Then, something incredible happened.
In the previously cloudless sky, dark storm clouds suddenly appeared, covering the sun and blanketing the entire area in shade. The air grew humid, and moments later, heavy raindrops began to fall, scattering as they hit the ground.
Without warning, a torrential downpour began, drenching the dry, cracked earth. The villagers' expressions transformed from dull resignation to joyous disbelief in mere seconds.
Thin and malnourished, they emerged from their homes, kneeling on the ground to welcome the life-giving rain, their tears mixing with the falling water. They raised their arms in gratitude, worshiping the pink creatures that had brought them this miracle.
"This... How can this be?" Cobra murmured in awe. "Why is it suddenly raining in such dry weather?"
He reached out to catch a raindrop, but his hand passed through it as if the rain was a mirage, a reminder that this was not his world.
At that moment, Leo reappeared, his figure becoming clear as he approached Cobra, smiling warmly.
"Those creatures you saw are called Slowpoke," Leo explained. "The rain they summoned is a water-type move called Rain Dance."
"Rain Dance?" Cobra repeated, his eyes widening as he focused on the Slowpoke. His disbelief deepened.
A creature that can summon rain?
The thought immediately reminded Cobra of Alabasta's controversial rain-making device, Dance Powder. Dance Powder artificially condensed water vapor to produce rain but caused droughts in surrounding areas. Years ago, Cobra had banned its use to prevent such devastation.
Could these Pokémon have a similar ability? If so...
Cobra's heart sank at the thought.
"Don't worry." Leo interjected, seemingly reading Cobra's mind. "The rain you see is created by the unique energy within the Pokémon, not by stealing moisture from other areas. In fact, the rain brought by Slowpoke can improve the local environment without harming the surroundings."
"Pokémon are nature's treasures!" Leo added, his confidence and enthusiasm convincing Cobra entirely.
"A treasure of nature?" Cobra echoed, his tone now filled with hope. He looked at Leo with newfound determination.
"Lord Dimensional Merchant, can I purchase these Pokémon from you?" he asked urgently. "With these Slowpoke, could Alabasta truly become an oasis?"
"Of course," Leo replied with a smile. "The merchants of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce don't deceive their customers!"
Though his words were boastful, Leo had always upheld his promises.
He just...allowed consumers to take a few more detours and alleviate some of the financial burden.
For example, the Caterpie of the Coast Kingdom, the Magikarp of the Navy...and even though the mall obviously has enough water resources to easily flood Alabasta, Leo chose a more harmonious sales method.
He is not a farmer, there is no need to be a porter of nature.
Selling the Pokémon in the system is the real meaning of his trip.
Sure enough, after receiving Leo's affirmative answer, Cobra immediately asked with great anticipation:
"Excuse me, how should I trade with you!?"
At this moment, he couldn't wait to see the pink Slowpoke.
A Pokémon that can create heavy rain, which will be of great significance to the Kingdom of Alabasta, which has been suffering from drought for many years!
Snapped!
Leo smiled softly, without saying anything, but snapped his fingers, and then poured the knowledge about the transaction into Cobra's mind.
Immediately...
a screen of suitable size suddenly appeared in front of Cobra.
He saw the attribute interface of a Slowpoke suddenly appearing above:
[Pokémon: Slowpoke]
[Attributes: Water, Super Power]
[Characteristics: Slowness (not affected by emotions-controlling abilities)]
[Level: 42]
[Price: 2000 points]
"2000 points!?"
Cobra was stunned and quickly calculated in his mind:
"500,000 beli is equivalent to 1 point, 2000 points, doesn't that mean a Slowpoke actually wants 1 billion Baileys!?"
This price immediately shocked Cobra.
But then he thought about it, if it can really solve the problem of the harsh environment of the Kingdom of Alabasta, one billion beli doesn't seem to be that expensive.
But after all, the money is tight.
Even though he has so much money in his treasury, compared to Alabasta, which has a huge land area, this money is really nothing.
In the end, Cobra gritted his teeth and looked directly at Leo:
"Sir Leo, please redeem 40,000 points for me!"
40,000 points, which is 20 billion Beli, means 20 Slowpoke can be purchased.
He plans to send these Slowpoke beasts to the drought-stricken areas of the Kingdom of Alabasta first to alleviate the safety of people in the hardest-hit areas.
20 billion beli, if it can bring good weather to the people of Alabasta, then it will all be worth it!
However, just when he thought that the dimensional merchant would readily accept his request, Leo unexpectedly interrupted his desire to recharge.
Leo smiled calmly and said,
"Don't be anxious, King Cobra."
Bang!
With a snap of fingers, several more Slowpoke attribute interfaces suddenly appeared on the screen in front of Cobra.
However, the Slowpoke beasts that appeared this time were all below level 10, and the price had changed from 2,000 points just now to about 500 points.
"This is..." Cobra looked at Leo in confusion.
"This is also a Slowpoke."
Leo explained:
"It's just that these are Slowpoke beasts that have not yet learned the rain-praying moves."
After saying that, Leo waved his hand again and made a juvenile Slowpoke appear in front of Cobra, he continued:
"Pokémon is a magical species."
"As they continue to grow, the methods of using some moves will naturally appear in their memories. And Praying for rain is a skill that can only be sired by Slowpoke when their strength reaches a certain level."
"The Slowpoke you see now all have the potential and qualifications to obtain the Rain Dance Skill within a year."
Having said this, Cobra certainly understood what Leo meant by releasing two interfaces.
"You are saying that I should buy some Slowpoke that have Sired the skill of praying for rain, and then buy some cheaper Slowpoke to maximize the use of points, right!?"
"Don't you think
this is more efficient ? Is it conducive to the development of Alabasta?"
Leo asked with a smile.
"..." Cobra was silent for a moment, but the light in his eyes kept flashing.
After a while, he nodded heavily, showing gratitude.
His original thought of keeping 10 billion Beli as a back-up was instantly thrown out of his mind.
Cobra suddenly said:
"Thank you, Mr. Dimensional Merchant, for the reminder!!!"
"Please help me exchange all the materials in the treasury... into points!"
"Sooner or later, I will definitely let the Kingdom of Alabasta There are dark clouds all over the sky!!!"
"Um..."
Leo, who always felt something strange, was slightly stunned.
But when he saw Cobra, who had invested another 10 billion Baileys after a few words from him, he smiled knowingly and said:
"No problem!"
Leo smiled inwardly.
In three words, let Cobra spend 10 billion more. I am indeed the most proficient dimensional businessman in the world! ! !
As supplies worth 30 billion beli disappeared out of thin air, Leo's system account suddenly had 300,000 extra points! ! !
Although 60,000 of them belong to Cobra, only 24,000 points are enough for Leo to redeem Groudon and Kyogre!
"Sure enough, the Grand Line is the place to make a fortune!"
Leo sighed sincerely, thinking about the transactions worth tens of millions of beli at every turn when he was in the East Blue Sea.
[Nefertari Cobra]
[VIP level: 5]
[VIP experience: 60000/100000]
[Current points: 60000]
Looking at Cobra's attribute panel that was at its peak when he debuted, Leo couldn't help but think. .
6W points are actually enough for Cobra to exchange for a Pokémon whose strength is not at the general level.
With such strength, he is even qualified to compete in next year's Pokémon League Tournament.
It's just that...
this money comes from the people, so we should continue to use it for the people.
Of course, there are ways to use it for the people.
A mysterious smile appeared on Leo's face.
Seeing that you recharged me so many points at once, I will give you some extra small benefits...
Leo's thoughts moved and he began to search in the system in his mind.