Bang!
With a sharp snap of fingers, the Baroque Works bases scattered across the Kingdom of Alabasta suddenly experienced an astonishing supernatural phenomenon!
All of a sudden, the funds and supplies used to pay bounties, wages, and replenish weapons within the organization vanished without a trace!
At the same time, a Rotom Phone appeared in front of Robin.
"Congratulations, Miss Robin. You are now a VIP Level 2 member of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce. Feel free to trade as you wish!"
Leo smiled courteously as he waved his hand, transferring Robin's information to her Rotom Phone.
[Nico Robin]
[VIP Level: 2]
[VIP Experience: 6000/10000]
[Current Points: 6000]
"Six thousand points!"
Seeing the data displayed in her information panel, a refined smile appeared on Robin's face. She was well-versed in the trading rules and understood the value of these 6,000 points. However, she wasn't particularly surprised by the amount.
After all, as the person responsible for the overall operations of Baroque Works, she knew precisely how much each base's supplies were worth. Unfortunately, with such a sudden depletion of funds and resources, it would be difficult for Baroque Works to continue functioning.
But...
What does it matter?
Robin's sweet smile widened as she glanced at Crocodile, who was slumped against the wall, recovering his strength. Inwardly, she thought, "Thank you for your support, boss!"
She then refocused her attention on Leo, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Although Robin hadn't witnessed the battle between Suicune and Crocodile, she never doubted the power of Pokémon. Her position in the black market had afforded her the rare opportunity to watch a recording of the battle between Eevee and Admiral Akainu.
For Robin, a survivor of O'Hara, the highlight of that battle wasn't just the powerful Pokémon... but the fact that one of the perpetrators of the O'Hara tragedy, Admiral Akainu, was pummeled by a creature resembling a puppy!
The satisfaction of revenge was something few could understand.
Ever since watching that battle, Robin had yearned for an Eevee of her own. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, she wouldn't let it slip away, even if...
Even if it was a Pokémon exclusive to the Dimensional Merchant, she still wanted to inquire about it.
After taking a deep breath to steady herself, Robin respectfully asked, "Sir Leo, may I purchase a powerful Eevee from you?"
"Eevee?"
Leo's expression paused slightly. A mental image of a lazy Eevee lounging on a pillow, snacking, drinking, and playing video games popped into his mind. But sensing Robin's genuine desire, he quickly regained his composure, his face lighting up with a professional smile.
"Of course!" Leo chuckled, "As long as you have enough points, you can redeem any Pokémon you desire~"
*Snap*
With another snap of his fingers, a vast array of Eevee appeared before Robin, their prices ranging from 500 to 6,000 points.
As a relatively unique Pokémon species, it was almost impossible to find an Eevee priced as low as a Caterpie.
Robin felt her breath catch in her throat as she gazed at the Eevee in front of her, a flush rising in her cheeks. Each Eevee seemed to conjure up images of Akainu's defeat, bringing her an overwhelming sense of joy!
Despite her excitement, Robin managed to keep her composure, carefully examining each Eevee. Fortunately, Leo had preemptively filtered out many Eevee with redundant traits.
Soon, Robin's eyes settled on a lively little Eevee among the crowd.
[Pokémon: Eevee]
[Gender: ♂]
[Type: Normal]
[Ability: Anticipation (senses dangerous moves)]
[Level: 35]
[Price: 6000 Points]
Although she couldn't see the specific talents of the Pokémon, based on the knowledge Leo had imparted to her, Robin knew that the higher the price relative to the Pokémon's level, the greater its talent and potential.
By these standards, Robin was confident that this level 35 Eevee possessed extraordinary strength. The only concern was that even at level 35, this Pokémon might not be strong enough to face Crocodile.
But...
After glancing at Crocodile's dejected state, Robin silently dismissed her worries. In his current condition, he didn't seem capable of posing any threat to her.
At worst, she could defect to the Kingdom of Alabasta herself!
Of course, that was her last resort. If possible, Robin still hoped to maintain a cooperative relationship with Crocodile. After all, the title of Shichibukai was still quite useful.
"Sir Leo, I would like to purchase this Eevee!"
After making her decision, Robin pointed at the Eevee with her slender fingers.
"Oh?"
Leo's eyes sparkled as he smiled approvingly, "As expected of Miss Robin, you have a keen eye~"
"This little one has exceptional talent. With proper care, its future achievements will undoubtedly astound you!"
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, Robin's points were instantly deducted to zero. At the same time, Leo handed her the Poké Ball containing the Eevee.
"Please take good care of your Pokémon."
Having completed yet another significant transaction, Leo felt a deep sense of accomplishment. With his current reserve of points, he could easily establish not just one, but four or five Pokémon Centers if he wished!
"Thank you, Sir Leo!"
Robin accepted the Poké Ball and bowed deeply, revealing her tempting silhouette. Though her figure was untouched, the soft, mature allure of her curves, accentuated by the fabric, was evident.
Unfortunately...
Leo, who was entirely focused on his work, didn't notice Robin's charms. Instead, he was preoccupied with reviewing the design options for the new Pokémon Center in his system...
Acknowledging Robin's thanks with a polite nod, he subconsciously smiled. After all, he had heard similar words countless times before.
With multitasking efficiency, Leo continued perusing the system while offering Robin the standard farewell pleasantries.
Then, with a final "goodbye," he slowly faded away into the darkness of the cave.
"I feel like I might have missed something important?"
Back in his own dimension, Leo briefly wondered what it was that had eluded him. This was the first time he had felt so confused since upgrading his spiritual body.
But soon, this fleeting sense of uncertainty was forgotten!
Compared to the vague musings of his subconscious, his next actions were of utmost importance!
He had already devised a plan to stir up some major news in the Kingdom of Alabasta!
To announce to the countless strong figures of the Grand Line...
The Dimensional Merchant has arrived!
After entering the Grand Line, Leo had completed several transactions in quick succession, giving him a taste of immense success.
Buoyed by this momentum, Leo decided to forgo his usual laid-back attitude and push himself further! At this pace, it wouldn't be long before he could open Pokémon Centers worldwide—or even contemplate traveling across dimensions.
To achieve this goal and save more Pokémon, Leo had already drafted a plan. He knew the minimum requirement for interdimensional travel: 5 million points.
This was the threshold set by the system.
In other words, if Leo wanted to move from the world of pirates to other realms, he needed at least 5 million points of energy! When converted to Baileys in the Pirate World, those 5 million points equated to a staggering 500 billion Baileys.
Although this might seem like a daunting figure, it was a small price to pay for the miracle of dimensional travel.
If Leo could encounter a few more wealthy patrons like Cobra, this goal would soon be within reach.
However, Leo understood that achieving this feat would require careful consideration and planning. The primary reason for his eagerness to explore other worlds was not just his curiosity; more importantly, he wanted to protect the pirate world that was gradually becoming a Pokémon colony.
Yes, protect it!
As Leo's power and influence grew, he realized that he couldn't save the Pokémon world by relying solely on the Pirate World.
Not long ago, he had tasked several Rotoms with conducting a simulation, and the results were shocking...
The entire Pirate World could only accommodate less than 10% of the items available in the system!
The reasoning was simple: introducing more products could destabilize the world.
After all, these Pokémon were brought into the Pirate World by altering its very fabric. Overloading this world with too many foreign elements could jeopardize its stability.
If it became too severe, the Pirate World might collapse—just like the Pokémon world!
This issue had existed from the beginning, but during his early days of entrepreneurship, Leo had little control over the market's stability. His focus was on establishing himself.
But as he grew more powerful, the health of the entire market began to affect his income.
Thus, Leo had to plan ahead to prevent the Pirate World from becoming unstable.
A simple example illustrates the point: Bailey, the currency of the Pirate World, is essentially just paper made from a special material. Its value lies in the belief and understanding of money held by intelligent beings in that world.
Converting Bailey into points is, in reality, a conversion of that belief and understanding.
While Leo's current transaction volume barely scratches the surface of the Pirate World's currency system, if this trade continued for decades or centuries, the currency system would eventually collapse!
If that happened, the Pirate World would regress to a time of bartering, with irreversible damage.
Even if Leo attempted to introduce a new currency, the lack of a unified world belief would make it impossible.
This is a worldwide deficiency!
The same logic applies to any item within Leo's trading scope: gold, silver, jewels, cannons, swords, ships...
Once these items are converted into points, the process is irreversible.
If trade continues over a long period, the very concepts of gold, cannons, and ships might vanish from the Pirate World, as if they had never existed.
Thus, it is impossible to save one world with the power of only one world!
Leo's plan involved developing to a certain extent in the Pirate World before shifting his trading focus to other realms.
If the people of the Pirate World wanted to continue trading, Leo could help outstanding traders travel through time and explore other worlds for rare materials to trade.
By repeating this process across ten worlds, he could surely save all the creatures in the Pokémon world!
Leo, driven by the dream of a great revival of the Pokémon world, felt energized.
In a flash, he teleported to the heart of the Alabasta Kingdom!
This was a barren desert far from any city, where desolation and heat ruled. Countless fearsome beasts lurked beneath the sand, waiting to pounce on lost travelers.
For those passing through, this place was fraught with deadly dangers.
Yet, this desolate environment had become the perfect location for Leo's next Pokémon Center.
In line with his principle of protecting life, Leo didn't bury these fierce beasts in the sand. Instead, he used his superpowers to lift them from the area.
Suddenly, the sky within a several-kilometer radius was filled with ferocious beasts of all sizes and shapes!
However, their eyes were now shrouded in a mysterious pink light, rendering them unconscious.
"You all have a good rest, and when you wake up, help me guard this place," Leo said softly. After implanting a command into their subconscious, he dispersed them throughout the desert a few kilometers away.
And then, a stunning sight unfolded!
In the barren desert, a massive pyramid suddenly appeared out of thin air, sinking deeply into the sand. There was no disturbance, as if the pyramid had always been there.
The entire structure was made of transparent crystal glass, extending one kilometer at its base, with a towering height of several hundred meters.
On the front of the pyramid was the emblem of the Pokémon Center, declaring its ownership.
Since it was located in the desert, Leo had drawn inspiration from the Egyptian pyramids. This led him to think of the Egyptian pharaohs, and among Leo's limited knowledge, the Egyptian Pharaoh from the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! came to mind.
Thus, Leo chose to construct this giant pyramid, reminiscent of the Pyramid of Light!
Unlike ordinary pyramids, this one exuded no aura of death or mystery. Instead, through the transparent glass, one could glimpse a lush and thriving interior, like a verdant oasis in the desert—a perfect blend of nature and mystery!
It was, in essence, a hidden oasis in the sands!
(End of chapter)