Evolution.
This word holds profound significance for both Pokémon and trainers alike.
The reason why so many people are captivated by Pokémon is because these magical creatures possess the ability to change their destinies!
And now, in this monumental moment, Eevee has just showcased this mysterious and sacred evolution in front of everyone present!
At that very instant...
the audience erupted with excitement!
"Oh my god, is that the legendary light of evolution?"
"It's incredible!"
Even those who have yet to become trainers are well-acquainted with the term "evolution," as many are passionate about Pokémon.
But no matter how much they understood in theory, it was nothing compared to witnessing it firsthand.
When the light of evolution began to radiate from Eevee's body, their minds went blank for a moment.
And when the form of Espeon emerged, the crowd went wild, showering Robin with likes and gifts!
Evolution!
They had just witnessed the evolution of a Pokémon with their very own eyes!
"Oh my god, so the stories in the newspapers were true!"
"Legend has it that evolution can change a Pokémon's form and make it even more powerful!"
"What a pity, if only it had evolved earlier, maybe Miss Robin wouldn't have had to admit defeat..."
The audience stood up in excitement.
The reporters in the crowd hurriedly picked up their cameras, frantically capturing photos of Robin and Espeon.
Live photos of an evolution...
This will definitely be on the front page tomorrow!
...
But in a corner where everyone else was celebrating...
"Evolution..."
Feeling the intense emotions around him, Ace quietly smiled, leaned back in his seat, and remarked:
"Unfortunately, Charizard has already reached its final form and can't evolve any further."
Unbeknownst to Ace, his VIP level wasn't high enough to be aware of Charizard's Mega Evolution.
Meanwhile, Garp suddenly grinned and teased his grandson:
"What? You've never seen the light of evolution?"
"That's a shame. I've watched Machop evolve into Machamp with my own eyes. It's a sight to behold."
As he spoke, Garp suddenly pulled out a Poké Ball and pointed it at an empty seat next to him in the stands.
Instantly, a burly, human-like Pokémon appeared in the seat.
But unlike most Machamp, this one was wearing a Navy uniform with the word "Justice" on it.
And on its shoulders, a pair of Navy captain's epaulettes gleamed brightly.
"Champ!"
After appearing, Machamp didn't roar or show off its strength like other Pokémon.
Instead, it stood quietly, greeting Ace with a calm wave.
If Ace hadn't seen it emerge from the Poké Ball himself...
With its proper Navy attire and composed demeanor, even calmer than Garp's, Ace might have mistaken it for a human who had eaten a Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
Seeing Machamp wave its muscular arms at him, Ace quickly waved back:
"Hello!"
Looking at the Machamp in front of him, Ace's eyes sparkled like a pirate who had just discovered treasure.
"Is this your Pokémon, old man? It looks really impressive!" he complimented.
"Hmph~"
Garp enjoyed Ace's rare display of respect. He immediately puffed out his chest and proudly declared:
"That's right! I obtained this Pokémon from a dimensional merchant."
"But of course! This Machamp isn't just any ordinary Pokémon..."
"It's the first honorary graduate of this Navy training camp!"
"It's also the only one in Navy history to have mastered the Six Powers in just one month—a true genius!"
"Graduate with honors? The Six Powers?"
Ace was stunned.
Having sailed the Grand Line for so long and encountered numerous Navy warships, he knew all too well how powerful the Six Powers that Garp mentioned were.
But it was precisely because of this that he was so surprised.
Pokémon could actually learn human techniques!?
This was a path he had never even considered!
Ace, who suddenly realized something, was momentarily stunned before a surprised smile spread across his face.
"That's really impressive!"
"But you're still as much of a troublemaker as ever, old man!"
"Good thing I've already set out to sea, or I would've been in big trouble!"
"Listen to you, talking like that to your grandpa!?" Garp sighed.
"How can a grandson talk to his grandpa like that? It breaks my heart!"
"Tsk... you're one to talk about respect, old man!" Ace muttered in annoyance.
But now that he was older and had come to understand many things, he didn't press the issue further.
Instead, he adjusted the sun hat on his head, as if announcing a battle, and looked at Garp with the dark eyes peeking out from under it.
"However, I do thank you for everything over the years, old man!"
Garp's expression froze for a moment before a faint smile crept up the corners of his mouth.
Then, he quickly regained his serious demeanor and teasingly replied to Ace:
"What's the use of all this sentimental talk?"
"How about we battle now while Charizard's power level isn't as high as mine?"
"Otherwise, you won't stand a chance later!"
Huh? Why am I being dragged into this? Charizard, who had been listening from the sidelines, immediately cast a displeased and hostile glance at Garp.
But given Garp's strength, Charizard eventually calmed its fiery temper, pretended not to hear anything, and continued watching Espeon in the arena, too intimidated to act out.
There's no helping it—sometimes you have to bow to power!
Charizard silently vowed: I'll double my physical training regimen when we get back!
Thirty years in the East, thirty years in the West. Don't underestimate me!
Humph!
Just as Charizard was contemplating whether its clueless trainer would foolishly accept Garp's provocation...
Ace suddenly said: "Let's not."
He rolled his eyes at Garp, then dusted off his knees and slowly stood up.
Ace turned to Garp with a confident smile:
"I'm not strong enough to compete with you yet, old man."
"But one day, I'll definitely battle you, Grandpa!"
Garp was silent for a moment before a small, barely noticeable smile appeared at the corners of his mouth again.
"Ah..." he replied in a deep voice,
"I'm looking forward to it."
Ace pursed his lips and smiled, leaving nothing more to be said.
He turned to his crew, the Spade Pirates, and said,
"Let's go, everyone!"
"We can't waste any more time!"
"Let's head to Nurse Joy to pick up a couple of missions and hone our skills!"
With that, Ace walked past Garp, leading the Spade Pirates out of the stands.
"This kid..."
Watching Ace quietly depart, a strange glint appeared in Garp's eyes.
"So much like you, Roger," he murmured softly.
...
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the audience...
Three peculiar-looking men in black suits had faint smiles on their faces as they stared intently at Robin, who was interacting with Espeon in the arena.
These three were none other than...
The CP9 trio temporarily dispatched by their superiors to investigate the Pokémon Center in Alabasta...
Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukurou.
"Strange, why does that woman look so familiar?"
At that moment, CP9 member Fukurou was squinting at Robin in the arena, his zipper-like mouth twitching as he spoke, producing a metallic sound.
"Ah..."
Jabra stretched lazily before leaning forward again, his arms resting on his knees like a hound that had spotted its prey, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
The thin light from the arena cast a dim shadow on his side.
He slowly took out a wanted poster from his coat.
At the top of the poster was a younger Robin's picture.
[Nico Robin]
[Bounty: 80 million berries]
[Dead or Alive]
Looking at Robin's youthful face on the wanted poster, Jabra folded it in half, revealing only her face, and then compared it to the Robin in the arena.
After a moment, a sinister grin spread across his face, exposing sharp fangs.
"Nico Robin, I didn't expect to find you here!"
As an intelligence agency directly under the World Government, Jabra and his team wouldn't typically carry around arrest warrants for wanted criminals. However, there are a few exceptions—specific wanted notices that all senior intelligence personnel are required to keep on them and memorize. These individuals often have unique backgrounds and are considered the most dangerous criminals by the World Government. Their threat level rivals that of the Yonko Pirates themselves.
While the pirate crews are formidable, the World Government sees them as nothing more than criminal gangs with limited reach. In many cases, these groups fade away naturally without any intervention. Even the most stubborn pirates are eventually eradicated, though it often comes at the cost of significant naval losses.
This cycle has repeated countless times over the past eight centuries. Pirates and the navy alike have consistently been the targets the World Government seeks to eliminate.
Aside from the forces cultivated by the Celestial Dragons and the Celestial Dragons themselves, everyone else could potentially become an enemy of the World Government. By exploiting the rivalry between pirates and the navy, the World Government consumes the world's geniuses and strongmen, reducing the chances of independent power arising and keeping all authority firmly in their grasp.
This is how the Celestial Dragons maintain their status as [gods]. However, there are some individuals who possess the ability to unite these strongmen and awaken those obsessed with conflict. Their goals and vision have the potential to challenge the world's understanding of the World Government's power. Should their dreams come to fruition, the World Government's dominance would be jeopardized.
Therefore, in the eyes of the World Government, these individuals are pests that must be eradicated at all costs.
"Chupapa! Is that really Nico Robin? Looks like we'll have to report this to that dim-witted commander!" Fukurou exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.
"I accidentally spoke the truth, chupapa!" he quickly zipped his mouth shut, trying to regain his composure as a strict-mouthed intelligence agent.
Nearby, Kumadori spoke in his unique, difficult-to-understand tone: "It seems that our trip to Alabasta was not in vain..."
——
Meanwhile, Robin was unaware of the three CP9 agents observing her from the shadows. She was still basking in the joy of Eevee's evolution. It wasn't until her Rotom Phone, which had been hovering in the air capturing footage, returned to her hand displaying a [Defeated] message that she finally stood up.
"Let's go, Eev—no, Espeon. Let's have Nurse Joy restore your energy first," Robin said with a sweet smile, showing no signs of defeat. After returning Espeon to its Pokéball, she nodded in acknowledgment to Cobra before leaving the arena.
As Robin departed, the crowd in the auditorium began to disperse, realizing the main attraction had ended. Entering the player tunnel, Robin took out her Rotom Phone again to check her point balance.
"20 points!?"
Robin was momentarily stunned.
She couldn't believe it—she had just earned 10 million Berries in a matter of minutes!
Indeed, while Leo hadn't skimped on any gifts, the point conversion rate remained the same as he had set before: for every 1 point the audience rewarded a player with, Leo would receive 4 points.
But the players gained extra points, the audience enjoyed the thrill of spending a small amount, and Leo profited as well.
Everyone benefited—a win-win in this new era!
Moreover, earning 10 million Berries in just ten minutes... this was a far faster way to make money than running Baroque Works!
Robin's eyes sparkled as if she had discovered a new path to wealth. She lightly licked her lips, a mature and playful charm in her expression.
After disbanding Baroque Works, she had been concerned about how she would make money and earn points moving forward. But now, the solution seemed clear.
However, after paying her rent and food expenses, Robin frowned at how her points had been halved. While enjoying herself in advance had been fun, paying back the debt felt like being cut with a knife. But when she remembered the extra income, she quickly relaxed.
"It seems like this is indeed a good way to earn points!"
"But... I'll have to dress up better for the next battle," Robin sighed as she looked at her simple gray velvet coat and shook her head.
She hadn't expected to earn so much from receiving gifts initially. Had she known, she would never have worn such a plain coat that hid all her best features.
"Hmm... when I get back, I'll ask the Rotoms if they can find some books about idols so I can study hard!" Robin said with a gentle smile, envisioning a bright future as she walked toward her room.
(End of this chapter)