Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed. The world of pirates transitioned seamlessly from the Sea Calendar year 1519 to 1520.
During these three months, the sea remained eerily quiet, as if bound by some unspoken agreement. After the Navy's defeat in the East Blue Sea, no significant news had surfaced. For a time, this left ordinary people, accustomed to earth-shattering events, feeling oddly restless.
Their usual dinner conversations had been devoid of new updates for quite a while. Perhaps the only tidbit that piqued their interest was the recent rumor that Admiral Akainu had returned to Navy Headquarters. Unfortunately, due to the navy's tight security, even fearless media outlets like the World Economic News could only offer speculative reports, with nothing definitively confirmed.
In truth, Akainu had indeed returned to Navy Headquarters, and had been there for some time. To save face, the World Government had hidden him within the Naval Research Division, assigning him to collaborate with Vegapunk on developing new combat weapons.
Two months earlier, just a month after Akainu was captured by the Revolutionary Army, the Five Elders had succumbed to the pressure of losing one-third of the Navy's combat power and decided to negotiate with the Revolutionary Army. Ultimately, the World Government exchanged 20 billion Beli for the release of all naval soldiers, including Akainu, and freed all Revolutionary Army members imprisoned in Impel Down. The Revolutionary Army also promised to keep the details of the transaction secret, allowing the World Government to retain a shred of dignity.
Thus, the bizarre war of liberation concluded with a decisive victory for the Revolutionary Army.
The World Government could never have anticipated that this mere 20 billion Beli would bolster the Revolutionary Army's combat power by adding 10 Shichibukai-level fighters, 20 Vice Admiral-level combatants, and 100 Rear Admiral-level fighters.
After this battle, the Revolutionary Army's total combat strength finally reached a level capable of challenging the World Government. And all of this was made possible by the half-price "BUFF" they acquired after occupying the Kingdom of Goa.
However, Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, was not shortsighted. He was well aware that the current advantage enjoyed by the Revolutionary Army was due to their fortunate timing and favorable dealings with the Dimensional Merchants. Given the World Government's ability to easily produce 20 billion Beli, should the Dimensional Merchants begin dealing with the World Government, the Revolutionary Army's advantage could be nullified, or worse, reversed.
Therefore, after receiving this significant boost in strength, Dragon refrained from making grand moves. Instead, he deployed Revolutionary Army teams, accompanied by Pokémon, to liberate non-World Government-affiliated countries one after another. The Revolutionary Army had to seize this opportunity to secure even greater gains and aim for another large-scale transaction before the half-price BUFF expired!
——
At the Upside Down Mountain, within the first Pokémon Center established by Leo, the once desolate area had transformed. The battle arena and the Celestial Gym had drawn more and more people from around the world, leading many to board a ship named "Dream" and venture to the Grand Line.
As the influx of people increased, the Upside Down Mountain became crowded and bustling. Due to its unique location and architecture, passersby affectionately nicknamed it the "Starting Tribe," symbolizing the beginning of every adventurer's journey into the Grand Line in pursuit of their dreams.
Under the management of Nurse Joy (referred to as "Tanned Girl Joy"), the Pokémon Center was divided into three main sections: the living area, the battle area, and the trading area.
Since this was intended as a temporary stopover, Joy didn't lavishly decorate the living area. To prevent the temporary shelters set up by travelers from looking too unsightly, Joy designated a specific area for them. To maintain consistency with the style of the Pokémon Center, the living area was designed with tribal-style tents.
The battle area, as its name suggests, was a place where travelers could engage in battles. Most who made it to Upside Down Mountain were competent individuals—either pirates or bounty hunters—and disputes were inevitable. Despite Rotom's watchful presence, which ensured that troublemakers were promptly punished, the nature of these pirates meant that tensions often led to fights. Over time, this led to the creation of the battle area.
Joy selected a large open space in the mountains and, with the assistance of many Rotoms, transformed it into multiple Pokémon battlefields. The rules here were simple: once you reported to Rotom, who oversaw the battlefield, anything was allowed within the arena—including murder and robbery. Unlike the battle area in the Kingdom of Alabasta, this place resembled a life-and-death platform often seen in fantasy novels, where sects settled their internal conflicts.
Having just entered the Grand Line, everyone was naturally full of pride, so it was common for blood to be shed here daily. Joy didn't intervene much in these deadly encounters. Her kindness had eroded away after welcoming the first few guests who had climbed to the peak. The faces of those pirates made Joy fully realize that she was in a place entirely different from the Pokémon world. Since some didn't value life, she saw no reason to be overly sentimental about theirs. After understanding the harsh reality of the pirate world, she fully adapted to it, becoming the queen who ruled over the Starting Tribe.
Of course, occasionally, the battle arena hosted more straightforward Pokémon battles. These often attracted large crowds of onlookers, mostly people from the other three seas outside East Blue. Since Dimensional Merchants had never appeared in the other seas, these onlookers could only watch in envy as those from East Blue battled in the arena. This was the primary reason they had traveled across great distances to the Grand Line.
The living and battle areas were orderly systems Joy had established amidst the chaos, with everything under her control. The trading area, however, was a place organized voluntarily by the passing travelers. People from all over the world, who rarely had the chance to meet, used this opportunity to exchange information or trade items. Over time, what began as small stalls and hawkers evolved into the bustling trading area seen today.
"Come and take a look! Freshly crafted Energen Star! Small, easy to conceal, powerful, and fast-acting! It's an essential weapon for anyone traveling overseas!"
"Today only, directly from the manufacturer, for just 100,000 Beli each!"
In the trading area, Usopp stood in front of a shop carved from stone, shouting enthusiastically.
Around him, a swordsman on a unicycle was performing juggling tricks, while an animal trainer directed a massive lion through a flaming hoop. The lively spectacle immediately caught the attention of passersby, drawing a large crowd that quickly encircled Usopp's stall.
Suddenly, a massive hand emerged from the crowd, and a woman with a "robust and elegant" figure stepped forward. She hoisted a mace onto her shoulder, glared at Usopp, and asked,
"Kid, is your gunpowder made of gold, or is the cartridge case made of gold? You're charging 100,000 Beli for a single round!?"
Hearing someone inquire about his wares, Usopp's eyes lit up. Ignoring the woman's rather imposing appearance, he cheerfully began to explain,
"Ah, my lovely lady! What are you saying!?"
It's classic Usopp—regardless of how unattractive the person might be, he always starts with a flattering "lovely lady."
With a smile, he continued,
"Look, you won't find ammunition like mine anywhere in the world! If I'm charging such a high price, it's because these rounds are truly one of a kind!"
As he spoke, Usopp pulled a green round from a secure case behind him, carefully opened the packaging, and displayed it to the woman,
"My dear, you might not know this, but this isn't just ordinary gunpowder!"
"This is the exclusive ammunition developed by the great warrior of the sea, Usopp-sama, after ninety-nine days of research—the Energen Star!"
"It may look small, but this round contains a powerful Pokémon move!"
"Pokémon move!?"
At the mention of such a sensitive topic, the onlookers gasped in surprise. The crowd surged forward, eager to catch a glimpse of the Pokémon-infused ammunition.
The woman, clearly intrigued, had a spark of interest in her eyes.
Sensing the excitement in the air, a sly grin spread across Usopp's face.
Under the intense gaze of the crowd, as if he were accompanied by triumphant background music, Usopp slowly pulled out Dartrix's Poké Ball from his pocket.
The appearance of the Poké Ball caused an immediate stir.
A real Poké Ball!
Even though there was a Pokémon Center nearby, actual trainers were rare. Among hundreds of people, it was lucky to find even one.
Seeing the Poké Ball in Usopp's hand, the crowd instantly believed his earlier claims.
The woman, now smiling with interest, quickly asked,
"You say there's a Pokémon move in there. Does that mean this round can transform into a move and be unleashed?"
"My lady, you're truly clever and insightful!!"
Usopp's eyes gleamed. If he didn't know for certain that Kaya was still resting in the living area, he might have suspected this ugly woman was sent by her to help out.
Laughing inwardly, Usopp saw the crowd was fully engaged and proudly presented the round,
"That's right!!!"
"There's indeed a Pokémon move in this round!"
He continued with a grin,
"And since we're all here, I'll go ahead and sacrifice one Energen Star to put on a show for everyone!"
With that, Usopp pulled out a slingshot, fitting the Energen Star onto the band.
"Using the Energen Star is simple. You can load it into a musket or trigger it by hurling it with force..."
"Just like this!"
Under the spotlight, Usopp flashed a smug smile and shouted,
"Shine, Energen Star!!!"
Whoosh!
A green light shot through the air, heading for the distant sky.
Just as it was about to disappear from sight, a sudden explosion echoed above.
In an instant, thousands of razor-sharp leaves rained down like daggers from the sky.
The blades easily pierced the hard rock below, leaving the ground pockmarked with holes.
"Gulp!"
The crowd collectively swallowed hard, their eyes wide with shock at the incredible scene before them.
In the next moment, they looked at Usopp as if they had just seen a stunning beauty adorned in fine silks.
They went wild!
In the treacherous seas, battles are a constant.
The arrival of dimensional merchants only heightened the frequency of clashes.
In today's world, no one can guarantee safe passage without encountering powerful enemies, so a life-saving weapon has become indispensable.
To everyone present, the small yet powerful Energen Star was exactly that—a life-saving tool!
"Give me ten Energen Stars!!!"
someone shouted from the crowd.
That single cry was like a spark igniting a fuse, and the scene heated up immediately.
"I want some too! Me too!!!"
"Out of the way! Move! I want to buy 20!!!"
"..."
"..."
The crowd, lured by the Energen Star, erupted into a frenzy.
10,000 Beli for a chance to save one's life? This deal was a no-brainer!
Seeing the eager customers, Usopp's face beamed with joy. As he shouted, "Don't push, don't push, there's enough for everyone," as he stuffed handfuls of Beli into his pockets.
The acrobats and animal trainers who had been performing moments ago quickly turned into salesmen, cheerfully attending to every customer.
In the back of the store, Buggy couldn't share in the joy. Hearing the sound of brisk sales outside, he glanced sympathetically at Dartrix and grumbled,
"Damn it! Next time, I'm definitely winning the guessing game! I'm not making this damn ammunition anymore!!!"
Despite his complaints, Buggy's hands had split into several pieces, skillfully assembling materials into rounds and passing them to Dartrix to be infused with energy.
Meanwhile,
"Make way!"
Alvida, clutching her newly purchased Energen Stars, felt like she had struck gold. Pushing her way through the crowd, she made her way out.
Breathing in the fresh air, she chuckled to herself,
"Even though I didn't find that lost Boss Zoro, buying all this special ammunition was worth the trip."
"And we're almost at the Grand Line. I'll need to find some life-saving tools for that little bean sprout."
With a satisfied grin, Alvida waddled off towards the living area.
...
At the same time, across from Usopp's arms shop, a newly opened restaurant bustled with activity.
Nami gracefully cut into her steak, savoring the bite while her eyes remained fixed on the busy arms shop outside.
"I never expected anyone could store Pokémon moves in ammunition. It's truly impressive!"
"Absolutely," agreed Carina, seated across from her.
At a nearby table, Pikachu, Butterfree, Braixen, the evolved Fennekin, and Liepard enjoyed their meal, each eating energy cubes suited to their type under Kuro's watchful eye.
Suddenly, a figure shot out from the kitchen.
Sanji, dressed in his chef's uniform, his legs spinning like fiery wheels and his eyes transformed into pink hearts, quickly approached Nami and Carina.
"Lovely ladies, it's an honor to be your chef today. This glass of Lemon Sandal is on the house, just for you two."
With a flourish, Sanji set down the double drinks, his face beaming with delight as he stood guard by the table.
Noticing that Nami and Carina were nearly finished with their meal, Kuro, sitting nearby, couldn't hold back any longer. He shouted angrily,
"Hey, stupid cook! The three of us ordered together, so why haven't you served me yet!?"
(End of this chapter)