Alabasta Kingdom Port Town, Rape Flower Town
Once known for its fragrant perfumes, Nanohana Town in the Kingdom of Alabasta has now transformed into the sole legal entry point for thousands of tourists flocking to the kingdom. The influx of people has spurred rapid development, and within just a few months, the town is now brimming with high-rise buildings and bustling with activity. A year ago, King Cobra could never have imagined that his once desolate and harsh kingdom would become one of the world's top tourist destinations.
——
"Is this it? The Kingdom of Alabasta, home to the battle area?"
A small, inconspicuous ship slowly docked at Nanohana Port, hidden among the many larger vessels. Sanji, dressed in a black suit with a blue-striped tie, jumped off the ship. Following closely behind him was a man with a serious expression, carrying various bags.
"Let's go, Gin. Grab a map of Alabasta and find out how to get to the battle area."
With anticipation and curiosity, Sanji and Gin officially entered the kingdom that was now at the forefront of global attention.
Sanji was full of confidence. For over a month, he had relied on his exceptional cooking skills and the monopoly of the only restaurant in the Tribe of Beginning, perched atop Reverse Mountain, to make a fortune. The conversation was all about where to open the next restaurant and what prices to set.
A restaurant on Reverse Mountain was like a prestigious Michelin three-star restaurant on Earth. Naturally, every wealthy person who reached the reverse mountain couldn't resist indulging in a meal of the local delicacies.
With the restaurant's prices gradually increasing, a single meal eventually cost millions, leaving anyone who heard the price in shock. So in just one month, Sanji amassed 500 million Beli purely from his culinary talents.
This incredible rate of income stunned Sanji. He immediately contacted Zeff, leaving a simple message: "You're crazy if you don't get in on this, come quickly." Although Zeff didn't relocate the entire Baratie crew, he sent a team of skilled chefs to assist Sanji.
Thanks to this support, Sanji was able to embark on his next journey. After entrusting the restaurant's security to Krieg, he set out for the Kingdom of Alabasta with Gin in tow.
With Sanji's arrival, the trainers in the battle area entered a frenzy. As the Pokémon League Conference approached, all registered trainers began a rigorous sprint to prepare for the qualifiers.
According to the conference rules established by Leo, only the top 32 trainers in the rankings would qualify for this globally renowned event once the deadline arrived. The battle area became a hotbed of activity as trainers competed fiercely for a spot in the tournament.
While the battle area was buzzing with activity, two major world-shaking events occurred outside of it, leaving the world stunned.
First, the authority of the Big Mom Pirates, one of the Four Emperors, was challenged! The Supernova Spade Pirates, led by their Captain Ace, captured four islands belonging to Big Mom and engaged in a battle with her forces. After a decisive victory, they even captured one of Big Mom's sons and escaped unscathed.
This event sent shockwaves through the New World, which had remained stable for over a decade. Some astute media outlets identified Ace as a trainer and unearthed related information, publishing it in newspapers that immediately captured global attention.
Everyone was eager to see whether the established power of the pirate world or the new power of Pokémon from another world would prevail.
However, before they could settle in to watch, a second event shattered the views of the pirate world's inhabitants: Whitebeard, one of the Four Emperors, killed two Supernova Pirate crews who had underestimated him and attempted to mimic Ace within a week.
The shocking part wasn't Whitebeard's strength or the fate of the unfortunate pirates. What truly stunned the world was the image published in the newspapers—a 40-year-old Whitebeard, with long, wavy blond hair, standing tall with a sword, laughing heartily!
Although no concrete evidence was presented, when some media and organizations compared photos of Whitebeard from 30 years ago, they realized one thing: Whitebeard had regained his youth!
As the news broke, the Whitebeard Pirates didn't remain silent. Whitebeard himself stepped forward and, during an interview with Morgans, president of World Economic News, openly admitted that he had made a deal with dimensional merchants to reclaim his youth.
The world was left in shock!
Whether it was the revolutionary army plotting against the World Government, the hypocritical Navy, or the other Four Emperors in the New World, everyone who had witnessed Whitebeard's true power now felt a sense of dread. The unpredictability of the sea under Whitebeard's influence was now more daunting than ever!
For a moment, Whitebeard even overshadowed the Pokémon phenomenon.
But beyond that, the term "Dimensional Merchant" resurfaced in the public consciousness. With the increasing number of Pokémon appearing in the seas, the dimensional merchant, who had faded into the background, returned to the spotlight. A new question arose: "Is there anything a dimensional merchant can't do?"
Whitebeard's restored strength left the entire New World on edge. Even Big Mom, who had been repeatedly provoked by Ace, refrained from sending more forces after him. Instead, she began consolidating her power, preparing for a possible invasion by the Whitebeard Pirates.
Only those who had experienced that era knew just how powerful Whitebeard was in his prime. They knew they had to be vigilant!
This tension allowed Ace to catch his breath. During this time, he even struck a deal with Leo, exchanging supplies stolen from the Big Mom Pirates for 5,000 points to purchase a Dynamax.
Ace bought it mainly because he was inspired by Whitebeard's giant dragon and developed an inexplicable desire to grow bigger and stronger.
Giganta Maxed Charizard responded to Ace's expectations. After several battles with the Big Mom Pirates, Charizard's strength finally reached level 60. With the dual blessings of Bond Evolution and Dynamax, its strength reached level 79 under Rotom's evaluation.
Although it hadn't broken through level 80 and wasn't considered the world's top combat power, the level 79 Charizard finally fulfilled one of its long-cherished wishes: to defeat its trainer!
...
...
Just like that, time passed swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, another two months quietly slipped away.
In the battle zone...
As the qualifying matches progressed, several powerful and popular contenders emerged!
These include Roronoa Zoro, the three-sword swordsman from the Mafia Wolf Warrior family, boasting a Black Iron rank with 48 victory points;
Nami, the lightning controller from the Rose Chamber of Commerce, with a Black Iron rank of 42 victory points;
Usopp, the sharpshooter from Mondstadt Arms, holding 39 victory points in the Black Iron rank;
and Sanji, the flame knight from the Baroque Sea Restaurant, with 45 victory points in the Black Iron rank!
In the past two months, these four newcomers have dominated half of the entire battle zone with their overwhelming prowess, earning them the title of the New Four Heavenly Kings!
Among them...
Zoro's relentless and sharp slashes with Scyther,
Nami's magnificent thunderstorm with Pikachu,
Usopp's unrivaled sniping with Decidueye,
and Sanji's fire-drenched combat with Combusken...
each provided the audience with a stunning and thrilling visual feast.
Apart from these four, several other exceptional fighters also made their mark in the battle zone.
Notable among them are Black Cat Captain Kuro and Amusement Prince Joffrey, whose strength should not be underestimated. They closely trail Zoro and the others, fiercely competing for the top rankings.
However, due to their less flamboyant fighting styles and lack of fanfare, they haven't captured as much attention.
With less than a month left until the Pokémon League Tournament...
On this day, spectators noticed a strange phenomenon while watching the ranking matches in the battle zone...
All the trainers eligible to participate in the rankings had gathered in front of the enormous pyramid but hadn't entered.
This piqued the curiosity of many, drawing their full attention.
Meanwhile, among the gathered trainers...
Usopp and Kaya shared a tender moment.
"Kaya, take care of yourself while I'm away! If anyone bothers you, go find Captain Buggy! He may not be the most reliable, but given our recent camaraderie, he'll surely lend you a hand!"
"Hehe."
Kaya smiled playfully, helping Usopp straighten his clothes as she gently reassured him:
"I know! Don't worry, Usopp! Remember, my powers now rival those of Decidueye~"
With a playful punch, Kaya raised her pink fist in front of Usopp's face, shaking it cutely.
"Well... that's true."
Usopp couldn't help but recall the scene from a few days ago when Kaya had effortlessly knocked Decidueye out of the sky with a single stone.
Hmm...
Compared to Kaya, he found himself more worried about facing the unknown challenges ahead.
...
...
Elsewhere in the crowd...
Nami, surrounded by a group of reluctant sisters, was also saying her goodbyes.
Looking equally reluctant, she hugged her little sisters one by one.
In just three months, the young and powerful Nami had become a key figure in the Rose Chamber of Commerce.
Though she held no official power, her status was now second only to Bella, the president of the Chamber of Commerce. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the vice-president.
And Nami's actions truly merited such recognition from the Chamber.
After bidding farewell to each of her sisters, Nami approached the president of the Rose Chamber of Commerce.
Looking up at the enchanting woman before her, Nami's face showed the same reluctance to leave, much like the little sister next door.
Suddenly, she embraced Bella, nuzzling her cheek into her bosom with childlike attachment.
After a while, Nami slowly let go and whispered:
"Sister Bella, the Butterfree Gift Shop might need your attention while I'm away."
"Don't worry, Nami."
Bella gently patted Nami's hair.
Every time she saw Nami's expression, Bella couldn't help but think that if she had a daughter, she'd be around Nami's age.
Because of this, whenever Bella looked at Nami, there was always a subtle, unspoken emotion in her eyes.
In these two months, Nami had fully earned Bella's trust!
While participating in the qualifying matches to boost her rank, she also found time to assist Bella with suggestions, planning the Chamber's next steps during the off-season.
The Butterfree Gift Shop was one of the main projects Nami oversaw.
As one of the New Four Heavenly Kings, Nami was already quite popular.
Following the principle of maximizing all available resources...
After each battle, Nami would showcase her charming face, inviting everyone to visit her shop.
Naturally, with a celebrity endorsement, the store's popularity skyrocketed!
As a result, the Butterfree Gift Shop became famous among tourists, and the Rose Chamber of Commerce profited greatly during this period of low competition and betting activity.
It's safe to say...
Bella was already considering grooming Nami as the Chamber's next successor.
Hearing Bella's reassurance, Nami smiled sweetly and said obediently:
"Of course, I'm reassured with you around, Sister Bella!"
"Wait for me, Sister Bella!"
"Once I finish my special training with the Dimensional Merchant, I'll return even stronger!"
"Then, I'll be able to avenge our past sufferings at the hands of the Celestial Dragons!"
"Shhh!!!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Bella quickly covered Nami's lips, glancing around to ensure no one else had overheard.
She sighed with relief and, like a mother scolding her child, whispered:
"You mustn't say such things, Nami!"
"No matter what, this sea still belongs to the Celestial Dragons! The world is theirs too!"
"But..."
Nami smiled mischievously:
"I've heard the Revolutionary Army is gaining strength, and there are rumors that they're challenging the World Government and liberating oppressed countries like the Kingdom of Hyde."
"Maybe they'll help us get our revenge!"
"What!? The Revolutionary Army...!?"
Bella was momentarily stunned, her thoughts drifting.
But the next moment, she gently tapped Nami on the head and said:
"No matter what the Revolutionary Army does, we're just a small chamber of commerce on the Grand Line. We can't afford to offend the Celestial Dragons."
"But..."
Nami looked at Bella and softly suggested:
"We could join the Revolutionary Army, Sister Bella!"
(End of this chapter)