"Good evening, Nami."
Usopp, with a slightly greasy smile, greeted the beautiful girl as she walked gracefully into the room. Although they didn't interact much outside of their duties, the New Four Heavenly Kings had become quite familiar with each other, having spent time together in the battle area.
Even Zoro, who was eating, paused briefly when he saw Nami and gave her a nod.
"Good evening, Usopp, Zoro," Nami replied as she naturally took a seat.
Sanji, who was nearby, immediately transformed into a whirlwind of activity, attending to Nami like a waiter in a fine restaurant. Zoro and Usopp seemed accustomed to Sanji's flattering behavior; after all, the Baratie Battle Restaurant was well-known in the battle area, and Sanji's demeanor as the lovestruck chef was no secret.
On the dining table, just as Sanji had promised, Nami's favorite dishes were laid out. Nearby, Usopp's Decidueye, Sanji's Combusken, and Zoro's Honedge and Scyther were also enjoying a nutritious meal. This Pokémon food, second only to energy cubes, usually had to be bought with points in the battle area. Though not exorbitantly expensive, it wasn't something most ordinary families could easily afford.
However, during this special training period, as long as they paid 20 points per day, these supplies were provided in unlimited quantities for free. Following the principle of "long live freebies," Nami immediately released Butterfree and Pikachu.
"Butterfree-sensei, Pikachu, it's dinner time~" Nami called out with a smile, gesturing towards the food Sanji had prepared.
"Mi!" "Pika~"
As soon as Butterfree and Pikachu appeared, they caught the scent of the delicious food and, having been hungry all day, eagerly ran to the next table and started eating. Seeing her Pokémon enjoying their meal, Nami's smile grew even brighter.
She then picked up a goblet with a delicate dessert from the table and savored it slowly. Halfway through her dessert, Nami looked up, glanced at the three men around her, and asked with a smile:
"So... what do you know about this special training?"
Zoro and Usopp paused their eating and looked at Nami. But in the next moment, all three of them, including Sanji, turned their attention to Zoro.
Usopp, fiddling with his oily fingers, asked curiously, "Honestly, I'm more interested in knowing what reward Zoro got for finishing first in the gravity field trial? It was personally given by Sir Leo, so it must be something special, right?"
"Well..." Zoro shook his head and replied, "I asked Sir Enel about it, but even he said he doesn't know what prize Sir Leo prepared."
"I see," Nami murmured, nodding thoughtfully. She then picked up her fork and took another bite of steak, contemplating. "From what I can guess, everyone should finish the gravity field test tonight. That means the formal special training will likely begin tomorrow."
Usopp chimed in, "Time is tight. There's only a month left before the Pokémon League Conference. I think Sir Leo wants us to perform well at the conference, so he's put us through this special training."
"Hmm..." Zoro, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. He glanced down at his reflection in the smooth surface of the table knife in his hand. "The truth is, we're still too weak. Maybe Sir Leo thinks we aren't strong enough to participate in this world-renowned event."
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere among the four of them grew tense. Even Sanji, who had been admiring Nami's beauty, became silent.
If someone had called them weak before, they would never have accepted it. But after witnessing Garp's world-shattering iron fist and the overwhelming power of Suicune that could raise tsunamis with ease, they had to admit that their current strength was indeed lacking.
For Nami, who had seen Lugia's power firsthand, Zoro's words resonated deeply. It was true...
Apart from Garp, there might not be any high-level combatants in the Pokémon League Tournament. But now that they were here, their goals were far beyond those of ordinary trainers.
With the existence of dimensional merchants, their paths to becoming stronger were no longer constrained by time. If possible, who wouldn't dream of achieving greatness?
Except, of course, Usopp.
Sensing the sudden seriousness in the air, Usopp, who had been trying to read the room, couldn't help but adjust his collar nervously. Compared to Zoro and Sanji's pride and Nami's lofty ambitions, Usopp was simply a man who wanted to see the world and bask in a little glory. He wasn't too concerned about what he could achieve.
With his current abilities, he could resurrect his mother, who had died from illness, at any time. It was just that there had been so much going on lately that he hadn't had the chance to do it yet.
But...
What's the use of something you can't truly hold onto?
If he revealed what Leo had planned for his special training, the others would probably envy him, right?
Usopp decided to keep that secret to himself, silently sipping his hot cocoa, hoping that the upcoming special training wouldn't be as terrifying as today's trial.
...
As Leo had predicted, with the blessing of life force, everyone finally completed the challenge. Under Enel's guidance, the trainers were led to their respective dormitories.
A night of silence followed.
Tonight, Celestial Gym was calm and quiet.
Leo was lying on the waterbed in the lounge, watching Eevee, who was still wearing the old man's headband. He couldn't help but advise:
"Don't stay up too late, Eevee. Remember, you have important tasks tomorrow."
"Eevee! (I know, I know!)"
Hearing Eevee's impatient response, Leo could only shake his head. It was clear to him now that he should have been stricter from the start. Little Eevee was becoming more disobedient by the day, no longer the cute, well-behaved Pokémon she once was.
...
...
Before they knew it, the early morning of the next day arrived. Exhausted, the trainers were jolted awake by the ringing of their Rotom Phones. With no time for breakfast, they hurried to the hall for the assembly.
"Is everyone here?"
As the group of trainers stood there in a daze, a voice suddenly called out from above. Leo surveyed the room, and with a satisfied nod, he snapped his fingers.
Snap!
In an instant, all the trainers disappeared.
Simultaneously, the bewildered trainers found themselves standing around the massive arena of Celestial Gym.
"Alright," Leo coughed twice to draw everyone's attention.
He slowly floated to the center of the ring and began his introduction:
"First of all, congratulations to all of you for completing the gravity field test. Although the results varied, the fact that you all finished the test means you're ready for the next stage of special training. I'm very pleased with your progress."
Leo smiled as he scanned the group. The trainers, feeling proud of themselves for earning recognition from the dimensional merchant, held their heads high, completely missing the underlying meaning of Leo's words.
The only one who grasped the truth was the long-nosed sniper, Usopp. Prepared for what was to come, Usopp instinctively shrank into himself upon hearing Leo's speech.
After making it through the gravity field, they were now ready for the next phase of training? Did that mean the upcoming special training would be even more terrifying than the gravity field?
At that moment, Usopp wished he could shout, "I have a condition that could kill me if I go through special training!" But as he looked around, he noticed everyone else's faces were filled with excitement and anticipation, as if they were eager to embrace whatever challenge lay ahead.
Suddenly, Usopp felt very alone.
Leo continued speaking from the center of the ring.
"Alright! Next, we'll start the first phase of special training..."
"First, I need you to have a battle. The winner will receive personal training from the Celestial Gym Leader, Enel. He will create the perfect training plan for you based on your and your Pokémon's unique characteristics. Whether it's the venue or nutrition, Celestial Gym will provide unlimited resources!"
"However, since there are too many of you, even Gym Leader Enel can't attend to everyone. So, the losers will have to enter the forest behind the gym and train on their own by battling the wild Pokémon there."
"As a friendly reminder, the wild Pokémon in that forest are all of violent nature. I hope you can complete the first phase of training successfully under their harsh conditions."
...
Leo's words were met with stunned silence.
What did he mean? They had just finished the grueling gravity field test, and now, after just a few hours of sleep, they were expected to battle? And the losers would have to survive in the wilderness, training on their own?
What was the point of coming to Celestial Gym in the first place?
The trainers, who had been full of anticipation moments earlier, now looked utterly confused.
Usopp, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief after hearing Leo's explanation of the rules.
His Decidueye had reached level 41, which, while not the strongest among everyone present, was formidable enough. With his sharpshooting skills, Usopp was confident he could win—unless, of course, he was pitted against Zoro or the other two powerhouses.
"Phew... It seems Sir Leo plans to give specialized training to the top performers," Usopp thought, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I might not know what the extra training involves, but at least I won't be wasting time surviving in the wilderness..."
Just as Usopp was feeling relieved, Leo's voice rang out again from the ring:
"Let's begin the first match."
"The first battle will be Zoro vs Usopp. Please come to the ring."
Usopp: ???
With a question mark practically visible on his face, Usopp slowly made his way to the ring, parting the crowd as he walked. He watched as Zoro, sharpening his swords, effortlessly jumped up into the ring. Usopp glanced over at Leo, only to find him watching with a deep, meaningful gaze.
At that moment, Usopp understood...
The so-called "additional training" had already begun.
But he couldn't help but wonder if this battle was really about training or if it was just to torment him.
Usopp even began to reflect on whether he had done something to offend Sir Leo. After all...
Even within the New Four Heavenly Kings, there was a noticeable gap in strength between them. Just like Garp and Cobra—both were called the Four Heavenly Kings, but their power levels were worlds apart.
While ordinary trainers might not fear Usopp and his Decidueye, opponents like Zoro and Sanji were in a different league altogether. Facing them, Usopp might as well surrender immediately.
But, clearly, Leo wasn't going to give him that option.
"Alright, since both participants are ready, I'll hand the ring over to you two," Leo said with a smile. Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he added:
"Oh, that's right!"
"In yesterday's gravity field test, Mr. Zoro finished in first place with an outstanding time of 2 hours and 14 minutes. Now, I'll present you with your reward."
As he spoke, two glowing orbs appeared in Leo's hands—one a milky white flame, the other a transparent, water-like sphere.
Pushing the milky white flame forward, Leo continued with a smile:
"I believe everyone is already familiar with the Power of Nature."
Since it had been a long-standing item in the shop, he didn't bother with a lengthy introduction. The Power of Nature quickly fused into Zoro's body.
Zoro blinked in confusion, examining his limbs but noticing no immediate changes.
At this point, Leo raised the other transparent orb and said:
"Next, allow me to introduce our new product—[Power of Bonds]."
"Power of Bonds!?"
All eyes immediately focused on the glowing orb in Leo's hand, filled with curiosity.
Once again, Leo assumed his original merchant persona, enthusiastically promoting the item:
"The Power of Bonds is a special force that is extremely rare in the Pokémon world!"
"It allows communication between the trainer and their Pokémon, using their bond as a link to transfer power between them. A Pokémon that absorbs its trainer's power can undergo a further evolution."
"Likewise, trainers can also harness this power to generate energy unique to Pokémon within their bodies."
"When combined with the Power of Nature, trainers can manipulate Pokémon energy traits, allowing them to gain abilities just like Pokémon!"
Snap!
With another snap of his fingers, a huge virtual screen appeared above everyone's heads, displaying Ace, who had evolved his Charizard with the power of bonds.
Leo smiled and said, "I believe everyone here is familiar with Ace, the trainer on the screen. Now, let's take a look at the power Ace gained after acquiring the Power of Bonds."
The footage was brief, showing Ace in a battle against the Big Mom Pirates' fleet. The familiar Ace leapt from the bow of the Spade Pirates' ship, and a bright flame erupted from his fist.
In an instant!
The intense flame expanded rapidly, growing to the size of a battleship in the blink of an eye.
"Flame Emperor—Great Flame Ring!!!"
Boom!!!
A massive fireball shot out, targeting three battleships ahead. Under the searing flames, the three New World warships were instantly reduced to wreckage.
When the flames finally dissipated, all that remained on the sea were the ruins and the lifeless bodies of the enemies!