In contrast to the drastic transformation of Zoro's dual swords, Decidueye's appearance after the bond evolution seemed to change only subtly.
Its long green hood now completely shrouded its face, as if to conceal itself entirely from view. The once plump wings had sharpened, resembling arrow feathers ready to be launched at the enemy before it. In this moment, Decidueye took on the demeanor of a ranger lurking in the depths of a forest, camouflaged and waiting to deliver a lethal strike.
At the same time, the energy feedback from Decidueye began to circulate within Usopp's body. The first sensation was the surge of grass-type energy, the primary attribute of Decidueye.
A sudden understanding dawned on Usopp. As he extended his hand, a sharp leaf materialized at his fingertips, formed purely from concentrated energy.
"So this... is the power of Decidueye?" Usopp mused, a grin spreading across his face.
Much like how Ace could wield fire energy, Usopp, through the bond evolution, had gained the ability to manipulate grass-type energy, allowing him to create leaves or seeds as weapons.
However, the potency of these grass-type attacks paled in comparison to the destructive force of Ace's flames and was even less powerful than the special ammunition Usopp had developed. Yet, the grass-type energy came with two additional abilities: the first was the power to accelerate the growth of plants—an ability Usopp would have to explore later as there wouldn't be time in the upcoming battle.
The second ability, however, was a game-changer: Usopp could now restore his stamina by absorbing sunlight, akin to the process of photosynthesis. This ability was not just a gardener's trait but an invaluable combat talent.
Moreover, a steady flow of ghost-type energy began to permeate Usopp's mind, clearing his thoughts. Even more astonishing was that Usopp now shared the vision of Decidueye—two images overlapped in his mind, giving him a dual perspective.
It was a strange sensation, but Usopp felt no discomfort. When he looked up, he could see Leo and Zoro as if through the eyes of Decidueye. At the same time, he knew Decidueye was experiencing the same dual vision.
"Shared vision?" Usopp whispered to himself. He glanced at Zoro and Leo, who had been waiting patiently, and nodded. "Sir Leo, I'm ready!"
"Really?" Leo asked, smiling. "No need to familiarize yourself with your new powers first?"
Leo's attitude toward Usopp had noticeably softened, perhaps due to the substantial 20,000-point contribution Usopp had just made. However, Usopp, focused solely on the impending battle, shook his head firmly.
"No need, Sir Leo. I'm ready to fight."
Leo looked between Zoro and Usopp before chuckling. Addressing everyone present, he declared, "Then let's leave the stage to Zoro and Usopp! Let us witness the first-ever battle between bond-evolved fighters in the pirate world!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Leo's figure vanished in a blur, leaving Zoro and Usopp on the battlefield, both prepared for combat.
Despite knowing that victory was unlikely, Usopp was determined to give it his all—to test the limits of his new powers.
"Decidueye, use Leaf Storm!"
Usopp wasted no time, commanding Decidueye to unleash its ultimate move, Leaf Storm, an attack as powerful as the Seed Bomb. Against an opponent of Zoro's caliber, holding back would be nothing short of arrogance.
A powerful wind howled as massive amounts of grass-type energy gathered in front of Usopp and Decidueye. Although Usopp himself couldn't directly use Pokémon moves, he could enhance Decidueye's attacks, and a towering tornado of sharp leaves rose into the sky, hurtling towards Zoro.
"Are you kidding me?" Nami exclaimed from the sidelines, astonished by the sheer power of the Leaf Storm. Nami, with her acute sensitivity to weather patterns, could sense the immense force within the wind—comparable, in her view, to one of Pikachu's full-strength attacks.
For context, Pikachu's full-power strike, powered by the legendary Electric Ball, was strong enough to injure even the Three Legendary Birds. This revelation suggested that the bond-evolved Decidueye and Usopp could unleash an attack at level 60 or higher, effectively leaping two major stages in power!
The trainers watching the battle were equally shocked, their astonishment turning to a sense of unease. Usopp, who could easily defeat them before visiting the Celestial Gym, could now do so even more effortlessly. Had they truly come to the gym just to be reminded of their own inadequacies?
Yet, despite the amazement from those around him, Zoro, who had also undergone bond evolution, remained unfazed. He grinned as he faced the fearsome storm.
"Is this your greeting gift? In that case, let's return the favor!"
As Zoro spoke, his muscles tensed, his arms becoming as solid as steel. Although he hadn't acquired Armament Haki, the steel-type energy provided a similar effect.
"Three-Sword Style: Black Rope—Tornado!"
Zoro's body began to spin, channeling his will as a great swordsman into the blades. The three swords radiated an unparalleled aura, transforming into a massive tornado of slashing energy that surged towards the Leaf Storm.
Boom!
The two massive forces collided, the sound of metal clashing ringing out across the battlefield. For a moment, the two storms appeared evenly matched, spiraling against each other before gradually dissipating.
Zoro's eyes gleamed with fiery intent. The clash had given him a clear measure of Usopp's newfound strength.
With a fierce grin, Zoro declared, "The warm-up is over. Now I'll go all out!"
"Same here," Usopp replied, his voice deep and steady as he pulled out special ammunition and prepared to engage Zoro seriously.
The brief exchange had already elevated the intensity of their battle to a new height, leaving everyone present in awe.
The sheer power both combatants displayed made it hard to imagine what would happen when they fought in earnest. Even Enel, observing the battle from the office, felt a sudden sense of pressure. Previously, Enel had dismissed Leo's suggestion to use a share of bond power, confident in his own abilities. But seeing the current battle, he realized he might soon be surpassed by these so-called "Blue Sea people" if he didn't awaken his bond quickly.
As this realization dawned on Enel, the battle on the stage erupted into an even more ferocious storm of energy. Words no longer sufficed to describe the intensity.
After the bond evolution, Usopp and Decidueye became so synchronized that they could instantly understand each other's thoughts without the need for verbal communication.
Meanwhile, Zoro, who wielded Honedge in its katana form, treated his swords as extensions of his own body.
In the arena, dazzling sword slashes sliced through the air, heading straight for Usopp. However, with the aid of observation haki, Usopp could foresee Zoro's attack patterns. His movements, honed over years of practice, allowed him to dodge each strike with precision.
Under the influence of photosynthesis, Usopp's stamina—once a significant weakness—was now no longer a concern, enabling him to evade Zoro's assaults continuously.
With a steady hand, Usopp loaded his slingshot with special ammunition, while Decidueye above transformed into a relentless barrage of attacks.
In an instant, specialized ammunition and sharp leaves were fired from all directions, converging on Zoro with no escape in sight. Even when Zoro parried with his swords, some projectiles and leaves still managed to strike his body.
Fortunately, Zoro's body had become nearly indestructible, thanks to his steel attribute. The attacks caused little damage, despite the persistent barrage.
The arena was soon filled with the sound of impacts and explosions, as the colorful blasts of ammunition lit up the sky like fireworks. For a while, neither Zoro nor Usopp could gain the upper hand.
Thanks to Leo's enhancements to the special arena, the clash between the two didn't end up destroying half the island.
"Incredible! Usopp is actually holding his own against that moss head!" Sanji exclaimed, so shocked by the scene that he forgot to remove the cigarette from his mouth, his eyes fixed on the battle.
It was hard to believe that Usopp, who was once seen as weak, had gained such power through the bond.
Much of Usopp's success could be attributed to his tactical acumen.
Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, half an hour had gone by.
Despite the regenerative effects of photosynthesis, Usopp's physical endurance eventually began to wane after repeatedly using the Marine Six Powers technique, "Shave," beyond his limits.
During a failed attack, Zoro seized an opening, cutting him down and bringing the battle to a close.
The sound of bells rang out sharply, marking the end of the match.
Leo appeared in mid-air, standing as if on solid ground, looking down at Decidueye, who was unconscious from a single slash and Usopp, who had collapsed, unable to continue the fight.
Leo smiled mysteriously. Usopp's unique fighting style had surpassed his expectations. To find a way to battle by prioritizing evasion in a world of reckless pirates—Usopp was truly a talent.
With these thoughts, Leo turned his gaze toward the heavily wounded Zoro. Despite the resilience granted by his steel attribute, Zoro had still sustained significant injuries after enduring hundreds of attacks.
However, these wounds were nothing compared to the advanced healing technology of Celestial Gym.
Leo suddenly opened his arms in a celebratory gesture and declared, "Let us congratulate the victor of the first battle—Roronoa Zoro!"
"Zoro will continue his training at the Celestial Gym. Unfortunately, Usopp, as the loser, will spend the remainder of his time in the island's virgin forest."
With a snap, Zoro and Usopp instantly disappeared from the battlefield, sent to their respective destinations by Leo.
Leo then smiled again and announced, "Now, let's bring up our next two trainers."
"For the second match, we have AI Nor and Gur Dede… Please step into the ring."
Leo didn't choose Sanji and Nami for the second match, knowing that Sanji would likely forfeit out of his chivalrous code of not hitting women. While it was part of Leo's plan for Sanji to lose, he didn't want to dampen the atmosphere that had been heated up by the previous battle between Zoro and Usopp.
Thus, Leo selected a different pair.
Soon, two young men of similar build entered the ring. Both were businessmen with considerable strength, backed by powerful industrial funds, and had formidable Pokémon.
As Leo prepared to announce the start of the match, AI Nor raised his hand and called out, "Please wait a moment, Sir Leo."
Leo paused, his expression friendly as he asked, "Yes, Mr. Nor? What is it?"
Nor smiled apologetically and said, "Sir Leo, before the battle begins, could I also purchase the bond power that Mr. Zoro and Mr. Usopp used?"
"Of course~" Leo replied with a grin brighter than the sun.
Nor's face lit up, and he quickly said, "In that case, I would be grateful, Sir Leo."
"Please wait!" Gur Dede, on the other side, suddenly interjected, "Sir Leo, I'd like to purchase the Power of Bond as well!"
(End of this chapter)