Leo looked at the points balance in his account.
"There are 5150 points left... it's quite manageable," he muttered to himself as he contemplated his options.
Even though there were dozens of abilities in the system, which seemed very diverse, Leo believed that only two of them were truly helpful to him at this stage: the power of waveguide(Aura) and superpowers.
According to Leo's understanding from the anime, the power of waveguides allowed one to detect people's hearts and sense others, somewhat akin to the Haki in the world of pirates. Additionally, those who controlled the power of waveguides could launch wave missiles for attack and create waveguide barriers for defence, making it a versatile ability with investigative capabilities.
Superpowers, as the name suggested, were super mental abilities with a touch of Pokémon-like characteristics. They included telekinetic attacks, teleportation, mind control, and other extraordinary powers.
For Leo, waveguides and superpowers were the abilities that held the most promise. The power of waveguides could help him understand the intentions of his business partners better, while superpowers like teleportation could ensure his safety. Moreover, both abilities had offensive and defensive attributes, which suited his entrepreneurial start-up phase perfectly.
Regarding other well-known abilities like the power of super, the power of Viridian, or the power of dragons, they mainly related to enhancing Pokémon abilities and were not particularly useful for him at this point.
"But," he thought, "maybe some consumers would find these abilities appealing!"
Leo grinned as he envisioned marketing these products.
After careful consideration, he decided to exchange 1,000 points for the power of the waveguide in the system.
Buzz!
As the points decreased, a peculiar sensation flowed into his body, spreading like blood throughout his veins.
"Is this the power of a waveguide?" Leo marvelled, though his hands showed no immediate change. Nevertheless, he felt as if the world was shifting before his eyes.
"It's truly magical!"
He regained his composure and controlled the fluctuations within him. In an instant, an invisible wave radiated outwards, passing through the hotel walls.
Leo "saw" the pedestrians on the street, the small flowers on the roadside, the flying insects in the air, and even the couple 'exercising' next door. Everything appeared clear in his perception, as if he were watching a 4K high-definition Blu-ray video!
"Ahem..." Leo's face turned red as he looked away from the couple next door. "I'm here for business, gotta stay focused..."
"The next step is a mental test," he reminded himself.
Since there was a suitable subject nearby, Leo extended his waveguide for experimental purposes, assuring himself that it was purely academic research, not driven by any ulterior motives!
The moment the waveguide enveloped the couple, he sensed two distinct emotional states. One was filled with excitement and determination, while the other seemed impatient and bored.
"Well... it seems like the couple's relationship isn't ideal," Leo murmured with a suppressed chuckle.
"Next, I should test its range."
Beyond the couple next door, Leo expanded the waveguide's reach in a circular pattern. In an instant, he gained a panoramic view of everything in the surrounding area.
Leo calculated, "The maximum range is approximately one kilometer."
When he attempted to use the waveguide to sense something a kilometer away, he realized that the farther the distance, the blurrier the details became.
"The more distant, the less distinct the view..." Leo noted, retracting the waveguide.
"It can see through, read minds, monitor, and both attack and defend. The power of this waveguide is truly remarkable!" Leo marveled at its capabilities, making him even more eager to explore his newly acquired superpowers.
With another thought, Leo purchased 1,000 points worth of superpowers in the system.
An immensely potent energy surged into his brain.
In an instant, Leo felt an unusual sensation of detachment from worldly desires. However, this feeling was quickly countered by the waveguide's influence.
"It's peculiar that superpowers can have a negative effect of suppressing emotions. But the power of the waveguide seems to balance out this drawback," Leo realized.
"Meaning, in the future, I'll need to exchange for both superpowers and the power of the waveguide."
Unlike the waveguide, Leo instantly grasped how to wield his superpowers. They offered a broader range of applications, divided into four main categories:
First, there were telekinesis and mental impact abilities for attack. Telekinesis allowed mental power to manipulate external objects, causing physical harm from various angles. Mental impact, on the other hand, targeted vital points and inflicted damage on an enemy's spirit.
"I have the power of sight and hearing, and now I possess Conqueror-like powers... I wonder if abilities like mind control will emerge in the future," Leo mused after obtaining this potent ability.
The second category of superpowers was focused on defense. These powers allowed the creation of energy protective barriers, similar to the waveguide but with a primary focus on mental defense.
"Absolutely, I'm no longer afraid of appearing vulnerable," Leo laughed.
These two abilities complemented each other perfectly, covering many of his weaknesses.
The third direction encompassed the superpower of mind control. With this ability, Leo could now manipulate individuals with weak mental willpower at his discretion, just like the character Miss Joy controlled by Mewtwo in the movie version. Once under his mental control, they would be like puppets, completely at his mercy. Leo imagined that this ability would be exceptionally potent in the pirate world.
In the world of pirates, aside from formidable swordsmen, few individuals specialized in mental fortitude. Even many talented and fortunate people lacked the mental strength of an ordinary person. For example, Caribou, the swamp devil fruit from the plot, could now be directly controlled by Leo.
The last superpower, which Leo anticipated the most, was teleportation—a power he had dreamt of possessing. After acquiring the superpower for 1,000 points, he could now teleport within a one-kilometer radius. However, the farther the teleportation distance, the longer the preparation time required. Within a range of 100 meters, he could teleport instantly, making it an incredibly useful skill for both offense and escape.
After becoming familiar with these two abilities, Leo made a substantial investment, spending another 2,000 points to redeem the power of waveguide and superpowers respectively, elevating his strength to an even more formidable level.
Monitoring, protection, teleportation, mental shock, mind control... Leo marveled at the array of abilities at his disposal.
"This is the power of money!" he exclaimed, feeling an overwhelming sense of empowerment.
A mere ten minutes ago, he had been an ordinary person, but now he felt fearless even if he were to encounter a formidable pirate in the New World. Leo controlled his mind power to levitate, rising into the air with a faint smile on his face.
"It feels powerful, it's quite the upgrade!"
He stretched his muscles and shook off the fatigue of his rest.
"Well, after lounging around for so many days, it's time to get to work!"
With a swift movement, Leo summoned the computer Rotom using his mental powers and teleported to the top of a cartoonish building in the city center.
Surveying the bustling city below, Leo's anticipation grew.
"For my next trading partner, don't disappoint me!"
With that thought, he activated teleportation again, instantly appearing on a rooftop one kilometer away. He didn't stop there and continued teleporting quickly.
In the Happy City, no one noticed the mysterious figure that was constantly darting above their heads.
Meanwhile, at the very center of the Kingdom of Coast, within the majestic royal castle, the current king, Joffrey Laurent, stood on the balcony. Holding a goblet of red wine, he gazed at the colossal Ferris wheel in the distance and sighed deeply.
To outsiders, he was the ruler of this prosperous nation, and one would assume he was the happiest person in the kingdom. However, Joffrey, at just 36 years old, could feel the weight of years upon him.
His father had spent two decades dedicated to transforming the kingdom into his dream vision, enduring pressure from the World Government throughout the process. Yet, just five years after completing the construction, his father had passed away prematurely due to the strain. At 31, Joffrey had assumed the throne, inheriting the responsibility of governing the kingdom.
Over the past five years, he had managed to maintain and even enhance the kingdom's prosperity and power. The Kingdom of Coast, often referred to as the "Amusement Park Kingdom," was gaining recognition in the East Blue Sea. However, only Joffrey knew that the kingdom was about to face a grave challenge.
The World Government had doubled the annual tribute this year, increasing it from 5 billion beli to 10 billion beli. Joffrey's frustration stemmed from the fact that this change had been provoked by a World Government official who had visited the kingdom with his new lover. Their visit had not gone as expected, leading the official to submit an unfavorable report to the World Government, prompting the increase in tribute.
Earning 10 billion beli annually was not impossible for Coast, given its status as a tourism-based kingdom. However, this abrupt change had disrupted Joffrey's plans to use the remaining treasury funds for a grand banquet, meant as a gesture of gratitude to the hardworking citizens. Now, that plan hung in the balance.
"World Government, those bastards!" Joffrey cursed vehemently before taking a deep drink from his goblet.
Suddenly, the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground reached his ears from behind. Before he could react, a voice sounded.
"I've found you, Your Majesty the King~"