A wave of energy surged, and a dark armor of Haki enveloped Eevee's body!
"It's done!"
Seeing the little Eevee wrapped in Armament Haki, Leo's face lit up with a triumphant smile.
At this moment, his excitement was palpable!
Because this not only proved that the memory light ball could strengthen Pokémon but also confirmed that...
even Pokémon from another world could use the unique power of the Pirate World—Haki!
"This way, the biggest threat in the Pirate World has been eliminated!" Leo murmured happily.
He could already envision the future battlefield, where overconfident Logia users wailed in pain under the assaults of Pokémon who had mastered Armament Haki!
With this realization, Leo instructed Rotom to update the mall system with two new skills:
- Armament Haki: 300 points
- Observation Haki: 300 points
Leo planned to extract the introductory understanding of Haki from Garp's memory and sell it to customers as a skill. Setting the price at 300 points for an entry-level understanding was just right—affordable for those in need and valuable even for those who could easily afford it.
These skills would be visible only to VIP3 members and above. Although no one had bought it back yet, Leo believed that as natives of the Pirate World became familiar with Pokémon, this interface would become incredibly popular!
...
The night sea was lonely and still, the breeze brushing over its surface, unable to stir any waves.
Stars dotted the night sky, their reflections shimmering on the sea as if the world was cradled in the galaxy.
Syrup Island, an inconspicuous island in the East Blue Sea, housed only a small village called Syrup Village. Known solely for the famous wealthy businessman who had settled there, it otherwise remained unnoticed.
Tonight, however, the village had an uninvited guest.
"Syrup Village! This is it..."
A small boat docked at the shore, and a gentleman wearing glasses onboard glanced at the information in his hand, then burned it to ashes, letting them drift into the sea. He adjusted his glasses with the base of his palm, a treacherous smile spreading across his face as he muttered, "I didn't expect the controller of the Kaya Chamber of Commerce, commanding nearly 2 billion berries in the East Blue Sea market, to live in such an obscure village..."
"But soon, all this money will be mine!"
His voice fell, and the man, who was none other than the infamous pirate "Kuro of a Hundred Plans" who had vanished from the East Blue Sea years ago, quickly dishevelled his appearance. Adding dirt and scratches to his body, he transformed into a weak and hungry figure.
Kuro walked towards the village with trembling steps.
Years ago, Kuro was tired of the constant battles and navy evasion. Using a clever trick to fake his death, he escaped and shed his pirate identity.
Now, after a period of silence, he had set his sights on the Kaya Chamber of Commerce...
Once his plan succeeded, he would enjoy endless wealth and glory!
A grim smile crept onto his face at the thought, vanishing quickly as he approached the village of Syrup under the moonlight.
Meanwhile, the sea on the other side of Syrup Village began to ripple, the waves growing intense, as if the sea itself was boiling. Suddenly, a colossal figure surfaced—a monster a kilometer high, casting a shadow over the sea.
The turbulent waves crashed against the cliffs, playing a natural melody for someone's arrival.
Swish!
A pink light flashed, and Leo and Eevee appeared on the island's cliff.
"Finally here!"
Leo, holding Eevee, set it on his shoulder and stretched. Days of playing games with Eevee at home had nearly given him a herniated disc—he needed fresh air.
"Let's test Observation Haki first!" Leo said lazily.
Swoosh~
Mixing his Waveguide power with Observation Haki, Leo's awareness spread, covering the entire island.
Feeling the radar-like precision of his Haki, Leo praised, "From today on, call me the humanoid self-propelled radar!"
In his consciousness, life forms appeared one after another until he found Usopp among them, his distinctive long nose making him easy to spot.
"The large house away from the village should be Kaya's manor..."
"Huh?"
Leo's perception picked up Kuro staggering through the woods. Recognizing Kuro by his distinctive gesture of adjusting his glasses, Leo thought, "The pirate steward of Kaya's family? Why is he in the woods at this time?"
A realization struck him—perhaps Kuro had not yet become Kaya's steward.
"It should be right... Otherwise, he wouldn't be wandering in the woods like this at night."
Suddenly, a playful thought crossed Leo's mind.
"The night is long, why not have some fun with Kuro first?"
Leo had a deep impression of Kuro, a self-taught expert of a technique similar to the Navy's "Shave." Had Kuro not appeared too early, he might have had a more significant role.
Seeing potential in Kuro, Leo considered him a high-quality customer despite his strength and character flaws.
After all, good people's money and bad people's money were both still money!
Walking on multiple legs was the way to go! Leo planned to trade not just with good people but also with villains—and trade big!
PVE was nothing compared to PVP!
Leo recognized his role—selling Pokémon was akin to selling arms in the pirate world.
Only a world in turmoil would demand his wares. However, too much chaos would disrupt his business, so Leo aimed to set rules for those who acquired his arms, encouraging trainers to challenge the upper echelons rather than destabilize the world entirely.
Putting the Wailord back into its special Poké Ball, Leo smiled.
"Let's go, Eevee!"
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, Leo's figure vanished.
...
"Damn, why is this path so difficult to walk?"
Kuro, in a weakened state, limped through the woods, following his plan to appear at the doorstep of the Kaya Chamber of Commerce's president in the most pitiful condition. The kind president would surely take him in.
Once inside, Kuro's sharp mind would see him rise to power. Within five years, he would dominate the East Blue Sea's commerce!
As he dreamed of this bright future, he failed to notice the mysterious figure waiting for him in the forest with a smile.
(End of this chapter)