The world was simmering with undercurrents.
Everything felt eerily calm, like the stillness before a storm.
In the palace of the Kingdom of Alabasta, King Cobra sat on his throne, eagerly awaiting Igaram's report.
"Your Majesty, all 15 Slowpoke have reached their destinations, and rainfall has been successfully induced in four cities."
"It's been raining heavily all day and night. If Slowpoke's ability holds, we won't have to worry about droughts this year!"
"Really!?"
Cobra's face lit up with joy.
Although he had already tested Slowpoke's abilities in the capital, Albana, he was still overjoyed to hear that the perennial drought problem might finally be solved.
"Good! Good!! Good!!!"
Cobra exclaimed three times in excitement and immediately issued a royal decree:
"From today onward, I officially declare Slowpoke as the new guardian deity of the Kingdom of Alabasta!"
"Following Suicune, Slowpoke shall be our fourth guardian deity!"
As he spoke, Cobra suddenly lowered his head and shouted:
"Igaram!"
"Your Majesty!"
Igaram stepped forward, ready to receive orders.
Just as Igaram was expecting some significant command...
Cobra suddenly smiled warmly and said, "For the time being, I'm entrusting you with full authority over the kingdom's affairs..."
"And as for me…"
Cobra pulled out a Poké Ball containing Slowpoke from his pocket, a rare smile of enthusiasm brightening his face, one that hadn't been seen since he became king.
"I'm going to attend the Pokémon League Conference as a trainer!"
Igaram: ???
"Your Majesty!?"
Igaram was stunned and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
But before he could speak, Cobra, anticipating his reaction, gestured for him to stop and smiled gently:
"I know what you're about to say!"
"But…"
"The world is changing rapidly. If we don't seize this opportunity to board the transdimensional spaceship of the Chamber of Commerce, the Kingdom of Alabasta will inevitably be left behind by this era!"
As a king who cares deeply for his people, Cobra certainly wasn't seeking personal glory.
When he received the message from Rotom on his phone, he had been momentarily confused.
The Pokémon Center established in Alabasta was both a golden opportunity and a potential threat.
As news spread, more and more powerful figures would undoubtedly be drawn to his kingdom.
And when that time comes...
There could even be many strong individuals on par with Crocodile!
Without making any changes, they could only passively endure the storm that was about to sweep the world.
Cobra, however, was not the kind of man to accept a passive role.
As for why he didn't use Suicune's Poké Ball...
Well, that was because Suicune was currently playing happily with his lovely daughter, Vivi, in the palace's back garden.
Between a beautiful girl and an old king, Suicune had undoubtedly made the right choice.
…
"Miss Robin, your room is ready. As a VIP level 2 member of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, you can open 1 to 3 additional rooms for your companions."
"The cost for each room is 1 point per week. If you stay less than a week, it will still be counted as a full week."
"As a VIP level 2 member, you may stay first and pay later."
"During your stay, you can enjoy all the facilities at the Pokémon Center, including but not limited to the Pokémon Training Center, Pokémon Rehabilitation Center, and Pokémon Recreation Center."
"Is there anything else I can assist you with?"
Looking at the room information displayed on Rotom's screen, Robin smiled playfully. She glanced at Crocodile, who was curiously looking around, then turned to Nurse Joy and said:
"Please open another room. I have a companion who would also like to stay at the Pokémon Center."
"Certainly."
Nurse Joy leaned forward slightly, worked on the computer, and then smiled:
"Your requested room is now open."
"I wish you and your Pokémon a pleasant and enjoyable stay!"
"Thank you…"
Robin responded politely, then turned to Crocodile:
"Your room is C-17-102. I'll be training here with Eevee for a while."
"As for you, boss…"
"I've advanced the room fee for one month. If you don't manage to become a trainer within that time, don't blame me for being harsh."
"Damn it!"
Crocodile grumbled, biting down on his cigar and glaring at Robin.
However, after having been frightened by Leo once, he now hesitated to challenge Robin, no matter how annoyed he was.
That's why Robin had brought him along.
With Crocodile's strength, she couldn't easily kill him, but letting him go would be a waste.
Better to keep him around as a potential ally.
After all, despite the fact that Robin had swindled Crocodile, there was no deep-seated enmity between them.
For someone like Crocodile, who harbored grand ambitions, losing a little money was insignificant.
There was even the potential for further cooperation between them.
After bidding farewell to Crocodile, Robin summoned a service Rotom.
Following Rotom's lead, she stepped onto a high-tech elevator and headed towards her room.
A-1-001!
This was a luxury suite in Area A, reserved for VIP level 2 members or higher!
And as the first guest to check in, Nurse Joy had upgraded her to the prestigious "Room 1" area.
The Pokémon Center elevator seemed to possess a sort of magic. As soon as Robin stepped inside, she felt a wave of relaxation.
She let down all her defenses, as if this were the safest place in the world.
The elevator moved swiftly, and before long, she arrived at Area A.
"Please follow me, Miss Robin."
The service Rotom exited the elevator ahead of her, leading the way.
In the opulent corridor, Robin admired paintings from the Pokémon world.
From those images, she sensed a rich cultural heritage.
It was a feeling completely different from the pirate world.
As a scholar, Robin found herself suddenly curious:
"I really want to see this legendary other world with my own eyes!"
"The culture and history of another world must be incredibly fascinating!"
After about three minutes, Rotom, flying ahead, suddenly came to a stop.
The next moment, a door resembling that of a spaceship cabin opened automatically at his side.
"This is your exclusive room, Miss Robin."
"The room is equipped with all the necessary facilities for daily living, and the screen on the wall provides self-service ordering."
"If you need to visit other areas, you can press the call button on the wall, and we'll immediately arrange for the nearest Rotom to assist you."
"Do you have any other questions?"
"No, thank you, Rotom."
Robin gently patted Rotom on the head with a smile.
"It's my pleasure!"
Rotom's eyes narrowed into a half-moon shape as it nodded and then flew off in another direction.
"Pokémon are truly amazing!"
Robin sighed deeply as she watched Rotom disappear around the corner, then stepped into her room.
"First things first, I need a rest!"
After days of travel through the desert, she was covered in dust.
She removed her leather coat, revealing skin as smooth as jade.
The tight vest accentuated her upper body, and her straight, slender legs were exposed.
Robin, with less than 30% of her body covered, walked slowly towards the room's bathroom.
As pieces of clothing were tossed out the door, the sound of running water soon filled the bathroom.
——
——
Meanwhile,
In the deep sea, a short distance from the Kingdom of Alabasta...
"Ahem…"
Under Eevee's wide-eyed gaze, Leo quietly closed the video on his computer. Turning around, he was met with Eevee's direct stare. But this time, the usual pleading look for game time had been replaced by one of stern judgment, as if Eevee were accusing him of being a scumbag.
"It's a misunderstanding! I swear, it's all a misunderstanding!" Leo frantically waved his hands in defense. "How was I supposed to know she'd start undressing the moment she walked in! I promise, it's not what it looked like!"
"Eev~" Eevee softly mewed, flicking its tail dismissively as it walked over to the gaming console that Leo had tried to block. Resolute, Eevee turned on the TV, clearly determined to indulge in some gaming today, ignoring Leo's protests.
Seeing Eevee drop the matter, Leo let out a sigh of relief. Though his initial intention was just to check on the first customer's experience at the Pokémon Center, he had unexpectedly stumbled upon a rather embarrassing moment. It was like when a child in the family opens your computer, and the last website you forgot to close pops up on the screen.
"Ahem…"
Leo cleared his throat awkwardly, quickly straightened up, and then opened the world map on his screen, muttering to himself, "The Pokémon Center in Alabasta is complete. Next stop is Sky Island. We'll establish the center in the first half of the Grand Line and then increase the number of traders."
"With all that gold, Sky Island shouldn't disappoint me!"
With his thoughts settled, Leo instantly set the course for the Wailord. At the same time, he couldn't resist sneaking another peek at the hidden surveillance feed. Not because he wanted to spy on Robin in the shower—no, of course not!
He was just... curious about how satisfied the traders were with the Pokémon Center he designed, that's all!
"ROOOAAARRR~"
In the depths of the 10,000-meter seabed, Wailord let out a thunderous bellow. Its colossal body could churn the sea into a storm with just a simple turn, let alone with such a mighty roar. The sound waves rippled through the ocean, causing the surface to tremble as if it were about to boil.
On the sea, a massive World Government warship cruised steadily along.
"Chapa… there seems to be something beneath the water?" remarked a peculiar man on board, round like a ball with a zipper sewn over his mouth, as he peered over the railing.
"Ahhhh~ What could it be!? It's really quite shocking!" exclaimed a man beside him, his pink hair cascading down to the floor.
Not far from them, at the center of the ship, Jabra lounged on a deck chair, annoyed at the interruption of his afternoon sunbathing by his teammates' chatter.
"Hey, Kumadori, Fukurou, can't you two keep it down!?" he grumbled. "This is the Grand Line! Nothing here should surprise you, okay?"
"I'm already unlucky enough to be sent on this mission to some backwater kingdom, and now I have to put up with you two as well…"
"I'm fed up!"
After venting his frustrations, Jabra threw a newspaper over his face. But even through the paper, a headline stood out in bold letters:
[Shocking! The Revolutionary Army in the East Blue! The Most Beautiful Kingdom, Goa, Has Fallen!!!]
——
Kingdom of Goa.
Amidst the ruins of war, uniformed revolutionary soldiers moved swiftly, gathering the residents near the rubble. Although labeled as "residents," those living near the palace were all of noble status to some degree.
But now, these once-arrogant nobles were reduced to panic-stricken, disheveled shadows of their former selves.
Bang!!!
A gunshot echoed from the town square, whizzing over everyone's heads. The people on the streets immediately shrank in fear, looking around wildly. But before they could react further, Koala's authoritative voice boomed from the loudspeakers set up by the revolutionary army.
"Citizens of the Goa Kingdom, there is no need to panic—the war is over!"
"From this day forward, the governance of the Goa Kingdom will be officially taken over by our revolutionary army."
"In three days, we will hold the execution of the King of Goa in the central town square, and simultaneously begin to root out any remaining threats within the kingdom."
"During these three days, if any of you are concerned that your belongings might be confiscated due to inspections, thereby causing some… unpleasant consequences…"
"Then please, bring relevant documents and information to the Revolutionary Army office at the palace and apply for a voluntary self-inspection."
"During this self-inspection period, any issues discovered will not be punished, as long as they are rectified in the future."
"But…"
Koala's voice suddenly took on a chilling tone, like a cold wind freezing the hearts of every resident in the central town.
"After three days, anyone who has not undergone a self-inspection and is found to be in violation will be tried as a member of the Goa royal family!"
"End of announcement!"
The loudspeakers fell silent, as if they had merely delivered a routine piece of information.
But none of the residents in the central town dared to treat it lightly.
If handled improperly, it could cost them their heads!
(End of this chapter)