As James had anticipated, the moment Sabo laid eyes on the Axew, his heart surged with desire like waves crashing against the shore!
This drastic shift in Sabo's emotions was laid bare under the powerful influence of James's aura perception, as if his thoughts were as transparent as a naked truth.
James smiled inwardly.
A customer's satisfaction was the greatest affirmation of a merchant's work and the best reward they could offer Leo.
"I'm glad to see you're so pleased, Mr. Sabo."
James gently patted Sabo's shoulder with a gentlemanly air and continued, "But there's no need to rush the transaction just yet."
"First, let's take a look at the treasure I've chosen for Miss Koala. There's still time to make your decision..."
As he spoke, James's face broke into a warm smile.
Realizing how he had lost control of his emotions after seeing the "dragon," Sabo quickly composed himself. He coughed lightly and said, "You're right. I'll leave it in your hands, Sir James."
With that, Sabo turned his gaze back to Goomy on the screen, his eyes filled with anticipation.
If Axew was so powerful, what kind of excellence could Goomy, who was worthy of being compared to it, possess?
He was already curious!
James nodded, adjusted the screen to display Goomy, and continued his explanation:
"Although it resembles a snail, like Axew, Goomy is also a Dragon-type Pokémon. In terms of breeding materials, it shares common ground with Axew."
"And another thing..."
James pointed to Goomy's four tentacles in the image and explained, "Due to its underdeveloped eyes, Goomy has lost its vision, but in return, it has evolved tentacles that function like highly sensitive radar, capable of detecting sounds and scents."
"On the battlefield, this powerful sensory ability is invaluable!"
"In addition to its dragon power, Goomy excels in the use of both Poison and Water-type moves, thanks to its inherent slimy characteristics..."
"It may not be as formidable as Axew in direct combat, but it can introduce a more versatile tactical approach."
"In short, Goomy is an exceptional support-oriented Dragon-type Pokémon!"
James looked up, his eyes narrowing into a crescent shape.
"So, Mr. Sabo, Miss Koala, what do you think of these two Pokémon?"
"Perfect!"
Sabo and Koala both looked up at the two Pokémon displayed on the screen, nearly speechless with admiration.
Apart from the word "perfect," there was no other way to describe these two Pokémon!
Whether it was the physically powerful Axew or the versatile support of Goomy, both perfectly matched the needs of Sabo and Koala.
There was no more hesitation.
As if afraid of missing the opportunity, Sabo immediately stepped forward and said, "Sir James, thank you very much for your recommendation!"
"This is exactly what we were looking for! Please accept our 5,000 points!"
"As you wish!"
This time, James did not hold back but simply smiled and nodded.
With a wave of his hand, Sabo's points balance was halved again, and two Poké Balls suddenly appeared in Meowth's hand, which flew gently toward Sabo and Koala.
But before they could even get acquainted with their newly acquired Pokémon, James spoke up again.
"Now, as per the plan I mentioned earlier, the remaining 5,000 points will be used to redeem these Pokémon. Does that sound good to you both?"
Oh!
Following James's lead, the screen shifted once more, revealing a large array of Pokémon information boxes.
These were the same common Pokémon that had been shown before.
James introduced them:
"All of these Pokémon are around level 15, with an average selling price of 100 points. However, with the half-price discount, they're available for just 50 points each."
"50 points?"
Sabo was momentarily stunned, his face lighting up with surprise.
"Doesn't that mean our remaining points can get us 100 of these Pokémon?"
"That's correct!"
James nodded with a smile, adding, "If a level 15 Pokémon is used to its full potential, its combat effectiveness is quite impressive!"
With the right tactics, even a level 15 Pokémon could handle a small-time pirate with a bounty of 20 million. These 100 Pokémon would significantly bolster the Revolutionary Army's grassroots combat strength.
Sabo, who had great trust in James the dimensional merchants, had no further questions. He had also learned from Nami about the differences in Pokémon strength and had a clearer understanding of their levels.
After reviewing the information one more time, Sabo made his decision.
"No problem, Sir James, please go ahead and redeem these Pokémon for me!"
With the addition of these 100 Pokémon, the strength of the Revolutionary Army would at least double!
In the East Blue, there were many nations like the Goa Kingdom, bound by bloodline oppression, waiting to be liberated.
World Government, prepare to be surprised!
Sabo clenched his fists as he watched Meowth magically produce a large number of Poké Balls out of thin air. A smile began to form at the corners of his mouth.
…
…
Meanwhile, at Marineford, in Sengoku's office...
Aokiji stared in disbelief at the document handed to him by Sengoku.
"Why... why?"
He slowly set the document on the table and looked at Sengoku with shock.
Opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally managed to say:
"I don't understand..."
"Is it a lack of funds? Or faulty information?"
"The evidence is right in front of them; can't the Five Elders see it?"
Taking half a step back, he continued, "Marshal, why did the World Government reject our request to redeem more Pokémon?"
"Do they still not believe in the authenticity of the dimensional merchants at this point?"
"No..."
At that moment, Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had been quietly sitting in the corner of the office, suddenly spoke up:
"It's not that they don't believe in the dimensional merchants..."
Sitting at the tea table, Tsuru supported her chin with her hands, a deep expression on her face.
She slowly turned to Sengoku and said in a serious tone, "It's precisely because they believe in the authenticity of the dimensional merchants that they want to keep all the resources for themselves, right, Sengoku?"
"Alas..."
Marshal Sengoku sighed and nodded silently.
He looked at Aokiji.
At this moment, he could fully understand Aokiji's frustration.
But it was precisely this understanding that made the World Government's actions all the more unsettling.
"It's not that the World Government doesn't believe in the dimensional merchants; it's that they don't trust us!"
With the arrival of the dimensional merchants, anyone could see that the world was on the brink of upheaval, ready to take an unknown path!
In this era, whoever could control the most Pokémon, and the most powerful ones, would become the new masters of the world!
The World Government had realized this!
As for the navy...
Although it was the largest military organization under the World Government, when it came down to it, the navy's primary mission wasn't to protect the World Government or the Celestial Dragons!
Even the highest-ranking officer, Sengoku, had never sworn loyalty to any of the Five Elders.
The World Government was well aware...
For many in the navy, protecting the World Government was merely a means to better protect the people on the seas!
Garp was a living example!
The reason he repeatedly refused promotions was to avoid the obligations that came with being an Admiral—specifically, the requirement to rush to the Celestial Dragons' aid whenever they were in danger!
This wasn't a secret among the upper echelons of the navy anymore.
"How could this happen..."
Aokiji, being experienced in his position, wasn't naïve about the situation. After hearing Sengoku's explanation, he quickly grasped the implications.
"The qualifying rounds are in full swing, but there aren't many in the navy who have advanced. Does this mean we'll have to hand over the conference prizes to others?"
Although Leo hadn't fully disclosed the details of the Pokémon prizes for the Dream League Conference, the fact that third place could revive someone unconditionally suggested that the rewards for first and second place would be even more extraordinary.
With the World Government backing them and countless elite warriors at their disposal, how could they stand by and let others take the top spot at the conference? And if the first place were to fall into the hands of the Four Emperors or someone with ill intentions, wouldn't that throw the entire sea into chaos?
"Don't worry, Aokiji."
Sengoku, seeing Aokiji's concern, grew more thoughtful. He slowly raised his head and looked over at Vice Admiral Tsuru.
The two navy veterans exchanged a look, understanding passing between them without words.
After a moment, Sengoku spoke with resolve:
"During this period, we cannot afford to forgo dimensional transactions!"
"Tsuru, take stock of the navy's idle supplies. Once the inventory is complete, distribute them to the three Admirals and all Vice Admirals at headquarters according to their strength..."
"The navy must not fall behind anyone in this new era!"
Sengoku clenched his fists, now more than ever glad that he hadn't reported Aokiji's contact with the dimensional merchant to the Five Elders. This gave them a small but crucial margin for maneuver.
Only now did Sengoku truly realize... the Celestial Dragons were even more repulsive than he had imagined!
...
Out at sea, the winds of change were howling.
With the establishment of the Battle Center, the entire world seemed to have accelerated. Whether they were factions or individuals, as long as they had ambition and believed in the reality of Pokémon, they began to act with desperation.
And so, time passed in the frenzy of the seas.
In the blink of an eye, a week had gone by.
...
The Grand Line, Alabasta Kingdom, Pokémon Center Battle Area.
At this time, a rarely seen qualifying match was taking place here.
"Eevee, use Quick Attack!"
"Slowpoke, use Yawn!"
In the vast forest arena, Robin and Cobra stood at opposite ends of the battlefield.
A swift figure darted across the ground like a flash of lightning, cutting through the underbrush as it charged towards the pink Slowpoke.
At the same time, the Slowpoke, following its orders, let out a wide yawn.
Suddenly, waves of sound twisted the space and rushed towards the speeding figure.
The terrifying sound waves instantly filled Eevee's ears, disrupting its Quick Attack and revealing its position.
"Slowpoke, capitalize on this and use Water Pulse!"
Cobra, who had witnessed Suicune's Water Pulse before, had an immense trust in the move.
A shimmering water orb quickly formed in Slowpoke's mouth, a rare flash of determination in its typically vacant eyes.
The water orb shot forward, aimed directly at Eevee.
Caught off guard by the yawn, Eevee had no time to react.
Just as the small Eevee was about to be hit by the powerful water attack, Robin suddenly crossed her arms, her gaze sharp.
"Seis Fleur: Swing!"
In an instant, a long vine of arms sprouted from a nearby tree, swinging towards Eevee like a vine swing.
With the momentum, the hands formed by Robin's ability scooped up Eevee and tossed it far away, just in time.
Boom!
The Water Pulse, now missing its target, smashed into the ground, creating a huge crater with its violent force.
Slowpoke, now at level 45, might not match Suicune's world-shattering power, but its strength was comparable to that of a Vice Admiral—formidable indeed.
"Oh ho~ Was that Water Pulse? Quite impressive!"
High above the arena, a transparent barrier separated the battlefield from the spectators.
Around this transparent barrier, a crowd had gathered, eagerly watching the center of the battlefield.
Among them were Ace and the crew of the Spade Pirates, all eyes focused on the match.
On either side of Ace sat a Charizard with arms crossed and his first mate, Deuce.
"Raa!"
Hearing Ace praise Slowpoke, the Charizard beside him huffed in displeasure, blowing out a wisp of black smoke and muttering:
"Roar~ (Such a low-level battle... what's so impressive about it?)"
Having just reached the level 50 milestone, Charizard found these level 30-40 Pokémon battles as trivial as a child's play.
But...
Ace, always eager to experience something new, thought otherwise.
He wrapped an arm around Charizard's neck, laughing:
"Hahaha, you can't say that, Charizard!"
"No matter the strength of the battle, there's always something to learn."
"Exactly!"
Just as Ace finished speaking, a rough voice suddenly came from behind him.
Ace was about to turn to see who was addressing him when an incredibly strong hand clapped him on the shoulder.
"It seems you've grown a lot since you set sail, Ace~"
"..."
Feeling the familiar weight on his shoulder, Ace froze.
His body stiffened immediately.
After a moment, he seemed to snap out of it, his head turning around like a rusty, creaking gear.
"O... old man!!!? What are you doing here?!"
Ace stammered in disbelief.
Behind him, Garp grinned wide, his white teeth gleaming like crescents, staring at Ace with a bright expression.
In the calmest tone possible, he uttered the words that sent a chill down Ace's spine:
"Of course, I've come to find you! Ace!"
(End of this chapter)