To reach his current position, Spandam relied on more than just his father's protection.
More importantly, he understood what those in power needed.
A mid-mission report wasn't what the Five Elders wanted to see, and it wouldn't prove his competence.
"We have to find a way to get the dimensional merchants to agree to trade with the World Government..."
Spandam sighed, recalling Kalifa's claim that she had trade with the dimensional merchants.
"Given the circumstances, it seems this is the only viable option," he muttered thoughtfully.
As the leader of CP9, Spandam controlled far more funds than most could imagine.
However, much of this money was earmarked as his private stash. The thought of spending it on official business pained him.
"Forget it, it's for my future!"
Spandam slapped the table, making a decision.
"I can make as much money as I want once I'm promoted. Right now, securing a deal between the dimensional merchants and the World Government is the top priority!"
Throughout all this, Spandam never doubted Kalifa's truthfulness.
After all, they were agents trained by the World Government since childhood. If they couldn't be trusted, then the World Government truly had no one reliable in its ranks.
Three days later.
A ship, disguised as a tourist vessel, departed from Judiciary Island.
It was loaded with gold and silver jewelry.
To secure his promotion and fortune, Spandam had spent over 2 billion beli, gathering supplies to send to nuS Island on the Grand Line to support further transactions between Kalifa and the dimensional merchants.
Of course...
These 2 billion beli worth of supplies were just a part of the deal.
Spandam didn't believe that a mere 2 billion beli would be enough to impress the dimensional merchants from another world.
He had also applied for additional financial support and some Devil Fruits from higher-ups in his capacity as CP9 chief.
With these resources, he was confident that even the most indifferent dimensional merchant would be swayed.
At this moment, Spandam had already started inquiring about vacant senior positions at World Government Headquarters, planning his future path.
...
...
Meanwhile, high above nuS Island.
Leo, who had been overseeing the Spectacular battles for several days, slowly ascended into the sky.
After the battle between Robin and Cavendish, six more battles had taken place on nuS Island.
However, since the participants were mostly wealthy ladies or minor pirates with little fame, the income over the past few days hadn't even reached 100 million beli.
Even so, the profits from the Spectacular battles were enough to make many envious!
A total of 12 people participated in the six battles, earning an average of 10 million beli each!
This staggering rate of profit instantly spurred the other trainers on nuS Island into action.
Whether they were suited for the Contest Spectacular or not, everyone wanted to participate!
Many who originally came just to watch were so enticed by the potential profits that they immediately pulled out their Rotom Phones and signed up, filling the event schedule for the next month.
However, Leo wasn't too optimistic about these newcomers.
In the early stages of the contest, participants enjoyed an opening bonus, but as time passed and the audience became accustomed to the contest, this bonus would gradually disappear.
Only those with real talent would survive in the end.
To prevent the crowd from disrupting the real contestants, Leo had set up a special area for celebrity battles.
This celebrity battle area was separate from the main arena and was reserved for those with a certain level of fame.
This official distinction allowed new viewers to better differentiate between the masters and the newcomers.
This way, they could choose their favorite matches to watch.
The Contest Spectacular, in essence, was like Earth's star talent shows or art exams—a competitive arena where only the best would emerge victorious.
Those who remained on the battlefield would be the real money-makers.
As the Spectacular battle between two newcomers raged on, Leo, the contest's founder, had already descended into the depths of the sea, heading towards his next destination.
Although with Leo's current strength, his flying speed was several times faster than the Wailord's deep-sea voyage...
He still enjoyed the feeling of being in this different space, drinking milk tea, eating snacks, playing games, and waiting for the destination to arrive.
For seven days and nights, the Wailord sailed through the deep sea.
Finally, on a starless night, the bright moonlight illuminated the churning waters, and the island-like Wailord slowly surfaced, its round head breaking through the ocean.
Under the moonlight, a vague figure suddenly appeared atop the Wailord's head.
Looking at the people below, Leo chuckled, stepping onto the air as if climbing invisible stairs, and slowly approached the coast.
After surveying today's customers with a smile, Leo turned his gaze to the tall man facing him and said,
"Long time no see, Admiral Aokiji."
"Long time no see, Sir Leo."
Aokiji's expression was serious, but his eyes betrayed his panic.
This time, he was not alone.
Behind Aokiji stood hundreds of naval soldiers accompanying the ship.
As a naval admiral, Aokiji had intended to maintain a composed and respectful demeanor before Leo arrived.
However, sensing Leo's immense power, vast as the starry sky, his nerves were on edge.
Leo, who saw through Aokiji's thoughts, smiled meaningfully. He immediately suppressed his overwhelming aura, appearing as an ordinary person.
At that moment, several people who had been closely watching him breathed a sigh of relief.
Making customers feel comfortable had always been Leo's guiding principle in business.
Moreover, he had a hunch that today's transaction might bring him a pleasant surprise.
For he had already noticed Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru hiding behind Aokiji among the navy.
After glancing at the two from a distance, Leo turned his gaze back to Aokiji and chuckled:
"It seems that times have been tough for you lately, Aokiji, meeting in such a secluded location for this trade."
Aokiji's eyes twitched slightly before he sighed helplessly:
"There's no choice. To be honest with you, Sir Leo, the World Government has been reluctant to allow the Navy too much contact with you. So, we had to meet in secret like this."
"Is that so..."
Leo nodded lightly, smiling as he spoke:
"Speaking of which, not long ago, someone from the World Government approached me, asking if I would conduct dimensional transactions with them."
"What!?"
Aokiji exclaimed in surprise, his expression suddenly turning tense.
Even Sengoku and Tsuru, who were hiding, showed similar expressions.
If the World Government conducted dimensional transactions and learned the rules, wouldn't they discover that the Navy had deliberately concealed information?
Although they were not far from being exposed, the longer they kept this hidden, the better it would be for them!
Aokiji asked nervously:
"What happened after that?"
"After that?"
Leo smiled, not intending to toy with the Navy's tense nerves, and replied:
"Of course I refused."
He shook his head as he spoke.
"The Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce advocates for the diversity of the world, created by the diversity of life."
"But the World Government's ideology seeks to control the world in the hands of a small group of Celestial Dragons."
"Such a governing concept is too restrictive. It makes the world more prone to uncontrollable crises."
"I cannot trade with such a World Government."
"Unless... they are willing to give up the so-called rule of the Celestial Dragons."
Leo's words fell softly, but their impact was profound. Aokiji, Sengoku, and Tsuru immediately felt a sense of relief wash over them.
Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged glances, their suspicions confirmed.
It appeared that, despite their aloofness and tendency to avoid worldly matters, the dimensional merchants were not entirely indifferent to the actions of the Celestial Dragons. The Dimensional Merchants' apparent disdain for the Celestial Dragons' tyranny indicated they had made the right choice in seeking out Leo.
After Leo's words settled in the air, Aokiji responded with a touch of guilt in his voice:
"Sir Leo, you are absolutely right. The existence of the Celestial Dragons is indeed the greatest flaw in our world."
"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, sir." Aokiji added. "That is why we've been secretly planning how to free our world from the grip of the Celestial Dragons and create a better future."
As a high-ranking naval officer, Aokiji couldn't help but feel discomfort at hearing his world dismissed as merely a "pirate world." But he knew the description was accurate.
Ever since encountering the Pokémon world, Aokiji had come to realize what a healthy and just world should look like. This stark contrast made the World Government's control over his world seem all the more abnormal. That realization is what led him to seek out Leo in secret.
Leo, sensing Aokiji's unease, offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. This world still has much to offer," he said, gently shifting the conversation toward business. "Now, I wonder, Mr. Aokiji, how many points are you looking to trade for today?"
After a brief pause, Aokiji glanced back at Sengoku and Tsuru, who nodded in encouragement. With renewed determination, he replied, "This time, I've brought 30 billion beli worth of materials to trade."
Although they hadn't explicitly said so, Aokiji sensed that Sengoku and Tsuru were grooming him as a potential successor. Otherwise, Sengoku wouldn't have suggested that Aokiji handle all the navy's transactions to boost his VIP status within the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce.
When Sengoku first shared his plan, Aokiji had been shocked and conflicted for days. But his time spent with Garp had shaped his ideals, making him less inclined to accept the Celestial Dragons' oppressive rule.
Pressing the [Transaction Application] button had marked a turning point. Aokiji was now committed to leading the navy in overthrowing the Celestial Dragons' tyranny, either for the justice he believed in or for his future as a naval marshal.
However, before that decisive moment arrived, they needed to amass power and allies. Dimensional trading and Pokémon had given Aokiji the courage to make that bold move.
"30 billion?!" Leo's face lit up with excitement at the large sum. It had been a while since he'd seen a transaction of this magnitude. With a quick motion, he transferred the trading system directly into Aokiji's mind.
Since Aokiji hadn't yet activated the remote transaction feature, he'd brought all the materials aboard his warship. With a mere thought, the supplies vanished from the ship's hold, and 60,000 points were added to Aokiji's account.
As Aokiji's account balance surpassed 200,000 points, Leo's grin widened. He was now one step closer to accumulating the 5 million points needed for interdimensional travel.
"Congratulations, Mr. Aokiji," Leo said warmly. "You've just become a VIP level 5 member of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce. All the items in our shop are now available to you."
With a wave of his hand, Leo activated the privileges associated with Aokiji's new VIP status.
Instantly, detailed information about the items in the shop flooded Aokiji's mind. Whether it was items to enhance Pokémon abilities, versatile skills, or extraordinary powers, everything was now at his fingertips.
One item in particular caught Aokiji's eye: special feed that could ensure Magikarp evolved into Gyarados within three months!
He had previously purchased 5,000 Magikarp from Leo, and though only a dozen had evolved in the past six months, those that did had become formidable Gyarados, each with the power of a rear admiral and a variety of extraordinary abilities. Aokiji could only imagine the sheer force an entire army of Gyarados could wield.
Despite the long time, the evolution process remained unpredictable. Some Magikarp had evolved while eating, others while swimming, and some even after being accidentally hit by a flying plank. The randomness of it all only added to the mystique of the species.
But the special feed promised to make evolution a certainty, and Aokiji was determined to get his hands on it. He looked back at Leo, his decision made.
"Sir Leo, I'd like to purchase the feed that will allow my Magikarp to evolve into Gyarados!"
(End of this chapter)