Boom!!!
The Fire Fist that split the mountain seemed to be just the beginning.
After getting used to his newly acquired abilities, the violent flames inside Ace's body were now completely unleashed, transforming into a fierce dragon that incinerated everything around him.
The massive flames surged like tidal waves, engulfing the entire area. In the blink of an eye, the open space around Ace had become a wasteland of destruction, with the ground dry and cracked, littered with gravel.
Nearby, Charizard was not to be outdone. He tested the power of his new form amidst the blazing inferno with Ace. Having evolved, Charizard had shed the constraints of his former body. His punches were as powerful as a mountain, and his kicks as swift as a swallow in flight.
Each punch and kick was like a roaring hurricane, shaking the air with sheer dominance. Even without fighting attributes, Charizard now stood as a fully-fledged high-energy fighter. All his previous training seemed to have been in preparation for this very moment.
With sharp eyes, tense muscles, and flames blazing around him, Charizard was a deadly weapon ready to crush any foe. The combined power of Ace and Charizard made the very earth beneath them groan in agony.
Yet, Ace and Charizard were having a blast with their newfound abilities, reveling in their powers without restraint.
---
Meanwhile...
Seeing that Ace and Charizard had adapted to their new abilities, Leo couldn't help but smile intriguingly. The energy orb that symbolized the Power of Bond now lay quietly in his ability storage space, alongside the Power of Nature, Haki training experience, and other special abilities.
To Leo's surprise, copying the Power of Bond cost only 500 points, half the price of the Power of Nature. This was likely due to the unique nature of the Power of Bond.
Unlike the current Power of Bond within Ace, the ability Leo copied, which he also called the Power of Bond, was fundamentally different. It was merely a conduit for transferring energy between the trainer and the Pokémon.
The amount and efficiency of this energy transfer still depended on the strength of the bond between the trainer and the Pokémon.
"It's a bit like the power feedback mechanism in beast-taming novels," Leo mused after copying the Power of Bond.
Even though the Power of Bond was only worth 500 points, when paired with the 1,000-point Power of Nature, it was a game-changer for most traders. It offered trainers a whole new avenue of possibility.
---
Leo's eyes sparkled as he watched Ace wielding his fiery power. He had just noticed a special characteristic in the pirate world, one possessed by strong figures like Ace—a monstrous, superhuman physique.
In the Pokémon world, both bond evolution and mega evolution, as well as Z-moves and Gigantamax, impose a heavy burden on the trainer. This limitation is the primary reason why trainers can typically only perform one special action per battle.
Especially with bond evolution, the shared senses require the trainer to possess outstanding physical and energetic stamina to keep pace with the Pokémon during battle.
But in the pirate world, this burden was greatly mitigated by those with monstrous physiques. For example, despite the strain, Ace could maintain his bond evolution for ten days or more, thanks to his incredible endurance.
This duration was more than sufficient for any typical battle.
So... with such exceptional physical resilience, could trainers in the pirate world leverage the Power of Bond for other transformations?
Could they, for instance, undergo bond evolution, then mega evolve, Gigantamax, and even use Z-moves all in one sequence?
There might be conflicts and obstacles between these forms, such as between mega evolution and bond evolution, which both strengthen the Pokémon through the power of bonds. However, bond evolution draws power directly from the trainer and the Pokémon, while mega evolution relies on Mega Stones.
These issues, though, were minor under the influence of the omnipotent World Source. Making small adjustments without altering the essence wouldn't cost too many points.
Leo could even tweak the Mega Stones to allow all Pokémon the chance to mega evolve, including forms not yet seen in the Pokémon world.
Imagine the sheer power of a Pokémon when all these buffs are combined! The thought made a smile tug at Leo's lips.
"Perhaps, we could even break the limits of this world," he murmured.
---
Later...
Ace and Charizard, fully adjusted to their new forms, approached with broad smiles.
"This is amazing! Absolutely amazing!" Ace beamed, clearly exhilarated by the taste of newfound fiery power.
With his new abilities, Ace felt his strength had increased by at least 1.5 times! Moreover, bond evolution didn't have the drawbacks of Devil Fruits. It wasn't limited by water, Seastone, or Haki. It provided abilities comparable to Devil Fruits without any significant weaknesses.
Trading really was the path to becoming stronger!
"Of course, bond evolution is rare even in the Pokémon world. Such power is to be expected," Leo responded coolly to Ace's enthusiasm, as if already accustomed to such surprises.
Influenced by Leo's calm demeanor, Ace chuckled sheepishly, realizing he might have overreacted.
Before Ace could continue, a hearty laugh interrupted their conversation.
"Gurararara..."
"Sorry to interrupt."
At last, the Whitebeard Pirates, who had been observing from a distance, made their move. Leading them, Whitebeard himself walked over, followed by his crew.
Thud!
Whitebeard drove his massive naginata into the ground. The man, capable of shaking the world, stepped forward, towering over Leo like a mountain.
Yet, strangely, to onlookers, Leo's presence seemed even more commanding than that of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Whitebeard's expression held a hint of complexity. Having been a dominant figure for so long, he found himself unsure how to approach this visitor from another world.
After a moment of mental preparation, he composed himself, put on his most natural expression, and smiled:
"Everything that happened today truly amazed me! Sir Leo, I wonder if I have the qualifications to make a deal with you. How about a transaction?"
"Oh?" Leo smirked, signaling to Ace before turning back with a smile. "As the strongest man in the world, one of the Four Emperors of the sea, Mr. Whitebeard, you are certainly qualified to engage in dimensional trading."
Leo raised his head, his voice calm and composed:
"I assume you're familiar with the rules of the transaction. But I wonder, how many points do you plan to exchange for? And what do you wish to purchase?"
The rules of dimensional trading had already been widely publicized by major media. Considering Whitebeard's stature, there was no need for Leo to go over them again.
However, what Leo failed to notice was that as he finished speaking, the expressions of the Whitebeard Pirates' captains became quite peculiar.
After all, they had long stood at the pinnacle of the world, and it was rare for them to hear someone speak to their father in such an evaluative tone.
Even though Leo's status was unique, and it was Whitebeard who initiated the request this time, the strange sensation left the Whitebeard crew visibly surprised and a bit uncomfortable. They were accustomed to being aloof, and this was the first time they had approached someone, even under their father's lead.
On the other hand, Whitebeard, ranked among the top figures in the world, maintained a calm demeanor. Hearing Leo's affirmative response, a hint of joy flashed across his face.
A crescent-like smile spread across Whitebeard's face as he chuckled expectantly:
"Gurararara... As long as a trade can be made, that's all that matters! How many points to redeem or what to buy doesn't concern me. I'll leave everything in Sir Leo's capable hands!"
Whitebeard waved his hand dismissively. To him, what he traded for was secondary. It was his first time encountering Pokémon, these fascinating creatures from another world, and the adventurous spirit he had in his youth was reignited. He simply wanted to take his sons to see these intriguing beings.
"No specific requirements can often be the biggest requirement," Leo remarked with a laugh, secretly shaking his head. Whitebeard's approach didn't seem like that of a high-quality customer. After all, if customers didn't have clear trading goals, they might not be willing to spend much.
Leo could sense that Whitebeard had substantial resources that could be exchanged for points. As one of the Four Emperors, the Whitebeard Pirates controlled numerous islands. Some of these islands were wholly owned by the Whitebeard Pirates, while others paid tribute to them regularly. After decades of rule, even Whitebeard might not know the full extent of his wealth.
How could such a significant potential client not be nurtured properly?
With a hint of helplessness, Leo snapped his fingers in the direction of Whitebeard's head and said:
"In any case, why don't you redeem some points first?"
Snap!
With a crisp snap, a virtual interface suddenly appeared in Whitebeard's mind, along with instructions on how to use the trading system.
"This is truly magical!" Whitebeard exclaimed, smacking his lips as he absorbed the information in his mind.
However, he didn't rush to redeem points right away. The light screen in his mind displayed a vast array of materials—famous swords, firearms, Devil Fruits, giant battleships, gold, and silver treasures. If it weren't for seeing this interface, Whitebeard himself might not have realized he possessed so many resources.
But rather than immediately converting these items into points like other traders, he turned to Marco beside him and asked:
"Marco, how much Beli do we have available?"
"Beli?" Marco, momentarily taken aback by Whitebeard's question, thought for a moment before replying, "After accounting for the maintenance costs of all the ships and the pocket money for the crew, we should have around 50 billion Beli."
"50 billion?" Whitebeard repeated in surprise, momentarily stunned by the enormous sum. He had never concerned himself with the pirate group's finances, and only now did he realize how wealthy they had become.
A gleam appeared in his clouded eyes, and he broke into a broad grin, laughing heartily:
"Alright! Let's start by redeeming 50 billion Beli!"
Whitebeard chose not to touch the battleships, weapons, or Devil Fruits. At 70 years old, he knew he didn't have many good years left. He hoped to spend his final days living a glorious life, much like Roger did.
He considered those weapons and Devil Fruits as essentials for his sons, the tools of power in a world ruled by might. These were the legacies he intended to leave behind. In contrast, Beli was just a number to him, of little personal importance.
As Whitebeard's thoughts took shape, a warehouse filled with cash on one of the islands under his control was instantly emptied. When Whitebeard opened his eyes again, a Rotom Phone suitable for him appeared before him.
"Congratulations, Mr. Whitebeard! You have become a VIP 6 member of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce!" came Leo's voice.
"From now on, you can purchase any item available in the mall system! In addition, as a VIP 6 member, you are entitled to make any special requests. Whether it's eternal youth, invincible power, or anything within the capabilities of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, it can be yours, as long as you can pay the price in points."
Leo smiled mysteriously at Whitebeard, ignoring the shocked expressions of both Whitebeard and his crew. With a wave of his hand, the information about the items in the mall system was transferred into Whitebeard's mind.
Although he hadn't converted all his assets into points, 50 billion Beli was no small amount, and Leo was more than satisfied with it.
Moreover, Leo had used his mind-reading ability to delve into Whitebeard's thoughts and understood his intentions. As an aging man, Whitebeard had little desire for personal gain. His primary aim in exchanging the 50 billion Beli was to select suitable Pokémon for Marco and the others, enhancing their strength just as he had for Ace.
Whitebeard's thoughts had indeed aged. Even if he didn't want to admit it, all his concerns now centered around his sons.
But that didn't matter! Leo smiled inwardly. If these thoughts stemmed from Whitebeard's advanced age, then... if Whitebeard were restored to his youth, wouldn't that solve everything?
(End of this chapter)