People often say that the fall of one era inevitably ushers in the rise of another.
The wheel of history rolls on, leaving its unmistakable marks on everyone.
With the recent departure of Garp, only one elder, Cobra, remains among the Four Heavenly Kings in the battle arena. They ultimately could not withstand the surge of the new era and have gradually faded from public view.
What followed was an era of great Pokémon, where hundreds of flowers bloomed and countless contenders emerged!
...
...
"Friends, let's raise our hands and warmly welcome the champion of the 4th Wolf Warrior Cup, the three-sword swordsman..."
"Roronoa Zoro!!!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Amid the colorful ribbons flying through the sky and the roaring salutes, a man with green hair slowly ascended the podium.
To the cheers of the audience, Zoro raised the enormous trophy filled with 100 million beli in cash, smiling nonchalantly as he looked around.
In just seven days, Zoro and Scyther used their sharp blades to cut down opponent after opponent. With their overwhelming strength, they delivered thrilling battles that captivated all who followed the Wolf Warrior Cup.
"Zoro!!!"
"Zoro!!!"
"Zoro!!!"
...
The crowd chanted Zoro's name as the host proceeded with the closing ceremony. And so, the fourth Wolf Warrior Cup, which lasted for a week, came to an end.
Zoro, clutching the trophy filled with cash, walked into the dark tunnel leading away from the arena.
Although he hadn't faced any truly challenging opponents in the past seven days, he was still satisfied with winning the 100 million beli prize so easily.
"Well, since the prize is so large, I might as well treat Johnny and the others to a drink later," Zoro thought to himself.
On this rare occasion, Zoro decided that good fortune should be shared with everyone.
Despite having developed a habit of frugality as part of his efforts to resurrect Kuina, Zoro couldn't ignore the loyalty Johnny and Joseph had shown him. They had followed him all the way from the East Blue Sea to the Grand Line, enduring countless hardships without a single complaint. It would be a lie to say he wasn't moved by their dedication.
Zoro even felt grateful to Alvida and Koby.
It hadn't been easy for the four of them to make it this far. It was time to relax a bit.
However...
Just as Zoro stepped out of the tunnel, several figures suddenly blocked his path.
"Huh?"
Zoro frowned, quickly recognizing the leader as Mr. Brown, the organizer of the Wolf Warrior Cup.
But when Zoro thought Brown might try to renege on his promise and reclaim the prize, Brown stepped forward with twinkling eyes.
"Congratulations on winning the tournament, Mr. Zoro!"
Brown's ingratiating smile made Zoro frown even more. He instinctively moved the hand holding the trophy closer to his side.
However...
What Brown did next left Zoro completely stunned.
"I'm sorry to take up your time, Mr. Zoro."
Brown gestured behind him, and five burly men stepped forward, each carrying a large black suitcase.
Thud!
One of the men set a suitcase on the ground and quickly opened it.
Suddenly!
Zoro seemed to see an endless light emanating from the suitcase.
When he blinked, he realized the suitcase was filled with stacks of beli!
At a glance, it looked like it contained as much money as the trophy in his hand.
Brown continued to smile obsequiously as he took another step forward:
"Mr. Zoro, I wonder if I could have the honor of inviting you to my company's headquarters. I have a business proposition worth 500 million beli that I'd like to discuss with you..."
...
...
Meanwhile...
Outside the battle area, in an opulent-looking building.
"What!? You want to sign me as your professional trainer!?"
Nami's eyes widened in shock as she stared in confusion at Bella, whose figure was both curvaceous and commanding.
"That's right."
Bella, holding a long cigarette holder, slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, then smiled seductively as she spoke in a friendly tone:
"Little sister Nami, despite your impressive strength at such a young age, the Grand Line is a place where no one can stand alone."
"And..."
Bella sighed deeply, her face tinged with sadness:
"As a woman, being alone on this sea is dangerous."
"You've just come from the East Blue Sea, so you might not fully understand, but in this world, beauty can sometimes be a curse!"
"Believe it or not, twenty years ago, I was the concubine of a king in a prosperous kingdom. But when a Celestial Dragon visited the kingdom, he took a fancy to me..."
"My husband, out of pride, refused to hand me over to the Celestial Dragon."
"And then..."
"The Celestial Dragon was enraged and ordered a massacre in the palace. If I hadn't escaped in the chaos, I don't know what would have become of me!"
Bella's eyes flickered, as if recalling painful memories.
The flash in her eyes seemed to transport her back to that fateful night twenty years ago that changed her life forever.
After a moment, Bella suddenly sobbed.
She slowly raised her head, her tear-filled eyes evoking pity.
Bella looked at Nami and continued to speak with a sigh:
"So, Nami..."
"If we want to survive in this cruel sea, we must unite all the forces we can!"
"Only by making our strength formidable will the world stop hurting us for our beauty!"
"Only then will we have the power to say no to the world!"
"So, Nami, join my Rose Chamber of Commerce!"
"Together, let's make a unique statement to the world!"
She extended a hand with slender fingers towards Nami.
Nami slowly raised her head.
It was hard to believe that such a powerful and determined voice could come from a woman in her forties.
Suddenly, tears began to stream down Nami's face.
"Sister Bella, you too have endured such a past."
"Yes?" Bella was momentarily taken aback.
Nami's eyes were soft, and tears flowed gently.
Realizing she was letting her emotions slip, Nami quickly wiped her tears and said,
"I'm not sure if I should say this, Sister Bella, but the reason I became a trainer and came to the Grand Line is because I have a similar story to yours!"
"The king of my country, the Kingdom of Hyde, tried to appease a Celestial Dragon..."
In the office of the Rose Chamber of Commerce's president, a heart-wrenching story of a girl's escape slowly unfolded.
As Nami recounted her tale of losing her parents, being bullied by local officials, and narrowly escaping being skinned and turned into "art," even Bella, with all her worldly experience, couldn't help but feel moved.
She gently stroked Nami's head, her eyes reflecting a deep sense of hesitation.
After a while, Bella let out a long sigh.
"I never would have guessed that you've endured such hardships."
"But that's all in the past now, and things will only get better for us from here on."
"Mm-hmm!"
Nami nodded tearfully, still nestled in Bella's embrace, like a child seeking comfort after being bullied.
A long time later, Nami, now a member of the Rose Chamber of Commerce, left the headquarters with a joyful expression and headed toward her hotel. As she turned a corner, a figure in a dark suit suddenly emerged from the shadows.
Kuro frowned and asked in confusion, "Miss Nami, what did they say to you?"
"Nothing much," Nami chuckled, shaking her head calmly. "They just asked me to join their chamber of commerce as a free enforcer and spokesperson."
"What?" Kuro was taken aback, his mouth agape. "But… but you were talking for so long! Did you agree?"
"Why not?" Nami replied, looking at the shadowy figure before her. "You should know, Captain Kuro, that sometimes the things offered for free are the most expensive."
As Kuro gave her a puzzled look, Nami flashed a sly smile.
She had seen through Bella's story—yes, those events had indeed happened, but if anyone pitied Bella or underestimated her because of them, they would be incredibly naive. A woman who had survived for 20 years on the Grand Line, building such a vast enterprise, was far from simple.
From the start, Nami knew that Bella was trying to use her painful past to lower her guard, to forge a connection, and ultimately, to exploit her. It was a tactic Bella had likely used on many unsuspecting girls.
However, Bella's experiences were real. She used these girls' trust and labor, but never asked them to compromise their dignity. This was why Nami agreed to join Bella's cause.
Despite the well-rehearsed tale, Nami noticed that when Bella spoke of the Celestial Dragons, her deeply buried anger and hatred would surface, no matter how many times she had told the story. This resonated with Nami.
"Unite all the forces we can!" she thought.
The Revolutionary Army's activities in the East Blue had been progressing smoothly. In just a few months, they had overthrown the tyrannical rulers of four non-World Government countries, laying a solid foundation.
However, their presence and strength on the Grand Line remained alarmingly scarce. Bella, with her Rose Chamber of Commerce worth billions of Baileys and her history of persecution by the Celestial Dragons, represented a potential ally.
With a slight smile, Nami turned to Kuro and said, "Captain Kuro, focus on the battle area for now. The Pokémon League Conference is approaching, and the world will soon be in turmoil. If Sabo and the others don't plan to attend, we'll be the only representatives of the Revolutionary Army at the conference."
"You need to do your best too!"
"Don't worry, Miss Nami!" Kuro replied earnestly.
Being sharp, he caught on to Nami's subtle hints and responded with a knowing smile, "Then, I wish you success in your plan!"
Smart people don't need many words. After a brief exchange, the two parted ways. Kuro melted back into the shadows, while Nami reemerged into the sunlight, looking as content as a child who had just found their way home.
——
In a spacious and luxurious office, Usopp and Buggy stood before a mountain of Baileys, their jaws practically on the floor.
Contrasting their stunned expressions, Kaya, with her elegant blonde hair, was quickly inspecting the massive pile of money. Just moments later, her serious demeanor softened into a bright smile as she confirmed, "The amount is correct."
"Gulp!" Usopp swallowed nervously, extending a trembling hand to shake with Mond, sealing the deal.
"Pleasure doing business!" Mond said with a hearty laugh, showing no signs of looking down on Usopp despite his youthful appearance or dazed reaction.
Mond, a renowned arms dealer on the Grand Line, was thoroughly impressed by Usopp's talent. Despite being an arms dealer, Mond was an arms enthusiast at heart—a passion that had propelled him to his current status. Usually carefree, Mond became intensely focused and shrewd whenever the topic turned to weaponry.
When he witnessed Usopp using ammunition imbued with Pokémon moves, Mond was utterly captivated. The genius idea of turning Pokémon skills into ammunition drove him to obsession. As soon as the preliminary rounds concluded, Mond sought out Usopp and offered to buy his ammunition formula.
After a week of consideration, Usopp agreed to sell him the formula for "Energen Star" for 2 billion Beli. Mond, thrilled with his new treasure, quickly memorized the formula before destroying it. Although the recipe required Pokémon capable of using Grass-type energy, Mond, with his extensive resources, didn't consider this a problem.
"Oh, right!" Mond suddenly called out, causing Usopp, who was packing money into bags, to freeze in fear that Mond might change his mind.
"W-what's wrong?" Usopp stammered.
Mond patted the table and asked, "Mr. Usopp, are you planning to compete in the Pokémon League qualifiers next?"
"Uh, yes. Why?" Usopp replied, still puzzled.
"Well..." Mond began, speaking slowly. "Though I'm an arms dealer, I also run competitions and casinos. I want to ask if you'd be willing to be the face of our competition. If so, I'm prepared to pay you 100 million Beli per month until the Pokémon League ends!"
Even though Mond had already purchased the Energen Star formula and planned to produce and sell it across the Grand Line, he hadn't forgotten that Usopp had many more unique bullet formulas—ammunition that could shake the earth, unleash powerful soundwaves, or deliver devastating slashes. After watching Usopp in action for seven days, Mond became obsessed with his fighting style and his seemingly endless ammo bag.
Although financial constraints meant Mond could only afford to buy one stable ammunition formula for now, he wasn't about to let a genius like Usopp's slip through his fingers. By making Usopp the spokesperson for his business, Mond hoped to keep him close and purchase more formulas in the future.
Moreover, Mond had a strong feeling that having Usopp represent his arms business could lead to some unexpected opportunities!
(End of this chapter)