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The sky over Cocoyasi Village was clear and sunny.
When Genzo spread the news of the complete annihilation of the Arlong Pirates, every village in the surrounding seas erupted with excitement.
Suddenly, the names of Nami and the Straw Hat Pirates spread throughout the Conomi Islands.
People cheered, shouting Nami's name in gratitude.
But when they arrived at Cocoyasi Village, bringing gifts and local specialties to thank her…
They were met with an unexpected answer—Nami was no longer there.
"It's rare, Nami."
"You gave away so many Berries to the villagers without hesitation."
"Looks like I need to see you in a new light."
On the Going Merry, Zoro, passing by during his training, glanced at Nami leaning against the ship's railing, gazing at the sea. He couldn't help but sigh.
But the next second, Nami turned around, her face twisted in misery.
"Can you not talk about it!?"
Her voice trembled, filled with reluctance.
Just hours ago, she had made the most painful decision of her life.
Every single Berry looted from Arlong, along with the nearly 100 million Berries she had painstakingly saved over the years…
She had returned it all to the villages of the Conomi Islands, to help them rebuild after years of oppression under Arlong.
Though the money had originally belonged to the villages, watching it slip from her grasp felt like a thousand needles stabbing into her heart.
That was why she stood at the railing, looking regretfully in the direction of Cocoyasi Village.
"Uh…"
Zoro's expression froze. He coughed awkwardly before silently walking away.
On the vast blue sea, the Going Merry seemed small, yet it carried the dreams of its crew as it continued toward their next destination.
Night fell in the blink of an eye.
After a long day, everyone returned to their beds and drifted into sleep.
Usopp, however, had other plans.
With a flash of light, he arrived at a warm, grassy field.
This was the backyard of his hidden workshop, a vast area with fresh air and a peaceful environment.
The only downside? He was the only one here. Not even a single Pokémon in sight.
But Usopp had long since grown accustomed to solitude.
After all, the strong are always lonely!
He quickly opened his backpack, pulling out a variety of tools and materials—
Training targets, equipment for developing ammunition, blueprints for future weapons…
Tucked away in a hidden corner was his real secret—a fully equipped workspace.
He had discovered something incredible: any item he placed in his satchel could be brought into this world, and he could also take items back into the Pirate World.
Unfortunately…
The rule only worked one way. He couldn't take anything from this world back to his own.
But that was more than enough for Usopp!
"Hah~ I almost died today! That Usopp Bullet I was testing was nearly set off by Luffy!"
The "Usopp Bullet"—short for Usopp's Special Improved Buggy Bullet for General Purpose—was his latest invention.
It was based on the explosive formula of the Buggy Bullet but modified into a more portable combat tool.
This was Usopp's most important research project at the moment.
Carefully, he pulled out a powder storage container and placed it on the workbench.
After today's chaos with Luffy, Usopp had decided—any potentially dangerous materials would be stored in this secret world.
During the day, he could mass-produce weapons at his workshop.
At night, he would refine his experiments here.
No wasted time. No unnecessary risks.
"Alright! Back to work!"
With everything in place, Usopp quickly got into the zone. He picked up his pen, scribbling notes while running tests.
Every so often, he would fire a prototype into the distance, carefully observing the results.
And then—
BOOM!
A small mushroom cloud rose in the backyard.
Usopp shook his head in disappointment.
"No, the gunpowder still isn't strong enough!"
"If it can't even take down Sanji, how am I supposed to help Luffy and Zoro against enemies even stronger than them?!"
"I need stronger materials! I need a more powerful gunpowder formula!"
Usopp's eyes gleamed with ambition.
Under Red's long-term influence, he was no longer plagued by self-doubt.
Because now, he had found his own path to becoming stronger!
"If I can't improve the quality for now, then I'll have to rely on quantity... A continuous-fire mechanism will be another key area of research."
"And then there's portability, cost, firepower..."
"Ugh—!!!"
"Just thinking about it is giving me a headache!!!"
Usopp groaned, ruffling his hair in frustration.
But in the next moment, he turned back to his blueprints with fierce determination, diving headfirst into another round of ammunition development.
To keep up with the Straw Hat Pirates and become the Sniper King, as Red called him, he had to overcome his "Lack of Firepower Phobia."
If he couldn't provide enough long-range support for his crew, then what was the point of his existence?!
"I am... the great Captain Usopp!!!"
"How could I give up so easily?!"
In the empty backyard of his hidden workshop, Usopp shouted, pumping himself up.
Meanwhile...
While Usopp was immersed in his research, Trainer Red had arrived in a brand-new town—Celadon City!
This was the place he had been looking forward to the most!
Celadon City not only had the official Celadon Gym but also a massive department store stocked with TMs and battle equipment. And hidden beneath the city... a secret Team Rocket base crawling with enemies!
It was obvious—
Red would be staying here for quite a while.
To reach Celadon quickly, he and Nami had been racing across the region in the past few days.
They had passed through Rock Tunnel and Lavender Town.
But without any special items to detect ghosts, they had chosen to bypass the Pokémon Tower for now. Instead, they took the underground tunnel west of Lavender Town, emerging onto Route 7—just outside Celadon City.
Along the way, they defeated an elite trainer and earned a TM as a reward.
[Move: Facade]
Type: Normal
Category: Physical
Power: 70
Effect: If the user is poisoned, paralyzed, or burned, this move's power significantly increases.
Although it didn't double in strength like in the games, Red believed that any move labeled as "greatly boosted" had serious potential.
It was a shame Luffy's rubber body made him immune to paralysis.
Otherwise, he and Nami could have created a devastating combo with her electric attacks.
For now, their adventure had paused at Route 7.
At that moment, Red was bringing a new companion to the entrance of Celadon City.
Celadon City
The moment they stepped into the city, a wave of floral fragrance filled the air.
The streets were lined with lush greenery, vibrant flowerbeds, and carefully maintained trees. The city was bustling yet clean and orderly.
Just walking through it brought an inexplicable sense of peace.
"This is unbelievable!"
Sanji, looking around at the urban buildings, couldn't help but admire the scene.
Though this wasn't his first time entering the Pokémon world, his past visits had been brief—either training Pokémon or recovering at a Pokémon Center. He had never had the chance to properly take in this world's beauty.
When Red had suddenly called his name and told him they'd be going on an adventure today, Sanji had been caught off guard.
But Red, having heard such reactions before, simply grinned.
"Don't be so shocked yet!"
"There are way more amazing places in this world."
"But today, we're on a tight schedule, so we need to hurry!"
"No problem!" Sanji cracked his knuckles. "Just tell me what you need, Red!"
Hearing that confident response, Red smirked in satisfaction.
Compared to Luffy's reckless nature and Zoro's terrible sense of direction, Sanji was probably the most reliable Pokémon companion he had trained!
And so, two determined figures dashed through the lively streets of Celadon City.
After running all the way, they arrived at a beautifully designed gym nestled within a garden—the Celadon Gym.
"Is this the place? Don't worry, Red!"
"I'll use the fiery kicking techniques you taught me to crush every opponent here!"
"Just watch!"
Sanji, excited for his first Pokémon battle, was bursting with confidence.
After all, Red had told him that this gym specialized in Grass-type Pokémon, which were weak against fire.
However, in response to Sanji's enthusiasm, Red simply muttered:
"I hope so."
Because…
While Fire-types may have the advantage over Grass-types…
This gym also had someone who could counter Sanji!