Pokémon Breeder In One Piece!

"Everyone, listen up! The Boss has entered its Berserk Phase!"

Even while dealing with elite monsters, the green-haired man kept a close eye on the Boss's HP.

"Hit the ground!"

Madara noticed the Kobold Lord discard its battle axe in favor of the massive executioner's blade strapped to its back.

Now glowing with golden light, the Boss had entered an Unstoppable State, forcing its way to its feet. The Pokémon's control skills were no longer effective.

Most of the 200-plus players immediately dropped to the ground upon hearing Madara's command. Although they didn't know why, their trust in him made them comply without hesitation.

However, a dozen players had just leapt into the air at that moment. Even realizing something was wrong, they had no time to react.

The Boss swung its massive blade in a wide, sweeping arc, activating a skill that unleashed a devastating Draw Slash.

"Bellsprout, use Vine Whip!"

At the last second, one player commanded their Pokémon to use a skill, and deep green vines shot out, yanking two players to the ground in time.

Unfortunately, the remaining dozen weren't as lucky.

The Boss's attack struck them mid-air, carving red gashes into their torsos and severely depleting their HP. Three players were critically hit, their health instantly reduced to zero. They shattered into fragments on the spot.

'Beta testers, huh?'

Madara glanced at the fallen players, immediately recognizing them.

During the beta, the first-floor Boss's berserk phase involved slamming the ground with its blade, forcing all players to drop. Only jumping could avoid the attack.

However, the Boss's behavior had clearly been adjusted for the official release.

Madara had anticipated this possibility upon seeing the weapon change but didn't know exactly how it would manifest.

Ironically, the beta testers had been caught off guard by their own knowledge.

Thankfully, beta testers typically had higher levels and better gear than the average player. The attack wasn't enough to wipe out all of them; only the unfortunate ones hit with criticals were killed.

"Sneasel, Scratch!"

Kirito, the closest player to the Boss, took a deep breath and charged forward with his Sneasel.

Together, man and Pokémon unleashed a flurry of slashes, their movements so fast they seemed to spark.

"Heracross, Fury Attack!"

On the other side, Asuna joined the offensive with Heracross.

With her rapier glowing white from skill activation, she struck repeatedly with pinpoint precision.

Asuna's build focused on Intelligence (boosting MP, skill damage, and cooldown reduction) and Agility (enhancing movement speed, attack speed, and critical rate), making her highly reliant on skills for damage output.

Heracross mirrored her movements, repeatedly ramming its horn into the Boss with relentless force.

"Lisbeth, your turn!"

Madara didn't engage, instead shoving his apprentice forward.

"Wait—what?!"

Lisbeth stumbled, caught off guard, and resorted to throwing wild punches at the Boss.

Within moments, the combined assault of Kirito, Asuna, Lisbeth, and their Pokémon drained the Boss's remaining 10% HP.

With a final roar, the Kobold Lord shattered into countless fragments, disappearing into the air.

The entire Boss battle had lasted less than three minutes.

A reward notification appeared before every player.

With the loot divided among over 200 participants, the individual rewards were comparable to defeating a low-level monster. Most players didn't mind; their excitement stemmed from taking the first step toward clearing the game.

Even the deaths of three players went largely unnoticed. Those who did notice refrained from mentioning it, not wanting to dampen the celebratory mood.

"Congratulations! You have received 'Midnight Cloak.'"

Kirito equipped his reward and scanned the area. His eyes soon met Asuna's.

"Hey, you and your Pokémon are amazing," Kirito said, breaking the ice.

Asuna smiled and replied, "Thank you. You and your Pokémon are impressive too."

She patted Heracross, who shyly scratched its cheek, clearly flattered.

"Heracross~"

Kirito and Asuna's attention then shifted to Lisbeth, who still looked shaken.

"You're Madara-san's apprentice, right?" Kirito asked, noticing the gloves on her hands.

As a fellow disciple, he recognized the significance of her gear. Certain skills, even unique ones, could be passed down through the Mentor-Disciple System.

Madara's passive skill, Fist Flow, was one such example.

Kirito scrutinized Lisbeth but found no notable qualities—just an ordinary girl with seemingly weaker resolve than the average player.

In a death game, nurturing someone like her could be seen as a waste of resources.

Kirito glanced back at Asuna, thinking Madara would have been better off mentoring someone as bold and meticulous as her—or perhaps a male disciple with greater combat potential.

He had noticed Asuna and Heracross's seamless teamwork during the fight, a level of coordination uncharacteristic of new players.

"Yes, I am," Lisbeth admitted, her head hanging in shame.

She felt unworthy of her mentor's reputation. Madara was admired by many, yet she couldn't even muster the courage to face the Boss confidently.

"Excuse me, can I ask something?" Asuna stepped forward, addressing Kirito. "Your fighting style seems different from most players. Why is that?"

"Oh, that's because of my passive skill, Dual Blades. It's similar to Madara-san's and her skill," Kirito explained.

In the original timeline, he avoided revealing Dual Blades due to its uniqueness, fearing it would make him a target.

Now, things were different.

While Dual Blades was unique, other similar skills existed, like Madara and Lisbeth's Fist Flow, which drew more attention than his own.

Even if Kirito attracted envy, it wouldn't escalate into hostility. His true trump card, Uchiha Sword Style, remained inconspicuous as its critical hit bonus wasn't easily noticeable.

"My Fist Flow was passed down from my mentor…" Lisbeth said naively, drawing the attention of nearby players.

Kirito quickly intervened:

"While these skills can be passed down, the Mentor-Disciple System only allows one disciple per mentor. I've already pledged myself to another mentor, so I can't teach anyone else."

"Oh, I didn't know that…" Lisbeth scratched her head, looking puzzled.

"It seems these are rare skills, reserved for the lucky few," Asuna remarked without ulterior motive.

For her, skills like Dual Blades and Fist Flow, which relied on basic attacks, didn't align with her playstyle.

The group dispersed, returning to Starting Town.

News of the first-floor Boss's defeat spread like wildfire, invigorating the entire SAO player base. The towns buzzed with energy, as though everyone were on the brink of returning to the real world.

At midnight, the teleport gate to the second floor would open.

Many beta testers planned to rest and wake early to claim rare quests on the next floor. Public players, unaware of this strategy, were puzzled by the delay and had to ask around to learn the gate's activation timing.

Discussions soon turned to the Boss battle's standout performances.

Madara's swift reactions and precise commands solidified his reputation as the most reliable leader. Many players resolved to only participate in raids he led, trusting him to minimize their risk of death.

Another hot topic was the Trainers.

Kirito and Sneasel, Asuna and Heracross—these two pairs garnered the most attention.

Sneasel's critical taunt and Heracross's decisive shove were pivotal in the Boss's defeat. Their synchronized fighting styles amazed other players, who admired their seamless coordination.

Kirito was soon dubbed the "Dual-Wielding Trainer."

Asuna earned the title of "Shining Trainer."

(End of Chapter)

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