Pokémon Breeder In One Piece!

September 30th.

Unlike the previous two months, SAO's progression significantly slowed in September.

In July and August, players had surged forward, clearing 23 floors and reaching the 24th floor in record time.

However, throughout all of September, only six floors were cleared, bringing them to the 30th floor.

Compared to the past two months, the progress had been cut in half. This contrast dealt a severe blow to morale, leaving many players disheartened.

The biggest obstacle?

The 25th Floor.

The 25th-floor boss had stalled the raid team for ten whole days, only falling on the third attempt.

According to Kayaba Akihiko's design, every 25 floors, the boss battles were significantly enhanced in difficulty.

The bosses of the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 100th floors were on an entirely different level compared to the others.

The key difference?

Most bosses had clear weaknesses—but these special bosses had none.

In the original timeline, the Army had suffered catastrophic losses on the 25th floor, nearly wiping out completely. This was what led their leader, Kibaou, to abandon the frontlines and retreat to the first floor, becoming a tyrant instead of a warrior.

The 25th-floor boss—"The Advancing Goblin Warlord"—was infamous for two terrifying traits:

A nearly indestructible steel-like body—even Madara and Kirito's Uchiha-style swordplay barely scratched it. Pokémon and weaker players could only deal the minimum HP-1 damage.It ate players alive.

Whenever the Goblin Warlord devoured a player, it regenerated 10% of its health.

Not only did this leave psychological scars on the players, but the visual horror of seeing a massive chunk of the boss's health suddenly regenerate had a soul-crushing effect on the raid team.

The first attempt saw Madara leading 200 players, without top players like Kirito or Asuna.

Boss raids were conducted in rotations, meaning different guild leaders took turns commanding. That way, all major guilds remained involved in the frontlines.

During this battle, 150 of the 200 players dealt less damage than the boss could regenerate. Eventually, they became nothing more than "walking health packs."

The result?

Thirty players died.

The second attempt involved only 50 elite players, and while they fared better, their damage was still too slow.

Eventually, they ran out of healing potions while the boss still had half its HP left.

Left with no choice, Madara ordered a retreat, using return crystals to escape.

The third attempt finally saw success, with Madara, Kirito, Zack, and Asuna leading the charge.

However, the damage had already been done.

The 25th floor shattered the confidence of many players.

Some requested to leave the frontlines, unwilling to face the horrors ahead.

The sight of their friends being eaten alive left permanent trauma.

Thankfully, the next few floors were more manageable.

While still harder than before, they weren't as nightmarish as the 25th floor, allowing some players to regain their courage.

The 30th Floor.

This floor was known for its blazing heat, with temperatures hovering around 33°C (91°F).

A paradise for Fire-type Pokémon—but also a difficult environment for players and Pokémon that couldn't handle extreme heat.

Grass-type Pokémon struggled in the temperature, though the strong sunlight boosted their moves.

Most players avoided wandering outside, choosing to stay in inns or guild halls with air conditioning.

At this moment, Asuna sat with her three close friends, sipping tea.

Silica.

Lisbeth.

Shoumei, the leader of the Trainer Association.

Shoumei was the Vice President of Japan's Animal Protection Society in real life—a 38-year-old woman with a deep love for creatures.

She was married and had a daughter who worked as a police investigator—but her husband was a distant, emotionless man, and her daughter spent her time hunting perverts on the subway.

Feeling lonely, Shoumei entered SAO.

Her Pokémon was a female Bulbasaur—slightly smaller than a male Bulbasaur due to its gender difference.

She adored it, treating it like her own child.

She never let anyone else hold Bulbasaur—except for Asuna, Silica, and Lisbeth.

"Hah… Lately, some weird people have been showing up in the guild."

Silica muttered absentmindedly, hugging her Glameow, her gaze unfocused.

"Weird? How so?"

Shoumei asked while playfully wiggling Bulbasaur's tiny feet in her hands.

Though she was gentle with Pokémon and children, she had a dominant, no-nonsense personality. She was known for publicly arguing with guild leaders during raid strategy meetings.

If anyone caused trouble for the Trainer Association, she wouldn't let them off easily.

Meanwhile, her Heracross lurked nearby, sniffing at Bulbasaur's back, drawn by a scent only Bug-type Pokémon could detect.

Then, with a dreamy expression, Heracross flopped onto Shoumei's lap.

Shoumei chuckled, giving Heracross a light smack on the head—but also shielding Bulbasaur protectively.

"Dame~"

Bulbasaur extended its vine whips, shoving Heracross away with a disgusted expression.

Silica hesitated before speaking.

"They… said something weird…"

"Like what?"

Lisbeth's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

After all, in their guild "Aincrad's Dawn," no one dared to stir up trouble.

All of them had been trained by their master, Madara, turning them into fearless warriors.

Anyone who provoked them would be swiftly dealt with.

Silica bit her lip.

"They said… if we clear SAO… Aincrad will disappear… and we'll never see our Pokémon again."

She buried her face in Shoumei's chest, her voice trembling.

"…That… might be true."

Lisbeth finally acknowledged, glancing at her Hariyama, who was snoring on the couch.

If she could never see Hariyama again…

Lisbeth instantly felt drained.

Many players saw Pokémon as mere game pets—tools for battle.

But Trainers knew better.

In a world where they faced death every day, Pokémon were more than companions.

They were family.

The reason they kept going.

The pillar of their mental stability.

To Lisbeth, Hariyama was just as important as Madara.

But then—

"If we don't clear SAO, we'll lose them anyway."

Asuna calmly sipped her tea, her expression unshaken.

"…Huh?"

Silica looked up, startled.

"Have you ever thought about what's happening to our bodies in reality?"

Asuna's words silenced the room.

"If we stay here too long, our real bodies will weaken. The moment our minds can't interact with the NerveGear, we'll die.

And if that happens—we'll never see our Pokémon again."

Her fingers lightly stroked Heracross's horn.

"If Heracross hadn't entered my life, I might still be hiding in the first floor's inns—lost and afraid."

"Because of him, I made it this far."

"So yes… I don't want to lose him."

"But more than that… I'm terrified of forgetting him."

She looked at them, voice firm.

"At the very least—I must live. Even if I never see him again… I must preserve our memories."

A hush fell over the group.

Then, Shoumei smiled.

"Well said. As long as we live, there's always hope. But if we die—it's over."

Lisbeth exhaled.

"Yeah… and I still want to meet my master in real life."

"Madara?"

Shoumei smirked.

"That guy would probably force you to train in real life too."

"…No way!"

Lisbeth shuddered.

"I don't want to be muscular!"

Asuna sighed.

"That's what you're worried about?"

(End of Chapter)

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