Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

After the fierce battle, Ishin Dojo was left in ruins.

Johnny and Yosaku suddenly erupted with excitement.

The two grown men, acting as if they were in a playful anime scene, had stars sparkling in their eyes and clung to each other in sheer delight!

On the side, after listening to Johnny and Yosaku's report, Zoro glanced at the pile of cash and gold scattered across the floor, a puzzled look crossing his face.

"Another 5 billion Berries? Why is Germa so rich?!"

He had barely set out to sea, yet was now stuck hauling such a huge amount of treasure. Hadn't this family been punished enough by the seas?

Zoro, unaware of the full scope of Germa 66's operations, couldn't wrap his head around why they carried so much valuable cargo.

But as soon as he remembered these were Sanji's relatives, it suddenly made sense.

"As expected, anyone with curly eyebrows is an idiot," he muttered to himself, dismissing the thought as he turned his attention away from the luxury goods.

While Johnny and Yosaku weren't strong fighters, their experience and eye for value were sharp. If they said this haul was worth 5 billion Berries, the margin for error would be no more than a hundred million.

Of course…

This 5 billion was just a small fraction of the overall spoils. The real treasure lay in the countless technological devices that Zoro and his crew couldn't even begin to understand.

In the past, a single battle suit from Ichiji was worth 10,000 points, and Zoro now had four of them in his possession!

Not to mention all the random scientific research data from the snail ships...

Zoro had a gut feeling that the upcoming trade would leave everyone astonished.

At this, he could only sum it up in four words:

"The future looks bright!!!"

The fact that Judge was so obsessed with science and had sunk most of his funds into research—rather than worldly goods—was likely why they hadn't recovered more.

Otherwise, if Zoro's crew continued their looting spree, the Germa Kingdom might very well be knocked back to square one.

That said, Germa wasn't likely to crumble just because Zoro had robbed them.

After all, this was once a kingdom that ruled the North Blue and a quarter of the world.

They had a solid foundation.

And in the end, knowledge is always the most valuable resource.

With enough materials, it wouldn't take long for Judge to recreate something like the battle suits.

However, the enmity between Zoro and the Germa was now fully established.

Perhaps it's just one of the laws of the pirate world—that those with mossy green hair and curly eyebrows were destined to be enemies.

...

...

Not long after Judge and the others left the East Blue, news that Zoro had defeated the Kingdom of Germa 66 spread like wildfire through the underground world.

Neither Zoro nor Germa had any intention of publicizing the battle.

However, Germa's grand search for Zoro in the East Blue had drawn widespread attention from many.

The runner-up of the Pokémon League and an established force in the pirate world…

Their clash had been followed closely by both the underworld and even the World Government.

Although no one witnessed Judge and his forces being defeated, their disheveled retreat from the East Blue had been captured by many paparazzi.

Within days, rumors began to circulate across the seas.

Most of these rumors were baseless speculation, but as they combined and drew closer to the truth, the entire sea began to buzz with excitement!

...

...

At the Baratie, the floating restaurant.

After a long day's work, Sanji lit a cigarette and opened up the latest issue of his favorite entertainment gossip magazine.

This particular magazine was known for its coverage of the pirate world's romantic gossip, often revealing the private lives of famous female celebrities—something Sanji adored.

However…

Today's issue had taken a surprising turn.

Instead of featuring the usual starlet on the cover, it displayed a hand-drawn illustration.

In large bold letters, the headline read:

[Shocking! The King of the North Blue, Germa 66, Defeated by Pokémon!]

It must be said, the magazine's editor knew what they were doing. That title alone doubled the magazine's sales.

Sanji's eyes froze on the headline, drawn in by the unexpected news.

After a long pause, he closed the magazine, ignoring the photos of celebrity scandals further in.

He flicked away his burnt cigarette and lit a fresh one.

As smoke curled around him, Sanji muttered:

"That guy really pulled it off…"

Suddenly, a bizarre idea flashed through his mind, even surprising himself:

"The restaurant business is too slow to make money."

"Maybe I should find that moss-headed idiot and become a bounty hunter with him..."

...

...

In the New World, on Cake Island—the headquarters of the Big Mom Pirates, one of the Four Emperors.

As Big Mom devoured her sweets, she glanced over the recent reports about the state of the seas, summarized by her children.

She frowned.

"Germa, defeated by a kid…"

"It seems that family has really fallen."

"But..." she continued, before shouting across the vast dining hall, "Katakuri!"

Instantly, a tall man with a scarf wrapped around his face stepped forward from beneath the towering dining table.

"Yes, Mama!" Katakuri responded sharply.

With cream smeared across her fingers, Big Mom looked at him and said:

"Find out who's ready for marriage soon. We need to bring that Pokémon League runner-up into our family!"

"Yes, Mama!" Katakuri accepted the order without hesitation, turning to leave the hall immediately.

  ...

  ...

Holy Land Mariejois.

After 40 days, the Five Elders, who hold the highest authority in the world, gathered once again.

The sword-bearing elder coughed loudly and remarked, "I didn't expect Germa 66 to fall at the hands of a mere kid."

The bald, round-headed elder echoed, "It seems we've underestimated the runner-up of the Pokémon League Tournament."

Initially, Garp, believed to be the strongest, surprisingly ended up as the third runner-up. As a result, many saw Zoro, the second-place finisher, as just a lucky kid. This perception was a key reason why Judge felt emboldened to challenge him.

However…

Who would have thought that in just a month, Zoro, once only at the level of a Shichibukai, would make such a meteoric rise—possessing strength that now rivaled even the navy admirals?

Those who had once looked down on him now felt as though they had been slapped in the face.

Because of this, even the Five Elders, who held the highest positions in the world, couldn't help but grow curious…

What exactly did Zoro win as a prize at the Pokémon League Conference?

"Ahem," the elder with blond hair and formal attire cleared his throat, cutting through the conversation. "Gentlemen," he said, "let's not forget that we're not here to discuss Germa today."

"What are your thoughts on the Revolutionary Army's presence near the Sabaody Archipelago?"

The mention of the Revolutionary Army made the room fall silent. The casual talk of Germa vanished as if it had just been idle chit-chat, a warm-up before the main event.

But now, at this critical moment, the elders became quiet, each waiting for someone else to speak, as if no one wanted to take the lead.

Silence blanketed Mariejois meeting hall.

---

Meanwhile, in the waters near the Sabaody Archipelago...

A large ship, disguised as a merchant vessel, furled its sails, dropped anchor, and rested in the middle of a desolate sea.

The deck was eerily quiet, giving the appearance of an empty ship with no signs of life.

However, inside the ship, a shocking heist was being planned.

"N-Nami, are we really going to kidnap the Celestial Dragons?" Usopp's legs shook as he watched Nami methodically lay out her plan. His whole body filled with dread as each detail unfolded.

"I feel like there are… problems with this plan…" he added nervously.

Turning to Kaya beside him, Usopp silently pleaded for some support.

However…

Kaya, serious and focused, looked over the plan and calmly pointed to a section. "Indeed, we should carefully plan the escape route after kidnapping the Celestial Dragons," she said. "If we make a mistake and end up with not just Admiral Aokiji but the other two admirals chasing us, we could be in serious trouble."

Nami nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. That's definitely something we need to consider."

Usopp, now on the verge of tears, thought, That's not what I meant by 'problem'!!

But how had Usopp and Kaya ended up on this ship, planning a Celestial Dragon kidnapping with Nami?

It all started a month ago…

---

The day after the Pokémon League Tournament ended, Nami had visited the Baratie to meet Usopp. In reality, it was the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon, who had taken a liking to the special ammunition Usopp had crafted. Dragon wanted to equip the Revolutionary Army's foot soldiers with them.

However, this was a large-scale, long-term partnership, and Usopp had not immediately agreed to Nami's proposal.

Meanwhile…

As an excellent strategist and caretaker, Kaya had also mobilized her East Blue Chamber of Commerce's resources to gather information on Nami and the Revolutionary Army, seeking to secure the best deal for Usopp.

In the world of business, knowledge is power, and Kaya knew that to secure the upper hand, one must first understand both friend and foe.

But no one could have predicted what happened next...

One of the reports Kaya received from her intelligence network was about the horrendous crimes committed by the Kingdom of Helen. While the Revolutionary Army had taken control of the kingdom and things were improving, disturbing photos from within the army's ranks chilled Kaya to her core.

Although the Revolutionary Army had occupied several islands in the East Blue, compared to the vast protection offered by the World Government, they were still a small player.

However, because the events in Helen Kingdom involved the Celestial Dragons, no media dared to be the first to expose the horrors. Some even twisted the facts, placing the blame on rogue nobles or passing pirates.

In the end, the nobility was stripped of its titles, and the pirates were arrested by the navy. As time passed, the tragedies in Helen Kingdom faded from the public's view, leaving only permanent scars in the hearts of the victims' families.

Justice delayed is justice denied.

Seeing the suffering in the photos, Kaya's heart filled with anger, and the idea of joining the Revolutionary Army sparked within her.

That very day, she shared everything with Usopp.

Naturally, Usopp, who couldn't refuse anything Kaya asked, agreed. In his mind, joining the Revolutionary Army at least meant aligning with a powerful ally.

But Usopp never expected that Kaya's first action after joining the army would be to team up with Nami and plot revenge on those who hurt the women of Helen!

What had started as a plan to ambush the Celestial Dragons controlling Helen escalated into a scheme to strike at the entire Celestial Dragon faction, proving to the world that these "gods" were not untouchable!

For the Revolutionary Army, the latter held far greater significance.

In the world of pirates, the Celestial Dragons were akin to religious icons.

Under the weight of 800 years of history, the world had come to accept the Celestial Dragons' unchecked dominance.

When Dragon heard of Nami's plan to kidnap a Celestial Dragon, he saw an opportunity for a bold move. If the plan succeeded…

The future could be forever altered. The Celestial Dragon might even think twice before leaving Marijoa, curbing their arrogance!

Of course…

All of this had nothing to do with Zoro at the moment.

For an entire week, Zoro and his crew had worked tirelessly to restore the dilapidated Ishin Dojo to its former glory.

It took so long because Zoro, with his newfound wealth, had decided to renovate the entire dojo.

Now that the construction crew had left, Koushirou had called his apprentices back, and rigorous training had resumed with a new semester.

Zoro and his crew gathered in a brand-new reception room, waiting quietly.

After a while, a ripple appeared in the air.

James appeared in front of Zoro with a friendly smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Zoro," he greeted warmly, acknowledging everyone in the room.

Zoro immediately stood up, showing respect. "Sir James."

"Haha, no need for formalities," James replied, waving his hand. His smile grew even brighter as he added, "Judging by your expression, Mr. Zoro, I assume you've had a productive few days?"

"Exactly!" Zoro responded proudly.

With the thought of converting all his resources into points, he couldn't help but grin eagerly. "Mr. James, let's start the trade!"

"Oh? It seems you can't wait any longer," James said, chuckling. "Very well, let's begin."

Snap!

With a quick clap, a familiar transaction interface appeared in Zoro's mind.

Looking at the vast array of materials now available for exchange, Zoro's excitement grew. He selected everything in one go and confirmed the transaction.

In an instant, a large amount of the materials stored in the Shimotsuki Dojo's warehouse vanished as though swallowed by the void.

And Zoro's point balance skyrocketed from over 9,000 to a staggering 70,000 points!