Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: p@treon.com/CosmicKaminari
----------
"One... ten... hundred... thousand... ten thousand..."
"Luffy, you got a bounty of 50,00,000 Berries!?"
Zoro was stunned as he stared at the wanted poster.
"I didn't expect you to get a bounty this high without even doing anything bad!"
"This is actually pretty interesting."
In the East Blue, a pirate with a bounty over 30 million Berries was already considered a big deal.
Luffy getting a 50-million Berry bounty right off the bat was shocking—even to Zoro, a former bounty hunter.
Luffy, on the other hand, grinned from ear to ear, his eyes nearly disappearing from how wide he was smiling. He clapped his hands together, unable to contain his excitement.
"Shishishi~! Looks like the Marines actually have some brain!"
"Alright! Let's keep going and raise my bounty even higher in one shot!!!"
"Hey!!"
Nami, who had been holding the wanted poster, pressed her hand to her forehead in exasperation.
"You two idiots! Do you really have to be this happy!?"
"Do you even understand what this bounty means?"
This was the East Blue!
A sea where the average bounty barely reached 3 million, and the highest recorded was only 20 million!!
Did they realize what it meant for the Marines to suddenly slap a 50-million Berry bounty on Luffy!?
"We haven't even done anything bad yet…"
Wait.
Wasn't Luffy the one grinning like an idiot while taking provocative photos at the Marine base?
Nami felt like crying.
In her mind, she could already see their ship being chased down by countless Marine warships.
"Hopefully, Red's new abilities can handle an entire fleet…"
Speaking of Red…
Nami turned her gaze to him, hoping that he—who was usually the most level-headed among them—would knock some sense into these two.
Then she heard him say:
"Only 50 million? That's kind of low."
"The fact that we're in the East Blue must've influenced the Marines' evaluation."
"If we were on the Grand Line, Luffy, your bounty would easily be at the 100-million level by now."
Nami: It's over. This crew is doomed.
"Oh, right, Nami."
Red suddenly stopped her before she could spiral further into frustration, his expression turning serious.
"Even though you're not a combatant, now that Luffy is officially wanted by the Marines, the enemies we'll be facing will only get stronger."
"In order to avoid unnecessary danger in the future, you should start training from today onward."
"And if all goes well tonight… you'll be the one entering the Pokémon world with me."
"…Huh!?"
Nami blinked, completely caught off guard.
"The Pokémon world!?"
"Wait, wait, wait! That's an extremely valuable opportunity! There's no need to waste something that important on me!"
Even though she didn't fully understand what the Pokémon world was, she could already tell from what Luffy and Zoro had described that it was an incredible place.
A world where one could become stronger through battles…
It sounded like something straight out of a dream.
But logically speaking, if they had the chance to enter, the best choice was to send Luffy or Zoro—not her.
She didn't want Red to waste a chance just for her sake.
But in response to her hesitation, Red simply smiled and asked:
"What are you even saying, Nami?"
"Are you questioning my decisions as a Trainer~?"
"Relax. If I'm bringing you into the Pokémon world, that means there's a reason for it."
"...Alright then."
After hearing that, Nami wasn't about to argue further.
And, truth be told, she was more than a little curious about what the Pokémon world was actually like.
Red smiled softly, then casually waved off Luffy and Zoro, cutting short their over-excitement about Luffy's growing infamy and sending them off to train.
After that, he returned alone to the stern of the ship, continuing to hone himself with Ancient Power and using Surf to accelerate their journey.
At this point, he had pushed both of these Pokémon techniques to their absolute limits.
As for why he wanted to bring Nami into the Pokémon world…
It wasn't just to look after her.
Red clearly remembered discovering a rare candy while playing the game—hidden in a corner of Cerulean City.
Previously, he had picked up items inside Poké Balls scattered along the roadside in Viridian Forest, Mt. Moon, and other locations—exactly like they appeared in the game.
So there was no reason why the system wouldn't generate this hidden item in Cerulean City as well.
That's why Red decided to spend an entire day exploring Cerulean City.
After all, a Rare Candy, which could instantly level up a Pokémon, was definitely worth the effort.
And as for why he was bringing Nami along…
That was because of her unique trait.
[Pokémon: Nami]
Level: 12
Gender: Female
Nature: Calm (+Sp. Atk, -Speed)
Type: Electric/Flying
Ability: Pickup (After battle, there is a chance to pick up an item used by the opponent. Even without participating in battle, the Pokémon may still find items. Higher levels increase the chances of picking up rare items.)
Skills: None
Experience: 0/600
Stats:
HP: 49
Attack: 31
Defense: 30
Special Attack: 48
Special Defense: 32
Speed: 31
Compared to abilities that provided regeneration, endurance, or battlefield dominance...
Nami's ability didn't offer any combat advantages.
However, it had one incredible effect—
She could pick up all kinds of rare Pokémon items out of thin air!
If Red's memory was correct, Pokémon with Pickup had a small chance of finding Rare Candies—or even TMs!
While he wasn't sure how this ability would function in the One Piece world, for now, it was perfect for his Rare Candy hunt in Cerulean City.
And with Nami's Pickup skill, his chances of success would increase drastically.
Meanwhile…
As Red and the Straw Hats continued sailing toward Syrup Village, news of Luffy's bounty spread across the world like wildfire.
Foosha Village—Luffy & Red's Hometown.
"Cheers!!!"
Inside Makino's Tavern, the villagers raised their drinks high, celebrating.
"To Luffy!!!"
"Unbelievable! Just a few days after setting out, and he already has a 50-million Berry bounty! Looks like our village has produced a big shot!!!"
"Hahaha! And the Marines haven't even noticed Red yet! I bet more than half of Luffy's bounty is because of him!!!"
"To Red!!!"
"Hey, hey, hey! A dangerous criminal came from our village, and you guys still have the nerve to celebrate!?"
An old man with a cane suddenly kicked open the tavern door, yelling at the crowd inside.
But his scolding had the opposite effect—
"To Luffy and Red!!!"
The cheers only grew louder.
"You guys…"
The village chief sighed, rubbing his temples as he slumped onto a barstool.
"Relax, village chief."
The bar owner, Makino, smiled gently as she placed a cup of hot tea in front of him.
"Everyone's just happy that Luffy is following his dream."
"Besides… just look at this photo—how happy he looks!"
She picked up a copy of Luffy's bounty poster, her eyes gleaming as a soft smile formed on her lips.
"Hmph! I don't know what Red was thinking… choosing to go to sea with Luffy!!!"
The village chief took a sip of his tea, shaking his head in frustration.
"I was planning to train him to become the next village chief… but instead, that brat Luffy dragged him into the pirate life!"
"It's just nonsense!"
"...Red."
Hearing his name, Makino's gaze softened.
After spending two years watching over him, she knew Red better than anyone in Windmill Village.
And yet—even she didn't know why he had suddenly decided to become a pirate.
But…
If Red had made his choice, then it meant he had something he wanted to find out at sea.
As the joyful atmosphere filled the tavern, Makino's lips curled into a warm, knowing smile.
"Make sure you eat properly, Red…"