Chapter 9: Primal Power

After reading carefully, Akane discovered that the information on the machine was divided into two parts.

One part detailed the achievement he had unlocked: [Badge Collector]. The effect of this achievement was that it allowed his body to gain enhancements that matched the attributes of the badge. Akane had already experienced this in the game world. His body was now obviously stronger than before he entered the game.

Previously, he was hindered by some mysterious force that left him with no real attack power. But now...

"I feel like I could knock out a cow with a single punch!" Akane clenched his fists, admiring the scene under the cool moonlight.

The words he uttered showed little regard for the cow's feelings, nor did he consider the potential wrath of any hypothetical Cow Protection Association in the Pirate World.

Of course, in addition to his fists becoming hardened, other parts of Akane's body had also grown more resilient. (TN - WTF!!!!)

"So the rock attribute badge means my body is now as hard as a rock? Great, I've turned into a smart Malphite!" Akane chuckled at his own joke. (TN - League of Legends joke)

In any case, he had shed the title of weakling. With both his defense and attack power increased, he estimated he now had at least 15 points of combat power—no, make that 20 points!

In addition, Akane also noticed that the machine's energy-draining process from his body to charge itself had sped up significantly. A day's charge could now give him at least 10 more minutes of game time. While it might not seem like much, this extra time was enough to make Akane ecstatic!

"The more time I spend in the game, the faster Luffy will grow stronger! The stronger Luffy becomes, the more badges I'll earn! The more badges I have, the longer the game time... Wait, something seems off? Never mind!"

Overwhelmed with happiness, Akane smiled up at the sky before turning his focus to the second reward from the machine.

The first reward was the achievement reward. The second was for clearing the Pewter Gym level. Similar to the achievement reward, the level reward was also tied to the rock properties of the Pewter Gym. The difference was that while the achievement reward enhanced his body, the level reward allowed Akane to directly obtain a Pokémon move!

With a thought, Akane immediately clicked on the [Extract] button.

In an instant, a large, simple roulette wheel appeared above the machine's screen, much like the lottery interface of a low-budget mobile game. The wheel was filled with various rock-type moves, each occupying an equal segment.

Without waiting for Akane to intervene, the wheel began spinning rapidly.

"Come on, machine! Give me a powerful move! I've asked for so little in life!" Akane clasped his hands together, his expression pious.

After a tense ten seconds, the wheel gradually slowed and finally stopped. An ancient energy filled with a primal aura suddenly surged within Akane's body. Simultaneously, knowledge of how to harness this mysterious power appeared in his mind.

"This is… Primal Power!?" Akane blinked in surprise at first, but then a wild grin spread across his face. "I didn't expect to draw this special move!"

While Akane wasn't deeply familiar with Rock-type Pokémon, he knew enough about the special move Primal Power. Without hesitation, he focused his attention on the machine inside his body.

The screen had already updated, displaying:

[Congratulations, you have drawn the move - Primal Power!]

There was an "!" mark in the upper right corner of the move's name, which allowed you to view the move's details. Akane chose to view the description without hesitation and immediately saw something akin to the game world interface:

[Move: Primal Power]

[Type: Rock]

[Category: Special]

[Power: 60]

[Description: A power from the ancient times of the Pokémon world that can be used to attack or to improve oneself in all aspects. Prolonged use of Primal Power will permanently strengthen the body to a certain extent.]

"Just as I thought!" Feeling the unique, steady energy coursing through him, a look of satisfaction flashed in Akane's deep red eyes.

Although Primal Power is a Rock-type move, it's far more mysterious than most. Ordinary Rock-type Pokémon rarely learn this move through typical means. Instead, it's often awakened by mythical beasts with no inherent connection to the Rock type, who use it with great skill.

Rather than simply being a Pokémon move, Primal Power resembles a force that can only be awakened by special Pokémon. Some Pokémon even trigger their own evolution conditions after mastering Primal Power. It's almost like a method of cultivation. The description's last line about permanent enhancement only solidified this idea for Akane.

"A move that can permanently enhance the body? This must be the most useful Rock-type move for me!" Akane chuckled, taking a deep breath before shouting out toward the distant sea:

"Primal Power!"

Rumble~ Instantly, an ancient and mysterious power erupted from within Akane, quickly condensing into rock fragments. Under his control, the fragments shot out, flying toward the distant ocean.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! ...

Though Primal Power had a listed power of 60, the speed and impact of the rock fragments were anything but weak. Like cannonballs, they slammed into the sea, raising waves several meters high.

"This power!" Akane's eyes lit up with astonishment as he witnessed the display.

While he still wasn't on par with the true powerhouses of the world, Primal Power and his newly strengthened body made Akane feel capable of easily defeating a pirate with a 10 million bounty. "Could it be that the Badge Collector achievement has enhanced my Rock-type moves? Even though Primal Power is listed with only 60 power, the effect far exceeds my expectations."

"Finally, I have some real fighting power!" Akane thought with deep satisfaction.

As his gaze shifted, he noticed Luffy sleeping soundly beside him. Despite the chaotic environment caused by his move test, Luffy's breathing remained steady—better than if he'd taken a sleeping pill.

"What enviable sleep quality," Akane remarked with a smile, before settling back in the cabin to use Primal Power's energy to further nourish his body.

The night passed in silence, and soon enough, dawn broke.

The first rays of sunlight drove away the darkness that had shrouded the sea, bringing warmth and light to the world of a new day. Overhead, the noisy cries of seagulls roused Akane and Luffy from their slumber.

"What, is it daybreak already?" Luffy asked groggily, his eyelids heavy as he struggled to fully wake up.

In contrast, Akane, who had been meditating all night without sleep, was bursting with energy. He felt even better than he had after returning from the game world the day before. As he opened his eyes, a golden light flickered in them.

A satisfied smile spread across Akane's face as he thought, "Primal Power truly lives up to its reputation, especially since it's often awakened by mythical Pokemon! This effect is extraordinary!" After being bathed in Primal Power overnight, Akane could clearly feel his body growing stronger.

Moreover, Primal Power didn't just enhance one aspect; it provided comprehensive improvements to his strength, physique, agility, and spirit.

Unexpectedly, the problem of becoming stronger—one that had plagued him for two and a half years—had been solved on his first day at sea.

"I recall there being a way to teach Primal Power in the game! Perhaps I should consider arranging for Luffy to learn it as well. With Primal Power, he could gradually grow stronger even while resting after training!"

"Sleep? Who needs sleep when we're on the Merry! Luffy needs to train immediately. As long as you don't die from practice, you practice until you're dead! Maybe with enough sit-ups, the Nika Fruit will awaken."

The Nika Fruit's user is the number one enemy of the World Government. Who knows if his time travel will cause some butterfly effect, leading the Five Elders to hunt them down sooner? We must always be prepared for danger, even in times of peace!

Akane's thoughts drifted far, imagining future challenges. It wasn't until Luffy, fully awake now, greeted him that he snapped back to reality.

"Hey~ Akane, you must've had a rough night keeping watch! Let me take over now—go get some rest!" Luffy, now fully alert, grinned at Akane as he offered to switch shifts. He had no idea of the power his crewmate had awakened during the night...