Chapter 174

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Far away in the East Blue, Cocoyasi Village.

"Nami! How many times have I told you not to play with Pikachu in the orange grove! You fried some of the oranges again!" Bellemere stood with her hands on her hips, shouting from the edge of the orchard.

She knew those two little troublemakers must be hiding somewhere in the grove, probably giggling about their mischief.

When Pichu first arrived, it was well-behaved and listened to Bellemere, but over time, hanging out with Nami, it had become mischievous.

Nami was always talking about traveling the world with Pikachu, exploring every corner of both the world and Pokémon Island.

Inside the orchard, Nami clutched Pikachu tightly, both hiding and laughing, their faces covered in dirt.

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from the distance.

"Nami, hide!" Bellemere shouted as she quickly ran out, grabbing the gun she had kept from her Navy days.

But Nami was not the type to listen obediently. The more Bellemere told her to stay put, the more determined she was to follow.

"Let's go," Nami whispered.

"Pika," Pikachu replied.

The two little troublemakers stood up and swiftly followed Bellemere.

At that moment, on the streets of Cocoyasi Village, a group of villagers stood perplexed, staring at a group of fishmen, unsure of what to do.

They had been chatting when suddenly, a group of fishmen appeared and, without a word, flipped over the village elder's house.

Who could withstand such an assault? In the past, the villagers might have feared these fierce fishmen, but times had changed. The common people had risen. What were pirates but a nuisance?

Although the villagers of Cocoyasi were not particularly wealthy, each household could at least afford a white-quality Pokémon, and some even pooled resources to buy a few green-quality Pokémon eggs to raise.

Currently, the village had around eighty to a hundred Pokémon. Although most were still relatively weak, their combined strength was enough to severely injure Arlong's pirate crew.

Now, an unspoken rule prevailed over the seas: do not cause trouble. Troublemakers would be apprehended by the Navy. While the Navy's main forces were focused on the New World, they still maintained a presence in other regions. Even in a remote corner of the East Blue, causing trouble could lead to swift Navy intervention, thanks to information often provided by the Revolutionary Army, unbeknownst to many.

The villagers of Cocoyasi were worried that if they fought back against these fishmen, they might be seen as troublemakers and taken away by the authorities.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Nami's voice cut through the tension.

While adults might worry about such matters, children did not. The Pokémon Alliance's rules were lenient on those under twelve, focusing instead on educating and guiding their parents.

Nami, carefree and unburdened by such worries, especially with her close friendship with the Minister of Justice of the Pokémon Alliance, stood fearlessly with her Pokémon.

"Pika~Chuu!" Pikachu leaped forward, its fur standing on end as it released a powerful Thunderbolt that struck the fishmen.

Electric-type moves were super effective against water-types, and the fishmen were particularly vulnerable. Arlong's crew found themselves in agony, more so than if they were humans.

"Damn, I hate Electric-type Pokémon!"

"It's over, we're done for."

"Who knew such a small village would have Pokémon?"

Arlong's crew had underestimated the village, thinking it an easy target. Had Nami not had Pikachu, the village might have suffered as before, albeit at a great cost to the fishmen.

But now, Nami's Pikachu, trained rigorously since its days as a Pichu, had learned powerful moves like Thunderbolt, making quick work of the invaders.

"Hmph! Pirates, the times have changed. You think you can stand up to us Trainers?" Nami crossed her arms proudly.

"Pika Pika Chu!" Pikachu wagged its tail enthusiastically.

...

Meanwhile, in the New World, "White Hunter" Smoker had been promoted to Vice Admiral. Though not due to his personal strength alone, his coordination with his Koffing had made him a formidable force, enough to trouble many Vice Admirals.

Currently, Smoker led the New World Pokémon Combat Unit, hunting down pirates.

"Damn it, what's with this purple smoke!" a pirate coughed, struggling to breathe.

"I feel so weak," another groaned.

"This gas is stronger than what I encountered on the other island," a third pirate muttered.

Within a smoke-filled tavern, pirates lay sprawled on the ground, incapacitated.

"Idiots, the times have changed," Smoker said, sitting casually on the back of one of the fallen pirates.

Koffing's gas wasn't just its own toxic fumes but also included Sleep Powder and Stun Spore, allowing Smoker, with his Logia powers, to move freely within the haze.

"Koffing," Koffing descended from the ceiling, its role more supportive in these fights.

"What's wrong?" Smoker asked, noticing Koffing's discomfort.

Koffing, usually tough and uncomplaining, seemed off. Smoker hadn't seen it act like this before.

"Koffing..." Koffing's response indicated it felt strange.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to the Pokémon Center in Alliance City," Smoker reassured it.

As a Vice Admiral, Smoker had a special token for urgent returns to Pokémon Island for supplies or support. Using his Devil Fruit powers, he could create a door anytime, anywhere, to return.

Upon reaching the Pokémon Center, Reiju quickly assessed the situation.

"Oh, this one's about to evolve," she said.

Smoker fell silent. Though he'd grown fond of Koffing over their three months together, evolution often brought changes. Would Koffing still be the same?

"Koffing..." Koffing, sensing Smoker's thoughts, reassured him.

"You're right," Smoker smiled. "Go ahead and evolve."

"Koffing," Koffing nodded, no longer resisting the change.

This natural evolution, supported by ample nutrition, experience, and a Trainer's encouragement, was perfect.

"Koffing~" Koffing evolved into Weezing, speaking in stereo now.

"Weezing, you were cuter as a Koffing," Smoker teased.

"Weezing Weezing!" Weezing protested, feeling more handsome in its new form.

Back in action, Weezing was eager to show off to its friends, convinced Smoker was just joking.

"Haha, don't get mad, I'm just being honest," Smoker laughed, his worries eased.

As Weezing had said before evolving: no matter how I change, our bond will remain the same.

(End of Chapter)