Auction

Inspired by John, Michael and Adam quickly found their inspiration. They hurriedly grabbed a few bites of food and rushed off to work.

Downstairs, Grace looked helplessly at John. "You always find something for them to do."

"How can you blame me?" John grinned. "These things will happen eventually. Dad and Adam might as well get a head start and get the best out of it."

The beauty contest idea had already evolved into the concept for the Pokémon Games. Now that the idea had taken root, even if John hadn't mentioned it, someone else would have thought of it. Better to take advantage of the opportunity now.

However, John realized that the current number of Pokémon was still too small. Even with the Pokémon Games, the first generation felt too limited. Expanding the Pokémon roster was a must, but there was no rush. It had only been two months since Pokémon launched, and it would take at least half a year for Michael and Adam to finish both the beauty Contest and the Pokémon league.

"Alright, I get it, you're amazing," Grace said, smiling but still scolding him. "But honestly, you didn't even discuss something as big as opening a two-way game exchange with us beforehand."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Don't worry, Mom," John reassured her with confidence. "I've got it under control."

"Brother, let me get a Devil Fruit too!" came a voice from next to him. John's younger sister, Lily, was giving him her best puppy-dog eyes, trying to win him over.

"Go ahead," John responded, not falling for the act. "I'm not stopping you."

"Hmph! Mom, look at him! He won't help me!" Lily complained, pouting.

Grace chuckled. "And what do you need to join in for? Other city gyms are just starting, and as the Seaside City Gym Leader, you must be swamped with people coming to you. You've got plenty of work without more distractions."

"Ugh, it sounds so exhausting!" Lily whined dramatically. "Brother, this was supposed to be your job! I've helped you so much, you owe me!"

"Alright, I'll send you a big red envelope," John said with a slight smile, knowing he had more money than he could ever spend.

"I don't want a red envelope! I want a Devil Fruit! Any logia-type one will do!" Lily insisted.

John waved her off in mock disgust. "Are you crazy? Find one yourself!"

Lily covered her face, pretending to cry. But John wasn't fooled; her little eyes betrayed her.

"Don't bother trying to fool me again," John said coolly, turning back to his meal.

"Brother, I wouldn't dare!" Lily quickly reverted to her soft and cute demeanor, but John ignored her, focusing on his food.

Grace watched them with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Alright, you two, quit bickering and finish your meal."

"Hmph, brother, you always push me around," Lily grumbled.

"No, I also push the people next door to do the work," John replied with a smirk.

Lily: "..."

After eating, John headed next door to check on the progress of the Edge Horizon team's new game, Fifth Personality. Though most of their attention was on One Piece, they hadn't neglected their other projects. Of course, Olivia Su was still immersed full-time in One Piece.

John wasn't too worried about rushing things; he wanted to give the players enough time to enjoy the game. After all, he didn't want to overwhelm them with too much content at once.

Pirate World

In the Pirate World, things had been heating up. After a few days of exploration and experimentation, players like the previous streamer that John encountered had begun sharing strategies online. Islands such as Amazon lily became hotspots, with players eagerly waiting for someone to "die" and leave behind a Devil Fruit for them to claim.

Dangerous islands filled with wild beasts also became prime locations for adventurers, especially since 90% of Devil Fruits found by players were discovered on these uninhabited islands. Some players even tried to analyze the locations where Devil Fruits had been found, attempting to discern patterns. However, there were no fixed rules for Devil Fruit appearances.

Meanwhile, on the Chambord Islands, a grand auction was in full swing. The venue was packed, with players and NPCs alike filling the seats. The star of the auction? A Devil Fruit.

"Do those people really think they can just train to get stronger? Once I get my hands on a Devil Fruit, I'll be unstoppable!" one player boasted.

"I've got a million dollars ready. Once I get that fruit, I'm setting sail and becoming a pirate!" another player declared proudly.

"Ha! A million dollars? I've got five million prepared!" said another.

The bidding war was fierce. As the auction reached its climax, the auctioneer, a middle-aged man with shrewd eyes and black-rimmed glasses, revealed the Devil Fruit in a box on the front counter.

"Now, this is what you've all been waiting for—the Devil Fruit!" he announced. "As you know, a Devil Fruit is a treasure of the seas. A good ability can give its user the power to change the world!"

The audience buzzed with excitement. Many players who had never seen a Devil Fruit in person craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the legendary treasure.

"This Devil Fruit was consigned to us by a customer," the auctioneer continued. "However, the customer has not disclosed the fruit's ability."

The bidding started at 100 million Beli, with increases of no less than 10 million Beli. As the auction hammer fell, the atmosphere in the room ignited.

"200 million Beli!" someone shouted.

"300 million!" another player countered.

"400 million Beli!"

The middle-aged auctioneer was stunned by the players' eagerness. Normally, a Devil Fruit with unknown abilities might fetch 300 to 400 million Beli at most, but these players were bidding recklessly.

Unknown to them, this Devil Fruit was one of the five that John had promised the Dragon Kingdom, and it was a rare Logia-type. Even at 500 million Beli, the winner would walk away with a bargain.

A/N; Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.

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Enjoy ✌️.