Chapter 82: Encounter

Whoosh! 

The Energen Star, glowing with a vibrant green light, shot forward with a speed rivaling that of a standard musket bullet. As it tore through the air, the friction ignited the energy within the Energen Star.

Swish! 

A flurry of sharp leaves burst out, instantly forming a small, swirling green tornado within the shooting range. Moments later, the wind subsided, revealing the ground pockmarked with nearly a hundred uniform holes.

In each hole, the leaves were slowly dissipating into energy, fading away.

"It worked!!!" 

Usopp leaped into the air with excitement. With this ammunition, he could finally transform his skills into real power! Hope flickered in his eyes.

Seeing his future so clearly, how could he possibly be content to stay in Syrup Village? Now that he had the ability to fight, could he possibly have a chance at the next Pokémon League Conference?

The flame of courage sparked in Usopp's heart. Though it was just a small flame now, it had the potential to grow into a raging fire.

Beside him, Kaya, who had been faithfully supporting him, was overwhelmed with joy and excitement. 

"You really did it, Usopp!" Kaya exclaimed, her voice filled with joy, as if she wanted to shout the news to the world. 

She was the only one who truly understood how much effort and energy Usopp had poured into making these leaves fly.

Seeing Usopp's hard work finally pay off made her even happier than Usopp himself. In her excitement, she impulsively lifted Usopp off the ground and spun him around in a big circle.

"Success! Finally, success!!!" 

The shooting range echoed with their joyous laughter, which seemed endless. 

Meanwhile, poor Rowlet watched his trainer hand out metaphorical dog food and couldn't help but envision his own future, endlessly mass-producing Energen Stars like a worker on an assembly line.

"Gu~" 

Lowering its head in sorrow, it covered its eyes with its soft feathers, unwilling to face this harsh world. A world where only Rowlet was left hurt had indeed been achieved.

---

Three days later...

A merchant ship slowly set sail from Syrup Village, drifting out towards the vast sea.

In the ship's dining hall, Kaya's family and Usopp sat around a large table, enjoying a simple meal.

Kaya's father noticed Rowlet looking listless and asked, "Usopp, what's wrong with Rowlet? He looks exhausted."

"Huh?"

Usopp, who had been vigorously cutting into a steak, froze for a moment before awkwardly smiling. 

"Oh, ha ha, you mean Rowlet? It's nothing, really. He's just a bit tired from the last couple of days. A bit of rest, and he'll be fine. Ha ha ha…"

Usopp's laugh became more strained as he subconsciously touched the hundred Energen Stars hidden at his waist.

Kaya's father, however, didn't pay much attention. He had asked out of casual concern and soon returned to the main purpose of this journey—to sell off some of their previous properties that they were reluctant to let go of.

Now that the Pokémon era had begun, Kaya's father planned to seize this opportunity. After witnessing the miracles of Miltank and Rowlet, a plan had already formed in his mind.

The fact that Usopp had successfully turned Rowlet's moves into ammunition was like the spark that ignited Kaya's father's ambitions. He planned to gradually sell off his existing properties and invest in a Pokémon Ranch and a Pokémon Weapons Factory.

The weapons factory was a no-brainer. In this turbulent world, weapons were a necessity, so sales were guaranteed. And after the dimensional merchant had used Pokémon to defeat an Admiral, the power of Pokémon had deeply imprinted itself in the hearts of every person in East Blue.

For those who had never encountered Pokémon before, they automatically assumed they were powerful. This was the legendary brand effect! If they could capitalize on this trend and create Pokémon move ammunition, not only would it be in high demand, but it could also be sold at a premium due to the Pokémon's reputation.

As for the Pokémon Ranch, it was an idea that had initially intrigued Kaya's father. He hadn't taken it seriously until he noticed the changes in Kaya. Out of curiosity, he had Usopp use his Rotom Phone to check what benefits regular Miltank milk offered. To his surprise, it was almost identical to regular milk in terms of strengthening the body and promoting fitness.

He hadn't thought much of it at first, until...an accident led him to discover through Rotom that ordinary people in the Pokémon world could survive things like fire, electric shocks, water cannons, and poisonous bites and still recover on their own.

It was only then that he realized that ordinary people in the Pokémon world might be a million times more resilient than those in the pirate world!

---

"Usopp, the security for this voyage is entirely in your hands and Rowlet's," Kaya's father said after the meal, patting Usopp on the shoulder with a smile.

"Don't worry!" 

Usopp patted his chest confidently. After more than a month of hard work, Rowlet had already reached level 20. Except for Nami's Pikachu, whose potential had been boosted by the power of her soul, Rowlet was already the fastest-progressing Pokémon among those sold by Leo!

Even Garp's Machop, with top-level extraordinary qualifications, had been delayed due to being studied by the Navy's research force. Now it was only level 19!

But Rowlet released countless moves and skills every day, constantly pushing its limits, making it easier to unleash its potential. Its control over its moves was already far superior to that of most Pokémon!

Despite this, Rowlet never complained. It knew its trainer worked even harder than it did. Usopp's research hadn't been accomplished overnight. In countless attempts, he had been hit by Rowlet's moves many times, ending up covered in bruises.

Without the support of Miltank, Usopp would never have developed such a miraculous technology within a month.

Kaya drank milk from Miltank, and the nutrients supported her intense daily exercise, with some to spare. Usopp, however, drank it just to recover from the injuries sustained in his trials.

It was clear how he had spent this past month. Though he talked about giving up, he never truly stopped working.

It was precisely because Kaya's family understood Usopp's character that they valued him more and more.

---

Seeing Usopp's confidence, Kaya's father felt reassured and laughed, "Hahaha, don't worry. Though the times are changing, the sea remains mostly the same—only busier. Besides, what are the chances we'd be unlucky enough to encounter pirates right after setting sail?"

Whoosh... 

Boom! 

No sooner had Kaya's father spoken than the ship trembled violently. An ear-splitting explosion followed.

A suited guard rushed into the dining hall, his face pale with anxiety. 

"Sir! This is bad!!! Pirates are attacking us!!! Judging by their flag, it's the Buggy Pirates, with a bounty of 15 million Berries!!!"

(End of this chapter)