Chapter 99: Devil Fruits!

"It's actually quite simple to find Brook," Leo began, his tone casual. "Just search in the Devil's Triangle for a while, and you're bound to come across him eventually. But, there's something I should mention—a friendly reminder for Laboon and the Rumba Pirates…"

Leo paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in before continuing, "It's said that the current Warlord of the Sea, Gecko Moria, is also lurking in the Devil's Triangle. If they happen to cross paths, Brook could find himself in deep trouble."

"The Warlord of the Sea?" Crocus frowned, sensing that something was amiss. He eyed Leo suspiciously, a man who seemed to know too much. This wasn't just a simple warning—could it be that Brook is in real danger, or worse, already dead?

A storm of complex emotions brewed within Crocus, casting a shadow over his heart. Leo, noticing the shift, simply smiled, content that he had achieved the desired effect. If his client didn't feel a sense of urgency, how could he be persuaded to act?

"Now, for the second matter…" Leo's voice interrupted Crocus' dark thoughts. "Reviving all the members of the Rumba Pirates might be a bit more challenging for you and Laboon."

Resurrecting the dead was no simple task, and Crocus had braced himself for this reality. In fact, just knowing that such a possibility existed was a blessing, both for him and for Laboon. 

Seeing Crocus ready to accept the challenge, Leo smiled and snapped his fingers. Instantly, a flood of information about the trade appeared in Crocus' mind, including details about the resurrection item—the [Ho-oH Feather].

A heavy silence fell over Crocus as he processed the information. "5,000 points, or 2.5 billion Beli, to resurrect one person?" Despite being prepared, the steep price of the Ho-oH Feather left him in shock.

[TL/n: It was originally priced at 50,000 points, but after I adjusted the conversion rate to 500,000 Beli per point, I removed a zero from the cost. Otherwise, it would have been too expensive at 25 billion Beli. I will adjust the price and cost alternatively.]

The Rumba Pirates had over a hundred members. To bring them all back to life would require 300 to 400 billion Beli! Yet, as Crocus considered it further, the price didn't seem unreasonable. After all, bringing someone back from the dead was no small feat. 

The thought of resurrecting his former Captain, Roger flickered in his mind, and he froze. "Wait… could Captain Roger really be resurrected?" His voice trembled as he turned to Leo, "Sir Dimensional Merchant, the information I just received—does it mean that as long as a person's soul power hasn't dissipated, they can be brought back to life?"

"Indeed," Leo confirmed calmly. "As long as their soul hasn't crossed into the next world and their spiritual essence remains, they can be resurrected with the Ho-oH Feather. Also you can call me Leo."

"But," Leo added, "the longer they've been dead, the more points it will cost."

Crocus nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of Leo's words. The resurrection of the dead could shake the very foundations of the world. Though Crocus longed to see Roger again, he couldn't ignore the potential chaos this ability could unleash.

A sense of urgency gripped his heart, and after a brief moment of contemplation, Crocus made his decision. "Sir Leo, please wait here. I'll gather the necessary items for the trade."

Despite his initial skepticism about the Pokémon, Crocus couldn't deny his anticipation, especially considering the chance to participate in the Pokémon League and possibly resurrect a deceased loved one.

With that, Crocus turned to retrieve his savings. But before he could leave, Leo stopped him. 

"There's no need for that." 

With a snap of his fingers, a strange interface appeared in Crocus' mind. 

"The items you wish to trade have now been uploaded into your mind," Leo explained with a smile. "Simply focus on the item you wish to trade, and select 'Confirm.' The transaction will be completed instantly."

This remote trading system not only increased the volume of transactions but also made them far more efficient. 

Crocus marveled at the interface in his mind, further convinced of Leo's identity as a dimensional merchant. In all his nearly 70 years of life, he had never encountered anything like this.

He quickly selected the items he intended to trade. Most of them were relics from pirate crews who had perished on the Grand Line after encountering Laboon. 

However, when Leo reviewed the trade, his eyes lit up with surprise.

"My hunch was right—guarding the entrance really is a lucrative job!" Leo thought, impressed. Among the items Crocus had submitted were three Devil Fruits.

This was the third time Leo had encountered a Devil Fruit, but seeing three at once was extraordinary!

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Crocus confirmed, nodding firmly. The Devil Fruits were useless to him. He'd kept them out of concern that Laboon might accidentally eat one, which would strip the whale of its ability to swim and survive in the ocean.

For Laboon, a Devil Fruit wasn't a treasure but a deadly poison.

"Then, as you wish~" Leo said, smiling as he converted the items Crocus traded into world energy and absorbed it into the system.

The three Devil Fruits included two Zoan-type Fruits—Mouse and Zebra—worth 6,000 points, and one Paramecia-type Fruit that could emit powerful electric shocks, valued at 8,000 points. Combined with other miscellaneous items Crocus had stored, Leo's point balance surged past 10,000.

"It's a good start!" Leo thought, pleased. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a new mobile Rotom. 

"Congratulations, Mr. Crocus. You're now a VIP2 member of the Dimensional Chamber of Commerce," Leo announced, presenting the mobile Rotom as a gift. "This is a special device for VIP2 members, a technological marvel known as the mobile Rotom. You can use it to access your personal information."

As soon as Leo finished speaking, Crocus' personal information appeared on the Rotom's screen:

[Crocus]

- VIP Level: 2

- VIP Experience: 3000/10000

- Current Points: 3000

"Mobile Rotom?" Crocus examined the strange creature floating before him. Before he could delve deeper into his new information, Leo spoke again, gLaboonbing his attention.

"So, with your points redeemed, you can now choose your own Pokémon…" Leo said, smiling. "Oh, and by the way!" Leo's grin widened, "If you plan to search for Brook in the Devil's Triangle, I have a particular Pokémon that I highly recommend!"

(End of this chapter)