One Piece: Trainer of Kings

"One... ten... hundred... thousand... ten thousand..."

Zoro's scarred fingers traced the numbers printed below Luffy's grinning photo, his voice growing more and more amazed with each digit he counted.

"Luffy, they already put a bounty of fifty million berries on your head?"

The swordsman's dark eyes widened as the full implications hit him like a physical blow. In all his years as a bounty hunter, he'd chased pirates across the Eastern Blue whose heads weren't worth a fraction of this amount.

"I never thought you'd earn this kind of recognition without committing any particularly heinous crimes!" His lips curled into an appreciative grin despite his shock. "This is truly impressive."

In the relatively peaceful waters of the East Blue, a bounty of five million berries marked someone as a significant threat, worthy of serious naval attention. Pirates with a bounty of ten million berries were considered major regional powers. Twenty million was practically unheard of, reserved for only the most dangerous criminals who'd somehow evaded capture by the forces of the World Government.

But fifty million berries? That number belonged in the Grand Line, where true monsters roamed the waters, capable of swallowing entire fleets without leaving so much as a scrap.

Luffy's reaction to his newfound fame was characteristically enthusiastic. His trademark grin stretched impossibly wide as he clapped his hands together in childish glee and bounced on his toes in barely contained excitement.

"Hehe~! It seems there are still some people in the Navy who know talent when they see it!" he declared proudly, his voice carrying across the deck with infectious joy.

"All right! The next step is to keep working hard and increase this bounty even more! I want to see how big the numbers can get!"

His rubber fist punched the sky in celebration, oblivious to the gravity of his situation.

"HEY!"

Nami's sharp voice cut through their celebration like a blade through silk. She stood rigid against the ship's railing, the bounty poster trembling in her white-knuckled grip as stress and disbelief fought over her features.

"You two idiots! Do you have to be so optimistic?!"

Her amber eyes flashed with barely contained panic as she gestured frantically at the official document. "Do you have any idea what this bounty actually means?"

She began pacing, her navigator's mind automatically calculating the catastrophic implications of their situation.

"This is the East Blue! A sea where the average bounty is barely three million berries and the highest recorded bounty is only twenty million! Do you understand what it means when the Navy suddenly offers Luffy fifty million berries?"

Her voice cracked slightly as her growing hysteria threatened to overwhelm her carefully maintained composure. "And he's supposedly 'done nothing wrong'? Have you already forgotten that provocative photo session at the Marine base?"

The memory of their commemorative photos taken right in front of Marine Base 153 sent fresh waves of fear through her system. Back then, she'd thought that Akira and Luffy were just being recklessly bold. Now she understood that they'd essentially declared war on the authority of the World Government in the most public way possible.

No wonder the bounty is so high, she thought with growing despair. We didn't just defeat a naval captain, we humiliated the entire system and documented it for posterity.

Her imagination began to conjure terrifying visions of massive naval fleets converging on her tiny ship from every direction. Battleships bristling with guns, led by Vice Admirals whose power dwarfed anything she'd ever encountered.

I hope Akira's new abilities are strong enough to handle entire naval armadas, she prayed silently, though the rational part of her mind doubted that any individual could stand against such overwhelming military force.

Her desperate gaze sought out her second-in-command, hoping that his usual strategic wisdom might provide some reassurance, or at least acknowledge the gravity of their predicament.

What she heard instead made her soul leave her body entirely.

"Only fifty million berries?" Akira mused thoughtfully, stroking his chin as if pondering a mildly interesting puzzle. "That seems a bit low, to be honest."

"I suspect that the East Blue's limitations influenced the Navy's assessment of the appropriate bounty amount. With your current strength, Luffy, you'd easily command over a hundred million berries in the Grand Line."

The casual way he dismissed her astronomical bounty as insufficient sent Nami into complete despair.

It's over, she realized with crystalline clarity. This entire crew has lost its mind. I'm surrounded by lunatics who think fifty million berries isn't enough recognition.

"Oh, Nami!"

Akira's voice suddenly cut through her internal crisis, his tone changing to something more serious and authoritative. The change in his demeanor immediately caught her full attention.

"Although you're not primarily a fighter, Luffy's wanted status means that the enemies we'll face in the future will become more dangerous and powerful."

His dark eyes fixed on them with laser intensity as he continued his explanation. "To avoid unnecessary risks in future confrontations, you must begin serious training today."

"In addition," he added with obvious anticipation, "if nothing unexpected happens tonight, you will accompany me to the Pokémon world."

"What?!"

Nami's jaw dropped as shock replaced her previous fear. The sudden shift from despair to amazement left her reeling as she tried to process what she'd just heard.

"The Pokémon world?!" she stammered, her voice rising several octaves. "Wait, wait a minute! This is an incredibly valuable opportunity, isn't it? There's absolutely no need to waste something so important on me!"

Despite their limited understanding of the mysterious realm Akira had described, the awe in Luffy and Zoro's voices whenever they spoke of their virtual adventures had made its significance clear. This was a place where the impossible became routine, where strength could be gained through methods that defied conventional understanding.

It sounded like nothing short of a miracle.

But from any logical perspective, maximizing their resources meant prioritizing Luffy or Zoro for such extraordinary opportunities. Both were natural fighters whose enhanced abilities would benefit the crew far more than any improvements she could achieve.

She couldn't bear the thought of Akira sacrificing their combat effectiveness just to accommodate her personal development.

Her selfless protests, however, were met with Akira's confident smile and gently scolding tone.

"What are you talking about, Nami?" he asked mockingly, his expression suggesting that her concerns were completely misplaced.

"From your tone, it sounds like you're questioning your coach's strategic judgment~"

His voice grew warmer and more reassuring as he continued. "Relax. If I've decided to bring you into the Pokémon world, it's because I need you to do something special."

"Believe me, this is not charity. It's a tactical necessity."

"Well... all right," Nami conceded reluctantly, although there was still a trace of uncertainty in her voice.

She'd learned to trust Akira's strategic brilliance, even if his plans seemed incomprehensible at first glance. If he believed that her presence in the virtual world would serve some important purpose, then she would accept his judgment without further argument.

Besides, she had to admit that her curiosity about the mysterious world of Pokémon was truly overwhelming. The opportunity to experience such wonders firsthand was too tempting to refuse, regardless of any practical considerations.

Satisfied with their acceptance, Akira clapped his hands sharply to interrupt Luffy and Zoro's continued celebration of the bounty announcement.

"All right, you two! Enough daydreaming about future fame and fortune. Return to your training at once."

His tone carried the authoritative weight of someone accustomed to being obeyed without question. "These muscles will not develop on their own, and we cannot afford to waste daylight hours on fantasy discussions."

After ensuring that both fighters had returned to their respective training routines, Akira made his way back to the stern of the ship with renewed purpose. The familiar rhythm of combining Ancient Power meditation with active Surf manipulation had become second nature to him, allowing him to enhance his own abilities while simultaneously propelling their ship forward at supernatural speeds.

The elegant efficiency of using two Pokémon moves in perfect harmony filled him with quiet satisfaction. Every aspect of his enhanced abilities was being used to its maximum potential.

As for his decision to bring Nami into the virtual realm...

It wasn't motivated by favoritism or misplaced sympathy. Akira had very specific, strategic reasons for requesting their presence at the next game session.

His memory of playing through the original games remained crystal clear, especially regarding certain hidden treasures scattered throughout various locations. During his exploration of Cerulean City with Luffy, he'd deliberately avoided searching for the legendary Rare Candy hidden somewhere in the urban environment.

Time constraints had forced him to prioritize the Gym Challenge over the treasure hunt, but now he wanted to correct that oversight.

The Rare Candy was one of the most valuable items in the entire Pokémon universe, a miraculous substance capable of instantly elevating any creature to the next level, regardless of its current level of experience. Such power was worth considerable risk and effort to obtain.

Based on his experience in other locations, the game system had faithfully reproduced most of the hidden items from the original games. Poké Balls containing useful items had been scattered throughout the Viridian Forest and Mt. Moon, just as he remembered. Logic suggested that the secret treasures of Cerulean City would be similarly accessible.

As a result, Akira had decided to devote an entire play session to thoroughly exploring the water-themed metropolis. Although the energy expenditure was considerable, the potential rewards justified the investment.

And the reason he needed Nami's help had everything to do with her unique characteristics within the game system.

When he'd accessed her status information after their alliance ceremony, the results had exceeded his most optimistic expectations:

[Pokémon: Nami] [Level: 12] [Gender: Female ♀] [Nature: Calm (+Special Attack, -Speed)] [Type: Electric/Flying] [Ability: Pickup (After defeating enemies in battle, can retrieve items they were carrying. Even without engaging in combat, you may occasionally find valuable items. Higher-level Pokémon have a greater chance of finding rare items.)] [Moves: , , , , , , , , , , ] [Experience: 0/586]

[HP: 49] [Attack: 31] [Defense: 30] [Special Attack: 48] [Special Defense: 32] [Speed: 31]

Unlike Luffy's Regeneration, which provided constant healing, or Zoro's Pressure, which intimidated opponents, Nami's Pickup trait did not provide any direct combat advantages.

However, its utility applications were nothing short of extraordinary.

The Pickup ability allowed certain Pokémon to literally sniff out valuable items from thin air, including rare candies, Evolution Stones, and even technological machines with powerful moves. While the odds were relatively low, the potential rewards made it one of the most coveted abilities among serious trainers.

The fact that higher-level Pokémon had a higher success rate with Pickup made Nami's future development even more promising.

Although Akira couldn't predict exactly how this virtual ability would manifest itself in their search for the hidden treasures of Cerulean City, having someone with Pickup with them certainly couldn't hurt their chances.

If nothing else, Nami's presence would double their effective search capacity, while possibly triggering beneficial effects he couldn't access alone.

As their enhanced ship continued its supernatural journey to Syrup Village, propelled by Akira's masterful wave manipulation, similar scenes of celebration and concern unfolded in the wider world.

The rapid distribution of Luffy's bounty poster had sent shockwaves through every corner of the East Blue, reaching even the most remote settlements within hours of its official release.

In Windmill Village, where both Luffy and Akira had spent their formative years, the local tavern had turned into an impromptu festival celebrating their hometown heroes' sudden rise to fame.

"CHEERS!"

The thunderous cry erupted from Makino's tavern as dozens of voices joined in enthusiastic unison, their glasses raised high to the ceiling in a collective salute.

"Hurray for Luffy!" shouted the village blacksmith, his massive frame swaying slightly from the effects of the celebratory sake. "Only been at sea for a few days and he's already earned fifty million berries! Looks like our village is about to create a legend!"

"Hahaha! The Navy hasn't even noticed Akira yet!" the dockmaster laughed, slapping his knee in obvious delight. "I guarantee that more than half of Luffy's bounty is actually due to our boy's strategic brilliance!"

"Cheers to Akira!"

The crowd's enthusiasm reached a fever pitch as they paid tribute to their second hometown hero, the young man whose quiet intelligence had clearly guided their rubber-powered friend to such spectacular achievements.

"Wait a minute!"

The tavern's festivities were suddenly interrupted by the sharp crack of a wooden stick hitting the floor. An elderly figure pushed through the doorway in obvious agitation, his weathered face wrinkled into an expression of deep despair.

"Such dangerous criminals have appeared in our peaceful village, and you still have the audacity to celebrate?"

The village chief's indignant cries fell on deaf ears. Instead of sobering the crowd, his appearance only triggered another wave of enthusiastic cheering.

"Hurray for Luffy and Akira!" the villagers shouted in perfect sync, completely ignoring his concerns about their moral obligations.

"You people..."

The village chief felt a stress headache building behind his temples as he resigned himself to the futility of arguing with a room full of drunken admirers. He moved cautiously through the crowd, making his way to the bar where at least one person might have some semblance of common sense.

"Please try to stay calm, Village Chief," Makino said gently, her soft voice cutting through the ambient noise as she placed a steaming cup of tea in front of him.

Her warm smile carried the kind of patient understanding that had made her tavern the heart of their small community for years. "Everyone is just happy that Luffy is pursuing his dreams so successfully."

She picked up Luffy's bounty poster from the surface of the bar and studied the photo with obvious affection. The picture captured her former customer in a moment of pure joy, his infectious grin radiating the same enthusiasm that had charmed everyone who had ever met him.

"Look at that expression," she murmured fondly, her fingertip tracing the edge of the wanted poster. "He looks absolutely pleased with himself. I can practically hear his laughter through the photo."

"Really!" the village chief huffed, taking a careful sip of his tea before launching into his familiar complaints. "I still don't understand what Akira was thinking! Why would he choose to go to sea with that troublemaker?"

His voice carried the frustrated tone of someone whose carefully laid plans had been completely derailed by youthful impulsiveness. "I was grooming him to be the next village chief! He had such a bright future here, and then he gets dragged off to become a pirate by that rubber-brained idiot!"

"It's absolute madness!"

"Akira..."

Hearing the village chief mention their late strategist, Makino's expression became more pensive and distant. After more than two years of daily interaction, she understood Akira's character better than anyone else in Windmill Village.

His sudden decision to become a pirate had taken her by surprise. Throughout their acquaintance, he'd shown no interest in adventure or rebellion against authority. If anything, his cautious nature and strategic mind had seemed perfectly suited to administrative duties.

But despite her confusion about his motives, Makino had learned to trust the young man's judgment in all matters. If Akira had chosen to leave their peaceful village for the dangerous uncertainty of the pirate life, then something on the vast ocean must have called to him with irresistible force.

Perhaps some dreams could only be pursued beyond the familiar boundaries of home.

As the celebration continued around them, filling the tavern with warmth and laughter that pushed back against the evening darkness, Makino found herself gazing out the window at the distant horizon where her friends had disappeared.

A gentle smile curved her lips as she whispered a silent prayer to the night breeze:

"Remember to eat well, Akira...and please protect each other."