章 72: Contest
Following Luffy's arrival in Alabasta, Smoker and his Navy warship relentlessly pursued him from Louge Town. Although Smoker had been overpowered in Louge Town, his Logia abilities remained formidable and nearly impossible to counter at this stage.
"Creating chaos," John muttered, suppressing a grin. He almost felt sorry for Crocodile. Luffy alone was enough trouble for him, but now hundreds of players were converging on Alabasta, armed with high-pressure water guns.
According to the anime, Luffy's blood-soaked punch had managed to strike Crocodile. Here, the high-pressure water guns in players' hands would likely disable Crocodile's ability to transform into sand. Thousands of players had already arrived in Alabasta in this first wave alone, armed not only with powerful water guns but also portable versions.
"There are only a few groups that could organize this many players," John thought, analyzing the situation. After a moment, he concluded that only the Dragon Kingdom forces and the five major game companies could mobilize this level of support so quickly.
"What's their objective?" he wondered. "Are they aiming to prove their strength? Or are they actually after Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit ability?"
John couldn't quite understand why they'd go to such lengths just to take down Crocodile. Even if they succeeded in knocking out his Devil Fruit powers, it wouldn't guarantee the ability would fall to them. Besides, without a method to capture and transfer Devil Fruit abilities, someone else might easily take advantage of their work.
Even if they managed to suppress Crocodile's abilities, facing him directly would be no easy task. Luffy's victory had been a combination of raw power, determination, and, in the anime, unexpected help from Baroque Works agents. Most players simply didn't have the strength or skills to match him.
And the thought of Pluton? John doubted they'd succeed in uncovering such a weapon. Pluton was a near-mythical construct—one that wouldn't surface unless he decided to reveal it. Only key characters in One Piece, like Robin, had even a slight chance of finding the plans, and they wouldn't reveal such a secret easily.
Despite the amount of planning and coordination the five companies had put into this, John could see their every move. And as their grand scheme played out, John smiled, anticipating their inevitable frustration when they realized their efforts were futile.
"This should be an interesting show to watch."
For now, John chose not to involve his Edge Horizon Team. They'd already seen all the strength they needed to; there was no sense in wasting time. Let the five giants struggle in Alabasta on their own.
The Real World: Pokémon's New Update Steals the Spotlight
Back in the real world, John had just completed the latest Pokémon update, which introduced 100 new Pokémon from the second generation into Second World. The update approval went smoothly, and as soon as it was live, Pokémon's popularity shot past One Piece, reclaiming the top spot online.
"John is a legend!"
"More Pokémon already? I haven't even finished collecting the first batch!"
"Collecting them all? That's a rich player's dream!"
"Not everyone can collect them all, you know. But I'm halfway there—I even bought a Pokémon garden in Second World!"
The hype was unstoppable. Players flooded into the game the moment the update launched, cutting One Piece's player base in half as trainers dove into the hunt for new Pokémon. John watched, amused, as One Piece—the game he'd spent countless hours refining—momentarily took a backseat to Pokémon, a game he'd created in record time but that captivated players effortlessly.
At the same time, the registration for the Seaside City Beauty Contest had closed. Though the contest didn't offer the same thrill as battle tournaments, the participation rates were impressively high. Players traveled from far and wide to Seaside City just for a chance to join the dazzling competition.
Drawing from lessons learned from the last league tournament, Adam, John's assistant in organizing events, had implemented a detailed screening process to streamline the contest and avoid overly long matches. Everything seemed to be falling into place.
A Surprise Role in the Beauty Contest
During dinner, Adam brought up something that caught John off guard.
"What? You want me to be a judge?" John asked, surprised.
Adam nodded calmly. "You're the one who came up with the concept of the Beauty Contest. You should see how it's actually unfolding in the game. None of us really understand the mechanics as well as you do."
After thinking it over, John agreed. He was free, after all, and it would be a good opportunity to see how his ideas translated into gameplay. Besides, it'd be a fun way to engage with players in Second World.
The Next Day: The Beauty Contest Venue
The next day, John and Adam arrived at the stunning contest venue. The arena was carefully designed, a vast improvement over the simple stages he remembered from the anime. Different arenas featured unique elements that allowed players to showcase the beauty and skills of their Pokémon with full flair.
John was impressed with the attention to detail. Unlike the small, restrictive stages from the anime, this venue allowed for Pokémon's abilities to shine without limitations. Players could choose themed stages that best suited their Pokémon's moves, making the contest a blend of spectacle and strategy.
By the time John took his seat at the judges' table, the stands were packed with spectators. Apart from John and Adam, three other judges sat nearby—well-known Pokémon breeders from Seaside City who specialized in analyzing Pokémon's growth and abilities.
When players spotted John at the judges' table, a wave of excitement rippled through the crowd.
"OMG! The rumors were true! John's actually judging!"
"John! Over here! I'll bear your children!"
"Ahhh! John! I want to be your sister-in-law!"
John chuckled, taken aback by the enthusiastic reactions.
"Why are they all so intense?" he murmured, smiling awkwardly as the contest prepared to begin.
A/N: Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.
Also check out my Patreon if you want extra chapters up to chapter 110: Patreon.com/AncestorX
Enjoy ✌️.
I'm really sorry for disappearing for past week or so, I had to deal with some stuff but I'm back now and as compensation I'll upload 4 chapters today.
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