บท 60: The plot!
Since creating Pokémon, Michael and Adam had rarely had a moment of rest—and they loved every minute of it.
"I'm not going to guide players on training these Pokémon. Let them find their own path," John chuckled. The training tips he'd shared on WebNet back when Pokémon first launched were still treated like treasures by players. At first, the tips were to attract attention, but now John wanted players to develop their own approaches.
In fact, many trainers in the anime trained based on their personal preferences, even if it wasn't ideal. For example, a certain determined trainer used Charizard's massive Special Attack yet always finished battles with physical throws, giving it maximum points in Physical Attack. John mused that this kind of unique approach felt perfect for the Pokémon world.
As dinner wrapped up, Michael and Adam hurried back to their work, while Lily immediately begged John to open a private server so she could get a sneak peek of the new Pokémon and be one step ahead for the Second World update. Meanwhile, John turned his attention back to One Piece World, where a show was about to unfold.
Louge Town
Louge Town was buzzing with excitement. Under a clear, bright sky, a man in a straw hat stood on the execution platform, one hand shading his eyes as he gazed into the distance—Luffy, at the very moment the story was moving to Louge Town.
With players constantly storming the execution platform, most locals recognized him on sight. Even Navy soldiers standing nearby were playfully debating who would be the first to arrest him.
"Hey, which player wants a taste of the 'Pirate King's' platform?"
"Heh, this newbie doesn't know what's coming. The Marines will haul him off in seconds."
Beneath the platform, players passed by without much reaction—most of them had already tried their luck up there before.
Above Louge Town, a large, drifting cloud concealed the Edge Horizon team, who'd logged in to witness the events.
"Ba-John, hello!" It was Emma's first time meeting John this close, and she was clearly nervous.
John smiled and said, "Just call me 'Boss.' You're a member of the Edge Horizon Pirates now, which makes you part of my crew."
"Yes, Boss!" she replied quickly, her voice brimming with excitement.
"Oh, Boss, you have a thing for blondes, don't you?" Bella teased, only to be rewarded with a playful flick to the head.
"Watch yourself," John warned with a smirk.
Bella pouted. "Boss, why'd you call us all online? We've got work to do."
"You're about to see something incredible," John replied, glancing at the execution platform below. "Especially you, Olivia—you'll see what real elemental power looks like."
"That guy on the platform?" Sarah asked, eyeing Luffy with interest.
"Just wait and see."
"Boss, that guy doesn't look like a player," Olivia remarked, sensing something odd. In this world, it was hard to distinguish NPCs from players unless they revealed themselves.
John gave an approving nod. "Exactly."
As they chatted, the scene below began to change. A group cloaked figures had gathered under the platform, with a woman wielding a massive spiked club standing at the front, exuding fierce energy.
"Whoa, she's nailing this look!"
"Yeah, it's totally Fes! That mace… I'm in love!"
The woman was Alvida, the former enemy of Luffy who'd transformed with the powers of the Smooth-Smooth Fruit. Her charisma was undeniable, and nearby players and townsfolk alike couldn't help but be drawn to her presence.
"Alvida, the Smooth-Smooth Devil Fruit user," John explained, noting the team's interest.
"Wait… is she a character in the game?" Olivia's eyes lit up, catching onto something. "Boss, did you set this up as part of the storyline?"
Aside from Emma, the rest of the team looked equally intrigued. As developers at Nexusplay, they'd handled countless games with complex storylines, and Olivia's specialty was precisely in creating believable in-game narratives.
John smiled knowingly. "Well, there might be more to the game than meets the eye."
"Whoa, you've kept this secret pretty well! I thought your games didn't have real storylines," Bella laughed.
"Not as well-hidden as you," John teased, though his expression remained serious. "Keep watching; there's more to see."
"Boss, is there any benefit to following the storyline?"
"Will there be missions?"
"Or any extra plot twists?"
John rubbed his forehead, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Did you think every plotline has perks or missions?"
He added, "Besides, most plotlines would be too dangerous for 99% of players to survive."
Below, the tension escalated as Luffy was locked in wooden shackles by Kabaji on the platform. As Olivia watched, she noticed something unusual in the sky. The clouds around them seemed to be shifting, drawn together by an unseen force.
"The clouds… something's wrong with them!"
A sudden gust of wind picked up, swirling as if forming a tornado that pulled the surrounding clouds directly over Louge Town.
"The show's about to begin," John said, his gaze fixed below as he watched with a subtle grin.
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 79: Patreon.com/AncestorX
Enjoy ✌️.
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