John couldn't help but be a little skeptical. His first game had been a huge hit, then he found himself overwhelmed, and now here he was again, crashing into yet another unexpected situation!
"Then, this game…" John asked hurriedly.
He hadn't forgotten the costs of becoming popular before. Pokémon was bound to the "Second World," and he couldn't afford to play around with it too much—especially with so many eyes monitoring server data.
But at least back then, he had been in control. Now, this kind of official intervention made him cautious. He wouldn't just hand his game over to others without a fight.
"Don't worry, the game is still yours. We're just looking at the player feedback after you open the two-way exchange, and we won't interfere with your management of the game," David Cooper said with a smile, reading John's thoughts.
"Oh, that's a relief," John sighed, feeling some tension leave him.
If they had wanted to take ownership of his game, John wouldn't have given in so easily. After all, he had built up quite a treasure trove of resources by now. The system's current exchange store offered more than just Devil Fruits and famous weapons—it even had options for Haki abilities.
Still, John wasn't about to create unnecessary chaos. He just wanted to focus on building a great game.
Suddenly, a thought crossed John's mind, and the corners of his mouth curled into a slight smile. "Ahem, Master David, since I'm helping you test whether the game's two-way exchange can be successful, shouldn't I get something out of this as well?"
Michael, who was sitting nearby, relaxed in his chair but trembled slightly at John's boldness. You really dare to ask for more?
David Cooper laughed heartily, then narrowed his eyes as he said, "Of course, we wouldn't leave you hanging. We'll deal with anyone trying to stir up trouble for you."
John knew David was referring to those whose interests might be threatened. While John wasn't worried about them, it was definitely a relief to have the Dragon Kingdom's officials handling it.
"Anything else?" John asked, pushing his luck.
David smirked. "Besides that, we're also genuinely interested in your game's deeper mechanics."
"My game's mechanics?" John raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," David said, his tone shifting. "Specifically, the unique features. You know what I'm talking about. Your AI system is groundbreaking. The Pokémon in your game don't just follow scripted paths—they think, react, and even change based on how players interact with them. That's not something we've seen before in other virtual worlds. Care to explain how you managed to pull that off?"
John was caught off guard for a moment. So, they had noticed. He kept his face calm, though, and responded casually, "It's just a matter of design. I wanted the Pokémon to have a dynamic feel, so I programmed them with multiple layers of responses to give them a lifelike presence. It's part of what makes the game immersive."
David's eyes narrowed as he studied John. "Impressive. We had a feeling it wasn't just regular programming."
John nodded, maintaining his calm demeanor, though inwardly he was amused. If only they knew about the system helping me out…
David continued, "All we're asking for is cooperation. We won't push too hard. As for benefits, how about we talk about a few Devil Fruits?"
"Devil Fruits?" John echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"We're strangers to this world," David explained. "But as the game's creator, you should know which Devil Fruits are worth having, right?"
John paused, thinking it over. David wasn't making unreasonable demands, and it could work out in John's favor. If the Dragon Kingdom started buying Devil Fruits, other players would see their value. It was an opportunity to grow the game even more.
Smiling, John said, "If the kingdom wants to enter the game world, it's an honor for me. But I can't just hand out Devil Fruits directly. If you're serious, let me know when you're ready, and I'll arrange for you to 'buy' them in an auction."
"Can't we just find them lying around?" David asked with an amused smirk.
John coughed lightly, "That would be too obvious. The players would catch on immediately."
David chuckled. "Fair enough. You really are as sly as your father was when he was young."
John glanced at Michael, who sat there with a stern face. The idea that his father had been sly when he was younger was surprising—he had always thought of Michael as more of a straight arrow.
With that, David wrapped up the conversation. "Alright then, I'll look forward to seeing what happens next. You've got some big shoes to fill."
The meeting was over, and the rest of the group shifted into their regular business discussions. John knew that from this point forward, the real excitement in the game world was only just beginning.
A/N; Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.
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