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"This is…?"
Seeing the dark sheen flickering on Luffy's hand like a faint spark, Red's eyes widened in surprise. He instantly sat up from the bed.
"Armament Haki!!!"
"Luffy, you finally awakened Armament Haki!!!"
Two years—
Two years had passed since Red first told Luffy about the existence of Armament Haki...
And now, in the early hours of their third or fourth day at sea, Luffy had finally found his way to unlocking it.
Although his Armament Haki was still weak and barely covered his fists, taking the first step was the hardest part. Red had no doubt that Luffy's training from here on out would be nothing but smooth sailing—full of breakthroughs and surprises.
After all…
Luffy was a purely physical fighter, just like a Normal-type Pokémon!!!
Still, something didn't add up.
Back at the gym, Luffy had told him he couldn't feel anything related to Armament Haki yet.
So how did he suddenly master it right after exiting the game world?!
A thoughtful look flashed across Red's eyes.
If there was any special change in Luffy during that time…
It had to be the Pokémon Center visit—where he restored Luffy's condition to its optimal state before leaving the game.
"Did Luffy, in his fully recovered state, naturally unlock his body's potential…?"
"Or did the Pokémon Center's healing process inject some kind of energy into him that triggered Armament Haki?"
In the game, no matter how badly injured a Pokémon was, even on the verge of death, they could be instantly restored by spending just a few seconds on the Pokémon Center's healing machine.
Normally, this would just be a game mechanic—a function of data and programming.
But in a world where Pokémon energy was real, who was to say the Pokémon Center's healing process didn't have some special effects?
"...I'll have Zoro test it later."
Red made a mental note before pushing the thought aside for now.
Instead, he turned to Luffy with a genuine smile.
"Congratulations, Luffy!"
"Looks like I don't have to worry about the Marines in Loguetown anymore."
"Shishishi~!" Luffy laughed heartily. "It doesn't matter who the enemy is—I'll smash them without hesitation!!!"
Having just awakened his Armament Haki, Luffy's confidence was soaring, and his eyes shone like the stars.
After celebrating with Luffy for a while, the overexcited future Pirate King finally returned to his room.
Now, Red finally had time to check his own gains.
His anticipation for the badge reward had been momentarily interrupted by Luffy's sudden Haki breakthrough.
He opened the system interface and first checked Luffy's updated stats.
[Pokémon: Monkey D. Luffy]
[Level: 47]
[EXP: 278/7057]
[HP: 198 (+4)]
[Physical Attack: 144 (+3)]
[Physical Defense: 156 (+3)]
[Special Attack: 124 (+3)]
[Special Defense: 138 (+3)]
[Speed: 141 (+3)]
After defeating Misty's two Pokémon, Luffy had gained 552 experience points, pushing him to Level 47 in one fell swoop.
With the level-up, his HP increased by 4, while all his other stats increased by 3.
Since there was no standard reference, Red wasn't sure just how strong Luffy's increase was compared to others.
But if he compared it to regular Pokémon in the games, then Luffy's base stats were already at the level of a Legendary Pokémon!
And not just any Legendary—
A top-tier one!
But then again…
'This is Luffy we're talking about. Who else would be this broken?!'
After reviewing Luffy's status, Red closed the panel and finally turned his attention to himself.
First up—the reward from the [Badge Collector] achievement.
When he earned the Boulder Badge, his body had felt noticeably calmer, improving his mental focus and stability.
But when he received the Cascade Badge, it was completely different.
A strange, fluid energy had instantly flowed through his body, making him feel refreshed, energized, and deeply comfortable at all times.
If the Boulder Badge granted him defensive capabilities, then the Cascade Badge seemed to give him…
Endless vitality, rapid recovery, and an overwhelming sense of well-being!
Since Red himself possessed the rookie physique, this powerful recovery ability seemed to push him further and further down the path of "immortality"!
The key was…
This regeneration didn't just heal injuries—it also restored stamina and energy!
His endurance had essentially become limitless.
"Not bad! I used to envy Luffy for being able to fully restore his strength at the Pokémon Center. But now, with this ability… I'm basically a Perpetual Motion Machine!"
Chuckling at the thought, Red turned his attention back to the machine's interface.
In the corner, the lottery prompt was still flashing.
With a slight shift of awareness, a roulette wheel filled with all sorts of Water-type moves appeared before his eyes.
"Alright… it's time for another thrilling round of gambling!"
Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, Red pressed the [Start] button.
Rather than torturing himself by watching the wheel spin, he closed his eyes, choosing to block out the suspense entirely.
In the quiet darkness, he simply waited.
Half a minute later, sensing that enough time had passed, Red redirected his focus back to the machine—
And instantly, a message popped up:
[Congratulations! You have obtained the move—Surf!](T/N: HOLY SHITT!!!)
Whoosh!
A surge of mysterious knowledge and energy flooded into Red's mind, like a revelation from the sea itself.
Sea-blue waves flashed through his vision, making it feel as if a vast ocean had taken root within him.
Moments later, Red opened his eyes and looked down at his hands, excitement bubbling in his chest.
Even though Surf didn't require direct palm movement, the sensation of suddenly commanding such power was exhilarating.
"Surf, huh? What an unexpected jackpot!"
Curious, Red tapped on the move details panel.
[Move: Surf]
Type: Water
Category: Special
Power: 90
Description: The user attacks everything around it by swamping its surroundings with a giant wave. Additionally, after learning this move, the user can travel freely over water with minimal energy consumption.
"Another full-effect move?!"
Reading through the move's description, a satisfied grin spread across Red's face.
Even though it was already late into the night, his Cascade Badge reward had completely erased any trace of exhaustion.
Without hesitation, he left his room and stepped onto the deck.
The night sky was vast, dotted with shimmering stars.
Red stood beneath the celestial glow, stretching out his hand toward the calm sea ahead.
"Surf!"
All of a sudden!
A dark blue glow flickered in his eyes.
And in the next moment—
A towering tsunami over ten meters long and five meters high erupted from the still waters, crashing forward with terrifying force!
Whoosh—!!!
The sound of raging currents filled the air as the massive wave surged ahead before seamlessly merging back into the sea. Gentle ripples spread outward, disturbing the once-tranquil surface.
Red nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad."
The wave may not have looked explosive, but that was because it had blended perfectly into the sea itself.
If he had summoned a wave of that scale on land, targeting an enemy—especially a Devil Fruit user—
It would be a devastating, unavoidable attack.
Of course, despite its immense power, the move had its drawbacks.
"The energy consumption is a bit high."
Feeling the slight drain on his body, Red murmured thoughtfully:
"Even with my Cascade Badge-enhanced recovery, I can probably use Surf about five times in quick succession before feeling drained."
"And the activation time isn't exactly fast… If I were up against an opponent with high agility and sharp reflexes, dodging this move wouldn't be impossible."
If the enemy could use Shave or any high-speed movement technique, Red knew he wouldn't risk using Surf in direct combat.
But then again—
"No move is perfect."
Keeping Surf's strengths and weaknesses in mind, Red dismissed his concerns and turned his focus toward another part of its description.
"'Can control nearby water sources to form waves…'"
A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
"I think I've got a great idea!"