The pristine moonlight bathed the endless ocean in silver, transforming the gentle waves into a mirror of dancing starlight. Each rhythmic crash against their small vessel's hull created a peaceful symphony that seemed to echo from the depths of the quiet sea itself.
This tranquil maritime lullaby was suddenly broken by a drowsy yawn that carried across the water.
"Ah~ I'm so sleepy!" Luffy mumbled, rubbing his face with both hands before blinking his eyes open with obvious irritation.
As consciousness gradually returned to his exhausted mind, he immediately turned his gaze toward his companion on the opposite side of their tiny boat.
Akira was also stirring from what appeared to be restless sleep, the late-night atmosphere seeming to weigh heavily on his usually sharp mind. Dark circles under his eyes spoke of mental fatigue that transcended mere physical tiredness.
"Another limitation of the system revealed itself tonight," he muttered with a weary sigh, running his fingers through his disheveled hair.
"Even though our bodies remain in a dormant state while we're in the game world, our minds receive no actual rest. I'll need to carefully plan our gaming sessions going forward to avoid compromising our daily activities."
After providing Luffy with a basic explanation of Pokémon energy and its applications, Akira had noticed their console's power reserves dropping dangerously low. Rather than risk being forcibly ejected from the virtual realm, he'd wisely saved their progress at Pewter Gym and initiated their return to reality.
Taking a moment to check their compass bearing and confirm their small vessel hadn't drifted from its intended course, he turned back to address his captain with measured authority.
"Alright, Luffy. Tonight's adventure has come to an end."
"It's getting quite late, so you should get some proper rest now. I'll take the watch until dawn."
"If our navigation remains accurate, we should reach the next island around midday tomorrow."
"Ha~! Sounds good to me, Akira!"
Despite not having engaged in any particularly intense combat, Luffy genuinely felt drained after their extended virtual adventure. The mental strain of experiencing an entirely different world had taken its toll on even his seemingly limitless energy reserves.
He stretched his arms above his head with a tremendous yawn, offered a casual wave to his vice-captain, then proceeded to curl up against the boat's side and fall asleep with the enviable ease of someone completely unburdened by worry.
"This guy's ability to sleep anywhere is truly remarkable," Akira observed with a mixture of admiration and mild exasperation.
But his amusement quickly faded as he turned his attention to more pressing matters. The brilliant full moon overhead provided ample illumination for contemplation, and he had significant planning to accomplish.
"Since I have some quiet time," he mused aloud, "I might as well take inventory of tonight's achievements."
Reaching into their supply pack, Akira retrieved a small leather-bound notebook and began recording his thoughts with methodical precision. This habit of written planning had served him well throughout his previous life, and even dimensional travel hadn't altered his preference for organizing ideas on paper.
The notebook's pages contained far more than simple navigation notes or supply lists. To prevent himself from forgetting crucial details from the One Piece storyline, he'd meticulously recorded every plot point, character detail, and significant event he could remember. Since everything was written in his native language, there was no risk of accidental discovery causing unwanted complications.
"First, regarding experience accumulation," he began writing in neat, organized columns. "Luffy gained approximately 2,500 experience points during tonight's session, leaving him roughly 3,600 points away from reaching level 47."
"While Pewter Gym provided a concentrated source of experience through trainer battles, the Pokémon we'll encounter in future areas will have progressively higher levels. This should result in exponential growth rates as we advance through the storyline."
"Second, the matter of Pokémon move integration."
"Based on Luffy's feedback, activating Headbutt doesn't simply teach him a new fighting technique—it actually enhances the physical properties of his head, increasing both offensive power and defensive resistance to collision damage."
"This suggests that Pokémon moves provide genuine stat boosts and special effects rather than mere cosmetic abilities. From a combat perspective, this system shows tremendous promise for power enhancement."
Akira paused in his writing to sketch some rough diagrams illustrating the mechanics he'd observed. The satisfaction he felt regarding Headbutt's effectiveness was evident in his increasingly animated note-taking.
The learning process itself had been remarkably straightforward. A simple selection from the game interface had instantly granted Luffy complete mastery of the technique—a miraculous shortcut that would make countless struggling students weep with envy.
More importantly, Technical Machines appeared to be permanent tools that didn't disappear after use. This meant that if he could eventually bring other individuals into the game world, he could potentially outfit them with complete movesets, dramatically boosting their combat capabilities in a matter of minutes.
However, one crucial question continued to perplex him.
"I still don't understand how the system determines who qualifies as a Pokémon," Akira whispered thoughtfully, tapping his pen against the notebook's margin.
He felt certain that the selection criteria weren't based solely on simple factors like emotional closeness or time spent in physical proximity. After all, during his two and a half years in this world, the person he'd interacted with most frequently wasn't Luffy—it was Makino from Party's Bar.
When he'd first awakened in this world as a confused fourteen-year-old, Makino's natural kindness had led her to take him in as an unofficial ward. She'd provided him with food, shelter, and simple work around the tavern, treating him more like family than an employee despite his young age.
The arrangement had worked well for everyone involved. Makino gained a helpful assistant for basic tasks, while Akira received stability and legitimate cover for his presence in Windmill Village. The light workload had also allowed him ample time for physical training and preparation.
In fact, if his mysterious gaming system hadn't suddenly activated, he might have been content to remain in the village indefinitely. The idea of eventually confessing his feelings to Makino after reaching adulthood had held considerable appeal.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans entirely.
Luffy, by contrast, spent most of his time training alone in the mountains and forests surrounding the village. He typically descended to the settlement only every few days, usually seeking either food or conversation with Akira about his dreams of becoming the Pirate King.
"So if we eliminate emotional intimacy as the determining factor, the most significant difference between Luffy and everyone else I've encountered is..."
"I've been actively coaching him in combat techniques and strategic thinking!"
Although Akira's personal fighting abilities remained frustratingly limited, he'd genuinely earned Luffy's respect and recognition through his guidance. The results spoke for themselves—Luffy's development had accelerated dramatically under his tutelage.
A sudden flash of insight illuminated Akira's thoughts like lightning piercing the darkness. His eyes widened with excitement as the pieces of a complex puzzle suddenly clicked into place.
"Could it be that the requirement for becoming my Pokémon is recognition of my role as a trainer?!"
"That actually makes perfect sense!"
Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Akira struck the boat's railing with his fist, his face breaking into a triumphant grin that shone brilliantly in the moonlight.
The mystery that had plagued him for days seemed to have found its solution in a moment of crystalline clarity.
Better yet, testing this hypothesis would be remarkably simple.
"If my theory proves correct," he thought with growing anticipation, "I'll have my answer soon enough. The third member of the Straw Hat Pirates will provide the perfect test case."
He already knew exactly who that third member would be. Their current heading had been carefully calculated since departing Windmill Village, aimed precisely at their intended destination.
They were sailing directly toward Shells Town—home of Marine Base 153, where according to recent rumors circulating throughout the East Blue, the infamous pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro was currently imprisoned.
Akira's route planning had been deliberate and methodical from the very beginning. If they were going to embark on a grand adventure in the world of pirates, how could they possibly exclude the legendary three-sword swordsman from their crew?
But even as excitement built in his chest, a sobering realization tempered his enthusiasm.
"I'm sorry, Zoro," he murmured with genuine regret, gazing out at the distant horizon where their destination lay. "I've essentially claimed your position as vice-captain."
"But I promise I'll find other ways to make it up to you!"
His expression grew thoughtful as he contemplated the challenges ahead. If he wanted Zoro to acknowledge him as both a superior officer and a legitimate trainer, he would need to provide the same kind of valuable guidance he'd given Luffy.
Therein lay the problem.
"Wait a minute," Akira's confidence evaporated as quickly as it had appeared. "I don't know the first thing about swordsmanship!"
His knowledge of advanced Haki techniques was entirely theoretical, derived from incomplete anime episodes and wiki articles. Even Luffy had required extensive self-discovery to develop his Observation Haki, and Zoro's natural talent in that area was clearly inferior to someone capable of hearing the Voice of All Things.
As for Conqueror's Haki—that remained a power even Luffy hadn't begun to manifest yet.
Regarding actual sword techniques, Akira possessed zero practical knowledge. He could barely tell the difference between a katana and a wakizashi, let alone provide instruction in advanced combat forms.
"Oh no," he groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I'm about to make a complete fool of myself, aren't I?"
The embarrassing realization that he'd been confidently planning strategies beyond his actual capabilities brought a flush of heat to his cheeks. The gap between his ambitions and his abilities had never felt more painfully obvious.
"Focus on what you can control," he reminded himself firmly. "The first priority has to be strengthening myself."
Fortunately, he'd already discovered a viable path forward.
With renewed determination, Akira shifted his consciousness inward, activating the gaming console that existed within his mind. Since he hadn't closed the previous session properly, several notification windows remained suspended above the interface's main screen, waiting patiently for his attention.
Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, he prepared to explore the rewards that might hold the key to his future development.
The moonlight continued to bathe the ocean in silver beauty, but now it illuminated a young man driven by purpose rather than uncertainty.
Whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them with the tools and knowledge at his disposal—and hopefully emerge stronger for the effort.