"Captain Smoker, check this out, by throwing this, I can catch these monsters! Maybe this world is where the shop owner's Ralts came from,"
As the percentage bar climbed to 99%, Smoker gave a short nod. "Can you instruct it to use the move it hit me with?"
"I think so, sir," The Marines saluted, throwing out the Pal Sphere.
"Then do it."
The marine gave a sharp salute. A moment later, his newly caught Pal launched a Stone Blast—summoning a rock from thin air and firing it clean through a nearby tree.
"...How magical. If we could only replicate them, we wouldn't have to eat a devil fruit," Smoker thought to himself.
After its showcase, the two lost interest in the cat and had the marine soldier instruct it. "Cattiva, go and collect some stone."
---
"Still, this technology never ceases to amaze me. How does the shop owner transfer knowledge with just a tap?" the marine soldier chit-chatted with Smoker watching him reinforce his wooden club.
Smoker nodded without responding.
"Oh by the way Captain, have you seen that weird item carried by random citizens of this world? It looks like a flintlock but it could fire repeatedly. We have something similar in our world but this one's far more compact."
The marine soldier was talking about handguns.
"Hm?" Smoker raised his eyebrow, intriguing his curiosity.
"From what I see from the technology tree, I think we can make something similar, and further down is something I believe only that renowned Vegapunk could create."
Smoker hadn't paid attention to the technology tree—only paying attention to which item he could make right now to beat up his enemy.
But the marine wasn't. He was a tech fan. "According to what I've seen it uses a handgun bullet. What is interesting about this is that the bullet isn't shaped like a ball in our world, but has a pointy side."
"I wonder why we haven't thought about this? If we can copy this technology, we may be able to raise the power of Marines as a whole. Besides, from what I see, there is much more complicated and powerful technology below it."
"Blah… blah… blah…" the marine kept rambling about tech, while an annoyed mist visibly rose from Smoker's head.
In the end, Smoker nodded. "Before replicating such technology, ask the shop owner's opinion. I wouldn't want him to look down on us as thieves of knowledge."
"Yes, Sir!"
The two continued building their base.
…
Meanwhile, over Roja's side, he was sharpening his fang—readying himself for the decisive battle.
"Work! Work! Work! Y'all know you can't feed your family without working! Who will farm? You! Who will reinforce our defense? You! This world is made out of labor, grind, and job!"
"Don't be the person who always gets stolen! Steal from someone yourself!"
"Oi, Vixy! Who said you could rest? Keep digging for Pal Spheres! What? Your hand's too tired? Damn it—come here you lazy bastard, eat something, rest, and then work at 120%!"
Faster than the two marines gamers, Roja understood the essence of Palworld driven by his hatred and revenge-fueled mind powered by the stolen Hot Spring structure.
Vixy, now munching on food, spun its pupils in frustration. It hated the overwork but couldn't bring itself to resent Roja—he always gave it rest right before the breaking point. Vixy was torn.
Then, it chose to reveal its traits—Masochist. The pain became joy as Vixy worked even harder, digging a portable turret from ancient technology for him to use.
…
Two hours later, the time has come.
A robed man walked by—his cloth fluttered by the winds.
He approached the base that was once empty now filled with commonly available pals captured by the two marines.
Supported by wooden structures many pals were nonchalantly working.
Some watered the berry farm, some were fishing—most were hitting trees or rocks.
With a single look, the robed man—Roja had understood the level of civilization of Smoker's base.
'O' hateful bathing place,' what entered Roja's eyes was a pal that was enjoying its bath.
Behind him were three people secretly following.
"Hey, Ralts, Aqua, look! I was right in following him, I think he's trying to raid Smoker," Sakura said excitedly.
"Yes, yes. I wonder why's Roja challenging Smoker out of nowhere? Master, do you think he was bored?"
"Ralts!" Even with a green human body, Ralts cried her name.
"Smoker! I'm here to settle the score—for stealing my hot spring!"
At this moment, the smiles on Sakura and Aqua froze as the stream chat accelerated—most laughing.
Sakura clapped his hand, taking the viewers' attention and preventing them from arguing any further. "It's just a game, and what they're doing is a mere playing."
"Outside—the two are actually a good friend. Besides, a small fight benefits the two better," Sakura explained.
Not far ahead—Roja took off his robe carried by the wind it flew off to the nearest tree.
Then, a pair of pal spheres were dropped mid-air, slowly dropping.
Just before the pal spheres hit the ground, Roja's feet lifted then kicked the pal sphere with all his might—accurately sending them out to the middle of the Smoker's base successfully, surprising them.
Out of the two pal spheres, machine-gun turrets were spouted out.
At first, Smoker and the Marine didn't know what the turret was but after it chased them with its head and fired off multiple bullets—they understood Roja's intention.
"It's an ambush! Sir, what should we do?!"
Smoker clicked his tongue at his subordinate's words.
Seeing the war that had suddenly outbreaks, Sakura's gamer mind was agitated.
Taking an invisible mic, he began announcing.
"It's a great move—unexpected from a newbie like Roja—to place target-tracking turrets at the middle of their base. If Smoker fails to destroy the turret, there is a high chance this alone would reduce 80% of his firepower. Will Smoker lose easily? Or will he prevail?"
"Oh. Excuse me, introducing myself is: Blossom, the one who will be your announcer and—…" Sakura passed the air mic to Aqua.
"Me? Oh yes! It's Aqua. Although it's my first time working as co-announcer I will do my best!"
"Thank you for the great introduction, Ms. Aqua, let me ask you—if it was you in Smoker's place, how would you avoid this situation?"
"That's a great question hmm… first of all, I would focus all the pals' attacks on the two turrets but even so it would take time…"
While the two were playing around, Smoker placed his palms on the ground fighting back.
Although he understood that there was some misunderstanding around—he wasn't the type to run away from challenges.
Then, out of nowhere, smoke arises from the ground blocking the view of machinegun turrets incapacitating it.
"Ohhhh! He did it! The madlad Smoker used his head to nullify the most troubles in the scene."
"For viewer's information—the machinegun turrets use the sensor through the lens to spot movement so as long as you can block its view, you could disarm it easily."
"Mr. Smoker probably did this instinctively…, amazing! The match between one and two is starting to get exciting…!" Aqua said.
As if Roja had expected his turrets to be blocked by Smoker—Roja had launched all the six pal spheres in his hand to the enemy base.
One in formation as if to surround them.
"Mr. Roja had once won the match against the U20 Japan at a different game but this is still an amazing accuracy—to do such a thing with his leg…!" Aqua said immersing herself in the role.
Then the surrounding Roja's pals slowly progressed as Smoker and his subordinate's pals retreated—Then, each of the pals from Smoker's side touched their back.
"It's a pinch! How would Smoker and his fellow members escape from this predicament… Woohh! That is! A Pengullet Rocket Launcher! Although I don't understand how it actually works—you can launch Pengullet's body like a rocket and cause a humongous explosion!"
"Captain Smoker, stay back! I will use this Pengullet thing!" Smoker's subordinate prepared the penguin launcher in a hurry.
"Wait if you launch it at this range-" Smoker tried stopping him but alas, too late.
With a whoosh—the Pengullet soared through the air and struck something.
*BOOOOOM*
A fiery blast engulfed the base, vaporizing pals, soldiers, and structures in a deafening shockwave.
""Gyaaa!!"" They screamed in shock but even their sounds were swallowed by the deafening boom.
The shockwave carried heat to Roja who was not too far away giving him goosebumps.
This power was enough to destroy a single structure like Sakura's Internet Cafe easily.
If he was hit by it… Roja shook his head not wanting to think about it.
"Uhh…" Sakura was speechless at the sight that remained.
A burning land, half-destroyed house, and ruined farm—everything else was blown apart.
"Uhh… that wasn't the smartest move, but it's perfect streaming content! Master, I think that guy next to Smoker has the potential to be a streamer!"
"You want some, Buggy? Just come to Loguetown—a place called Startend Internet Cafe, who knows, you may be able to reproduce one like this in the real world," Sakura decided to answer honestly.
Kaido knows where he was anyway.
"Just don't get caught by Smoker while walking around the town," Sakura warned him.
Buggy whimpered out.
…
Later, after the battle ended with Smoker looking at his worn-down base while his subordinate sweated a bullet, Roja started a conversation with him. "So, Smoker, it wasn't you who raided my base while I was gone?"
"To do what? I have no reason to raid your base."
"Now that I think about it… there were some noisy weirdos while I was raiding your base…"
""Boss (Shop Owner)!"" Smoker, Roja, and the marine soldier said at the same time.
'So it was them…!' Roja thought.
At the same time, steaming-hot smoke puffed from both Smoker and his subordinate's mouths.
They were involved in something they didn't do. How could they not be angry?
"Roja, want to team up with me?" Smoker asked, crackling his fist.
"That's a great question—I was thinking of asking the same," Roja moved his neck making a popping sound.
Sakura, Aqua, and Ralts not so far away couldn't help but feel an impending doom so they trusted their instinct and ran away.
Later that day, they were messed up by the team-up of two capable individuals.
---
The sun had long set.
Not long after Smoker returned from Internet Cafe.
Smoke filled his office, and only a tiny pillar of light entered from the gap between the curtain.
Mission Report - Captain Smoker
It will be ten days since I began investigating Startend Internet Cafe.
This establishment hosts a machine labeled as a computer—a device that allows individuals to enter another world and experience phenomena that are, frankly, impossible within our own. Although the computer obviously allows you to travel to different worlds, the shop owner insists it's just a "game."
Today's report will focus on one such "game": Palworld.
In that world, I've encountered a variety of strange monsters. Many displayed abilities reminiscent of Devil Fruits—while they couldn't elementalize their body, they could summon fire, water, thunder, etc… and attack.
However, the most alarming aspect is the level of technological development within that world and how easy it was to replicate it.
With enough resources labeled as "Technology Points" and "Levels," users could learn schematics and immediately begin crafting items.
This progression isn't limited to crude weapons like wooden clubs—it extends to nonexistent technology such as a vehicle called a car, a self-propelling ship that potentially allows one to travel at the calm belt—and most concerning of all, firearms.
The firearms of Palworld vastly surpass ours. Their ease of use, mobility, and reload efficiency are leagues beyond the muskets currently employed by Marine forces.
I tested a basic handgun. Whilst being much smaller—It fires eight shots in rapid succession, and the reload time is significantly shorter than that of a standard musket
This gun is also the earliest one could unlock inside the game and I expect a much more powerful gun inside the "game."
Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—memories of the game world fade after exiting the machine. However, my subordinates theorize that repeated exposure may allow real-world retention of game-based knowledge. With this, we can perhaps bring the smokes of other worlds to this one.
This concludes today's findings.
As for the shop owner, Sakura Sonata—his intentions remain unclear. I've found no signs of direct malice. However, the World Government may find his decision to distribute such technology troubling.
That is why I ask this report not to be shared with the World Government.
But if Sakura Sonata ever turns against us—
I will personally take him down.
—Captain Smoker
Smoker tapped the paper with his pen, finishing it with a signature that tells who wrote it.
Later, this document would eventually arrive at Sengoku, the current Fleet Admiral's room.
It was a silent announcement that even if Sakura and his friends were to mess around in a quiet place, the world wouldn't leave—his existence that shouldn't come to exist—alone.