Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the venue suddenly became a bit strange.
After using Haki to confirm that no one would pay attention to him in the next ten seconds, Katakuri quickly took off his scarf and then downed the black tea in front of him in one gulp.
A peculiar chill spread from his mouth throughout his entire body, followed by an indescribable sense of comfort.
"What a special tea…"
Just as Katakuri was about to pour himself another cup, he suddenly realized that the teapot in front of him had run away. Rubbing his eyes, Katakuri confirmed he wasn't seeing things. There was now a purple spirit inside the teapot.
"This is… Mama's Homies?"
Living food could be considered a specialty of Totto Land. Katakuri's daily life was filled with such Homies, so he was long accustomed to them. But this was the territory of the Beasts Pirates.
Just as Pokémon like Alcremie wouldn't enter Totto Land, those Homies that required Big Mom to imbue them with souls only existed there. Yet Katakuri was seeing something similar here in Wano Country.
Unlike Alcremie, the Pokémon before him resembled food even more.
"Mr. Katakuri, although the black tea is good, it's best not to drink too much. That is one of Lord Arceus's creations. Drinking too much of this tea isn't good for your body."
[A creation… I see. If that's the case, then the origin of those magical creatures that can produce ingredients makes sense.]
The Beasts Pirates had prohibited Pokémon like Alcremie from entering Totto Land, and those Pokémon had even 'kidnapped' several of Big Mom's chefs, which naturally made Big Mom somewhat displeased.
However, she was the only user of the Soul-Soul Fruit. At first, the Big Mom Pirates believed that the Beasts Pirates had discovered this special species on some island.
After all, the sea was full of wonders. Finding such creatures in the unknown wasn't strange. But no results had ever come from their investigation.
Now, however, everything had an explanation.
Katakuri ignored the warning about overconsumption being harmful; some delicious things have specifically evolved toxins to prevent themselves from being eaten.
But in front of gluttons, such things could always be dealt with.
The Big Mom Pirates could be said to gather the greatest number of gluttons on the seas. If harm only came from overconsumption, then it might as well not exist.
After all, warnings reminding residents to beware of wild mushroom poisoning could be treated by some as notifications that the mushrooms were ripe for picking.
Katakuri, with his strong physique, managed to drink an entire teapot before leaving. Most ordinary guests, however, only managed a single sip before losing their chance.
After all, this tea, in a sense, did not belong to this world.
The scientific name of these teapots was Polteageist, Ghost-type Black Tea Pokémon.
The black tea infused with special power was their true body, while the teapot they inhabited was like the shell of a hermit crab.
Depending on whether the teapot was a genuine antique, Polteageist could be divided into Antique and Phony form. Regardless of the vessel, however, their essence remained the same.
All the Polteageist at the venue were Phony. These teapots had basically been created just last week, or at most within the past year, clearly having nothing to do with Antiques.
Polteageist were Pokémon that could reproduce on their own. They could infuse leftover tea with their power, turning it into their own kind, which is why restaurant kitchens were environments they favored.
Their tea had a unique taste and fragrance, with a highly distinctive flavor. In the Pokémon world, only Trainers they trusted could get a small taste of it.
Allowing these participants to taste Polteageist's tea was all part of the plan. Under Polteageist's control, there had yet to be any cases of "food poisoning."
Meanwhile, in Onigashima, Carrot and Bepo lay exhausted on the ground. They had just gone through a very special trial.
"Th-this isn't what Wolff and Meowna said. They said it would be over in a flash…"
"Yeah… I thought I was going to die…"
Bepo wiped the sweat from his forehead. What he had just experienced felt like a dream. He seemed to have lived through an entire life in another world, embarking on a heroic voyage across the vast seas.
"This is the Father God's trial."
"You have succeeded."
"So go and prepare to receive the power that belongs to you."
Before Bepo and Carrot, three extraordinary Pokémon floated in the air. Fairy-like, they stood in three directions, forming a triangular formation. Their appearance also marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Whether by joining the Arceus Cult or earning contributions within the pirate crew, these were internal paths of promotion. This kind of power was enough to intimidate others, but compared to openly proclaiming power, it still fell short.
Just as climbing the Sacred Mountain in Wano Country could grant blessings, this was a trial open to all—a new path paved with glory.
The three fairy-like beings held each other's hands and then vanished into thin air. In an instant, they arrived before Arceus.
"Honored Father God, we have completed half of your request."
The Pokémon on the left had its eyes closed, with a yellow helmet-like structure on its head, a red gem embedded on its forehead, and two flowing tails swaying behind it.
It was Uxie of Knowledge, also representing honesty. Like Giratina, it was one of the most special beings created by Arceus.
Once it opened its eyes, it could erase the memories of those who met its gaze, and it was revered by the world for its ability to remove the memories of evildoers.
"But the other half is beyond our ability."
The Pokémon on the right looked almost identical to Uxie, but its eyes were wide open, its face primarily blue, and aside from its cone-shaped head, it had ear-like protrusions on both sides.
It was Azelf of Willpower, also representing valor. It could seize the will of its enemies and turn them into puppets. It was said to have been born from the same egg as Uxie and one other Pokémon.
"That is a power that belongs solely to you. Even we cannot glimpse anything related to you."
The Pokémon in the center was primarily pink, with pink protrusions and hair-like strands flowing down from its head. She was Mesprit of Emotion, also representing benevolence. She could take away the emotions of others, causing those who disrespected her to lose control of their feelings.
In the Pokémon world, since they each resided in their own lakes, the three were collectively known as the Lake Guardians, also called the Lake Trio.
According to Sinnoh legends, Uxie brought "knowledge" to humanity, Mesprit taught humans "emotion," and Azelf bestowed humans with "willpower."
These three Pokémon had a close relationship with humans, acting as a kind of bridge between humans and Pokémon.
Their birth at this moment also signified that the Pokémon as a whole were about to formally connect with the world.
Their type was Psychic, the only Plate that Arceus currently lacked. After dealing with a certain father-daughter pair who had been fighting, Arceus had spent almost all his time creating these three.
The absence of that crucial Plate did not make it impossible to create Pokémon of this type, but it made the process extremely troublesome. After all, the Plates were the most direct keys.
However, the other seventeen Plates reduced the difficulty somewhat. Facing eighteen unknown paths, if one already knew the answers to seventeen, then the destination of the final path became obvious, though it was still easy to get lost.
As the most willful and unpredictable type, Psychic-type Pokémon possessed many abilities that bordered on breaking the rules, including but not limited to teleportation, precognition, and telekinesis.
Following Arceus's instructions, they attempted to predict the location of Arceus's final Plate, but ultimately failed. Aside from Arceus himself, no one else could do it.
Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf were the Psychic-type Pokémon closest to Arceus. If even they could not achieve it, then other Psychic-types had no chance.
"It's fine. You have already done your best. Go and complete the next task."
"Yes." ×3
As the three Pokémon responded in unison, their hands once again linked together, and a halo of yellow, pink, and blue light formed between them.
At the same time, the activity area of Onigashima began to split apart, and a massive stage once again appeared before everyone. As the halo condensed to its peak, three souls rose from the bodies of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf.
They were Pokémon of the spiritual domain to begin with, and even after their souls left their bodies, they could still exist. The halo rose together with them and suddenly erupted in a realm beyond human perception.
At that moment, everyone who had drunk Polteageist's tea was affected.
The special black tea caused subtle differences in their souls, and at this moment, they became targets for Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf.
"Where is this?"
"What's going on? Guards! Where are the guards?!"
"Father?! Father, where are you?!"
For a moment, everyone found themselves within a special mental space. Three different lakes appeared before each person—some were thrown into panic, while others calmly stepped forward.
There were even those who realized something, carefully observing every detail around them, afraid of missing anything. They had already understood; this was a rare opportunity.
"Young master, they seem to have fallen asleep."
Gladius checked the breathing of the person in front of him and confirmed there was nothing wrong with their condition. Lao G had already fully entered his old age, and Senor had shifted most of his attention to his wife.
After all, Wano Country was like a different kind of confinement for them, and there wasn't much to do. Only Gladius remained the same as before, constantly handling matters around Doflamingo.
"Asleep? Gladius, you still haven't realized how special this place is. This is probably… just one part of what they've prepared. It seems I've missed something."
Doflamingo had no interest in that strange tea, so he had been excluded by Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf.
Everything happened very suddenly, but in less than half a minute, everyone regained their senses.
Some were gasping for breath, some were drenched in cold sweat, and others had eyes filled with fanaticism. Before they could fully react, a terrifying aura suddenly surged across the venue, only to be quickly suppressed.
Katakuri stared blankly at his hands, not even noticing that his scarf had slipped down to his chest.
"Young man, control your Haki. You may have experienced something different, but this isn't the place to lose composure."
Shanks's Conqueror's Haki suppressed Katakuri's Conqueror's Haki, pulling him back to his senses. As he reflected on what he had just experienced, Katakuri seemed to grasp something new.
By the time he put his scarf back on, Red Hair had already walked away with Kuzan. Only then did he suddenly realize something.
"Wait… wasn't I older than him?"
"What did you see?"
Looking at the smiling Shanks, Kuzan couldn't help but ask.
"I saw a gamble. I've made two big gambles in my life—one was this arm, and the other… is right now. What about you?"
"As for me… a peaceful retirement. A future where everyone can live leisurely."
"That's quite an amazing world. But it seems the important person has arrived."
On the high platform, Shayna walked forward step by step. The flames behind her seemed to be mixed with a faint radiance, and the Red Chain in her hand condensed into the shape of a scepter.
"Effort will be rewarded, this is the truth here. No matter where you come from, as long as you have ability, we will give you a stage to prove yourself.
Whether you are royalty or a commoner, everyone present here is someone who has been recognized. Now, please proceed to your respective seats.
What you just saw was only the tip of the iceberg. Next, you will have the honor of witnessing with your own eyes the power that us Lunarians have worshiped for generations."
The scattered flames formed into birds, guiding the people in the plaza toward their seats like arrows. But as they moved, the crowd gradually split into different sections.
In the sky, the figures of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf flickered continuously, but only those who had successfully passed the trial could see them. Under their puzzled gazes, they were assigned to different areas.
Some who were not in a hurry lagged behind, and there were even special cases, such as Doflamingo, who seemed unable to suppress the smile on his face, letting out a meaningful laugh that only grew more intense.
"Young master, you…"
"Gladius, this world is far more interesting than I thought. This isn't some childish game between Marines and pirates, this is a divine war of annihilation!"
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