[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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Becoming a Dimensional Interactor means giving up the right to freely conduct dimensional transactions within the pirate world and putting oneself in potentially dangerous situations.
In any case, it's not a particularly appealing position.
However...
Since Leo specifically created this role, it undoubtedly serves a purpose and holds a certain necessity.
Dimensional Interactors...are not bound by the Chamber of Commerce, as they are considered peripheral members of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce.
In other words...the identity of an interactor remains that of an independent trader, not an employee of the Chamber of Commerce.
Neither Dimensional Merchants nor Investigators have the authority to issue instructions to Interactors.
This is a fully autonomous and unrestricted position!
The sole mission of a Dimensional Interactor is to gather dimensional information for the Chamber of Commerce.
This role is designed for individuals who are neither suited to become Dimensional Merchants nor willing to serve as Investigators under merchants.
Although the number of applicants for Dimensional Interactor positions is small compared to those for Dimensional Merchants and Investigators, this doesn't mean there are none.
---
The New World
"Dimensional Merchant? Dimensional Investigator? Dimensional Interactor?"
On a remote, uninhabited island where the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates had gathered, the sudden announcement from Leo had interrupted their social banquet.
After all, no matter how enticing the food and drink, such pleasures pale in comparison to the allure of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce.
The pirates from both crews had returned to their respective ships, deeply engrossed in discussions about the recruitment announcement.
---
Roger's Ship
Onboard the Oro Jackson, Roger and his crew were intently studying the details of the job fair on their Rotom mobile phones.
Their focused expressions resembled those of college students preparing for final exams, fearful of missing any crucial information.
Many of Roger's crew were newcomers recruited within the past two years.
But anyone drawn to Roger's banner was far from ordinary.
Many had already become traders before joining the crew, and those who hadn't were soon helped by Roger to obtain trader status.
Though few in number, the crew was a formidable collection of talent, with an average level around 50.
Inspired by Roger's own passion for exploring higher-dimensional worlds, the entire crew enthusiastically dove into the recruitment details.
---
Whitebeard's Ship
Compared to the lively discussions aboard Roger's ship, the Moby Dick was unusually quiet.
Over the years, the Whitebeard Pirates had grown to include nearly a hundred traders equipped with Rotom mobile phones—a truly remarkable achievement.
This expansion was largely thanks to the tribute from the many territories under Whitebeard's protection.
Without this steady supply of resources, the rapid development of traders within the crew wouldn't have been possible.
However...
despite their numbers, only a few crew members were highly skilled traders.
Many of the division commanders had merely acquired Rotom mobile phones by trading 2,000 points' worth of basic supplies, valuing the device more as a communication tool than a means to trade.
---
At this moment, Whitebeard sat silently, his gaze fixed on the Rotom's display.
His eyes sparkled, as though envisioning the breathtaking scenery of countless worlds beyond their own.
But that gleam of wonder soon softened, replaced by an inexplicable tenderness, before fading entirely.
With a small shake of his head, Whitebeard sighed, his expression tinged with emotion.
Then, breaking the silence, he suddenly laughed, his booming voice echoing across the ship:
"Gurararara…"
"My children, you were truly born into a magnificent era."
"This recruitment by the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce is an extraordinary opportunity for everyone in our world!"
"Your old man is past his prime—I'll leave this adventure to you young ones."
"Each of you, make your own choice."
A warm smile spread across Whitebeard's face as he leaned back on his throne, lapsing into quiet contemplation.
Suddenly, the entire Moby Dick fell into an unusual silence following Whitebeard's words.
Marco's eyes flickered briefly, and, much like Whitebeard, he let out a soft sigh.
As the person who had been with Whitebeard the longest, how could Marco not understand what was on Whitebeard's mind?
As the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates and the father figure to all of them...
Whitebeard's restored youth meant that age was no longer a limitation.
But even so, their father clearly couldn't bear the thought of letting his children who hadn't yet become traders face the recruitment fair of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce alone.
After some thought, Marco closed the Rotom screen on his phone, a faint smile of understanding forming on his lips.
If Whitebeard couldn't leave them behind, how could Marco leave him?
The vast and tempting world beyond was alluring, but to Marco, the bond of family right in front of him was even more precious.
Many others aboard the Moby Dick also realized what Whitebeard was feeling.
But...the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce's job fair was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Who could say whether such a chance would ever come again?
On one side was the possibility of a life-changing opportunity; on the other, a father who deeply loved them.
The pirate traders found themselves caught in a difficult dilemma.
However...
there was one man who felt no such conflict—Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard!
The moment he returned to the Moby Dick, Teach headed straight for the captain's private quarters.
"Zehahahahaha!"
"It's here! It's here! It's finally here!!!"
"This is what I've been waiting for... the opportunity I've been dreaming of!!!"
"As expected! Ace isn't the only one blessed by luck in this world!"
Blackbeard grinned widely, his chipped teeth showing as he burst into maniacal laughter.
Since the advent of the Pokémon Era, his decades of patient scheming had been utterly shattered overnight!
With Pokémon and dimensional transactions now available, the Dark-Dark Fruit—once the cornerstone of his ambitions—had lost its value.
Thanks to dimensional trading...
double-fruit abilities, triple-fruit abilities...
anything was possible as long as you had enough points!
Compared to the limitless potential of dimensional transactions, the Dark-Dark Fruit's powers seemed utterly insignificant.
Worse, it even carried severe weaknesses for its user.
What was once his grand plan to obtain the fruit had now become nothing more than a laughable joke.
For a time, Blackbeard had fallen into a deep depression.
But soon enough...
the cunning and ambitious schemer charted a new course for himself.
If the Dark-Dark Fruit was no longer viable, why not embrace the limitless potential of dimensional trading entirely?
However, the status of an ordinary trader was far too small for Blackbeard's grand ambitions.
Upon learning that Ace had joined the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce as a Pokémon League Champion, a fire of anticipation had been reignited within him.
Now, the moment he'd been waiting for had arrived!
"Zehahahaha! It seems the time has come to end this tiresome act of pretending to be a loyal family man!"
Pulling out his Rotom phone, Blackbeard navigated to the message bar:
[Marshall D. Teach]
[VIP Level: 6]
[VIP Experience: 120,000/1,000,000]
[Current Points: 100,000]
"I've accumulated 100,000 points... that should be enough!"
Over the past two years, Blackbeard had worked in secret, hiding his gains and meticulously saving up points.
To avoid drawing unwanted attention, he had only ever exchanged goods worth around 20,000 points.
Even his Hydreigon had been painstakingly raised from a Deino, one step at a time.
With the strength Blackbeard currently possesses, while he cannot be considered weak, he is far from being on par with the top contenders of the Pokémon League Conference.
Simply put...
Almost every elite player in the pirate world now has at least two incredibly powerful Pokémon.
Not only can they perform Bond Phenomenon evolution simultaneously, but they've also mastered MEGA evolution, Z-Moves, and Gigantamax transformations.
Combined with unique abilities and skills, these trainers and their Pokémon have shattered the previous limits of the pirate world—surpassing level 100!
Today's Pokémon battles are no longer solely about raw power; they've become intricate contests of strategy, skill combinations, and the number of special abilities a trainer can wield.
On the grand stage of the Pokémon League Conference, overwhelming others with sheer strength alone is no longer a simple task.
And to obtain more special abilities, one needs a massive reserve of points.
But fortunately for Blackbeard...
He has points. Plenty of points.
This is the foundation of his confidence in participating in the recruitment!
As he stared at the messages displayed on Rotom on his phone, Blackbeard began to calculate his next move.
First and foremost...
There was no way he would ever choose the role of a Dimensional Investigator.
A job that required following orders from Dimensional Merchants? That was utterly incompatible with Blackbeard's grand ambitions!
As for becoming a Dimensional Merchant...
That was indeed the role Blackbeard coveted the most.
However...
"Everyone can see that the Dimensional Merchant is the most prestigious position among the three recruitment roles. There will undoubtedly be fierce competition for it."
"Even Ace—the one who won the championship at the Pokémon League Conference—only managed to become an investigator..."
"It's obvious that becoming a Dimensional Merchant is no easy feat."
"The seas are filled with countless exceptional talents, and as it stands, I'm just a trader with a little over 20,000 points. Against them, I'd be entirely uncompetitive."
"And with only one chance to apply for an interview..."
"I'll make my choice wisely."
"My choice is the last one!"
"Dimensional Interactor!"
Though Dimensional Interactors appear to be the least prestigious—unable to earn points or rewards outside of trading—they come with unique freedoms.
Unlike investigators, who are backed by the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce and can even be resurrected by their overseeing merchants in case of death...
Interactors operate entirely on their own.
But that's precisely what appeals to Blackbeard!
He has his ambitions...
and he knows exactly what he wants!
So what if he remains a trader for the rest of his life?
As a Dimensional Interactor, he would gain the right to apply for dimensional travel!
And the worlds he could explore are those without any established Dimensional Merchants or Investigators.
In these unclaimed worlds, he would be the sole trader!
Blackbeard is confident that this advantage would allow him to dominate these dimensions and establish himself as their unrivaled ruler!
He would harvest resources from entire worlds, trade them, and grow even stronger!
One by one, he would conquer dimension after dimension...
until he became the true king of all existence!
As this thought took root, an overwhelming, sinister aura erupted from Blackbeard's body—his sheer, unrestrained ambition manifesting as a domineering presence.
Without hesitation, he clicked on the Dimensional Interactor job description and submitted his application for an interview.
...
...
As Leo expected...
The moment his recruitment announcement was sent out, the entire sea erupted into chaos.
Pirates and navy alike, government forces, revolutionary troops—even those who weren't traders—were all closely following this job fair.
Three days passed swiftly.
According to the details Leo had included in the recruitment announcement, all applicants would be informed today whether they had passed the first round of assessments and could proceed to the interview stage.
During these three days, Blackbeard continued to live as usual among the Whitebeard Pirates, maintaining his facade.
But as time went on, it became harder and harder for him to contain his growing ambition.
He had even decided that if he failed the interview, he would unveil his plans, steal a significant portion of the Whitebeard Pirates' supplies, and go out to sea to establish his own forces.
Once ambition takes root, it's not easy to suppress.
Fortunately for him...
What he feared most didn't happen.
Three days later, a notification popped up on his Rotom phone:
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[Congratulations, Mr. Marshall D. Teach.]
[You have successfully passed the first round of assessment. You are now invited to the formal interview for the position: Dimensional Interactor.]
[Your interview serial number: 001.]
[Ding!]
[Interviewer No. 001, Dimensional Merchant Leo, has invited you for an interview. Do you agree?]
[Yes] / [No]
---
"What? I'm the first!?"
Caught completely off guard, Blackbeard froze in shock.
But he quickly snapped out of it and clicked [Yes] without hesitation, terrified that any delay might cost him this golden opportunity.
Suddenly, a mysterious white light engulfed him.
---
Swish!
When Blackbeard opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the cabin of the 'Moby Dick'.
Instead, he found himself in a simple yet sophisticated office.
---
"Good morning, Mr. Teach."
Leo, seated behind an elegant desk, grinned as he looked at Blackbeard with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
To be honest...
Even Leo hadn't expected Blackbeard to apply for the position of Dimensional Interactor.
In fact...
Leo's initial plan for the recruitment fair was straightforward. He intended to recruit only Nami, Robin, Doflamingo, and Crocodile while selecting a few promising applicants for investigator and interactor roles.
After all, the number of worlds he now controlled was vast.
With advancements in dimensional travel technology, Leo had managed to reduce the cost of traveling between dimensions to a minimal level, allowing him to recruit more people to help explore uncharted worlds.
This arrangement served to satisfy his insatiable curiosity.
But never did he imagine...
that the ambitious Blackbeard would choose to become a Dimensional Interactor.
It was, undeniably...
a stroke of fortune—both for Leo and for Blackbeard.