Before Red could admire those long, fair legs and delicate feet emerging from the water for even a moment longer, a man wearing overalls suddenly stepped in front of him and began introducing things on his own initiative:
"This is the Cerulean Gym located in Cerulean City. The Gym Leader, Misty, is a Water-type Pokémon Master."
"If you want to challenge the Gym and obtain a Badge, it's best to bring Electric-type or Grass-type Pokémon with you."
After finishing his explanation, the man in overalls instantly reverted back into a cold, emotionless machine and returned to his post.
"You really are a great employee for your Gym Leader," Red sincerely praised the NPC who had just revealed all of his boss's secrets the moment he opened his mouth.
However, with this interruption, Red's attention was finally pulled away from the long legs in the water.
It couldn't be helped—they were on a tight schedule!
Otherwise, Red really would've liked to sit in the audience and properly enjoy a water ballet performance.
After all, he loved appreciating art!
If only he could collect more electricity every day, he wouldn't have to rush things like this…
"This is the first time I've ever wanted to grow stronger so badly!"
Red sighed in his heart, but still stepped forward decisively, walking onto the crystal platform leading toward the Gym Leader's position.
In that instant—The atmosphere inside the entire Gym abruptly changed.
The graceful older sisters who had been dancing moments ago suddenly dispersed, and the soothing music instantly transformed into battle-themed BGM filled with tension.
"It's showtime, Luffy!"
"Remember what I told you before—don't give the Pokémon a chance to enter deep water!"
As one bikini-clad older sister swam toward them, Red immediately reminded Luffy again.
A confident smile appeared on Luffy's face."Leave it to me!"
As he spoke, the bikini-clad girl had already reached them.
"So you're the ones who want to challenge Gym Leader Misty!? Let me test how strong you really are!"
She spun elegantly and summoned a sharp-horned goldfish Pokémon.
A Water-type Pokémon—Goldeen.
"Level 16 Goldeen? That should give a decent amount of experience, right?"
Seeing this, Red grinned and called out without hesitation:
"Luffy, attack directly!"
Before his words had even finished, a powerful punch flew out, smashing straight toward the Goldeen floating on the water's surface.
"Goldeen! Dodge, quickly!"
Even the NPC seemed not to have expected Red and Luffy to launch a preemptive strike without any hesitation, and she hastily shouted an order.
But…
How could Luffy's punches be that easy to dodge!?
After all, even a powerful Marine Vice Admiral could only stand still and use Tekkai to defend against Luffy's fists!
Boom!!!
A massive splash exploded upward, sending water spraying everywhere like a sudden drizzle throughout the arena.
"Goldeen!"
The bikini-clad sister cried out in shock, her chest swaying as she gasped.
But as two system notifications appeared and the battle field vanished, her expression once again turned cold and lifeless.
[Monkey D. Luffy defeated the Bikini Beauty's Goldeen. Gained: Experience +103.][Command evaluation: Average.][Bonus reward obtained: Experience +21.]
"It's almost like time has stopped," Red thought as he looked at the bikini-clad sister floating in the water, an unwholesome idea flashing through his mind.
Unfortunately…
He had already tested this back when he first entered the game world—on a roadside girl, no less.
Perhaps the system itself was afraid of getting taken down, because whether it was Red or Luffy, whether in normal mode or within the battle field, they were completely unable to touch an NPC's body.
One could admire from afar, but never profane.
Still…
"The experience rewards are pretty generous!"
Shaking those improper thoughts out of his mind, pure-hearted young beast that he was, Red immediately redirected his attention to Luffy's experience bar.
Luffy's current EXP status now showed: [4113/6787].
With just 2674 more experience points, he could level up!
"If each Trainer can give over 120 EXP…"
Red roughly scanned the bikini beauties around the pool, only to regretfully discover that there were exactly twenty Gym Trainers here—not many, not few.
"Looks like the real hope for leveling up lies with the Gym Leader themselves."
After a brief moment of thought, Red stepped forward again, heading straight toward the second bikini-clad trainer.
"Hmph! I won't let you pass so easily!"
"Ah~! My Shellder!"
"Witness my strength!"
"Ah~! Staryu~!"
"Hmph~ You're pretty skilled, aren't you!?"
"Mmm~ I've been defeated…"
"..."
"..."
As Red and Luffy rampaged through the Gym, cries and gasps echoed one after another throughout the Water-type Gym.
In less than an hour, what had once been a place filled with youthful vitality and watery allure had transformed into a 1:1 adult model showcase.
One voluptuous beauty after another stood blankly in the center of the pool, forming a clear path straight toward where Gym Leader Misty was standing.
Seeing Luffy's experience bar approaching the critical threshold, Red felt his blood surge!
This was his very first time witnessing a level-up—he had no idea just how much stronger Luffy would become afterward.
Red waved his hand decisively.
"Let's go, Luffy!"
As he spoke, Red took a step forward, arriving before Gym Leader Misty.
Short orange hair similar to Nami's, a revealing pure-white swimsuit, and a body that couldn't quite compare to the older sisters in the pool—completely flat, like an airport runway…
At that moment, Misty's eyes suddenly became lively.
"You! You're the Trainers here to challenge me!?"
She swiftly drew a Poké Ball from her waist, wearing a sweet smile while fierce resolve shone within her eyes.
As Misty became activated, the entire Gym underwent another sudden transformation.
The crystal tiles that had been suspended above the swimming pool began to move, gathering toward the center where Red and Misty stood.
Very quickly, a massive battle platform formed above the water's surface.
Colorful spotlights descended, instantly turning the area into a perfect stage worthy of a grand performance!
"Challenger, since you've come this far, be prepared to get beaten down by my Water-type Pokémon!"
"Come on!"
"Let me, the world's number one beauty—Misty—be your opponent!"
Misty struck a cute, lively pose, fully displaying her petite figure and smooth, water-kissed skin.
Unfortunately for her, after watching the exaggerated swaying of those big-busted older sisters for so long, Red felt nothing toward cuteness at all.
Instead, anticipation for Luffy's level-up filled him with fighting spirit!
"Giving up the advantage of underwater combat and building a land battle platform instead!?"
"You've got guts—I'll give you that!"
Red sneered at the NPC Misty before stepping into the Challenger's position.
In an instant!
Brilliant lights focused on him, and cheers erupted from every corner of the Gym.
The challenge atmosphere was pushed to its absolute peak!
"Then, my first Pokémon will be you!"
With a swift motion, Misty threw out her red-and-white Poké Ball, summoning a head-tilting Psyduck onto the battlefield.
The battle field instantly spread out, enveloping the entire platform.
"Level 18 Psyduck?"
"Sending out such an immobile Pokémon… compared to your mindset, that's surprisingly generous!"
Red muttered softly before immediately issuing an order to Luffy beside him:
"Luffy! Use Headbutt—finish it in one hit!"
"Got it!"
Luffy laughed as he leapt forward, jumping straight into the battlefield.
Following Red's command, mysterious Pokémon energy surged within his body, rapidly gathering at his forehead.
"Gum-Gum… Headbutt!!!"
Whoosh!
With a powerful snap of his neck, Luffy's head shot forward like a cannonball, hurtling straight toward Psyduck's head.
Seeing this, Misty didn't panic—instead, she laughed.
"Hehe, you actually dare to hit Psyduck's head!?"
"Don't you know the more Psyduck's head hurts, the stronger its power becomes!?"
"Psyduck, use—huh!?"
Within the battle field, Misty's confident smile vanished in an instant.
A yellow streak suddenly flashed past her, shooting out of the battlefield and crashing violently into the Gym's wall.
And that lightning-fast figure was none other than Misty's beloved Pokémon—
Psyduck!!!
(End of Chapter)