Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

A peaceful river, lush green trees, and rolling hills. 

The fresh air of nature fills the lungs, Kyokoi's adorable smile warms his heart, and the delightful aroma of grilled meat tantalizes his senses.

If this is what training looks like, Tsuna thought, he'd be willing to train for ten thousand years.

But...

Could things really be that simple?

Glancing at Ace, who was devouring his meal, and Kyouya, sitting silently by himself, Tsuna couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the calm before the storm.

——

As expected.

After the feast, Tsuna's two female friends, Haru and Kyoko, like dutiful wives, began tidying up and cleaning the area.

Meanwhile, Ace called all The Boys to a lake deep within the forest. Even Takeshi, despite his injuries and bandages, and Lambo, eyes wide with excitement over what fun might happen, gathered without hesitation.

Standing before the group, Ace surveyed the scene, a satisfied smile crossing his face.

He suddenly spoke, "I believe I've already told you the reason we're here, right?"

"Then, let's skip the pleasantries."

"Most of you were part of the first battle at Kokuyo Junior High School..."

"Even though Ryohei didn't attend, he still fought against Mukuro's men."

"From that, you should understand the true nature of the mafia world. It's terrifying, isn't it?"

"Eh?!!"

Ace's blunt declaration sent a jolt through Tsuna, his mind racing.

He quickly glanced over at Ryohei and Kyouya.

Hayato and Lambo, both having grown up in the mafia world, and Takeshi, who still treated the Vongola as a game, didn't worry him as much. But his crush's older brother, and especially Kyouya, had no idea that he is the heir to a mafia family!

Desperate to stop Ace from spilling more, Tsuna frantically waved his hands.

But Ace, with a calm smile, said something that made Tsuna freeze on the spot.

"You are all the Guardians of the Vongola Family. And your current strength is nowhere near enough."

"Wait...what?!"

Tsuna, who was trying to stop Ace from revealing his mafia ties, was left dumbstruck by this sudden statement.

"Vongola... Guardian?!" he stammered.

It was clear now. During the time Tsuna had been unconscious, Reborn had been working behind the scenes.

Realizing this, Tsuna turned to face Ryohei and Kyouya.

"Big Brother Ryohei, Hibari-senpai...you..."

He raised his hand as if to ask, but no words came. After all, even he didn't fully understand what it meant to be a Guardian of the Vongola.

Meanwhile, Kyouya, always distant and aloof, glanced briefly at Tsuna. His face remained stern as ever, but his gaze sent a shiver down Tsuna's spine.

Then, with a cold voice, Kyouya said, "I won't owe anyone a favor."

And with that, he turned away, falling silent.

In his eyes, that single sentence explained everything.

Though his body had been controlled by Mukuro during the previous battle, his consciousness had been fully aware.

And seeing Tsuna defeat him so easily had shaken Kyouya's pride, even though it was Mukuro who had actually been beaten. Mukuro, in his Hungry Ghost Path, had managed to use 95% of Kyouya's power.

Even so, Kyouya had been swiftly taken down by Tsuna in his Hyper DW mode.

It was at that moment that small cracks began to form in Kyouya's unshakeable pride. While such a realization was hardly significant to someone like him, it was an undeniable truth.

So, when Reborn invited him to become a Vongola Guardian, and the opportunity arose to strengthen himself further, Kyouya accepted without hesitation.

"Uh…"

Terrified by Kyouya's icy stare, Tsuna quickly averted his eyes and shifted his focus to Ryohei.

Sensing Tsuna's questioning gaze, Ryohei burst into laughter.

"Ah ha ha ha ha!"

"Come on! I get to keep training with Instructor Ace! There's no way I'd pass up on something that important!"

"Besides, next time, I won't just stand there and get beaten!"

Ryohei threw a powerful punch, a golden gleam flashing in his eyes.

Though he wasn't particularly concerned with the mafia, the Vongola, or the Guardians, he'd joined up without a second thought after speaking with Reborn. None of that mattered to him as long as he could stick with Tsuna.

Because Tsuna is the "Extreme Man" that he favors!!!

Still, despite Ryohei's sunny disposition, Tsuna couldn't muster any excitement.

"Even brother Ryohei's in on this..." he muttered quietly.

He then glanced at the others.

Takeshi and Hayato's eyes were full of anticipation, no doubt eager to grow stronger after their previous losses in battle.

Rambo, only five years old, was scratching his butt with one hand while holding his nose with the other, staring blankly at two squirrels stashing hazelnuts in a tree, completely absorbed in his own little world.

Just as Tsuna was about to comment on Rambo's age, Ace didn't give him the chance. He clapped his hands with a smile and said, "Alright, enough chatting for now."

"We're done about this talk, but we don't have much time to waste."

"Starting today, and for the next 40 days until the new semester at Namimori Middle School, you'll all be undergoing overnight training here."

"Reborn will handle the school arrangements, and Kyoko and Haru are in charge of other logistics, so there's no need to worry."

"Now, let's get down to business."

Ace grinned and, with a swift motion, summoned six red-and-white Poké Balls out of thin air.

"This is...?"

Seeing the familiar Poké Balls, Tsuna's eyes widened in surprise.

Having already learned of Ace's true identity, Tsuna quickly realized what those six Poké Balls represented.

There were exactly six of them, just enough for each person in the group. A strange feeling stirred within him.

Could it be...?

Are those our Pokémon?

Although Tsuna had only seen a few Pokémon so far—Ace's Growlithe, Charizard, and Mukuro's Murkrow—he couldn't deny the admiration he felt for such magical creatures, even though he hated fighting.

After all, who wouldn't want a powerful Pokémon with incredible abilities?

His curiosity piqued, Tsuna looked at Ace expectantly.

As if sensing his thoughts, Ace gave him a knowing smile and said, "I'm sure everyone except Kyouya has already figured it out, right?"

Over the past couple of weeks, Ace had been summoning his Growlithe daily to supervise Tsuna and the others' training, so they were no strangers to the Poké Balls.

Ace continued, "That's right. As you guessed, these six Poké Balls each contain a Pokémon for one of you."

"Tsuna!"

Ace suddenly called out, making Tsuna reflexively respond, "Yes!"

Ace nodded, then tossed a Poké Ball in his direction.

"Catch! This is your Pokémon—Litleo!"

The red-and-white Poké Ball landed perfectly in Tsuna's hands, and with a flash of red light, a small, dark brown lion cub appeared in front of him.

Ace smiled and introduced the Pokémon, "This is Litleo. It's a Fire- and Normal-type Pokémon, with the characteristic of Overconfidence."

"It's a rare type that can combine fire and physical attacks."

"Don't be fooled by how weak it looks right now—its evolved form, Pyroar, is known as the 'King' of the Pokémon world. Not only does it have a regal presence, but it can also unleash flames exceeding 6,000 degrees Celsius!"

"In terms of both fighting style and its title as 'King,' it fits you perfectly."

"Before you inherit the Vongola Family's leadership, this little lion will be your perfect partner."

"I'm not inheriting the Vongola family..." Tsuna muttered under his breath, but his eyes were glued to the little lion.

Whether he wanted to be the Vongola boss or not was debatable, but this was his Pokémon!

With that thought in mind, Tsuna crouched down and gently stroked the lion cub's head.

Oddly enough, although he would normally shy away from even a small Chihuahua, he didn't feel the slightest bit of fear around this lion cub.

Maybe it was because the little lion's doll-like appearance made it easier for him to let his guard down.

"Please take care of me, Litleo."

"Roar~" Litleo let out a soft cry and affectionately rubbed against Tsuna's palm, sensing his gentle touch.

Seeing Tsuna and Litleo getting along so well, Ace smiled warmly.

He then turned his attention to Takeshi, standing beside Tsuna, and tossed the second Poké Ball to him.

Another red light flashed, and a dark blue bird with a white belly, resembling a swallow, appeared on Takeshi's shoulder.

Ace explained, "Takeshi, your Pokémon is Swellow. It's a Normal- and Flying-type Pokémon."

"Normal-type energy provides strength, while the Flying-type grants speed and agility."

"Though you might not realize it yet, Reborn and I both believe you're destined to become a great swordsman."

"Paired with Swellow, which excels in free aerial combat, I believe it will be a great asset in your future."

"Thank you, Ace-sensei," Takeshi replied, smiling cheerfully. Without asking many questions, he immediately began playing with the bird perched on his shoulder.

Ace then skillfully tossed the third Poké Ball to Hayato.

A small, pink, elf-like Pokémon with a blue hat emerged in front of him.

Before Hayato could even speak, Ace introduced, "Hayato, this is your Pokémon—Hattrem. It's a dual Psychic- and Fairy-type."

"Thanks to its combination of moves, Hattrem excels in tactical setups and long-range attacks."

"It's a Pokémon that truly challenges the trainer's intellect."

"The stronger the trainer's mind, the stronger Hattrem becomes."

"Hattrem…" Hayato's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the strange yet enchanting creature.

He had a secret love for all things mysterious, and Hattrem was no exception. The moment he laid eyes on it, Hayato couldn't help but fall in love with this graceful Pokémon.

"Let's work hard together to become Jūdaime's right-hand man!" Hayato said passionately, extending his hand.

"Hattrem~" The Pokémon extended its tiny hand in response, shaking hands with Hayato. At that moment, they forged a bond of trust, setting their goals for the future.

Ace then tossed the fourth Poké Ball to Ryohei, who eagerly caught it. As the light faded, a humanoid Pokémon with light pink skin, three protrusions on its head, and bandages wrapped around its body appeared.

Ace grinned and introduced it, "Ryohei, your Pokémon is Tyrogue. Its only attribute is Fighting."

"Depending on how it's trained, Tyrogue has three possible evolutions."

"For this Pokémon, evolution is all about adapting to its own fighting style."

"In other words, Tyrogue is a Pokémon that dedicates itself entirely to combat."

"Just like you, with your extreme love for fighting, it's the perfect partner!"

Ryohei's eyes lit up with excitement as he looked at the battle-ready Pokémon standing before him.

Tyrogue, with its human-like form and always-tensed muscles, resembled a warrior constantly prepared for battle.

However, Ryohei's attention didn't linger on Tyrogue's appearance for long. While Ryohei was observing the Pokémon, Tyrogue was also sizing up his new trainer.

Suddenly, their gazes locked! 

In that instant, Ryohei could see the fiery passion for life and the eagerness to train reflected in the golden eyes of Tyrogue. The same energy burned within Ryohei himself.

At that moment, it was as if their eyes were mirrors, carved from the same mold.

"Let's do this together!" Ryohei exclaimed.

"Tai!" echoed the Tyrogue.

Without further words, the connection between the two was immediate—both fired up by the intense determination emanating from the other.

Ace, meanwhile, tossed the last two Poké Balls to Rambo and Kyouya.

Rambo's Pokémon was a lamb covered in thick, curly yellow wool. 

As for Kyouya Kyoya's Pokémon... 

The moment it appeared, it left everyone present in awe!

Ace smiled and explained, "Rambo, your Pokémon is a Mareep, an Electric-type. Its thick fur has a unique ability to store electricity. When it's resting, it absorbs and stores surplus electrical energy in its wool. 

In battle, it can unleash that energy in a devastating, deadly strike. 

And Rambo, its fluffy wool is a perfect match for your own afro~" 

Whether Rambo fully understood or not, Ace continued, explaining the Mareep's abilities.

Then, Ace's eyes shifted to the last Pokémon, and he spoke with a grin: "And this... is Onix, a Rock and Ground-type Pokémon."

"The power of Rock-type energy gives Onix's body incredible hardness, while Ground-type allows it to travel effortlessly underground."

"Due to its enormous size, Onix is not the type of Pokémon that makes many friends in the wild. It's simply too powerful, earning it respect but keeping it isolated. In that sense, it mirrors you, Kyouya—strong, yet distant from others."

Ace added, half-jokingly and half-seriously: "Under certain conditions, Onix can evolve into Steelix, replacing its Rock-type with Steel-type. Its combat abilities will increase dramatically after this evolution. Among all the Pokémon here, Onix is easily the strongest in its current form."