Meanwhile, the Heal Potion card remained exactly as it was, floating in front of me without changing into a bottle no matter how much I stared at it.
"...So one becomes an item while the other stays a card? How do I even use the heal potion as card? Slam it one my arm like last time?"
Before I could test anything further, another line quietly appeared across the blue screen.
"Function Unlocked: Card Storage"
Almost immediately, both my remaining cards and the floating Poké Block displayed a new option.
Store?
"...An inventory?"
My eyes lit up.
Without hesitation, I selected Yes, and both items vanished into the blue screen without a trace. A new section labeled Card Storage appeared, listing my remaining Heal Potion card alongside an empty slot where the Poké Block had been before I had materialized it.
I couldn't help grinning.
I didn't have pockets, a backpack, or even a proper home, but now I had a place to safely store valuable cards without worrying about rain, dirt, or accidentally losing them while running for my life.
The following days settled into a rhythm that almost resembled a routine. Every morning began inside whichever hollow tree I had chosen for the night, followed by a quick scan of my surroundings
I hunted insects, gathered safe berries, drank from the same stream whenever possible, and never stayed in one place for too long. If my instincts warned me of danger, I didn't question them anymore.
I ran first and thought later. Pride was a luxury reserved for people who weren't at the bottom of the food chain.
The daily roulette continued to appear every morning without fail. Most of the rewards were same utility cards rather than Pokémon. Inferior Poké Blocks, even a normal Poke Block, became my regular source of food whenever berries were scarce, while Heal Potion cards accumulated inside my Card Storage because, thankfully, I hadn't needed to use one yet.
The Poke Blocks were actually quite helpful, an inferior one would last a day and a normal one would even last for 3 days, so my food problems were never on my top list. But the feeling of being full for a day didn't always sit well with me so I would always try to find food and if I failed while gaining experience meanwhile, I would go for the Poke Block.
My experience rose steadily rather than explosively. Every insect, every small creature, every careful hunt added another handful of points to the growing total stored inside the system. Whenever enough accumulated, I transferred the experience into my Pikachu body and immediately felt the difference.
My electricity became slightly stronger, my muscles noticeably quicker, and my stamina improved little by little. By the end of several days, the blue screen proudly displayed Level 17.
It wasn't an earth-shattering increase, but compared to the terrified Pikachu who had first stumbled into this forest, I had undoubtedly become stronger.
Unfortunately, becoming stronger also made me slightly more confident. That confidence nearly got me killed.
I had been tracking a line of unusually large beetles through the undergrowth when my ears suddenly stood upright. Every strand of fur along my back puffed out at once. The familiar warning screamed through every instinct I possessed.
Danger.
Without hesitation, I spun around to retreat. A deafening snort answered me.
The bushes exploded apart as a gigantic wild hog burst into the clearing. Calling it a hog almost felt insulting. The beast stood well over twice my height at the shoulder, its body packed with thick muscle beneath coarse black fur. Two long tusks curved upward from its jaws while muddy hooves gouged deep trenches into the forest floor. Its small bloodshot eyes locked directly onto me before its nostrils flared.
"...Pika."
Well...
The enormous beast pawed violently at the ground before releasing another thunderous snort. It hadn't stumbled across me by accident. It had followed my scent. The moment that realization hit me, the hog lowered its head and charged. The ground trembled beneath its weight as it barreled forward like a runaway battering ram, tearing through bushes and snapping saplings without slowing in the slightest.
Quick Attack!
My body became a yellow blur, narrowly avoiding the charge as the hog smashed headfirst into the massive tree behind me. The impact shook the surrounding forest, sending leaves raining down from above.
Before it could recover, I darted behind it and slammed my tiny body into one of its hind legs with another Quick Attack. The strike landed cleanly... and accomplished almost nothing. The hog barely stumbled before turning around with an angry squeal.
"..Pika." (Right)
I had just discovered the downside of weighing less than a sack of potatoes.
The hog charged again. This time I met it head-on.
Growl!
A sharp cry escaped my mouth, carrying an intimidating force far greater than my tiny body suggested. The beast visibly hesitated, its charge losing some of its overwhelming momentum as uncertainty flickered through its eyes. I seized the opening immediately.
Then I used the move Tail Whip.
This move made the hog be less wary of me as I cutely waged my tail in front of it. I felt embarrassed, but hey, if it works, it works. And it actually worked. The creature was already wary and now it was confused too as it didn't know if it should wary by the growl or let go of this yellow creature.
But I didn't let it to think much.
"...Pika!"
Thunder Shock!
A bright bolt of yellow lightning slammed directly into the charging beast. Sparks raced wildly across its body as every muscle seized uncontrollably. The hog abruptly faltered, its legs locking up beneath it as violent tremors coursed through its frame. It wasn't defeated, but for several precious seconds it stood completely paralyzed, unable to move.
"I can win this..."
The realization flashed through my mind.
"But only if I don't get hit again."
Using every ounce of speed my Level 17 body possessed, I circled the immobilized beast, repeatedly striking weakened areas with Quick Attack before retreating beyond the reach of its tusks. The paralysis gradually faded, but by then its breathing had become noticeably heavier, while several bruises and burns covered its massive body.
Mine wasn't much better. My left side throbbed relentlessly by the first attack, my fur was stained with dirt and blood, and every movement sent small fresh waves of pain through my battered body.
The hog made one final desperate charge.
The instant before we collided, I twisted sideways with Quick Attack, narrowly slipping past its tusks before spinning around in midair.
Electro Ball!
A concentrated sphere of crackling electricity shot from my body and exploded against the side of the hog's head. Its legs buckled. With one final exhausted squeal, the enormous hog collapsed onto the forest floor, shaking the ground beneath us.
Silence returned.
For several long moments, I simply stood there, swaying on trembling paws while struggling to breathe. Then the familiar blue screen was called upon before my eyes.
"Experience Gained: +125"
"Level Up"
"Current Level: 18"
I stared at the glowing words before looking back at the enormous carcass lying only a few meters away. The next moment I called upon the card of heal potion.
The familiar blue screen rippled once more instead of disappearing. The experience notifications slowly faded before being replaced by an entirely different page, one I had never seen before. It looked much cleaner, almost like a game character sheet.
Status
Current Form: Pikachu
Level: 18
HP: 85%
Stamina: 39%
Moves: Growl, Tail Whip, Thunder Shock....
Stored Experience: 0
Stored Cards: 6
"...Huh. Eighty-five percent?"
I looked down at my bruised little body in disbelief. My entire left side felt as though a truck had run over it, my fur was matted with dirt, and several patches still stung from where the hog had tossed me around like a chew toy. Yet according to the system, I had only lost fifteen percent of my health.
"...Pokémon are built different."
That was the only conclusion I could come to. If taking a direct hit from something that weighed several hundred kilograms only shaved off fifteen percent of my HP, then Pokémon were absurdly durable compared to ordinary humans. No wonder they casually survived attacks that shattered rocks and uprooted trees in the games and anime.
Well I am forced to assume now that those were real since now I am in One Piece world, which was still a bit hard for me to accept.
My gaze drifted toward the Heal Potion Card resting inside the Card Storage.
"Well..."
A golden glow surrounded my body before my tiny Pikachu form stretched upward, returning me to my human appearance and then pulled out the Healing potion card. Then, I pressed the card firmly against my forearm.
The card dissolved into countless emerald-green particles that flowed directly into my skin. A soothing warmth spread from my arm throughout my entire body, washing over every bruise, ache, and sore muscle. The throbbing pain in my ribs disappeared first, followed by the stiffness in my shoulders and the lingering soreness in my legs. Even the small cuts hidden beneath my clothes sealed themselves before my eyes.