Chapter 103: A talk with Big-Mom!

Obtaining four simulation runs in one go was a breakthrough for Edie, opening doors to uncharted possibilities in the New World. While the technological content of Honeycomb Rice and Jinkela lagged behind that of the Earthly Branch clones, their popularity made them more efficient for garnering public support and reputation.

The average citizen couldn't care less about the advanced marvel of Lunarian clones or the pinnacle of today's scientific achievements. Despite their impressive nature, these breakthroughs did not capture public imagination as effectively as Honeycomb Rice or Jinkela fertilizer.

"But this isn't necessarily a bad thing," Edie mused. "In the future, when simulation attempts dwindle, we can always pivot to creating products that appeal to the masses."

With this optimism, Edie turned his attention to a new study. Now immortal, free from the constraints of aging, he could revisit long-abandoned projects. Chief among them was the cloning of Logia Devil Fruits—a feat even Vegapunk couldn't achieve.

He believed that, armed with immortality, it was only a matter of time before he solved this enigma.

Seated in his research room, Edie dismissed the maids and brewed a cup of fragrant coffee. Sipping it, he prepared for another simulation when a sudden commotion from outside caught his attention.

Charlotte Linlin burst in, her colossal 8.8-meter frame moving with the force of a tank. The very ground trembled under her steps.

"Linlin, what brings you here?" Edie greeted her with a smile.

"Dr. Edie, that little brat Haizhu under your command almost sank my ship at sea," Linlin thundered, her voice seething with irritation.

"Is there anything else?" Edie's smile remained as he feigned concern.

"Oh, I'll handle her later. You're the brain behind this institute, after all. But," she leaned forward, "you've been favoring Kaido and Whitebeard. Don't forget, Doctor, I'm your biggest sponsor."

"Why would you think that?" Edie spread his hands in mock innocence.

"Kaido got an Azure Dragon Fruit replica, and you helped his subordinate King awaken. Whitebeard's reaping profits from Honeycomb Rice," Linlin said, settling into a nearby sofa with a thud. "What about me? Where's my giant project?"

Despite the dramatics, her demand was serious. Over the years, she had poured 80 billion into Edie's ventures, and while she had deep pockets, the human gigantism experiment was more than just an investment. It was a personal obsession.

Edie, familiar with such confrontations, merely smiled. "Progress takes time. We're making headway."

"My daughter's been at your institute for years, reporting back. She claims you haven't done any research on it," Linlin countered.

Edie's mind flickered to Charlotte Garrett, who had been 14 when she arrived and was now an 18-year-old with barely any presence. If Linlin hadn't mentioned her, Edie might have forgotten.

"There are challenges," he said, choosing his words carefully. "The World Government has been trying for centuries, and Caesar Clown's work at Punk Hazard provided useful insights. But true gigantism requires evolving through bloodline factors over generations. It's feasible if given two or three hundred years. Compressing that into one generation is an entirely different beast."

Linlin's eyes narrowed. The string of technical jargon had lost her.

"How much?" she asked, cutting to the chase.

"Starting now, 40 billion per year. I can have preliminary results in five years."

"Done," Linlin agreed without hesitation. Two hundred billion was a small price for her ambition.

Edie, sensing her trust, nodded with satisfaction. With Kaido and Whitebeard as examples of his successes, Linlin's confidence was well-placed.

"Doctor," she added, shifting topics, "there's something else. I want my youth back."

Stimulated by the sight of Haizhu, her youthful clone, Linlin now craved what she had lost.

Edie's brow furrowed momentarily. Regaining youth wasn't simple. But then, a possibility struck him.

"Certain Devil Fruit powers can reverse age. The Paramecia Regression Fruit, for instance, could turn back the clock," he suggested.

Linlin's eyes lit up with recognition. She had seen that fruit in an encyclopedia.

"But," Edie added, "it only makes you younger. Without controlling your diet, you'd still be as... robust as ever."

Linlin's face darkened. "I can't give up sweets. Is there another way?"

"The Slippery Fruit could transform you into a slender beauty," Edie said, recalling Alvida's miraculous change.

"But I already have the Soul-Soul Fruit," Linlin reminded him.

Edie leaned back with a smile. "Ah, well, with the right funding, even the impossible can be... reconsidered."

"How much?" Linlin asked, ready as ever.

"Let me calculate," Edie said, his eyes gleaming with the promise of future research.

After extensive discussions, Edie finally succeeded in sending Big Mom away. Despite the potential risks, he agreed to assist her with a method for regaining her youth—all for the sake of profit.

First, Edie proposed using the Paramecia-class Sui Sui Fruit, which could revert one's body to an age of 18. Next, he suggested a regimen of technological weight-loss techniques to achieve her desired form. There was no need to resort to the Regress-Regress Fruit, as it was already in use by Ain, a Marine and the protégé of Admiral Zephyr. The Sui Sui Fruit, meanwhile, remained unclaimed, as Jewelry Bonney had yet to be born. This particular fruit, held by Saint Saturn of the Five Elders, possessed the unique ability to restore youth. In the hidden annals of Edie's knowledge, he recalled that Saint Saturn had previously extracted the fruit's essence and infused it into Bonney's mother, Ginny, ensuring Bonney inherited its properties without consuming it.

Edie's plans stretched far beyond aiding Yonko; he was plotting a bold operation against Mariejois in the future, intending to seize the Sui Sui Fruit when the time was right.

Beehive Island was bustling with activity. The Whitebeard Pirates had made a temporary base there, devoting their days to selling food supplies. The Donquixote Family, too, remained busy marketing their Jinkela fertilizer. The press conference's shocking revelations were still rippling across the globe, ensuring a long stretch of turbulence ahead.

None of this fazed Edie. He trusted others to handle the commotion while he pursued his interests undisturbed.

Night fell.

The global uproar surrounding the Honeycomb Rice and Jinkela had reached fever pitch. Ever since the press conference, the media had churned out a whirlwind of conflicting reports. The "World Economic News" led the charge, with Morgans himself extolling Edie's ingenuity in the morning, hailing him as a groundbreaking, benevolent scientist whose achievements deserved worldwide gratitude.

By afternoon, however, the narrative shifted dramatically. The headlines labeled the ten-thousand-kilogram-per-acre yield as a hoax, warning that pirates' claims were not to be trusted. Anonymous researchers even claimed to have discovered toxic compounds in the rice, asserting that long-term consumption would lead to lethal toxin build-up.

That evening, the World Government imposed strict new laws banning member nations from cultivating Honeycomb Rice and using Jinkela fertilizer. Yet, as a new dawn broke, the "World Economic News" once again lauded Edie's innovations with dazzling prose. By the afternoon, the smear campaign resumed. The schizophrenic nature of the news cycle failed to stem the rising demand for Edie's products. Observing this back-and-forth, Edie couldn't help but chuckle. He understood that Morgans' duplicity was a response to government pressure and found it amusing rather than infuriating.

Amid the chaotic storm of public opinion, Honeycomb Rice and Jinkela continued their steady spread, particularly throughout the New World.

Meanwhile, in the Florian Triangle—the ominous, fog-shrouded sea that marked the gateway to Sabaody Archipelago—danger loomed. This treacherous region was notorious for the countless ships that vanished each year, leaving behind ghostly derelicts and tales of haunted vessels.

On this day, an enormous ship navigated the eerie waters. It was less a ship and more a floating fortress, with a demonic maw at its prow and walls stretching into infinity. Within those walls lay a sprawling island complete with forests and a forbidding castle at its heart. Flying high above the citadel, a mast bore the fearsome Jolly Roger—a bat-like visage stretched wide in a sinister grin.

Thriller Bark

The vessel belonged to the Moria Pirates. At its helm was Gekko Moria, a formidable Pirate with a bounty of 320 million Beli and the wielder of the Paramecia-class Shadow Fruit.

Before the castle, Moria confronted an unexpected intruder.

"A Shichibukai?" Moria's expression twisted as he sized up the man before him. 'Fighter' Abbot, the newcomer, stood tall and wiry, his steel gloves bristling with spikes. Once the captain of the Boxing Pirates, Abbot had been made a Warlord after achieving a bounty of 277 million Beli.

"Why is a Shichibukai on my ship?" Moria demanded, a mix of rage and suspicion in his voice.

"Hah! Isn't it obvious, Moria?" Abbot smirked as he cracked his knuckles, eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm here to hunt pirates. A high-value target like you appearing in these waters—well, the World Government expects me to take care of it."

"Furfurfurfuu~… is that so?"

A low, mocking laugh echoed through the dark corridors of the castle. Both men turned their eyes to the figure perched above, where Doflamingo sat with crossed legs, a grin carved across his face.

"Apologies," Doflamingo drawled, eyes gleaming with menace. "But I'll be needing your head for that title, Abbot. Care to hand it over?"