Chapter 255

Guanhao, Paradise

Hundreds of children stood in a rigid line, their small frames sweating under the smoldering heat, but not a single one dared move. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional crackle of burning wood or the shuffle of boots.

This place, Guanhao Island, was an obscure yet highly protected location in the first half of the Grand Line. It was a place shrouded in secrecy, where children were trained and brainwashed to become the perfect tools of the World Government. Only one in ten would survive this brutal regimen, emerging as Cipher Pol agents, while the rest would vanish like dust in the wind.

The children, mostly orphans or kidnapped from far-flung corners of the world, were selected for their unique traits—strength, speed, or special physiques. Some were even bought by kingdoms or offered by parties seeking special privileges.

But today, something was different. The atmosphere was tense, heavier than usual. A special group had arrived to observe the new recruits, handpicking the most promising for a division so secretive it was barely whispered about: Cipher Pol Aigis, the elite of the elite.

"Next!" The instructor's voice boomed across the yard, and a small boy stepped forward, trembling as he approached a large metallic device. This was the Doriki Measuring Machine, an instrument used to gauge a person's raw physical strength.

Doriki was a unit of measurement created by the World Government to evaluate physical power, with 10 being the average strength of a Marine soldier. For the children here, though, the stakes were higher—Doriki levels were life or death.

The boy's legs shook as he cocked back his fist and struck the machine with all his might. A few agonizing seconds passed, then the screen blinked to life: 23.

The instructor's eyes narrowed in disgust. "Pathetic!" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom.

"Two years of training, and you can barely manage 23 Doriki?"

Without hesitation, a deafening bang echoed through the yard. The child collapsed to the ground, a lifeless heap. A few of the children gasped in terror, but most had seen this before—mercy did not exist here.

The two CP0 agents, watching from the shadows, remained unfazed. Their faces hidden behind ominous white masks, they exchanged bored glances. These weren't just any Cipher Pol agents; these were the government's most elite operatives, the ones trusted with the most dangerous and sensitive missions. They had been dispatched to find true monsters, not mediocre prospects like the one who had just failed.

"You said there were exceptional seedlings here," one of the CP0 agents said coldly, his voice distorted through the mask. "If this is what you're wasting our time with…"

The instructor's face reddened with fury. He had been in charge of Guanhao Island for thirty years, molding children into killers, and today he wasn't about to let these agents dismiss him so easily. There were true talents among these children—he would prove it.

"Kalifa!" he barked, snatching a clipboard from his subordinate and scanning the names.

A young girl with sharp, calculating eyes stepped forward without hesitation. Unlike most of the others, Kalifa was a volunteer. Her father was a Cipher Pol agent, and she had been groomed for this life since birth. She cocked her arm back and punched the machine, her strike landing with a satisfying thud.

The screen flickered: 283.

The instructor gave a slight nod of approval, but a quick glance toward the CP0 agents told him they were unimpressed. They were looking for someone extraordinary—someone who could potentially become a trump card in Aigis. Kalifa wasn't it.

"Fukurou!" the instructor yelled.

A rotund boy with a strange, zipper-like mouth waddled forward, landing his punch with surprising force.

301.

Still, no reaction from the CP0 agents.

The instructor's frustration was mounting. He needed more. He scanned the names on his list again and roared, "Kumadori! Blueno! Kaku! Jabra!"

Four children stepped forward, each one harboring the potential for greatness. Kumadori's flowing pink hair and flamboyant movements made him seem eccentric, but his strength was undeniable. Blueno, with his stoic demeanor, walked up next and landed a heavy blow on the machine.

310... 324...

Each strike rattled the machine, sending vibrations across the training yard, but still, the CP0 agents barely stirred. They weren't here for average talents; they sought the extraordinary.

Then, it was Kaku's turn.

The instructor smirked. This was the one he had been waiting for. Kaku, with his odd, square nose and youthful exuberance, was deceptively strong. His agility and power were monstrous for his age, and the instructor knew this would catch the attention of the CP0 agents.

Kaku leaped into the air, spinning with precision as his leg came crashing down on the machine.

"Boom….!"

The impact echoed across the yard, shaking the ground beneath the children's feet. The machine's screen flickered wildly before settling on a number that sent murmurs through the ranks.

818.

For the first time, the CP0 agents raised their brows. In their youth, their own Doriki levels had only approached these numbers after years of intense training. Kaku, at such a young age, was already surpassing them.

But then came Jabra.

The wild-looking boy, with a feral glint in his eyes, stepped forward. Jabra was known for his animalistic ferocity, a boy who fought with savage intent. He grinned, showing his sharp teeth, before slamming his fist into the machine with all his might.

"BOOM….!!!"

The shockwave from the punch rippled through the air, and the machine's display struggled for a moment before finally locking onto a number.

977.

A murmur of awe swept through the children, and even the CP0 agents could no longer hide their interest. Jabra was dangerously close to breaking the 1,000 Doriki barrier—something unheard of at his age.

The instructor smirked, satisfied at last. "These," he said, turning toward the CP0 agents, "are the monsters I promised you."

The two CP0 agents exchanged skeptical glances. Despite the impressive display from Kaku and Jabra, they remained unimpressed. One agent clicked his tongue in irritation.

"These two are promising, perhaps one day they could be molded into assets for the Aigis division," he said dismissively.

"But monsters? You've exaggerated, Instructor. We expected more. If they were pushing 1200 Doriki, maybe we'd call them exceptional, but this? It's still not enough to warrant dragging us out here."

The other agent, no less unimpressed, nodded in agreement. They had expected a prodigy, someone capable of reshaping the balance of power within the Cipher Pol ranks. The children were good, no doubt—but not the monsters they had come for.

"Perhaps we'll leave empty-handed after all," the first CP0 agent remarked, stepping back, as if ready to leave.

Before they could turn their backs, the instructor, sweating slightly under the pressure, quickly interrupted. "Wait! I never said I was finished! You've yet to meet the true monster—the one who justifies every word of my report!"

The CP0 agents paused mid-step, their interest only faintly piqued. The instructor gestured to a boy who had been standing silently to the side the entire time, unnoticed by the others.

The child stepped forward, calm and unshaken by the events around him. He was small, no older than eight or nine, yet there was something unsettling about his presence.

The air around him seemed heavier, the oppressive heat more intense. Even the other trainees instinctively took a step back, sensing the child's eerie power.

The instructor smirked, watching the agents closely as the boy approached the Doriki Measuring Machine. "This," he said with pride, "is the one you came to see."

The boy didn't even blink as he stepped up to the machine. The instructor gestured for him to hit it, but the child didn't need encouragement. He had been waiting for this.

With barely a movement, the boy cocked his arm back and drove his fist into the device with devastating force.

"BOOM…!"

The sound of the impact was unlike anything heard before—it wasn't just a punch. The entire training ground shook as if an earthquake had hit. The shockwave sent dust and debris scattering, and the nearest children were blown back a few steps, their eyes wide in disbelief.

The Doriki machine flickered wildly. Numbers began climbing rapidly.

100... 500... 1000... 1500...

The tension was palpable. The CP0 agents leaned forward, their disinterest replaced with visible curiosity as the numbers continued to skyrocket.

1800... 2000...

The machine finally settled with an ominous chime: 2190.

For the first time, the two CP0 agents couldn't contain their reactions. They exchanged stunned glances. The number on the machine represented a level of raw physical power that few in the history of the Cipher Pol could even dream of achieving.

And this child, this quiet, unassuming boy, had reached it effortlessly—at an age when most were barely learning to survive on their own.

"Two thousand...?" One of the agents muttered, his voice betraying a mix of disbelief and awe. "A Doriki of over 2000... at this age?"

The other agent gulped, eyes fixated on the boy. "What kind of monster is this?"

The instructor, beaming with satisfaction, couldn't help but gloat. "Now you understand why I called you here. This boy—he's beyond anything we've seen in the last century. His power is unimaginable, even to us." He crossed his arms, smirking. "Are you satisfied now?"

But the CP0 agents barely heard him. They were transfixed by the child, their minds racing with possibilities. One of the agents stepped forward, his authoritative demeanor returning. "What's your name, soldier?"

The boy stood in perfect attention, his face expressionless, staring straight ahead. He said nothing.

The CP0 agent's brow furrowed in irritation, taking a step closer. "I asked you a question."

Before the agent could raise a hand, the instructor quickly intervened. "He can't speak," the instructor explained, a hint of respect in his tone.

"The boy is mute. We don't know much about him—he was part of a batch of trafficked children from the New World. He's a recent acquisition. We call him 'Zero.'"

At the mention of the child's origins, the CP0 agents frowned. They had hoped the boy had been under Cipher Pol's training longer—his loyalty would need work.

The thought of this much power in a child so young, so new, unnerved even them. And yet, they were intrigued. A boy of this strength, at his age, could become an unrivaled asset to the World Government.

"Zero, huh?" The agent mused, looking the boy up and down. "A fitting name. His loyalty is still in question, but if he can be shaped properly, he'll be the greatest weapon the Cipher Pol has ever had." His eyes narrowed as he turned to the instructor.

"Do you realize the potential here? This boy... he could surpass even the greatest geniuses in the last eight centuries."

The mention of the legendary prodigies of Cipher Pol, hung in the air. Every one of them, with their inhuman strength and ruthless efficiency, was a name that inspired both fear and respect within the World Government. But this boy, Zero, might even eclipse them all.

The second CP0 agent, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, his tone measured but intense. "We'll take him."

The instructor, already expecting this outcome, nodded. "Of course, but I must warn you—this one is unlike any other. His potential is limitless, but his unpredictability matches it."

The agent scoffed. "We'll see about that. As long as he learns who he serves, there's no limit to what we can achieve with him."

As the two CP0 agents turned to leave, the one who had first spoken glanced back at the boy.

"Remember this moment, Zero. From now on, you belong to us. We'll make sure you realize your full potential."

But Zero, as ever, remained motionless, his eyes fixed ahead, a silent storm of power contained within him.

*******

Hachinosu, New World

It had been more than a year since Kaido seized control of Hachinosu, the infamous Pirate Island, and cemented his reign as one of the feared Three Emperors of the New World. His rule was marked by brutal measures, and he ruthlessly eliminated anyone who dared challenge his authority.

His ambitions, however, reached far beyond simple conquest. Kaido sought to create an invincible army, one that would surpass anything the world had ever seen.

At the heart of this grand scheme was a dark and twisted research facility, buried deep within the island. Here, under Kaido's watchful eye, the mad scientists Caesar Clown and Queen conducted their sinister experiments, trying to perfect the creation of artificial Devil Fruits, also known as SMILEs.

Inside the dimly lit lab, Caesar's high-pitched, manic laughter echoed through the corridors, sending shivers down the spines of the pirates who had been unfortunate enough to be selected for today's experiment.

"Shirororororo!" Caesar cackled, his eyes gleaming with twisted excitement. "It's time, gentlemen! Time to see if this batch is the one. Let's test these new artificial Devil Fruits, shall we?"

A dozen pirates stood trembling in line, their faces pale with fear. They had no choice in this matter—Queen had called it an 'opportunity,' but the pirates knew better. They weren't participants in a grand experiment; they were nothing more than lab rats, expendable tools for the Beast Pirates' relentless pursuit of power.

Queen, puffing on his thick cigar, grinned wickedly as he shoved the tray forward, each one of the strange fruits radiating an ominous presence. The pirates hesitated, their hands shaking as they stared at the grotesque, swirling patterns on the fruit's skin. Each fruit looked as though it carried a curse.

"Come on, now. Pick one," Queen said with a sneer, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"You're lucky, really. Not everyone gets the chance to become a part of the future of the Beast Pirates."

The pirates exchanged nervous glances but knew there was no escape. With trembling hands, they each selected a fruit and took a bite. The bitter, foul taste of the Devil Fruit made some gag, but they swallowed, knowing that the alternative was far worse than whatever horror awaited them.

In the corner of the room, hidden by shadows, Kaido watched silently, his enormous figure radiating an aura of raw, untamed power. His dragon-like eyes were fixed on the proceedings, cold and calculating.

King, his loyal right-hand man, stood at his side, observing with his usual stoic demeanor. Kaido had been pushing Caesar and Queen relentlessly, demanding progress. He didn't care about the failures—what mattered was the end result. If they could perfect these artificial Devil Fruits, the Beast Pirates would become an unstoppable force, a horde of living weapons.

Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the tension in the room.

"Aaarghhh!" One of the pirates who had just bitten into a Devil Fruit began convulsing violently, his body swelling grotesquely. His skin stretched taut before, with a sickening pop, he exploded like a balloon. Blood, bone, and viscera splattered across the room, coating the walls in a crimson mess.

The other pirates gasped in horror, but their reactions were cut short as another scream erupted. One by one, the pirates began to burst, their bodies unable to handle the volatile transformation the artificial Devil Fruits triggered. In mere seconds, half of them were reduced to grotesque, shredded remains, their lives snuffed out in the blink of an eye.

Caesar, however, seemed completely unfazed. "Shirorororo… Another failure," he remarked, scribbling down notes on a clipboard. "It seems we've hit the same roadblock again. The transformation process is still unstable."

Queen, on the other hand, took a long drag from his cigar, blowing out a cloud of smoke as he squinted at the scene. "Hold on, Caesar. Look closely..."

Amidst the carnage, there was one pirate who had not exploded like the others. His body twitched and contorted, swelling grotesquely as his limbs and torso bulged at unnatural angles.

His skin seemed to bubble and stretch as if caught in a half-completed transformation. His muscles expanded unevenly, his face warping, while patches of fur sprouted haphazardly across his flesh. The pirate looked more like a grotesque mix between a bear and a rotting corpse than a man.

Caesar's eyes gleamed with excitement as he took in the sight. "Fascinating… Truly fascinating!" he exclaimed, hurrying over to the deformed pirate.

"Look at him! He hasn't burst, which means the fruit triggered something! This partial transformation... it's grotesque, but it's progress!" Caesar wasted no time, grabbing a syringe from his lab coat and plunging it into the abomination's flesh, extracting a sample with manic glee.

"We're closer than ever, Queen. This is a breakthrough!"

The pirate, now resembling a decaying beast, let out an agonized growl, his form wobbling as if stuck between human and animal. His eyes, bloodshot and wide with terror, pleaded for help, but there was none to be found in this den of madness.

Kaido, who had remained silent throughout the carnage, stepped forward. His massive frame cast a long shadow over the scene. His expression was unreadable, but there was a faint glimmer of interest in his eyes.

"Is this what you've been working on?" His voice was a deep rumble, each word like the crack of thunder.

"Yes, Kaido-sama!" Caesar responded eagerly, still fixated on the deformed pirate. "While the others were... unfortunate, this one is showing real progress! We've never seen a subject survive such an advanced stage of transformation before."

Kaido grunted, his gaze shifting to the pirate, whose body continued to twitch and deform. The creature looked pitiful, but Kaido didn't care about appearances. What mattered was power—raw, overwhelming power. If Caesar and Queen could harness this, the Beast Pirates would become invincible.

Queen, puffing on his cigar, exhaled another plume of smoke. "We'll need more tests. More... volunteers," he said with a twisted grin. "But yeah, this is progress. We're getting closer to the ultimate goal."

Kaido, still watching the abomination with cold, calculating eyes, finally spoke. "I don't care how many die. I want results. Make it work."

King, standing stoically by Kaido's side, simply nodded. "It's only a matter of time."

As the grotesque pirate collapsed, his body finally succumbing to the strain, Caesar and Queen exchanged eager looks. They were close—so close to creating the ultimate artificial army. The failures didn't matter. As long as they continued their work, Kaido's dream of building an army of unstoppable beasts would soon become a reality.

*****

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story! Your support truly means everything to me, and I appreciate every single one of you who has joined me on this journey. I'm excited to share that for every 500 power stones I receive (weekly), I'll be posting an extra chapter as a token of my gratitude. (Each additional review will help my story reach further.)

Additionally, if you'd like to dive deeper into the world I've created, I invite you to join my Patreon page, where you can access over 65 plus additional chapters and more exclusive content. Your support not only helps me continue writing but also motivates me to create even better stories for you all. (I truly appreciate any support that I can get through Patreon.)

Thank you once again for your encouragement and enthusiasm. Happy reading, and I can't wait to share more with you!

With heartfelt thanks,

[Silent_stiele]

Patreon : www.patreon.com/Silent_stiele