Chapter 57: Fun with Toki!

Toki stood in her elegant pink kimono, her long light green hair tied up neatly behind her. At 1.90 meters tall, she was only slightly shorter than Edie. Despite being the mother of two children, her youthful appearance made it seem as if the years had barely touched her—perhaps an effect of the Time-Time Fruit. However, Edie's sudden request left her shocked and unsettled.

"Take off...take off?" Toki's soft voice trembled as her gentle face paled with panic. Her delicate features showed clear confusion, her brow furrowing as she tried to make sense of his words. Edie found the situation almost humorous—the wife's timid reaction was unexpected. He stifled a laugh, though it was hard to ignore the awkwardness of the moment.

"Mr. Edie, why...why do I need to take off my clothes?" Toki asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her hands tightening nervously around the edges of her kimono. She took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Shy? There's no need for that," Edie replied, his tone casual and detached. "It's just an experiment. You can pretend I'm not even here."

How can I pretend you're not here? Toki thought, her face burning with embarrassment. She stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed. Is it really just an experiment? Or is this an excuse to humiliate me? Her mind raced with uneasy thoughts.

Edie, noticing her hesitation, explained, "The reason is simple. The skin needs to be in full contact with the filling fluid in the cloning chamber for the particles to be absorbed properly." He sighed as he noticed her growing discomfort. "Human modesty is such a hassle," he muttered to himself. "It's just a body of flesh and blood. I've seen countless clones, male and female. This is nothing new to me."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, if you're unwilling, I won't force you. I'll just find someone else who's willing to cooperate. You can go."

Instead of feeling relieved, Toki felt her heart sink. Someone else? The thought of another person taking her place—and possibly being harmed—filled her with dread. Her mind immediately went to her daughter, Hiyori. What if she is chosen next? And then there was Momonosuke. Was he safe? Was he even still alive?

Determined not to cause future trouble, Toki steeled herself. She pinched her thigh hard, using the pain to clear her thoughts. She couldn't allow someone else, especially her daughter, to be put in danger.

"I... I can do it," Toki stammered, her voice filled with hesitation but resolve. "There's no need to replace me, Mr. Edie. I'll cooperate."

Edie raised an eyebrow but didn't press the matter. He wasn't concerned with her change of heart, as long as she complied. "Good. Let's begin, then."

Toki nodded, her resolve firm, but before proceeding, she spoke up once more. "May I make a small request first?"

Edie, intrigued, smiled slightly. "You've agreed to the experiment, so yes. If it's not too unreasonable, I'll grant it."

Toki hesitated for a moment, her face flushed as she clasped her hands nervously in front of her. "I want to send a letter... to my son, Momonosuke. He was sent to the Kingdom of Kamabakka, but I don't know where it is. I just want to send him a letter…"

Edie, surprisingly lenient, nodded. "That's all? Sure, I'll have Chen Long deliver the letter for you later."

Is Momonosuke even alive? Edie wondered briefly. Even if the child had survived, living in the peculiar Kamabakka Kingdom must have changed him drastically by now. Still, granting this small favor would cost him nothing.

"Alright, your request is granted. Now, let's begin."

Toki nodded again, her voice soft, "Yes, thank you."

Toki's moist eyes glimmered with a mix of shyness and reluctance as she hesitated before Edie. Slowly, she slipped her fair-skinned feet out of her short boots. Her movements were delicate, and when she raised her right leg slightly, her fingers reached down to carefully peel off her white socks. Though her actions were driven by necessity, there was an unmistakable grace in her every motion—an elegance that seemed to naturally flow from her. With a faint blush coloring her soft, beautiful face, she exuded a charm that was both alluring and demure.

Despite being accustomed to seeing female clones in various states of undress, Edie couldn't help but be captivated by the real person standing before him. After Toki removed her shoes and socks, she gingerly placed her snow-white feet onto the cold floor, her body trembling slightly as she twisted her fingers in hesitation, reluctant to take the next step.

"Go on," Edie encouraged, his voice tinged with impatience. "Do you need me to help you?"

Toki's face flushed deeper. "Um... Mr. Edie, could you... turn around?" she asked shyly, her voice almost pleading.

Edie sighed inwardly. Why is it so troublesome? He thought to himself. He considered asking Hancock for cooperation instead, imagining that the task would already be completed by now. Yet, before he could express his frustration, Toki, noticing his growing impatience, lowered her head slightly in embarrassment, raising her shackled wrists.

"This... it's not very convenient," she said with a hint of grievance.

Edie glanced at the seastone shackles around her wrists and sighed. "Fine," he muttered as he reached for the key, unlocking the cuffs. As they fell away, Toki felt a wave of relief wash over her as her Time-Time Fruit ability returned, though she still struggled with the emotional weight of the situation.

She stole a glance at Edie, noticing the impatience etched into his features. A pang of self-doubt struck her. She realized she was being treated as little more than a test subject, someone whose talents—once revered—now felt insignificant in comparison to the younger, more beautiful women around her, like Hancock. A faint sense of pride and defiance rose within her, but she pushed those feelings down, unwilling to dwell on them.

With her mind made up, Toki decided to abandon her shame. Her movements became more fluid as she first loosened the pill belt around her waist, then began to remove her kimono piece by piece. Soon, a small pile of clothes lay at her feet, and she stood before Edie, her figure exposed like a work of art.

Edie, initially unfazed and professional, found himself momentarily stunned. He had seen countless clones, but this was different. His pulse quickened, and his mouth felt dry as he realized he was still, after all, a normal man. He couldn't suppress the slight restlessness stirring within him.

"Go in," he finally managed to say, his voice a little hoarse.

Toki, sensing the subtle shift in Edie's gaze, felt a deep shame wash over her. Yet, at the same time, she experienced a strange sense of relief. Her mind was conflicted—guilt weighed heavy on her heart, a pang for her late husband, and confusion about the emotions she felt now. Everything felt complicated.

But she forced herself to focus. It's just an experiment, she reminded herself repeatedly, using the thought as a mantra to steady her nerves. Covering the key parts of her body with her arms, Toki stepped lightly and entered the cloning chamber, her every movement betraying her inner turmoil.

While Edie meticulously tested the new filling fluid for its effectiveness, events elsewhere on Beehive Island began to unfold in a different direction.

Inside a bustling casino, three men dressed inconspicuously sat at a row of gambling machines. They played quietly, their eyes focused on the spinning reels while they conversed in hushed tones, their voices drowned out by the din of the casino.

"What's the intel?" one of them asked, inserting another coin into the machine.

"The institute isn't open to the public. It used to be a hotel, but now the area's restricted. A 100-meter perimeter around the entrance is completely sealed off."

"No one's left the institute. Haven't seen any staff, no researchers. Seems like the place is in total lockdown."

"Impossible. There has to be a way in."

"Only three girls leave the place regularly, and they just buy supplies. We could grab them, get some information—"

"Are you out of your mind? If we blow our cover, we're all dead!"

The conversation came to an abrupt halt as the men resumed their game, pretending to be nothing more than gamblers losing their chips. After a long stretch of silence, one of the men, having almost depleted his chips, finally stood up.

"My mission is to blend in. I'll wait for the right opportunity. Don't contact me unless absolutely necessary."

As he turned to leave, a hand clamped down on his shoulder, forcing him back into his seat.

"No need to leave," a cold voice spoke behind him. "You can't go anywhere."

The man's blood ran cold. He didn't dare to look back, his body stiffening in terror. His eyes darted to his two companions for help, but they were already drenched in sweat, their faces pale.

Exposed? How? When?

Without a moment to spare, the two agents on either side instinctively activated their limited mastery of Rokushiki techniques, using "Shave" to flee in opposite directions. But before they could escape, a sudden wave of Conqueror's Haki struck their minds with pinpoint precision, causing both to collapse unconscious on the floor.

The agent in the middle, still pinned down by the firm hand on his shoulder, trembled as the voice behind him asked, "Now, explain. Who are you, who sent you here, and what is your objective?"

He could barely breathe, his mouth dry with fear. He knew instantly what had happened. Conqueror's Haki! And not just any—this was controlled with deadly precision, sparing everyone else in the casino.

"I..." The agent opened his mouth to bite down on the poison capsule hidden inside, but before he could finish the motion, an invisible force struck his jaw, dislocating it.

"Don't even think about resisting. Don't even think about dying. Heavenly Father's orders were clear—you are to be captured alive."

The man's spirit shattered. There was no escape now.

Similar scenes unfolded all across Beehive Island. The 17 World Government agents, who had believed they had infiltrated unnoticed, were swiftly rounded up in less than an hour.

Their fate was sealed.

In a place like this, exposure meant certain death. Yet here, they weren't even allowed the mercy of suicide.

In the Hive Research Institute's underground laboratory, Edie stood before the No. 6 cloning chamber, admiring the figure of Toki submerged within. Her body was suspended in a warm liquid, evoking a sense of comfort and safety, as though embraced by a mother. At first, Toki had been embarrassed, knowing Edie's eyes were on her, but over time, her shyness faded, and she drifted into a serene, sleep-like state.

"The filling solution is taking effect," Edie murmured to himself, lingering for a moment longer to observe her peaceful expression. His mind wandered briefly, realizing that his fascination with Toki wasn't purely scientific. It had been a long time since he had felt a stir in his heart. He tried to rationalize it, blaming it on a "slight androgen response," as if that explained the unfamiliar heat he felt. He shook his head, reminding himself that the experiment came first, pushing aside unnecessary thoughts.

After checking the data and ensuring everything was functioning normally, Edie left Toki to rest. Hours later, he returned to the laboratory to wake her. As the warm liquid drained away, the chamber opened, revealing Toki slowly coming to her senses. She blinked up at him, momentarily disoriented but feeling oddly refreshed.

"The experiment is over. Thank you for your cooperation," Edie said with a small smile. "How do you feel?"

"Very... comfortable," she replied, her voice still groggy. Then, realizing her state of undress, her face flushed with embarrassment, and she hastily tried to cover herself.

Edie chuckled softly. "It's a bit late to be shy now, don't you think?" He handed her the clothes, watching with amusement as she turned her back to dress, fully aware that he wasn't going to avert his eyes. Despite the clinical nature of their interactions, there was a tension in the air that neither could fully ignore.

After she dressed, Edie approached her, his hand lightly grazing her shoulder. "Miss Toki," he said softly, his voice tinged with something more than professional interest, "I'll need your help with something later. Come to my bedroom at ten."

Toki's breath hitched, and she instinctively grabbed his hand, her heart pounding in her chest. "Mr. Edie..." she started nervously, unsure how to respond.

Edie simply smiled and left the room, leaving her to grapple with her thoughts.

Later that evening, Edie finished his dinner with the Hancock sisters, praised the meal, and casually instructed Sandersonia to deliver dinner to Toki's room. By ten o'clock, he sat at his desk, scribbling notes, when a soft knock echoed through the room.

"Come in," he called out, already knowing it was Toki.

It was quite the Fun Night