Chapter 2: Cloning Kaido!

[Simulation Scientific Research System]

Number of simulations remaining: 2

Current simulation project: "Research on Biological Cloning in the Pirate World: Human (Kaido) Bloodline Factor Cloning Technology"

[Do you want to start?]

Edie didn't hesitate. Yes, he confirmed, initiating the simulation. This wasn't his first time using the system; he had already utilized it twice over the past two years.

The first simulation was used to advance Wanokuni's smelting technology and upgrade its factories.

Now, a cascade of messages and data began to stream before his eyes like a waterfall.

[Environmental test...]

[Necessary conditions for this research: Bloodline Factor Theory, Kaido's Blood, Lunarian Blood][Necessary conditions have been met][Simulation begins!]

[Year 1]: You embark on the study of cloning Kaido. To achieve this, a fully equipped laboratory is essential. However, this requires substantial funding.

[Year 2]: You cleverly deceive Kaido, securing 2 billion Beli in research funds under the pretext of developing artificial Devil Fruits.

[Year 3]: The entire 2 billion Beli is spent, yet the laboratory is still incomplete. You need more funds.

You establish contact with the Four Emperors, BIG MOM, and swindle 3.5 billion Beli from her by proposing a human gigantism project.

[Year 6]: Once again, you exhaust all the money, but progress is frustratingly slow, and the funding gap remains enormous. You estimate that you'll need at least 30 billion Beli.

[Year 8]: You secretly collaborate with Vegapunk.

[Year 12]: The project inches forward, but the financial gap remains a massive hurdle. Realizing the increasing risk of exposure to the World Government, you part ways with Vegapunk.

[Year 15]: Desperate for funds, you travel to Sky Island, the Kingdom of God, and steal 25 tons of gold. Despite being hunted, you manage to escape successfully.

[Year 17]: After temporarily resolving the funding crisis, you finally develop the cloning chamber filling fluid.

[Year 20]: The embryo of the cloned Kaido reaches the size of a 10-year-old child within the cloning chamber. You name it Kaido No. 1. Its physical strength is astonishing, causing a disturbance within the research institute. Recognizing the danger, you eliminate it. This marks your first verification of the correctness of the Bloodline Factor cloning technology.

[Year 25]: Kaido No. 2 is born. This clone possesses the power of Kaido's Azure Dragon Fruit but survives only 21 days before succumbing to death.

[Year 33]: Kaido No. 3 emerges from the chamber. You've resolved the issue of the Bloodline Factor collapse that shortened the lifespan of previous clones. Kaido No. 3 carries the blood factors of both Kaido and the Lunarian clan, nearing your ultimate goal. Its combat abilities are terrifying, but it refuses to obey your commands as its creator. It escapes from the laboratory, flying off into the unknown.

[Year 34]: A headline makes waves across the world: the Marines dispatched two Admirals to defeat your rogue creation, Kaido No. 3, in the New World. While its combat prowess was formidable, its lack of intelligence and disobedience proved to be its downfall. You feel a pang of regret over the lost potential.

[Year 40]: Kaido No. 4 is born. This clone is your crowning achievement. After painstakingly compiling and refining its Bloodline Factors, you succeed in creating a being that obeys your every command. To test its loyalty, you order it to commit suicide. It follows the order without hesitation, jumping into a magma pit where it takes seven days to die.

[Year 45]: The final creation, Kaido No. 5, is born. This is the culmination of all your research and simulations—your ultimate masterpiece.

[End of Simulation]

A torrent of information flooded Edie's mind, sharp and piercing like needles drilling into his skull. The knowledge was overwhelming yet precise:

How to set up a cloning laboratory…

How to configure the cloning chamber filling solution...

How to extract, fuse, and transplant the bloodline factors of the two...

How to make the clone have the ability of the Blue Dragon Fruit...

How to extend the life of clones...

How to compile the lineage factor of an object and impose ideological stamp on it...

Scientific research problems appeared in Edie's mind one after another.

And their answers are hidden in...

[This simulation consumed a total of 105.5 billion Beli in research funds.]

[Research Reward]: Relevant knowledge regarding Human (Kaido) Bloodline Factor Cloning Technology.

[Pay 105.5 billion Beli to receive research rewards?]

"..."

Edie rubbed his temples, the weight of the situation settling in. Over 100 billion? As expected, scientific research was a money-burning endeavor. A sum like that was astronomical—only the Five Elders could casually spend such a fortune.

Yes, knowledge comes at a price.

The simulation scientific research system merely accelerates the research process. The knowledge it offers can be obtained instantly—provided you pay the cost reflected in the simulation.

No.

Edie declined. He didn't have the funds to purchase this knowledge just yet. But he could acquire it later when he amassed enough wealth.

After all, knowledge doesn't disappear; it remains stored within the system, awaiting the day it can be accessed.

[Additional Reward]: Kaido No. 5

[Do you want to receive it?]

Fortunately, there was no cost associated with this extra reward.

Receive.

In the next instant, a burst of white light erupted within the research institute. As the light subsided, a towering figure, nearly three meters tall, materialized before Edie.

It was unmistakably a young version of Kaido. However, due to the influence of the Lunarian blood factor, Kaido No. 5 bore distinct differences: his skin was a rich brown, his hair was stark white, and a pair of black wings extended from his back. His eyes gleamed with star-shaped golden pupils.

"Lord Heavenly Father," the clone said, kneeling on one knee in a respectful salute.

Heavenly Father? Edie found the title peculiar but chose not to dwell on it. His expression remained subtle as he addressed the clone.

"From now on, your codename will be... Chenlong."

"Yes, Lord Heavenly Father," Chenlong replied with unwavering obedience.

Edie paused briefly, then turned to retrieve something from the warehouse. He returned with a ghost-face mask, perfectly sized for Chenlong.

Wanokuni annually holds a "Fire Festival" celebration, during which light boats—similar to Kongming lanterns—are released to honor the dead. This mask was a purchase from last year's festival, one of many Edie had collected in various sizes.

Handing the mask to Chenlong, Edie instructed, "Wear this. Do not remove it under normal circumstances. Never let anyone see your face. Can you retract your wings?"

Chenlong donned the ghost-face mask expressionlessly and shook his head to indicate that he could not. The wings were a result of the Lunarian blood factor, not a Zoan transformation ability.

Edie nodded thoughtfully. "Then wear a cloak to conceal them."

"Yes," Chenlong responded without hesitation.

"Follow me," Edie commanded.

As they left the institute, night had already fallen. The air was thick with the distant sounds of revelry emanating from Shogun Castle, where Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi were holding a grand banquet.

Edie knew that tomorrow, Kurozumi would likely punish Kozuki Oden and his allies for their "rebellion."

Despite his foolishness, Kozuki Oden is a samurai capable of wounding Kaido—his combat power is undeniable. Edie mused to himself. And Oden's blood factor... I need that too.

To obtain Kozuki Oden's blood factor, Edie first needed to locate his wife—Kozuki Toki.

A woman from 800 years ago, Toki was a Paramecia Devil Fruit user with the power to manipulate time. Such an ability was incredibly formidable, regardless of the world.

"Let's go to Kuri," Edie decided.

Under the cover of night, Edie made his way toward the outskirts of the Flower Capital. The tall Chenlong followed silently, his presence imposing but unobtrusive.

Upon leaving the city and reaching the deserted suburbs, Chenlong transformed into a magnificent blue dragon and soared into the sky. Edie mounted the dragon's head, facing the biting cold wind as they flew toward the Kuri region.

Wanokuni was divided into six major areas: the Capital of Flowers, and the surrounding regions of Usagi Wan, Suzuo, Bai Wu, Nozomi, and Kuri. Each region was governed by a daimyo, with Kuri being under the jurisdiction of Kozuki Oden.

Ten years ago, after setting out to sea, Kozuki Oden met and fell in love with Toki. They had two children: Momonosuke, a boy of eight, and Kozuki Hiyori, his younger sister.

At this moment, within Oden's Castle in Kuri, news of Kozuki Oden's defeat had reached them. Though deeply worried, Toki concealed her anxiety from her children.

"Mother, father hasn't come back yet?" Momonosuke asked sleepily, stirring from his sleep.

Kozuki Hiyori, also roused, blinked sleepily at her mother. Toki forced a gentle smile as she patted their heads, attempting to soothe their fears.

"Don't worry. Your father will be back soon," she said, though her heart was heavy with dread. She knew that following the political upheaval, Kurozumi Orochi would likely not spare the Kozuki family. Toki resolved to protect her children with all her strength.

However, a chilling voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"Your father will never come back."

"Who?!" Toki's voice trembled as she instinctively moved to shield her children.

She turned toward the balcony, where she saw a young man in a white coat gracefully landing atop the head of a colossal dragon. Edie stepped inside, casting a brief glance at the children before focusing on Toki.

"My name is Edie, and I'm a scientist," he announced.

Toki's eyes narrowed in recognition. "You're that scientist from the Flower Capital, a subordinate of Kurozumi Orochi!"

As she spoke, her gaze locked onto the imposing figure behind Edie. The Azure Dragon, having shrunk in size, now stood as a tall man, looming silently behind Edie.

Toki's fear escalated. She drew her saber with determination, her voice resolute. "Kaido!"