Chapter 92: New Bounties!

The prospect of Rocks being cloned left Zephyr speechless, his face drained of color as he stared blankly at Sengoku.

"Why didn't the higher-ups destroy Rocks' body if they suspected it could be targeted?"

Sengoku let out a heavy sigh, seating himself on a nearby rock. His gaze drifted across the shattered inner bay before settling on the ground beneath his feet, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

"Because," he replied slowly, "the higher-ups are considering cloning him as well."

The underlying motivations were clear, even if shrouded in secrecy. In the end, the World Government's decision was driven by a relentless pursuit of power. They believed scientific achievements hinged only on "whether the goal could be achieved." Once a technology proved viable, throwing resources at it would eventually yield results. To them, Edie—no matter his genius—was just one scientist among countless others in their ranks.

"Is it really possible to replicate such feats?" Zephyr muttered, glancing at the battlefield strewn with debris and the wounded. Today's encounter with Edie's clones of Garp and Sengoku had shaken him to his core, leaving him doubting the future of both the Marines and the World Government. The strength of these clones bordered on miraculous—and the implications were grim.

As the Marines began clearing the battlefield, medics rushed to locate Garp, while Vice Admiral Tsuru, supported by two female soldiers, surveyed the carnage with weary eyes. "What a disaster…"

Meanwhile, atop the Red Line in Mariejois, the Five Elders had just received the news.

In the Hall of Power within Pangaea Castle, CP0's director delivered a detailed report on the Navy headquarters raid. The room grew cold as they listened, and Saint Saturn's face darkened.

"Rocks' body… stolen. Sengoku failed spectacularly!"

Saint Saturn's eyes burned with fury, his voice sharp and cutting. His piercing gaze made the CP0 agent feel a chill run down his spine.

"Saturn, you're the one who decided to keep the body at Marineford," remarked Saint Topman Warcury, the Legal Martial God, his tone impassive. "I was against it from the start. Rocks' body should've been destroyed immediately."

Saturn's expression soured, his voice dropping ominously. "So you're blaming me now?"

"What's done is done," cut in Saint Marcus Mars, the Environmental Martial God, his tone attempting to quell the tension. "Let's focus on a solution."

A heavy silence fell as the weight of the situation settled. Reclaiming Rocks' body seemed impossible; Edie, his formidable Earthly Branches, and Shiki were already well beyond their reach. Each had shown the capability to escape and evade even the World Government's might.

"We need to accelerate our own cloning capabilities," Saturn finally said, striking his cane against the marble floor. "I'll personally visit Punk Hazard to meet with Vegapunk. This technology must be ours."

The Financial Martial God, Saint Izanbalon V. Nusjuro, gave a faint smile. "Easy, Saturn. Remember, even the strongest men have weaknesses."

"Weaknesses?" Saturn's gaze sharpened, intrigue momentarily overriding his anger.

"Indeed. This will require careful planning," Nusjuro replied smoothly. "In the meantime, issue a new bounty on Edie and Shiki."

The Five Elders nodded in grim agreement, understanding that while the loss of Rocks' body posed a grave threat, it also underscored a clear objective: They would now hunt Edie and his allies with newfound resolve.

By the time Edie returned to the Hive, the afternoon sunset was already high in the sky. At Rocky Port, the bustling crowds of pirates were absorbed in the latest headlines, forming groups to pass around and read today's newspapers.

Golden Lion Shiki barged through a small gang of pirates, snatching a paper for himself. "Jiehahaha, Edie! Look at this—our bounties just went up!" he crowed, proudly flashing his new wanted poster.

Golden Lion Shiki

Wanted: Alive or Dead

Notorious Criminal

Bounty: 5.148 Billion Berries

"And yours too!" Shiki spread out three more bounty posters with a triumphant grin. Edie glanced down, noticing his own bounty, which had once been 1.8 billion after his infamous attack on the Celestial Dragons in the Sabaody Archipelago. But now, his bounty had reached a shocking new height.

Hive Emperor Edie

Wanted: Alive or Dead

Notorious Criminal

Bounty: 5.877 Billion Berries

"So, that's how they set their bounties?" Edie mused, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he took in the number. It was surreal to think he had surpassed both Roger and Whitebeard, but it made sense. The World Government had suffered enough setbacks at his hands recently to justify this. Whitebeard's current bounty sat at 5.046 billion, and Gol D. Roger's had been 5.5648 billion in his time.

"For us pirates, the higher, the better! Hahaha!" Shiki laughed, radiating pride.

Edie turned his attention to the other two posters: Weiyang and Chou, two of his most powerful Earthly Branches.

Weiyang

Wanted: Alive or Dead

Notorious Criminal

Bounty: 2.3229 Billion Berries

Chou

Wanted: Alive or Dead

Notorious Criminal

Bounty: 2.4444 Billion Berries

"These bounties don't reflect their true power," Edie remarked. Then again, he reasoned, the bounties weren't strictly about combat ability but rather the perceived threat to the World Government. For all their power, the Earthly Branches were ultimately his creations, controlled and loyal only to him. To the World Government, they were no more than weapons—unlike Shiki, who was an independent, experienced wild card.

With an absentminded smirk, Edie took the posters from Shiki's hand, tearing them into pieces. "Doctor, your plan succeeded. Now, about our 'deal'?" Shiki's grin widened, the bounties themselves of little interest to him compared to the transaction at hand.

Edie walked toward his lab, trailed by Weiyang and Chou. Weiyang held Rocks' body firmly in his grip, a prize from the recent raid.

"Edie," Shiki frowned, trailing after him, "I helped you raid Marineford and secure Rocks' body. Doesn't that count for something?"

Edie raised an eyebrow, amused. "Only after you threw an entire island at my institute. And if you're waiting for me to fix your legs or get that wheel out of your head, you'll have to wait until I obtain the Op-Op Fruit."

He paused, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. "But if you're seeking additional 'assistance,' you'll need to offer me something I want."

"I've got no money," Shiki muttered.

"For instance…" Edie said slowly, watching Shiki closely. "Your blood."

Shiki's face darkened. "You… want to clone me?"

"Why not?" Edie replied smoothly, his tone playful but unyielding.

If it were another opponent who Shiki couldn't beat, he could just run away. With his ability to fly, Nobody could stop him if he wanted to run away and vanish. 

But not with Edie.

He can also fly, not only can he fly, but he can fly faster than him.

The same goes for those earthly branches with him. 

What a scumbag!

After a tense silence, Shiki let out a strained laugh. "Fine, fine! I'll give you my blood. But in return, you'll help me research that plant I mentioned."

"Pleasure doing business." Edie grinned warmly, though both knew well that no pirate's agreement came without a price.

After collecting Shiki's blood sample, Edie returned to the research institute, ready to tackle the Golden Lion's request. Shiki's objective was relatively simple: to study a peculiar plant on his island, one that contained IQ, a compound capable of altering and enhancing animal traits. Shiki wanted Edie to extract and weaponize this IQ component, intending to use it as a tool in his revenge against the World Government.

The research involved was relatively straightforward compared to the complex commissions he'd received from the likes of Kaido, Whitebeard, and Big Mom. That was, perhaps, why Shiki remained a relic of the old era while the others reigned as Emperors of the Sea. Still, Shiki had his uses. His fierce grudge against the World Government could serve Edie's plans for a future raid on Mariejois. But for now, there was no rush.

Setting Shiki's project aside, Edie's immediate focus was on extracting the bloodline factor from Rocks D. Xebec. Thanks to the excellent preservation by the World Government, the procedure went smoothly.

Two days later, Edie activated Clone Chamber No. 2, carefully injecting the embryo infused with Lunarian blood factors. Currently, Clone Chamber No. 1 housed a clone of Boa Hancock, whom he planned to send to Amazon Lily as the next empress in two years. Clone Chamber No. 2 now nurtured Rocks' embryo, destined to emerge as the most powerful of the Earthly Branches, even surpassing his current creations. Edie was confident in this.

With Shiki's and Kong's blood samples still in his possession, Edie would have to wait until the next batch of clones was ready to use them. He left the underground lab, moving up to the institute's main level, where he visited Ginny.

For the past few days, Ginny had been confined in a secure room and was growing desperate. The moment she saw Edie, she dropped to her knees, pleading. "Emperor! Doctor! Lord Edie! When will you let me go?"

"Let you go?" Edie responded, amused, as he settled onto a nearby sofa.

Ginny quickly brewed some hot tea, serving it to him with obedient precision. Despite her thirty-seven years, she still carried an astute charm, and Edie found it amusing.

Taking a sip, he said, "I hadn't intended to keep you locked up. When I captured you, it was merely to lure Kuma to the Hive."

"He won't come!" Ginny interjected hastily. "Doctor, you must be tired; let me massage your shoulders."

She stepped behind him, her hands skillfully working over his shoulders as he closed his eyes, savoring the moment. "If I hadn't ordered Chenlong to bring you here," he asked, "what do you suppose would've happened?"

"I'd be a slave to a Celestial Dragon by now!" Ginny replied with barely concealed anger. "They wanted to make me the eighth lady of one of their own. I wish I could kick him to death!"

"You underestimate their depravity," Edie said, chuckling. "For a woman of your age, you're still quite attractive. Do you know what happens to beauties in the Holy Land?"

Ginny's face paled as the implications sank in. She might be older, but her appearance held up well. "Come with me," Edie added with a smirk. "I'll show you something interesting."

He led her to an underground surveillance room where several screens displayed live feeds from Mariejois. Edie activated the monitors, selecting a disturbing scene in the center.

A Fat Celestial Dragon was going to the toilet. After using the toilet, an outstanding-looking beauty knelt down and humbly stuck out her tongue to help him clean up the mess.

The woman in the picture is seventeen or eighteen years old, and she is an outstanding woman anywhere.

But facing the Celestial Dragons, She can only do this humbly. 

Watching this, Ginny felt a wave of nausea and revulsion.

"They call it 'Beauty Paper,'" Edie explained coldly. "Celestial Dragons don't bother with ordinary toilet paper."

Ginny was speechless. She gripped her arms tightly as Edie continued, "This girl is only one of thirteen women owned by this particular Celestial Dragon, Charlos."

Ginny trembled, her lips pressed into a tight line. "I was taken as a slave when I was four. I suppose I should be grateful I was too young to suffer in that way."

"Now you understand," Edie said, "to the Celestial Dragons, beauty is not just a privilege; it's a survival tool. You have to outshine others just to gain tolerable treatment."

Ginny took a deep breath, finally murmuring, "Thank you, Doctor. Without you, my life would have been… worse."

Edie's gaze sharpened. "How do you intend to repay me?"

Ginny blinked, taken aback. "Surely not that way! I thought a man like you would be above such trivial matters."

Edie's expression remained cold. "I'll give you another chance to think carefully."

Quickly, Ginny smiled and said, "I'm skilled in espionage and communications. If there's anything I can assist with, just ask."

"Not going back to the Revolutionary Army, then?"

She sighed. "Even if I could return, I wouldn't. They didn't react when I was captured, and besides, I owe you a debt. I'm staying until I've repaid it."

Satisfied, Edie nodded. "I want you to monitor a specific area constantly." He called up an image of three islands in North Blue: Minion Island, Flevance Island, and Rubek Island.

Ginny's eyes widened. "You can monitor even North Blue? This technology is… astonishing!"

"A phone transponder can't handle this. It requires techniques beyond your understanding," he replied with a faint smile. He indicated Minion Island on the monitor. "Focus on this one. When there's any sign of the Op-Op Fruit, notify me immediately."

Ginny, catching his intent, agreed. "I can do that. Surveillance is my expertise."

"I'll assign thirty-six clones to assist. But be prepared; surveillance is tedious, and you might be at it for a year or two," Edie said. "Come with me, and I'll teach you how to operate the queen bee monitoring system."

Over the next hour, Edie trained her on the commands and system interface. Ginny, proving her aptitude, mastered it quickly.

"This is easier than I thought," she said with a hint of pride. "But you truly are a genius, Doctor! This system is… remarkable."

"Save the praise. We need uninterrupted surveillance, so no slacking off," Edie said with a slight smile, patting her shoulder. "Complete this task, and I'll grant you one favor—within reason."

Ginny nodded, her expression earnest. "Consider it done, Doctor!"

Time passed swiftly. By August 1509, Ginny burst into Edie's lab with excitement. "Doctor! The Op-Op Fruit has appeared!"