Chapter 31: Creating the First artificial Devil fruit!

Naval Headquarters, More than a Month Later

In the austere Marine Staff Room, a sense of urgency hung in the air. Vice Admiral Tsuru, the revered "General Staff Officer," sat at the head of the table, her fingers interlaced in a contemplative pose. Before her stood Colonel Theodore, a Marine intelligence officer whose troubled expression revealed the gravity of the situation.

"Is there still no information on the scientist or the two Earthly Branches?" Tsuru's voice, though calm, carried the weight of frustration.

Theodore, visibly uneasy, shook his head. "There's been a death order from above. We must apprehend the perpetrators. But... murdering a Celestial Dragon—it's become a massive complication."

Tsuru sighed, her tone reflecting the burden of the task. "Troublesome indeed."

Theodore hesitated, aware that admitting failure might cast him in a poor light. "Reporting to the Chief of Staff, I've inquired with every major institution over the past month, but there's no record of a scientist named 'Edie.' Whether it's the Marine's scientific division, World Government research facilities, or private institutes... no one has heard of him."

He paused, then offered a theory, "It's possible the identity of this 'scientist' is a smokescreen, deliberately misleading our investigation."

Tsuru remained silent, her mind working through the possibilities. The situation was complex, and the enemies they were dealing with were clearly resourceful.

"Has anyone provided any clues regarding the bounty we announced?" she asked.

Theodore sighed again. "Many people came forward with information, but after thorough investigations, they all turned out to be frauds. Those individuals seemed to vanish just as quickly as they appeared more than a month ago."

He suddenly recalled something and added, "However, during our investigation, we discovered that a scientist has gone missing."

Tsuru's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"A researcher at the Punk Hazard Institute, named Caesar Clown. He was once a member of the MADS Peace Institute and later joined the World Government alongside Vegapunk."

Tsuru frowned, her mind racing. "Are you suggesting that Caesar Clown is connected to Edie?"

Theodore shrugged slightly. "I'm not certain. Caesar's disappearance was noted sometime in July or August. The institute only realized this after we made inquiries and conducted an internal investigation."

Tsuru was taken aback. "Why did it take so long to notice?"

Theodore's expression turned sarcastic. "Apparently, Caesar wasn't well-liked by his colleagues. His absence went unnoticed because no one cared enough to check on him."

Tsuru couldn't help but find this explanation preposterous. "Continue investigating. This could be a lead worth pursuing. Is there any other important information?"

Theodore straightened, his demeanor becoming more serious. "Yes, ma'am. Over the past month, the Beasts Pirates have been unusually active—so much so that it's become alarming!"

He continued, his voice heavy with concern, "They've attacked 23 merchant ships and massacred four New World pirate crews—one of which was allied with Whitebeard."

Tsuru's expression darkened at this revelation. "Beasts Pirates slaughtered one of Whitebeard's crews? This could lead to a conflict between the Yonko... but why? Kaido's behavior can't simply be attributed to drunken orders."

Theodore hesitated before offering a theory. "It might be... a lack of funds. After sinking one of our warships, Kaido's men didn't kill all the survivors. Just a few days ago, they demanded we pay to ransom the prisoners."

Tsuru rubbed her temples in exasperation. She had seen many things in her long military career, but this was a first. "This is a complete departure from the norm... What did Fleet Admiral Kong say?"

"Sengoku Admiral has been dispatched to handle the situation," Theodore replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and apprehension.

As the meeting ended, Tsuru couldn't shake the feeling that darker days were ahead, with the threat of chaos looming over the New World.

Wanokuni, Flower Capital

More than a month had passed since the battle, and the streets of the Flower Capital had been completely revitalized. The repairs were swift, and the efficiency remarkable. The citizens who had fled in fear had returned, and the city once again buzzed with life and prosperity. Even the houses that had been destroyed were replaced, courtesy of the Beasts Pirates, who seemed determined to cement their rule over Wanokuni in more than just fear.

Edie couldn't help but marvel at the transformation. From mere pirates to the ruling class of a country, Kaido and his crew had evolved in ways that were hard to imagine.

Flower City, Research Institute

Inside the research institute, tensions were high, though for far more mundane reasons. Hancock stood fuming, her eyes fixed on Yamato, who was happily munching away at the food that had been prepared.

"Why are you here again?" Hancock demanded, her voice dripping with annoyance. This white-haired girl had been a regular, much to Hancock's dismay.

Yamato, her mouth full, responded nonchalantly, "Father doesn't force me to practice every day anymore, so I can come and go as I please."

"Aren't you the princess of Wanokuni? Shouldn't you be staying in Kaido's mansion? The food there is better!" Hancock retorted, hands on her hips, still wearing the apron she had donned to prepare lunch.

Yamato grinned, clearly enjoying the food. "Princess? Everyone calls me that, but I like the food you cook. It's delicious!"

Hancock's frustration only grew. "That food wasn't made for you! It was a sweet lunch for Mr Edie!"

Hancock's anger boiled over. "Besides, what's so great about being a princess? There's another princess in this institute—Hiyori—and she's much sweeter and more elegant than you! You're not welcome here at all!"

Yamato blinked, confused by the hostility. "Why? Uncle Edie clearly said I could come and play."

Hancock's face turned crimson with anger. "You're not allowed to call him Uncle Edie!"

"Why not?"

"I wash Mr. Edie's clothes every day, including his underwear! You can't do anything except eat! You're just a glutton!" Hancock snapped, her frustration peaking.

Yamato, unfazed, swallowed her food and wiped her mouth. "Uncle Edie is a good man. When I grow up, I'm going to marry him. And you, Hancock, you're a good girl too—you cook for me every day."

Hancock's eyes widened in fury. "That food isn't for you! And Master Edie is my Prince Charming, not yours! He won't marry you!"

The argument escalated as the two girls fiercely contested over Edie's attention and affection.

The two sisters, Mary and Sonia, exchanged worried glances.

"Sister…" one began hesitantly.

But Hancock, now on a mission, called out to them. "Mary, Sonia, come help me! I'm going to teach this annoying white-haired girl a lesson today!"

And so, the four girls tumbled into a chaotic scuffle, the kitchen filling with the sounds of clattering pots and pans. The institute, usually a place of quiet research, was anything but peaceful that day.

Meanwhile, at Another Location

News had arrived from Caesar: the first artificial Zoan Devil Fruit had been successfully created. Upon hearing this, Edie wasted no time and headed straight to Caesar's laboratory.

In the laboratory's plantation, Edie observed through the large, arched glass barn a cluster of fruit trees. They resembled apple trees, their branches laden with bright red fruits.

"Behold, Dr. Edie! This is truly a monumental achievement!" Caesar exclaimed, his pride evident as he presented one of the artificial Devil Fruits to Edie.

Unlike natural Devil Fruits, Caesar's creation lacked the distinctive spiral patterns. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like an ordinary apple—red, round, and unassuming.

"Have you tested it yet?" Edie inquired, his tone measured.

"Not yet," Caesar admitted, though his enthusiasm remained undiminished. "This is the first fruit we've harvested. It's my masterpiece—it can't possibly fail!"

However, he quickly remembered who he was speaking to and added, "Of course, it's also thanks to the ninja you sent. Her ripening abilities were instrumental in this success!"

A-Nin, as she was known, was one of Edie's most valuable assets. Not only did she accelerate Chenlong's growth to a physical age of twenty, but her abilities had now proven crucial in this new venture. Unfortunately, despite A-Nin's powers, the strength of artificial humans like Chenlong was largely determined upon their creation, with little room for improvement even with her help.

Edie remained unimpressed. "You haven't even tested it yet, and you're already eager to show it to me? These fruits don't even have the spiral patterns. Put them in a basket, and anyone would mistake them for ordinary apples."

Caesar shifted uncomfortably, conceding, "There's nothing I can do about the lack of patterns. These are made with animal blood factors, after all… It's not exactly top-tier material."

Edie chuckled at Caesar's honesty, a rare trait in him. "No patterns? Why not just draw them on?"

Caesar's eyes widened in disbelief. "Can we really do that?!"

Edie, ever pragmatic, replied, "Test the fruit first. If it works as intended, find a way to draw the Devil Fruit's unique spiral pattern on it—without getting caught."

Caesar, still processing Edie's suggestion, muttered, "Or maybe... we could draw different patterns…"

Edie shook his head, exasperated. "If you draw something else, who's going to believe it's a Devil Fruit?"

Realization dawned on Caesar. "I see now, Dr. Edie! You truly are a genius! Hehehe…"

Edie rolled his eyes, giving Caesar a half-hearted pat on the arm before turning to leave. The sight of these counterfeit fruits was starting to feel like a waste of time.

As he exited Caesar's laboratory, Edie was approached by Chenlong.

"My Lord Heavenly Father, Du Feld has communicated that the items you requested will arrive at Rocky Port in three days," Chenlong reported.

Pausing briefly, he added, "However, Du Feld mentioned that he isn't responsible for unloading the cargo. Rocky Port is a pirate haven…"

A smile tugged at the corners of Edie's lips. "Then it's time to head to Beehive Island," he said with a note of anticipation in his voice.