The conference room at Hachinosu was bustling with activity.
Bullet leaned back in his chair, legs propped up on the table, an unlit cigar dangling from his mouth, arguing with Tesoro about whose Devil Fruit Awakening was more monstrous.
Tesoro hovered in mid-air, golden arcs of electricity crackling around him, gold coins twirling in his hands in a dazzling display, his words sharp and sarcastic.
"Your white tiger is just a big cat at best, but I'm the embodiment of lightning."
"Fart!"
Bullet slammed his hand on the table.
"Do you think you can challenge me now?"
Hawk Eyes sat in the corner, ignoring the argument between the two, and was carefully wiping the blade of Black Blade Yoru with a piece of velvet cloth.
Crocodile, cigar in mouth, flipped through a document, occasionally glancing at the giant Den Den Mushi in the corner of the conference room.
Red Count, Savi, Yamato, Pea, Enel... and others watched the scene with great interest.
On the screen of the Den Den Mushi, Moria's enormous face filled the entire frame.
Behind him, the Florian Triangle was shrouded in thick fog, and the outline of the Thriller Bark could be vaguely seen.
"Hey, can you hear me? This signal is terrible!"
Moria's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, tinged with impatience.
"I can hear you, keep your voice down." Crocodile without looking up.
"I've been holed up in the Florian Triangle for so long, and I haven't even encountered a decent opponent!"
Moria shouted,
"You guys, on the other hand, are living the high life in the New World— "
"Stop talking nonsense."
Bullet interrupted him.
"Today is a meeting called by Roy, so just listen to what he says."
The meeting room door was pushed open, Kyros, Kuma, Lucci, and others walked in one after another.
Kyros had a large sword hanging at his waist and walked with a steady gait.
Kuma remained silent and found a corner to sit down.
Lucci leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, his muscular physique clearly visible beneath his leopard-print skin.
Last to enter were Kuina and Bonney.
This girl has grown a lot taller over the years, and with the Ame no Habakiri hanging at her waist, being by Hawk Eyes's side for so many years has changed her entire demeanor, making her as sharp as a newly honed blade.
She sat down next to Hawk Eyes, as quiet as a shadow.
When Roy walked into the conference room, everyone fell silent at the same time.
Even Moria peeked out from behind the screen.
He walked to the head seat and sat down, glancing around at everyone present.
Bullet, Tesoro, Hawk Eyes, Crocodile, Kuma, Kyros, Lucci, Kuina... plus that big face on the screen, this is the core fighting force of Hachinosu.
Aside from seven-year-old Bonney, who's still playing in the mud in the backyard of Hachinosu, all the fighters are here.
How many years have these people followed him?
For more than a decade, from being penniless to becoming the New World hegemon, not a single one of these people has fallen behind.
Roy tapped on the table.
"Alright, quiet down."
Bullet put his legs off the table, and Tesoro also stopped exploding and returned to his chair. Everyone looked at Roy.
" Blackbeard Teach is dead," Roy said bluntly.
The meeting room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into chaos.
"Dead?"
Crocodile took the cigar out of his mouth.
When did this happen?
"In the next few days."
Roy said,
"His constitution has been analyzed by the doctor; I handled it personally."
Bullet grinned. "He should have been killed a long time ago. That fat black guy was obviously no good."
Hawk Eyes looked up, a hint of interest flashing in his golden eyes. " The Dark-Dark Fruit?"
"It's with me."
" Dark-Dark Fruit, Logia."
Roy tapped the box.
"I'll keep this fruit for now and wait for Dr. Gracia's research results."
I've called you here today for three things.
Everyone sat up straight again.
"The first thing," Roy held up one finger, "Is that the mystery of why Blackbeard could eat so many Devil Fruit is solved."
The air in the conference room suddenly became tense.
"What do you mean?" Tesoro's gold coin stopped in mid-air.
"This means that we have thoroughly studied Blackbeard's unique physical condition."
His unique genetic structure, with three hearts, allows his body to withstand the power of multiple Devil Fruit without collapsing.
Roy looked at everyone,
" Dr. Gracia is now replicating this physique. Once successful, everyone here—"
He paused, then added, "You could eat two more Devil Fruit."
The air in the conference room seemed to have been sucked out, and it fell silent.
"What?!"
Moria's face almost popped out of the screen.
"You mean I can eat two more?!"
Bullet jumped to his feet, knocking the chair to the ground.
"Three hearts? So after I transform into a white tiger, I'll have two more abilities?!"
That's exactly what I mean.
Tesoro's eyes widened, and it took him a long time to utter a single sentence.
" The Rumble-Rumble Fruit plus two more... Boss, this is defying the heavens!"
Hawk Eyes was the calmest of them all. He placed Black Blade Yoru back on his lap and looked at Roy.
What is the price?
"Operation.
Dr. Gracia needs to implant two cultivated hearts in you so that your body can withstand the power of multiple fruits.
This surgery is quite complex, but given the medical technology on Hachinosu, it's not a major problem.
Roy said,
"The problem now is—we don't have enough Devil Fruit."
Roy looked around at everyone,
"So from now on, each of you must keep an eye out for those with special abilities on the high seas."
If you have a Devil Fruit ability you like, just report it directly. Don't worry about the Navy or pirates—just capture them.
Bullet sat down again, but his rugged face was filled with excitement.
"My requirements aren't high, Tremor-Tremor Fruit will do."
" The Tremor-Tremor Fruit is still with Whitebeard. You want to steal it?" Crocodile glanced at him sideways.
"Let's talk about it after Whitebeard dies." Bullet grinned.
"You have a really sharp tongue." Crocodile shook his head.
Tesoro tossed the gold coin into the air.
" Gold-Gold Fruit with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, what should I pair it with?"
The Float-Float Fruit is good, but the Golden Lion is still alive.
"We'll talk about the Float-Float Fruit later," Roy said. "I'll still need that Awakening -level ability of that old lion, Golden Lion."
However, if that lion doesn't listen to advice, then we'll just take some men and bring him back.
Roy spoke casually, but everyone knew that only Hachinosu would dare to capture a powerhouse of the Golden Lion's caliber.
Once everyone's excitement had subsided a bit, Roy tapped the table. "The second thing."
The meeting room fell silent again.
Ace was captured by the Navy.
The public execution will take place in just one month.
Bullet frowned. "That Fire Fist? The one under Whitebeard?"
"Right."
"Has the Navy gone mad? Publicly executing Whitebeard's man?"
Tesoro shook his head.
"This is clearly a challenge to Whitebeard."