While the squad leaders were undergoing surgery, their Lineage Factor were being collected and recorded simultaneously.
Meanwhile, the core members of Kaido Pirates also underwent heart transplants.
The All-Stars —Jhin, Queen, and Jack —along with the entire Flying Six, plus Katakuri, Oven, and others from Big Mom's remnants, spent two full days in the laboratory on Hachinosu.
The first thing Queen did after getting off the operating table was to take out a mirror and look at himself for a long time, examining himself from left to right.
Then he nodded in satisfaction:
"Good, no scars were left."
"If I ruin this perfect physique of mine, how am I supposed to explain it to my fans?"
Jin glanced at him coldly from the side, slung the Flame Blade over his shoulder, and didn't say a word.
But when he walked out of the operating room, his steps were noticeably lighter than usual.
The two new hearts inside his body were beating in tandem with his own, each beat stronger than the last.
Jack crouched in the hallway, stroking the area where the heart had just been removed.
"Governor Kaido, when are we going to distribute the Devil Fruit?"
He looked up, his eyes full of anticipation.
Kaido leaned against the wall, with the Hassaikai standing diagonally beside him.
It was rare that I didn't drink, and my eyes, which were usually blurred by alcohol, were perfectly clear at this moment.
What's the rush?
Vegapunk has already started replicating Lao Tzu's Azure Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon.
Once the replicas are manufactured, you will each receive one.
"Everyone has the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon?"
Jack's eyes widened, and an almost childlike excitement appeared on his rugged face.
"Wouldn't that mean the Beasts Pirates would be entirely composed of dragons from now on?"
"Ooh--!"
Kaido laughed loudly, the sound so loud it made the lights in the corridor flicker.
"By then, I will be the King of the Sky! The entire Beasts Pirates will be armed with the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon —who on this vast sea can stop me!"
Jin leaned against the wall, a rare upward curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
He quickly calculated in his mind—his Pteranodon Form combined with the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, plus the Beasts Pirates ' aerial advantage, would equal absolute air superiority.
In any future naval battle, as long as the Beasts Pirates are deployed, the enemy will not even be able to touch the sky.
Katakuri sat on a chair at the end of the corridor, his scarf covering half his face, revealing only a pair of calm, almost indifferent eyes.
He looked down at his outstretched palm, his fingers tightening slightly.
The abilities of various special bloodlines flowed through his body.
Three hearts beat alternately in his chest cavity, each heartbeat more steady and powerful than before.
He could feel the power within him expanding at an unprecedented rate.
It's not an enhancement of Devil Fruit abilities, but rather a significant improvement in basic abilities such as physical fitness, reaction speed, and the range of perception with Observation Haki.
"Once the fruit is replicated, my combat power will at least double."
He silently clenched his fist, a rare glint flashing in his eyes—anticipation.
The expectation of becoming stronger.
Marineford.
The new Marine Headquarters building rose from the ruins of the Paramount War, taller, larger, and colder than the old one.
Gray reinforced concrete replaced the white stone bricks of yesteryear, and the exterior walls were devoid of any decoration, save for a huge seagull flag fluttering on the roof.
Akainu sat in the Fleet Admiral's Office, a thick stack of documents piled up in front of him.
Most of them are progress reports on the military expansion plan over the past two years—the pass rate of recruit Training Camp, the construction progress of new warships, and the number of applicants at recruitment points in various places.
The data looked good, but Akainu showed no sign of satisfaction.
His gaze lingered on a piece of intelligence from the New World—
After the G-1 Branch was captured by Hachinosu, the Navy's intelligence network in the New World was almost completely paralyzed.
Now, even confirming the number of troops stationed on a small island requires the help of the CP agency.
"Click!"
The door was pushed open.
Kizaru walked in.
To be precise, he shuffled in.
His wounds hadn't fully healed yet, and a section of the bandage wrapped around his waist was sticking out from under his shirt.
That face, which always wore a lazy expression, now showed most of its feigned ease had vanished.
He sat down in the chair opposite Akainu, his movements several beats slower than usual.
Akainu frowned when he saw his expression:
"Weren't you on Egghead? Who hurt you like this?"
" Hachinosu. The Beasts Pirates."
Kizaru's voice was hoarse, carrying a weariness that even he himself found unfamiliar.
"Nine people. Kaido, Bullet, Mihawk, Tesoro, King, Kyros, Kuma, Katakuri, and Roy himself."
Nine people.
Akainu's fist clenched slightly on the table.
"Just for a scientist?"
Roy clearly understands Vegapunk's value.
Kizaru leaned back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the bandage on his side.
I was completely dominated throughout.
The speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit is completely ineffective within Roy's Telekinesis Domain.
and..."
He paused for a moment, as if recalling a scene he was reluctant to face.
" Roy seems to possess the abilities of multiple Devil Fruit simultaneously."
Akainu's pupils contracted slightly.
"Impossible!"
Everyone on the high seas knows that a person can only eat one Devil Fruit.
"But I did see Roy use an ability that wasn't his Telekinesis-Telekinesis Fruit power."
Kizaru raised his hand and looked at his fingertips.
Normally, that place should already be glowing—he habitually thought of elementalizing it.
He sealed my abilities with the Dark-Dark Fruit.
In that instant, I couldn't even transform into an element.
It's like being locked in an airtight iron box.
All the power is there, but not a single bit can be released.
A long silence followed in the office.
Akainu's fingers tapped on the table, the rhythm heavy and slow.
He had worked with Kizaru for decades, and although he disliked Kizaru's laziness, he understood Kizaru's strength.
The speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit is virtually unbeatable on this vast ocean.
Very few people can keep up with him, and even fewer can suppress him.
But now Kizaru is sitting in front of him, his waist wrapped in bandages, his face full of exhaustion, telling him that he is being suppressed.
The entire process.
They couldn't even escape.
If Vegapunk hadn't pleaded for him, he would have lost his life on Egghead.
"The threat level of Hachinosu now completely surpasses that of the Rocks Pirates back then."
Akainu's voice was deep.
"No matter how strong Rocks is, he is only strong enough to support himself and a few of his men."
Roy has Kaido of the Four Emperors, as an Hawk Eyes, the strongest swordsman; and Bullet, a monster among men; his power far surpasses that of Rocks.
Now we have Vegapunk too.
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the Marine Headquarters, which was under reconstruction.
The workers were still busy on the scaffolding, and welding sparks floated down from mid-air, turning into tiny black iron filings on the ground.
Do you know what Vegapunk's defection means?
Kizaru did not answer.
" Void Century Poneglyph, blueprints for Ancient Weapon, the core secrets of Lineage Factor— "
Vegapunk knows more than the entire CP intelligence network combined.
Now all this knowledge is in Roy's hands.
Akainu turned around, his eyes burning with suppressed rage.
"I will report this to the World Government immediately."