Onigashima, Roy's room.
Roy continued to try to develop the abilities of both Devil Fruits.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi on his waist suddenly rang.
The energy in Roy's hand suddenly dissipated, and the black mist and soul flames vanished into nothingness at the same time.
He took a deep breath to suppress the surging emotions within him and answered the phone.
Roy.
Stella's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"There has been significant progress on Dr. Vegapunk's side."
The first batch of Devil Fruit has been replicated— the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, three in total.
Roy suddenly stood up, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:
Three? So fast?
" Dr. Vegapunk said that the Lineage Factor of the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon were already mostly completed when the Pink Fruit was replicated before."
Furthermore, Dr. Gracia's gene cloning technology provided a perfect energy core carrier, greatly shortening the replication cycle.
Stella paused,
"But the doctor said that these replicas have not yet undergone live testing, so it cannot be determined whether they are completely identical to the originals."
"You need to make a decision on whether to test first or put it into use immediately."
Roy pondered for about three seconds.
"Let's test it out first. Select some outstanding soldiers from Hachinosu and have them each eat a replica of the Azure Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon."
"Have Vegapunk and Gracia monitor the test subjects' behavior after they eat the fruit and record it all."
There can be no room for error.
"These fruits are intended for core members; any hidden flaws must be identified before they are consumed."
Stella quickly jotted down notes on the other end of the phone:
"Understood. How long is the observation period?"
"As with previous heart transplants, the treatment period is at least three months. During these three months, full support will be provided to assist the experimental subject's rehabilitation."
Let's see if the replicated Devil Fruit's abilities can be developed and improved in the same way as the original. Only if it succeeds can it truly be considered verified.
"In addition, have the doctoral students simultaneously replicate other fruits."
Cerberus Fruit, Yamata no Orochi Fruit Glint-Glint Fruit- Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Flame-Flame Fruit --
All fruits for which Lineage Factor samples have been obtained are included in the replication list.
Roy's tone was resolute, carrying an unquestionable captain's authority:
"I want to see all the core members of Hachinosu complete the transplantation of the third fruit within a year."
Stella took a deep breath:
"Clear.
I will do my utmost to ensure the supply of resources for the laboratory.
but--"
"The budget will be severely overspent."
Vegapunk's materials list included over twenty rare items that were simply unavailable in the New World.
"Then let's go rob it."
Stella rolled her eyes on the other end of the phone; she knew this would be the answer.
But this time she didn't complain as usual, because she knew what these Devil Fruit meant to Hachinosu.
If Kaido Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon could be mass-produced, and if all core members could possess three carefully matched top-tier Devil Fruits—
The combat power of Hachinosu will undergo a qualitative leap, not addition, but multiplication.
After hanging up the phone, Roy paced back and forth in the room a couple of times, then turned and strode towards the Onigashima Grand Hall.
Hachinosu, Joint Laboratory.
This super laboratory, jointly built by Bar using the Island-Island Fruit and the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, is brightly lit at this moment.
Beneath the three-story-high dome, the high-energy particle accelerator emitted a deep and steady roar.
The large screen of the Lineage Factor analyzer displayed densely packed gene sequence data.
Inside the core chamber of the Devil Fruit energy extraction device, a dark green light was slowly rotating.
In the center of the laboratory, three Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon are suspended in the nutrient solution in a transparent culture chamber.
Each fruit's skin is covered with scaly patterns, gleaming with a cool sheen under the light.
Dozens of fine sensors are connected to the cultivation chamber, monitoring the energy fluctuations inside the fruit in real time.
Vegapunk stood in front of the monitoring console, his eyes behind his glasses bloodshot.
He had been working for two days and two nights straight, but his spirits were higher than ever.
"Let's begin the live testing."
Vegapunk pressed the communicator,
"Let the test subjects in."
The laboratory door slowly opened, and three soldiers dressed in white lab coats strode in.
They were all Hachinosu warriors who volunteered for the test and had already undergone multiple heart transplants beforehand.
The man at the front was a burly man of about thirty years old, with a Scar on his left cheek that stretched from the corner of his eye to his chin. He walked with a steady and powerful gait.
"The captain said that these replicated fruits haven't been tested on live animals yet, and there might be unknown risks if people eat them."
Gracia walked up to the three test subjects, his tone serious.
You still have a chance to withdraw.
The Scar soldier grinned:
"Doctor, we were all rescued from piles of corpses on Hachinosu."
If it weren't for Hachinosu, I would have rotted away in some corner of the world long ago.
Now that I have the opportunity to contribute to Hachinosu, why would I back out?
The other two soldiers nodded at the same time, their expressions increasingly resolute.
Gracia paused for two seconds, then patted Scar on the shoulder. "Let's begin."
The first test subject—the one with the Scar —walked to the incubation chamber and reached into the nutrient solution to take out a Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon. The moment he touched the fruit, he could feel the scale-like patterns on the peel pulsating slightly, like a tiny, beating heart.
He took a deep breath and took a bite.
The nauseating taste unique to Devil Fruit exploded in his mouth, but his facial muscles only twitched slightly before he began to chew voraciously.
The moment the fruit was swallowed, his body began to undergo drastic changes.
First, the skin.
Layers of bluish scales emerged from beneath his skin, spreading from his arms to his chest, and from his chest to his entire body.
The scales gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen under the light, each one resembling a meticulously polished dragon scale.
Then come the limbs.
His fingers began to grow longer and thicker, eventually transforming into sharp dragon claws.
The muscles in his legs swelled violently, causing the pant legs of his lab coat to burst open.
Finally, the eyes.
His pupils changed from round to vertical, and the color of his irises changed from brown to golden yellow.
The entire process lasted about thirty seconds. When the changes stopped, the person standing in front of the incubation chamber was no longer a human soldier, but a half-dragon that was nearly four meters tall.
His entire body was covered in blue scales, and his dragon claws gleamed coldly under the light. The laboratory lights were reflected in his vertical pupils.
"Gene sequence -- stable!"
Gracia stared at the monitor screen, his voice suddenly rising.
"Cellular activity is normal! Heart rate is normal! Blood pressure is slightly elevated but still within safe limits!"
Vegapunk's fingers flew across the keyboard, bringing up the data stream showing the Devil Fruit's abilities:
"Begin testing the dragon's breath ability!"