Edie was speechless. How could he be evil? He didn't harbor such lofty ambitions as destroying the world. The accusations of being a "devil" seemed absurd to him. He was just a scientist, after all—one with a keen interest in pushing the boundaries of knowledge.
As he walked down the corridor on the second floor, he spotted Shen Hou approaching.
"Lord Heavenly Father, breakfast has been delivered," Shen Hou reported.
"Good. You'll stay here at the institute and keep an eye on everyone," Edie instructed.
"Yes," Shen Hou nodded, though a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes. "Are you planning to leave?"
"I'm taking a trip to the Grand Line to collect some things," Edie replied casually.
He had a debt to settle with the system—three simulations' worth. The first, cloning Chenlong, had cost him 105.5 billion. The second, cloning Shenhou, was a staggering 150.8 billion. The third, for the ability ring, came to 35.2 billion. However, Edie had no intention of paying the full amount for Shenhou's cloning; the knowledge of cloning technology and green blood manufacturing was already covered in the first and third simulations, making it redundant.
"Sky Island's gold should be more than enough to cover the costs for the Green Blood Tech," he mused to himself as he descended the stairs.
At the bottom, he was greeted by an unexpected visitor—Queen. The rotund man had transformed into a veritable ball of fat, with a shiny bald head crowned by a golden ponytail that swayed as he moved.
"Good morning, Queen," Edie greeted him with a smile. "You should really watch your diet. Extreme obesity can lead to all sorts of health problems."
"I'll die if I don't drink Anko soup! Don't worry about the fat man!" Queen retorted, clearly unfazed by the warning. Then, as if remembering something, he quickly yanked the cigar from his mouth, tossed it to the ground, and stamped it out.
"Sorry, I forgot your institute is non-smoking," Queen muttered apologetically.
"What's the matter today?" Edie asked bluntly, not bothering with formalities.
Queen, that damn fat guy, never visited the institute unless he had a reason, and whenever he did, it was always to pester Edie about the progress of his research. The notion of a "schedule" was ridiculous—there was no such thing in Edie's world.
In truth, Edie hadn't seriously studied the artificial Devil Fruit at all. It had been two years since he'd managed to deceive Kaido with nothing more than a silver tongue and a few vague research reports. Yet, Queen was oblivious to that.
Queen was annoying, yes, but he was also a scientist. Though their research directions differed, the two shared a decent relationship, mostly built on mutual respect for each other's expertise.
"Boss Kaido is very concerned about your health," Queen began, his tone almost fatherly. "He hopes you're not indulging too much in women. When the research is done, he'll reward you with a hundred beauties."
Edie blinked, confused. "What?"
When I type a question mark, it's not because I have a problem—it's because you do.
Who on earth is addicted to women?
"The message has been delivered," Queen shrugged, clearly just going through the motions. "So, how's the research coming along?"
Edie just stared at him in silence.
"You mentioned before that there was new progress in the research," Queen pressed, removing his small sunglasses to reveal his beady little eyes, which he tried to open wider. "Hey, are you lying to us?"
"How could I be?" Edie responded with a confident smile, the kind of smile that said, trust me, I've got this.
In moments like these, maintaining that confident grin was crucial. After all, there were only a handful of scientists in the world capable of researching artificial Devil Fruit. If they didn't trust him, who could they trust?
Did Queen even understand what it meant to be an expert in blood factor theory? Vegapunk might have discovered it over a decade ago, but now Edie was the one who truly grasped its intricacies.
No one understands the blood factor better than me!
Besides, it's only been two years. Edie planned to keep scamming Kaido along for at least twenty more.
Queen narrowed his eyes, his skepticism palpable. "Do you still want next year's research funding? I've given you at least four billion over the past two years. If it's all burned through, you better have something to show for it."
Edie sighed dramatically, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "The small supply of funds is exactly why progress has been slow. If you'd given me 40 billion, the first artificial Devil Fruit might already be complete."
Queen wasn't buying it. "Be honest with me, what is the progress? When can we see the first prototype? Kaido-sama needs to see some hope, at the very least."
Queen's frustration was understandable. Kaido didn't comprehend the intricacies of research reports; Queen was the only one in the entire crew who could make sense of them. And those reports Edie had produced—oh, they were masterfully written! They made it seem like success was just around the corner, like all it took was a little more funding and, voilà, artificial Devil Fruits would be in hand. But two years had passed, and there was still nothing.
Edie stroked his chin thoughtfully, a devious idea forming in his mind. "Well... I've been thinking. I'm about to leave Wanokuni to find a helper. If he joins us, the research progress will skyrocket."
Queen looked surprised. "What do you mean? Besides you and Vegapunk, who else in the world can study this?"
"Caesar Clown," Edie said with a smirk.
Queen blinked, momentarily stunned. Then recognition dawned on him. "Him?"
He remembered his former colleague. More than ten years ago, they had been part of MADS, a groundbreaking scientific research organization that brought together the most brilliant minds of their time. Queen, Vegapunk, Caesar Clown, Vinsmoke Judge—they had all been there. The theory of the bloodline elements was their collective brainchild, spearheaded by Vegapunk and Judge. Edie wasn't around back then, but he'd somehow gotten his hands on their research materials two years ago and, in no time, surpassed them in theoretical understanding. It was shocking enough that Queen had greenlit the artificial Devil Fruit project.
"If MADS hadn't been dismantled by the World Government, we might have developed artificial Devil Fruits long ago," Queen mused.
Edie nodded. "Exactly. But if you're wondering why I'm not asking Judge, it's because he's busy trying to restore the Germa Empire in North Blue. Caesar is our best bet."
"But do you even know where Caesar is? After the World Government disbanded MADS for 'threatening world peace,' Caesar was captured."
"I have an idea of where he might be," Edie replied confidently. "Don't worry about that."
"Do you need help finding him?" Queen offered.
"Just make sure there's plenty of funding ready," Edie said, brushing off the offer.
Queen nodded, finally conceding. "I'll report to Kaido-sama. I won't disturb you further."
As Queen turned to leave, Edie called him back. "Wait a minute, pick up that cigar you dropped. Don't litter in my institute."
"These cigars aren't cheap," Queen muttered, picking up the discarded cigar and relighting it.
Edie watched him go, shaking his head in disbelief at the man's frugality. Soon after, he gathered his things, took Chenlong with him, and left the Flower Capital, Ready to go out on a Trip.
Above The Red Line
An azure dragon soared through the clouds, its massive form cutting through the sky with majestic ease. Atop the dragon's head, Edie stood tall, his white coat billowing in the wind, embodying an air of power and command. As he gazed down at the vast Red Line below, he couldn't help but admire the breathtaking scenery. He has spent all of his time in the One piece World inside of Wanokuni, and now, the thought of exploring the outside world of One Piece filled him with a sense of excitement and anticipation.
From his vantage point, Edie could make out a small cluster of buildings atop the Red Line. That, he mused, must be the Holy Land Mariejois. For eight centuries, the royal families of 19 nations had thrived and expanded their influence from this elevated bastion. Over time, the scale of development had grown to rival that of any kingdom. Yet, despite its grandeur, only the Celestial Dragons resided here—no other nation dared to claim a place on the Red Line.
The Celestial Dragons, with their sense of superiority, refused to allow commoners to share their lofty heights. The natural barriers were formidable, with towering sea waves ensuring that few could survive in such a place. Only the Celestial Dragons, with their distinctive fishbowl helmets, would choose to live in this rarified atmosphere.
As Edie contemplated the scene below, a dangerous idea flashed through his mind. What if he were to control an island or create a bomb with Caesar Clown and drop it from this height? How much damage could he inflict? How would the World Government react if half of the Celestial Dragons were wiped out in one blow?
But just as quickly as the thought emerged, he dismissed it with a shake of his head. "Too soon," he murmured to himself. The idea was intriguing, but the execution seemed impossible at this stage. Even if he managed to launch such an attack, the Knights of God, the Five Elders, and the enigmatic Imu would surely thwart his plans. Such powerful figures would find it trivial to fend off an island or bomb, just as Law had once sliced through an entire mountain.
Suddenly, a chill ran down Edie's spine, halting his musings. His laughter ceased, and his expression froze. It was as if some unseen, ferocious presence was watching him. But this feeling—this overwhelming sense of being hunted—was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
"Did something happen, Heavenly Father?" Chenlong, the dragon beneath him, asked with concern. In all their time together, Edie had never shown fear—not even in the face of Kaido. What could possibly cause him to react like this?
"Chenlong, can't you feel it?" Edie's voice was tense, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Sensing Edie's seriousness, Chenlong immediately became alert, releasing his Observation Haki to scan the area. Yet, despite his efforts, he could detect no other life forms besides Edie. "What do you feel, Heavenly Father? There's nothing here—we're high in the air. Are you ill? Why are you so shocked today?" Chenlong asked, worry evident in his voice.
"No, it's nothing. I must have been mistaken," Edie replied, though his tone was uncertain. His eyes, however, remained locked on the distant Mariejois.
If his suspicions were correct, there was only one person capable of detecting him and creating such an oppressive sensation.
"Imu," Edie whispered the name to himself.
His Observation Haki, highly advanced and finely tuned, had barely managed to pick up on the subtle presence. He had sensed emotions—doubt, confusion—emanating from the gaze that had been fixed on him. How intriguing. Edie couldn't help but anticipate the day he would confront this mysterious figure.
After a tense minute, the sensation faded, the gaze lifted. Edie exhaled slowly, a smile creeping across his face. This world held many mysteries, and he was eager to unravel them all.
After crossing over the Red Line, Edie gazed down at the vast expanse of sea below. This is the Grand Line! he thought, a thrill of excitement coursing through him. The Grand Line, the most treacherous and mysterious of the world's oceans, intersected with the Red Line that encircled the globe, dividing the world's seas into four distinct quadrants: East Blue, South Blue, West Blue, and North Blue.
The Grand Line itself was also divided by the Red Line. The first half was known as "Paradise," while the latter, more perilous half was called the "New World," where Wanokuni was located. Navigating the Grand Line required the use of a specialized tool called a [Log Pose], a device that guided ships by locking onto the magnetic fields of the islands scattered throughout these seas. The magnetic fields here were erratic, and without a Log Pose, one could easily lose direction and drift aimlessly until supplies ran out and death loomed.
But such concerns were trivial for someone like Edie.
He unfolded a chart of the Grand Line, which marked the primary islands in this vast and unpredictable sea. Though the coordinates were imprecise, the general directions were clear enough. Edie glanced up at the sun, quickly calculating their position. Satisfied, he pointed in a specific direction and issued his command: "To the First half of the Grandline, Jaya Island."
"Yes!" Chenlong responded, adjusting his speed. Though the dragon was capable of tremendous speed, he deliberately slowed down, careful not to disturb Edie with turbulent winds and waves.
Three days later, the outline of Jaya Island emerged on the horizon. Edie raised his gaze to the sky, where the faint outline of a sea of clouds could be seen far above. Up there, at an altitude of 10,000 meters, lay Sky Island—the Kingdom of God.