Ginny's prayers went unanswered.
Grand Line, Baltigo, the White Soil Island – Headquarters of the Revolutionary Army, General Staff Office.
"You can't go, Kuma. Calm down," came the deep, authoritative voice of Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army. He pressed a firm hand on Kuma's shoulder, his presence commanding. Kuma stood silent, his towering figure rigid, but his eyes burned with barely concealed turmoil.
Ivankov, the Shemale King, interjected with a mix of concern and caution. "The Beehive… it's as dangerous as Mariejois, Kuma! Back when the Marines launched the Buster Call there, they were defeated. If they couldn't do it, it's suicide with our current strength."
Behind Ivankov stood a flamboyantly dressed figure, wearing heavy makeup, and visibly uneasy.
Sensing the hesitation, Ivankov turned to them. "Mitsuki, what is it? You've been quiet this whole time."
The one known as Mitsuki stepped forward. Though only fourteen years old, the young figure carried an air of world-weariness. This was Momonosuke—no longer the innocent child of Wano, but Mitsuki, a name he had adopted after four hard years in the Kamabakka Kingdom. The boyish features were now all but gone, almost unrecognizable even to his mother, Toki.
Mitsuki's lips, painted bright with lipstick, trembled slightly as he spoke. "Big Bro Kuma… you mustn't go. Edie… Mr. Edie… is a devil."
"Huh?" Ivankov blinked in surprise. "You know that scientist, Mitsuki?"
Mitsuki's expression darkened. "I'd rather not talk about him, but my mother… and sister… they're still trapped in his clutches."
The revelation drew the attention of everyone in the room. Mitsuki's memories were fragmented, remnants of a childhood long lost to the harsh realities of the world. He had dared to speak disrespectfully to Edie once, only once, and the scientist had cast him out of Wano as a punishment, sending him to the Kamabakka Kingdom.
His voice softened, the weight of painful memories clear in his tone. "The sakura flowers in the Flower Capital… are they in bloom this year too? I've always wanted to go back, even just for a moment. I wonder if my mother and sister are safe…"
Mitsuki's hand brushed through his long, light-pink hair as he gazed off with a melancholic expression. The room seemed to hold its breath.
"Listen to me, Brother Kuma," Mitsuki continued, his voice pleading yet firm. "After you hear this, you'll understand. Going to Beehive Island is a death sentence."
The room fell into a heavy silence as Mitsuki's words hung in the air. His memories of Edie's cruelty and power resurfaced, a reminder of the devilish scientist who had sent him away for his own amusement, never realizing that Momonosuke had taken on a new identity—Mitsuki—and found his way into the Revolutionary Army.
Edie waited patiently on Beehive Island, but the Revolutionary Army never came for Ginny.
"What's going on…?" he muttered, eyes narrowing with irritation.
"In the original story, Ginny was kidnapped by the Celestial Dragons and taken to the Holy Land. Kuma didn't save her then, so maybe he won't now either," Edie mused, tapping his fingers against the armrest of his chair. "But now she's here, in the Hive. Why aren't they coming?"
His dissatisfaction grew. I'm a nice guy compared to the people in Mariejois, right? Edie thought mockingly. What are you doing, Kuma? Don't you care about her?
Edie had planned for this—when Kuma came to rescue Ginny, he'd extract a vial of his blood and discuss potential collaboration with the Revolutionary Army. After all, they shared a common enemy: the World Government. Kuma, a rare member of the Buccaneer race and a Paramecia Paw-Paw Fruit user, would have been an ideal asset for mid-tier combat Clone forces. The Hive Research Institute already boasted elite fighters like the Earthly Branches and basic soldiers, but mid-tier power, like that of the Shichibukai, was still lacking.
Yet, days passed. No one came.
Growing impatient, Edie picked up the mic and spoke into it, his voice dripping with disappointment. "It's such a pity… no one's coming to save you, Ginny."
Hive Research Institute, Fourth Floor.
In a lavish cell disguised as a luxury room, Ginny lay on a plush bed, confused. The room was opulent—fine furniture, silks, and rare woods adorned the space. It looked more like an expensive suite than a prison, if not for the lack of doors and the seastone-blocked windows.
Suddenly, the screen on the wall flickered to life.
"It's such a pity… no one's coming to save you," Edie's voice echoed from the display, feigning regret.
Ginny sat up abruptly, rushing to face the screen. "It's only been three or four days, right? It's too soon to say no one's coming!"
Edie chuckled on the other end, his smile cold. "Do you know how long a man takes to wear out a woman? With my stamina, about a day. Maybe three, if I want to enjoy myself."
Ginny blushed, flustered by the crudeness of his words, but quickly composed herself. Kuma really hasn't come to save me…?
Edie's voice continued, indifferent and analytical. "Bartholomew Kuma, a Paramecia Paw-Paw Fruit user… He can travel across the world in an instant. If he wanted to reach the Hive, it would take him three or four days at most. Considering the time you've already been here, it's been a week. He's had plenty of time."
Ginny's voice wavered as she tried to justify the absence. "Maybe… maybe something important came up. Maybe they didn't get the information…"
She didn't believe her own words. Her heart sank as reality set in—she wasn't important enough for the Revolutionary Army to risk coming to the Hive for her. Logic told her this was the case, but the ache of being abandoned still stung.
Edie, growing bored with the conversation, sighed. "I thought I could use you as bait to lure Kuma here. But… seems I miscalculated. He's really not coming, is he?"
Well, its not still that bad, We can still meet the revolutionary army in the future anyways.
He paused before speaking again, his tone dismissive. "Oh well. It looks like no one is coming to save you. So, for now, just stay put."
With that, the screen flickered and went black.
Ginny stood there, staring at the dark screen in disbelief, before shouting desperately. "Wait—hey! Can we talk a little more? Mr. Edie? Lord Edie? Emperor!?"
But Edie had already turned his attention elsewhere, ignoring her pleas.
At this moment, deep underground in the monitoring room, Edie continued to observe the Holy Land, Mariejois.
In the past few days, over half of the 1,000 bee scouts had been sacrificed—not because Mariejois was actively hunting them down, but simply due to the tight security and heightened tension following the Fisher Tiger incident. The Holy Land was on high alert; any small disturbance would trigger snipers, and most of the dead bee scouts had fallen to their bullets. Others perished in more mundane, accidental ways. One bee scout was swatted by a maid while dusting the study. Another was drowned by a terrified woman in the bathhouse, splashed to death by a panicked wave of bathwater. Death by feather duster, death by bathwater—there were countless ways for a bee to die in Mariejois.
Still, a handful of scouts had successfully infiltrated Pangaea Castle, and Edie's monitoring screens now displayed the scene of the Five Elders deep in conversation.
"That man sent the Earthly Branches to capture a Celestial Dragon in East Blue... What is he trying to do?" one of the Elders asked, his brow furrowed.
"According to the pirates' reports from Beehive Island, Halifax Saint was stripped naked and left hanging in the harbor, exposed to the sun," another replied.
"Humiliation instead of death? What's the motive?"
The Five Elders frowned in unison, the gravity of the situation apparent.
"We need to resolve this quickly. If word gets out, it will make headlines!"
"Should we try negotiating with him?"
The tension in the room was palpable. In the past, the Elders would have launched a Buster Call without hesitation. But now after the Marines Failure, their approach had softened.
"Who do we send?"
"Knights of God," one Elder suggested.
Edie watched as Saint Saturn picked up the phone, not to contact Edie directly, but to call Morgans, using him as a go-between. Their strategy was simple—use Morgans to relay their message, while secretly eavesdropping on his conversation with Edie.
Moments later, Edie's phone rang.
Just as he was about to answer, he noticed the Five Elders activating a black phone on his screen. Amused, Edie chuckled to himself.
Interesting.
The Elders believed they were the ones spying on Edie through Morgans, but in reality, Edie was watching and listening to them the entire time, his tech synchronizing the video and audio perfectly. It was a game of surveillance, and Edie was winning.
Technology for the win.
With a smirk, Edie picked up the phone receiver.
"The world's greatest scientist, Dr. Edie, I send you my sincerest greetings," Morgans' voice came through, as formal as ever."
"The Five Elders have a request Right?." Edie replied
"As expected. There's no fooling your wisdom, Dr Edie," Morgan's replied with politeness.
"They believe there's been a misunderstanding. They regret that you've captured a Celestial Dragon and hope you will release Saint Halifax and allow him to return to the Holy Land."
Diplomacy? With me? Edie thought, scoffing internally. Without hesitation, he made his demand clear. "I want a Devil Fruit. The Love-Love Fruit."
Morgans paused only for a moment. "Understood. I'll relay your request. Until then, I bid you farewell."
The phone clicked as Morgans hung up, and Edie sat back, watching the unfolding drama with a smirk.
As expected, the Five Elders had overheard the entire conversation. After Morgans relayed Edie's demand, the Elders exchanged glances, then turned to Saint Saturn.
"What's so special about the Love-Love Fruit?" one of the Elders asked, scratching his chin.
"It's just a twin fruit—nothing remarkable," another muttered.
"No," Saint Saturn interjected, rising from his seat, a cane in hand. "If that scientist wants it, there's more to it than meets the eye. He must be laying some kind of trap."
The room fell silent as Saturn paced back and forth, deep in thought.
"I think this needs to be reported to that individual," he declared after a long pause, his voice carrying a weight that made the other Elders uncomfortable.
The other four exchanged uneasy looks. "That individual?" they repeated, hesitant.
Edie's eyes widened as he monitored the conversation. Report to 'that individual'? They must mean Imu! He leaned closer, intrigued.
This was uncharted territory for him—an opportunity to witness the mysterious figure at the top of the world government hierarchy.
Perfect. Just what I've been waiting for.