"My name is [Snake]?" Snake's voice was calm, but his piercing gaze and serpentine tongue—long and pointed—sent a chill through the air as he licked his lips. The sight reminded Edie of a man named Orochimaru from distant tales, evoking both fascination and unease.
"Put on these clothes," Edie ordered, dropping a neatly folded set at Snake's feet, "and follow me. It's time to test your combat abilities."
Snake swiftly dressed, his movements fluid and precise. Once ready, Edie led him to the upper research institute, where two clones, Zishu and Chou, awaited.
Addressing the trio, Edie began with a sharp tone of authority. "Snake is your new comrade—a clone of Rocks D. Xebec."
He gestured toward the other two. "Zishu, you are the clone of Roger. Chou, you are the clone of Garp. During the legendary Battle of the Valley of the Gods, your originals joined forces to bring down Rocks. Today, I want to see if the two of you can replicate that victory against Snake."
Zishu and Chou dropped to one knee in unison, their voices filled with reverence. "We obey, Heavenly Father!"
Satisfied, Edie turned and gestured for them to follow. "The battlefield isn't here. A fight of this magnitude would destroy Beehive Island. Come with me."
The group flew to Winner's Island, a barren land not far from Beehive Island. It was the site of many battles, including a future clash between Trafalgar Law and Blackbeard. Perfect for the chaos that was about to unfold.
Landing on the desolate ground, Edie motioned for the clones to prepare. "Begin."
Zishu and Chou exchanged a glance. Zishu smirked. "Rocks' clone? Let's see if you live up to the hype. Let's go all out!"
Chou cracked his neck, a low clicking sound echoing as his fists were wrapped in Conqueror's Haki.
Snake, standing calmly, glanced up at Edie, who hovered mid-air. "Heavenly Father, if it's two against one, I'll need a sword."
Edie's gaze sharpened, but he smirked, pulling the sword Yoshi from his side and tossing it to Snake. "No need to hold back."
Snake caught the blade and marveled at its craftsmanship. "As expected of Heavenly Father's weapon… it's magnificent!"
The moment stretched taut before shattering into chaos. Snake charged forward, his blade gleaming with Armament Haki, clashing with Zishu's cutlass and Chou's iron fists.
The battle raged for four hours, and by the time the dust settled, the once-intact Winner's Island bore the scars of their clash. Craters dotted the land, and a massive ravine split the island in two, stretching out of sight.
Edie, hovering above, observed the wreckage. His glasses beeped, analyzing the combatants' power levels. "400 Billion Haki," he muttered, a satisfied smile forming. "Snake, the resources spent on your creation weren't wasted. You've reached a new height."
Snake sheathed his sword, his expression unyielding. "Is that all, Heavenly Father? Let's continue—I can take them both down."
Zishu, catching his breath, laughed. "Dream on, Rocks clone. We'd crush you in the end, just like Roger and Garp did to the original."
Snake smirked. "You'd be surprised."
Edie raised a hand, silencing the banter. "Enough. Return to the cloning warehouse for recovery. You've done enough damage for today."
As Edie returned to Beehive Island, he noticed the Whitebeard Pirates preparing to set sail. Descending to meet them, he called out to their captain.
"Whitebeard, heading out?"
Whitebeard turned, his booming voice cheerful. "A transport ship carrying grain seeds was seized by the Marines. We're taking it back and delivering it to an island under my protection. With these seeds, they'll be able to cultivate enough to feed themselves."
Edie smiled. "Noble of you. Best of luck, Whitebeard."
"See you next time, Doc," Whitebeard replied, stepping onto the deck of the Moby Dick.
As the ship sailed away, Snake's figure caught Whitebeard's attention. He chuckled, his tone amused. "Rocks' clone, huh? With so many powerful creations, Edie must be aiming for the throne of the world."
Marco, standing beside him, nodded. "Do you think Edie's forces are strong enough to take down Mariejois?"
Whitebeard's expression turned pensive. "The Celestial Dragons have the Knights of God, and the Five Elders are no pushovers. Who knows what weapons they still have hidden?"
He glanced back at his crew. "For now, we're not pirates. Change the flag to the 'Golden Grain Industry Company.'"
The crew burst into laughter, Marco leading the charge to replace the pirate flag. As the Moby Dick faded into the horizon, Edie stood watching, a faint smile on his face.
"Pirates running a grain company," he mused. "The world truly is becoming an interesting place."
Not long after the Whitebeard Pirates departed, Chenlong returned to the Hive with Caesar Clown in tow.
Edie wasted no time. Without entertaining any excuses, he robbed Caesar of one year of his lifespan. The agonizing process of soul extraction was too much for Caesar to handle, and he fainted immediately. To placate the scientist's inevitable outrage, Edie decided to compensate him handsomely, doubling his research funding to a total of 1 billion berries next year for those gas bombs he loves.
Returning to the underground laboratory, Edie set his sights on a bold new experiment—combining dual Logia abilities into a single clone. Using Crocodile's bloodline factor as the base, he merged it with Caesar's own bloodline factor. The embryos were carefully cultivated in the No. 1 special cloning chamber, their development boosted by injections of combined soul matter from the two original subjects.
By now, Edie had perfected the art of cloning. Within a few hours, the initial steps were complete. Standing before the massive cloning chamber, he whispered, "A month is enough to see if the embryo stabilizes... but to be cautious, I'll wait half a year. If the vital characteristics remain intact, we'll have the first clone with dual Logia powers."
The thought sent a ripple of satisfaction through him. Half a year... patience brings perfection.
When Edie finally emerged from his lab late at night, a maid greeted him.
"Master Heavenly Father, Doflamingo is waiting for you in the living room."
"Doflamingo?" Edie's sharp senses quickly confirmed the presence of not just Doflamingo but also an unfamiliar young woman.
"I see."
In the research institute's lavish living room, Edie found Doflamingo standing confidently beside a young girl wrapped unceremoniously in a bedsheet.
"Doctor," Doflamingo grinned and gestured to the captive, "this is the dance teacher you requested."
Edie's eyes lingered on the girl. "Princess Violet of Dressrosa?" he remarked coolly.
"Remove the gag," he ordered, and a maid obeyed.
As soon as Violet's mouth was freed, she cried out in panic, "You... you're the Beehive Emperor! Are you planning to steal Dressrosa?" Despair darkened her expression as she imagined the fate of her homeland.
Edie turned his gaze to Doflamingo, who quickly explained the situation, including the bet he'd won to secure Dressrosa peacefully.
"Good work, Doffy," Edie praised, his tone even. "Violence only provides temporary rule. Interests and stability—these are the bonds that unite people."
Doflamingo's face lit up with admiration. "Fufufu, your wisdom is blinding, Doctor. You're like a record pointer guiding me toward the right course."
"Proceed with the plan," Edie said firmly. "I'll observe your performance with interest."
Doflamingo bowed and left immediately, his entourage setting sail for Dressrosa that very night.
Left behind, Violet sat trembling, her face pale. "What do you want with me?" she asked in a broken voice.
Edie regarded her calmly. "Relax. Nothing will happen to you or your family. Your only task is to serve as a dance teacher."
"A dance teacher?" Violet blinked in confusion. "That's... all?"
"Yes. Kozuki Hiyori is a talented young girl under my care. You will teach her." Edie's tone left no room for argument.
Moments later, a sleepy Hiyori was brought into the room. She ran to Edie, her emerald-green hair bouncing as she cried, "Mr. Edie!"
Edie smiled warmly, patting her head. "This is your new dance teacher, Hiyori. Learn everything you can from her."
Hiyori tilted her head curiously, then frowned. "Why is the teacher wearing a bedsheet?"
The question hung awkwardly in the air. Violet flushed as the maid untied her bindings. Free at last, Violet said cautiously, "I will teach her."
"Good," Edie replied. "Show me something first—prove your skill."
Violet hesitated but, knowing her position, began to dance. Her movements were bold and passionate, far removed from the restrained elegance of Wanokuni's style. Every step was a desperate plea for survival, and her energy captivated the room.
When she finished, Violet stood breathless, her cheeks flushed from exertion.
"Impressive," Edie said, clapping. "Even a layman like me can appreciate such talent. Hiyori, you'll need to work hard to match this."
"Yes, Master Edie!" Hiyori chirped enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, in East Blue...
Under the dark, stormy skies, the Red Hair Pirates intercepted a government warship carrying precious cargo.
"Boss, it's CP9!" Yasopp shouted as their ships collided.
After a fierce battle, the pirates emerged victorious. Among the loot was a small treasure chest containing a single Devil Fruit.
"Boss," Yasopp called out, holding up the chest, "look at this—it's the Devil Fruit they were transporting!"
The red-haired captain opened the chest and smiled. "So, this is it..." he said softly, recalling Captain Roger's words.
Unbeknownst to them, hidden bees monitored the scene, transmitting everything back to Edie's surveillance system.
Watching the monitor, Edie chuckled as he studied the fruit. "Paramecia? No... Zoan. Mythical Zoan, Nika Form. The Five Elders thought they could hide it forever, but fate is always full of surprises."
A journey to the East Blue awaited—a fated meeting with the future, the past, and the answers he sought.