Koby and Te made their way to the lower deck of their ship where the hidden entrance to their lab awaited them. A set of metal doors, reinforced with layers of steel and technology they had both spent years perfecting, opened with a soft mechanical hiss. The scent of sterile metal and a faint hint of chemicals hit them as they stepped into the expansive lab.
The lab itself was a marvel of modern engineering—Koby's handiwork, of course—with Te's input scattered throughout in the form of chemical stations, experiment tables, and containment areas. The walls gleamed with polished steel and reinforced glass panels, allowing visibility across various sections of the lab without compromising security. A soft hum of machinery filled the room, as data consoles blinked with real-time readings of the many experiments that were always running.
To the left, Koby's personal engineering station stood like a shrine to technological innovation. Blueprints and holographic displays floated above a central console, showcasing schematics of ships, weapons, and other devices he had been working on. An unfinished project, a towering exoskeleton suit, was propped up in the corner, wires hanging from its frame like veins waiting to come alive.
In the far corner of the lab was Te's chemistry section—a chaotic yet organized setup of beakers, vials, and containers filled with glowing liquids. Nearby, a complex array of experimental serums bubbled and churned in various stages of creation.
The center of the lab was a wide open space, empty except for a single large platform designed to test new inventions, powers, and physical abilities. The entire space was surrounded by high-definition screens that displayed real-time readings on everything from aura levels to material stress tests.
Koby walked over to his primary console, typing in a series of commands to power down the security protocols.
"So, what did you need help with?" Te asked, leaning casually against the wall, his curiosity piqued.
Without a word, Koby walked over to one of the workbenches, picking up a piece of paper and handing it to his brother. "I need you to use your ability to create these materials—or at least something similar to these compounds. And on the other side of the paper is a serum I need you to make."
Te's eyes scanned the contents, his brow furrowing in thought. "Hmm, should be easy enough with the Philosopher's Stone. Kinda a shame we didn't collect any of the souls from Sorbet though," he said with a sly grin.
"Not funny," Koby snapped, though his tone was more of a tired rebuke than anger.
Te smirked and continued reading, pacing as he digested the information. "Judging from the materials you listed, this kinda looks like a modified super soldier serum. Except… you've added DNA and RNA structures from different sources. Some of these look alien."
"You're not far off," Koby replied. "Last night, I was fine-tuning the DNA-modifying machine, trying to find ways to improve the crew's strength and abilities. But then I realized something—there are so many unique races in this world. Each one has abilities we could only dream of. What if we could combine the best traits from multiple races into one person?"
Te's eyebrow arched skeptically. "Sounds like a walking science experiment waiting to explode. Are you sure that's even possible?"
"Well, coming to the One Piece world was impossible," Koby shot back without missing a beat.
Te chuckled. "Touché."
Koby's eyes gleamed with excitement as he explained further. "It might not work for everyone, but I'll be the test subject. I've already done the preliminary tests. My theory is that if we can modify certain aspects of my DNA, we can integrate the strengths of different races—Giants, Fishmen, even Mink Sulong abilities—into a single body. Once it's perfected, we could do the same for you, Lila, and Ronin."
Te whistled low, clearly impressed by the ambition but cautious all the same. "Your theory sounds solid, but there's one glaring problem."
Koby's gaze sharpened. "What is it?"
Te paused, crossing his arms as he thought it over. "Restructuring someone's entire body at the genetic level takes time. You can't rush something like this or it could kill them. A process like this could take at least a year—maybe more. It might work on someone like you, with your rapid adaptation abilities, but if your body can't handle the transformation... well, you know the risks."
"I figured as much," Koby said, eyes still gleaming with determination. "But if we get this right, we can give our crew the same physical gifts that Big Mom and Kaido have. The power to withstand anything, to fight at the highest level."
Te raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I don't know about giving this out willy-nilly. This kind of power could turn people into monsters. But… I'm down for another revolutionary invention. It's not like we ever aim small, huh?"
Koby smirked. "Exactly. If we can unlock this potential, it'll put us in a league of our own. We won't just be strong—we'll be untouchable. And I trust our crew to handle that kind of power."
Te shook his head, a small grin playing on his lips. "You're always dreaming big, man. Alright, let's do this. But if this serum turns you into a giant freak or blows up in your face, don't say I didn't warn you."
Koby chuckled. "Noted. Let's get to work."
Te let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "You always get us into the craziest situations. First, we're building recovery pods, then tracking down Devil Fruits, now you want to rewrite our DNA to give us powers like Kaido and Big Mom."
"Gotta aim big if we're gonna survive out here," Koby replied, his tone casual but his eyes sharp with ambition.
Te looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Fair point. And if we're going to compete with the monsters running around the New World, we're going to have to become monsters ourselves."
Koby handed Te a tablet displaying a few genetic structures and formulas. "Exactly. And this isn't just about brute strength. Think about what this could mean—giant's endurance, Lunarian flame resistance, fishmen's breathing underwater. Combining the best traits of every race in the world. We'll be able to customize it for each of us, enhancing whatever we need."
Te scanned the information on the tablet. "So, basically… we're playing God."
Koby grinned. "In a sense, yeah. But this isn't about taking shortcuts. We've worked for everything we've got, and this will just enhance what we've already built."
Te set the tablet down, leaning back against the workbench. "Alright, I'm in. But I still say we test it on you first. I'm not about to let you mess up my perfectly good body without knowing what we're dealing with."
Koby laughed. "Fair enough. I'll be the guinea pig. Besides, if anything goes wrong, I'll just add it to the list of things we've survived."
Te smirked. "Just don't end up with three eyes or something."
"Hey, three eyes could be useful," Koby shot back, chuckling. "But seriously, let's start working on gathering the materials and prepping the serum. I'll need to finish a few calibrations on the machine, and you'll need to figure out the best way to stabilize the genetic fusion."
"Consider it done," Te said confidently.