One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

Ghost Island, 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 Fruits has been replicated—the Azure Dragon Fruit, three in total.

Roy suddenly stood up, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:

"Three? So fast?"

"Dr. Vegapunk said that the bloodline factors of the Blue Dragon Fruit were already mostly completed when the Pink Fruit was replicated before."

Furthermore, Dr. Gracia's gene cloning technology provided the 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."

The decision needs to be made on your end—whether to test first, or to deploy immediately?

Roy pondered for about three seconds.

"Let's test it out first. Select some outstanding soldiers from Beehive Island and have them each eat a replica of the Azure Dragon Fruit."

"Have Vegapunk and Gracia monitor the test subjects' behavior after they eat the fruit and record it all."

There can be no mistakes.

"These fruits are intended for core members, and 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, it takes at least three months. During these three months, we will focus on providing intensive support to the experimental subjects through training."

Let's see if the replicated Devil Fruit's ability can be developed and improved in the same way as the original. Only if it succeeds will it truly pass the test.

"In addition, have the doctors 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 now 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 Beehive Island complete the transplantation of the third fruit within a year."

Stella took a deep breath:

"clear.

I will do my best to ensure the supply of resources for the laboratory.

but--"

"The budget will be severely overrun."

Vegapunk's materials list includes over twenty rare items that are simply unavailable in the New World.

"Then let's 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 Fruits meant to Beehive Island.

If Kaido's Azure Dragon Fruit could be mass-produced, and if all core members could possess three carefully matched top-tier Devil Fruits—

The combat power of Beehive Island will achieve 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 Ghost Island Grand Hall.

Beehive Island, Joint Laboratory.

This super laboratory, jointly built by Baal 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 pedigree factor analyzer displayed a dense array of 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 Azure Dragon Fruits are suspended in the nutrient solution in a transparent culture chamber.

Each fruit's skin is covered with scaly patterns, gleaming with a cold 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 Beehive Island 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 this batch of Imprint Fruits has not been tested on live animals, and there may be unknown risks if consumed."

Gracia walked up to the three test subjects, his tone serious.

"You still have a chance to withdraw."

The scarred soldier grinned:

"Doctor, we were all rescued from piles of corpses on Beehive Island."

If it weren't for Beehive Island, I would have rotted away in some corner of the world long ago.

Now that I have the opportunity to contribute to Beehive Island, 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 Scarface on the shoulder: "Let's begin."

The first test subject—the one with the scarred face—walked to the incubation chamber and reached into the nutrient solution to take a Azure Dragon Fruit. The moment he touched the fruit, he could feel the scaly patterns on its peel pulsating slightly, like a tiny, beating heart.

He took a deep breath and took a bite.

The nauseating taste unique to Devil Fruits 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 blue 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, and in their place became sharp dragon claws.

The muscles in his legs swelled violently, causing the pant legs of his lab coat to burst open.

Finally, there are 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 approximately thirty seconds. When the transformation stopped, the person standing in front of the incubation chamber was no longer a human soldier, but a half-dragon 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!"