Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

After returning to Windmill Village, Shanks would practice every morning. He felt that since the two were evenly matched, his skills should be superior, so he would always ask Osamu Furukawa to spar with him.

"Clang!"

Sparks flew from the long sword Griffin that Shanks held in his left hand. His continuous and rapid slashes did not achieve much effect, as Furukawa Osamu was always able to predict the direction of his attacks.

Shanks' Observation Haki played a crucial role at this moment. He switched from offense to defense and blocked continuously. Suddenly, he exerted force with his feet and closed in again, slashing out with his long sword Griffin.

Furukawa Osamu calmly dodged to the side, and the long sword that Baby-5 had transformed into slashed upwards.

"Clang!"

Sparks flew as the blades of the two longswords grazed each other again. Shanks felt the immense power emanating from the swords and secretly increased his strength, flicking his wrist to deliver a horizontal slash in pursuit.

Furukawa parried with his whirling sword, suddenly increasing his speed, and then turned around to deliver a powerful slash.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The two figures kept clashing, their speed increasing, with black blades flashing around them. All the crew members stared wide-eyed at them intently.

With a diagonal slash, a horizontal cut, a straight thrust, and a backflip, Furukawa Osamu's attacks were executed in one fluid motion. When Shanks realized he was being suppressed, he tried to counterattack again, but he was unable to regain the rhythm of the battle and could only passively block in the end.

When cuts appeared on his arms and the hem of his clothes, Shanks had to increase his Haki, turning the contest of skill into a battle of strength.

"Captain! This is a violation!"

"We can't keep getting tangled up like this, that's not what we agreed on before!"

"Go for it, Captain! Pirates are all about surprise attacks!"

The crew knew the battle was nearing its end, and they cheered loudly. Shanks charged forward with a low shoulder strike, Griffin slashed diagonally, and Furukawa Osamu stopped dodging and swung his sword to meet the attack head-on.

Although both of them restrained their power, the clash of Haki attached to the blades still caused the air to tremble, and the resulting shockwave sent Luffy flying from a short distance away. The boy shouted excitedly:

"Amazing!"

The two swords clashed once more. Shanks and Furukawa Osamu locked eyes, their feet moving in unison, the blades rubbing together and sparking dazzling flames.

The two suddenly separated, then their figures flashed again, clashing head-on until the domineering aura no longer clung to the blade, thus ending their morning training session.

"His skills are definitely lacking! Is it a problem with his combat experience?"

"It's just a difference in how you use your physical strength. As expected, a strong will can unleash more power. Shanks, do you want to become the Pirate King?"

Furukawa Osamu sheathed his sword and asked a question. Baby-5 transformed back into her maid outfit, and the girl sat on the grass, feeling dizzy.

"One Piece?"

"I did think about it when I was a kid, but now I feel like I have a different mission!"

Shanks sheathed Griffin and smiled. He had a clear understanding of the bloodline he carried, and he had a greater goal than becoming the Pirate King.

Osamu Furukawa chuckled softly. Shanks clearly possessed unwavering conviction; his powerful aura spoke for itself.

"That's true, you've all traveled the world."

"I want to be a pirate! I want to become the Pirate King!!"

Luffy suddenly ran over and shouted loudly. The boy's eyes were now sparkling, as if he had found his purpose in life, and he appeared extremely excited.

"You? A landlubber? The Pirate King?!"

"Hahaha! If you can't swim, you shouldn't talk about being a pirate!"

Shanks, holding his straw hat, bent down and teased Luffy. His smiling face infuriated the boy, who tilted his head back and continued shouting:

"I want to be a pirate, a free pirate like you!"

"You're a landlubber!"

Shanks took off his hat and continued to tease Luffy with a smile on his face. His mocking smile made Luffy yell in anger, and the crew members who saw this scene all laughed out loud.

"Shu! Teach me the swordsmanship to defeat Shanks!"

"Why are there sparks from your attacks? That's amazing!"

Unable to argue with Shanks, Luffy squeezed next to Osamu Furukawa, widening his eyes and pleading loudly. He hadn't actually seen anything clearly, only a burst of black lightning.

"Children should eat well and grow up!"

"Lieutenant General Garp instructed me to look after you for the next two weeks."

"What the heck! Grandpa really is..."

Luffy immediately lowered his head in fright. His grandfather's iron fist was extremely intimidating to him. However, the boy's eyes darted around, and he quickly ran to the crew to ask for advice.

"I really don't want you to leave. Donghai is still a bit boring!"

"I'll contact you once I've cleaned up the mess in Elbaf!"

Shanks, with his arms behind his head, muttered a pie in the sky. Furukawa Osamu couldn't make sense of the chaotic timeline at all, but he was certain that the other party could handle this matter.

"Then I'll wait for your good news!"

Luo, who was following behind, loved pancakes. He had already started imagining the legendary warrior kingdom. Although being a doctor was good, an adventurous life was also essential.

"Huh! I've mastered Haki!"

The dazed Baby-5 suddenly raised a black fist. Luo turned his head and saw this, involuntarily opening his mouth wide, then muttered somewhat angrily:

"Damn it! I tried so hard!"

-

In mid-October, in the Deepsea Propulsion City, Corazon, dressed in a white naval uniform, brought a newspaper to the underground cell.

Contrary to his expectations, Doflamingo has only been reading the newspapers silently during the months he's been imprisoned, and the expected anger and complaints have not materialized.

"My dear brother, thank you so much for providing me with newspapers all this time!"

"For the next few years, there will be plenty of newspapers; I'll keep an eye on you!"

"Fufufufu..."

Upon hearing his brother's words, Doflamingo leaned against the wall, threw his head back, and laughed. After taking the newspaper and reading it carefully, he ignored his brother's talk of "just judgment."

Just before his brother left, Doflamingo's face suddenly contorted with bulging veins as he stared at the other man and said, word by word:

"Rosinante, one day you will personally send me away from here!"

"But by then I had already mastered even greater power!"

Only domineering power can transcend everything. Doflamingo roared in his heart every day, and he would use his newfound power to once again roam the seas.

Corazon's face darkened briefly as he recalled the trials he had discussed with Sengoku, then he turned and slowly walked away.

"Keep reading your newspaper!"

"Fufufufu..."

Doflamingo continued to laugh maniacally in his cell. Reading the newspaper made him even stronger. His Devil Fruit powers were suppressed, but his will remained free.

"Wait for me, Rosinante!"

Chapter 7 "The Price" and the World Government's Test (10,000-word chapter)

In mid-November of 1528 in the Sea Calendar, the North Sea port city of Spedamaelz was already covered in snow.

The site of the port's waste treatment plant and warehouses has been completely transformed. With the help of the Navy, the traditional waste treatment plant has been equipped with Punk Hazard's latest technology!

The waste treatment center, designed by the brilliant scientist Vegaponk, was built here, where waste will be converted into electricity. The huge metal building in the warehouse area once attracted the attention of citizens throughout the city.

A huge, snow-white European-style building has replaced the original simple tin-roofed wooden house. The building is surrounded by lush green trees, and the grass, covered in snow, is still faintly visible.

The naval personnel stationed here have explained to the citizens that the plants here have been optimized to be suitable for the six months of cold weather for the Spida Maids.

The security situation in Spedamaelz has been improving in recent months. The slums in the port have disappeared, and most of those who were involved in underground businesses have transformed into "respectable people."

The official establishment of the large enterprise HEART has not only boosted local employment but also begun to attract people from the surrounding islands.

-

HEART's first hospital will enter the trial operation phase on December 1st. At this time, the recruitment work is nearing its end, but people with resumes are still coming in droves to visit.

In a minimalist office on the fifth floor, Luo, wearing a white lab coat, looked down at a resume while occasionally glancing at the strange man in front of him.

Despite the freezing weather, the man in front of me, who looked to be about 60 years old, had his hair slicked back, wore a red sun hat, and a beach shirt and shorts with strange patterns.

When Luo looked again at those sandals that exposed his feet, he was speechless. The old man would probably get frostbite if he went out like that...

"Kid, have you seen enough?"

"I am a genius inventor. If it weren't to witness the latest technology, I wouldn't have come all the way from Haiyan Island!"

"That waste disposal facility is really impressive. I didn't expect that such cutting-edge technology would actually be here. No wonder you're hiring engineers."

"My resume makes it very clear, doesn't it? In the Southeast Sea, no one is more capable than me!"

The old man named Wolf raised his head with a proud expression. Luo's lips twitched slightly. After letting out a long breath, he pointed to the invention on the resume that had not yet gone into production and asked in a deep voice:

"Are you sure this 'Portable Hot Spring No. 1' can be put on the market?"

"It's just that it lacks a temperature control device, which makes it easier for water to evaporate. You should see how great its thermal efficiency is."

"Why does this 'Super Cleaning Machine No. 3' explode after only 3 minutes of operation? The force is enough to blow up a house. Is this even usable?"

"Didn't you see how well it cleans? It can easily handle even stubborn oil stains on the floor!"

"Wait, doesn't it say that it can't identify specific dirt and trash?"

"Hmph! That's right, it almost tore off my toes once!"

"Stop...stop talking! Don't you think this is a bit gory? Besides, these inventions look like scrap metal!"

Luo, his face pale, muttered a self-constructed image of himself facepalming and rubbing his forehead in disbelief. Wolf, unfazed, sat back down, arms crossed, and once again wore a smug smile.

"Young man, do you understand the greatness of this old man?"

"Absolutely not! How could I possibly understand those robot vacuums that eat people's toes!"

Luo subconsciously stood up and loudly complained, but realizing that his emotions were too volatile, he quickly sat back down. Recruiting some engineers was part of the company's plan; he was only responsible for screening spies.

"ROOM! Scan!"

"Grandpa, just answer one more question."

"In this field, I can sense your heartbeat. Don't lie, I can sense even the slightest fluctuation."

Are you a member of the World Government?

"I am just a retired pirate, there's nothing to hide about that. However, I don't want to mention the past. Now I only want to dedicate myself to science and technology."

Wolf adjusted his sun hat and answered frankly, while Luo nodded calmly, acknowledging the other's response.

Although such lie detection methods are somewhat crude and highly skilled agents could certainly evade them, Luo still managed to identify quite a few suspicious individuals within a month.

"Sir, welcome to HEART. The first project in the R&D department is on special metals."

"Based on this, you are free to develop. In short, we have plenty of funds and can also get support from the navy."

"Among these strange inventions, Vegetable Machine No. 7 can carry out greenhouse cultivation in winter. Hmm... it's pretty good, but the name isn't very appealing. However, it's already ready for production optimization."

"I'll help you with the tagging. If sales are good, you'll get 50% of the sales revenue, the company gets 30%, and the rest, you know what I mean."

"Don't mess around with other products! The shipbuilding project hasn't even started yet, and we're short a lot of manpower. The old folks can recommend talent, and you'll get a share if they're hired."

Luo smiled and calmly explained. Wolf nodded with a smile; he was already very satisfied that a product had been recognized.

"Kid, since you respect me so much, I have to remind you!"

"Don't reveal the fruits of your surgery. This ocean is bigger than you imagine, and countless ambitious people are craving this power."

Wolf's expression suddenly turned serious. He had studied Devil Fruits when he went out to sea and knew about the legend of the "immortality surgery." The boy in front of him seemed unaware of the danger.

Luo sighed helplessly, nodded slightly in thanks, and then whispered in response:

“I know, but it’s too late. Now that it’s been exposed, I must become an excellent doctor to save more people.”

"I don't want to pay attention to other things. Thank you, old man who likes to make scrap metal."

A flash of surprise crossed Wolf's eyes. He realized that HEART did not intend to hide the results of the surgery. Thinking of those cutting-edge technological machines, he finally shook his head helplessly.

"Keep it up, kid! And call me the genius inventor!"

Watching the old man's departing figure, Luo's lips curled into a smile. Since leaving the Donquixote Family, he had mostly encountered kind and good people. There was still hope for this world.

"Next, come in!"