Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

"Cough...cough..."

“I know you’re worried about Wapol. I have indeed spoiled him too much over the years.”

"However, he also knows that doctors and medical skills are the foundation of this country. I only hope that after he takes the throne, you can all assist him and give Wapol some time."

"Don't worry, Tian Shangjin. I'm ready. As long as the existing policies continue, the status of the Drum Kingdom as a major medical power will not be shaken."

The king's medium-length purple hair had lost its luster, and by the end, he was quite agitated, coughing and struggling to breathe.

Fortunately, the doctor brought the medicine directly to the king's lips. After taking it, the king let out a long sigh of relief and looked at the others, adding in a low voice:

"Lieutenant General Borsalino's sudden visit is very likely related to HEART Company."

"The fruit of surgery, although I am not clear about the specific effects, the 'legendary surgery' must be real."

"We will face challenges from emerging companies, and it is precisely at such a critical moment that we must unite!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Please rest for a while, the navy will be here soon."

After giving some instructions, the doctors slowly withdrew. The king leaned back in his large chair, thinking of his son, and subconsciously held his forehead.

No one knows a son better than his father. The king knew that his son, who had been pampered since childhood, would likely cause problems after ascending the throne, but he was powerless to reverse the situation.

The king wanted to find another way, but he couldn't even have another heir. He had already eaten the Devouring Fruit, and Wapol's strength was far greater than that of an ordinary person.

Lost in thought, the king failed to notice his son's arrival. The not-yet-17-year-old Wapol, a robust and powerful-looking man draped in a snow-white robe made of white bear skin, loudly greeted his father:

"Father, has the navy arrived?"

When will they escort us to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise?

The king, startled awake, saw his son's spoiled appearance and his face darkened. He stared at Wapol and sternly admonished him:

"How dare you be rude!"

"The person who came to visit this time is Vice Admiral Borsalino, a strong figure in the Navy. In a few years, he will most likely become a Navy Admiral."

"The founder of HEART Company is not to be underestimated, as he has gained the recognition of the world government and publicly announced that he has mastered the results of the surgery."

"cough...!"

"They'll be here soon. Remember what I said: be respectful and courteous, or don't expect me to take you to Mary Geoise."

Seeing his father coughing, Wapol's face flashed with disdain. Paying the Heavenly Gold required consulting with the people. His father was too kind to those lowly people. He didn't need this kind of weak rule at all.

"I understand."

Wapol responded quietly. Doctors were the kingdom's most precious resource, and he didn't want outsiders poaching them. His eyes darted around, and he planned to sabotage the other side's poaching operation in secret.

Just as the king was about to continue his instruction, the castle gates were pushed open, and a strong wind blew snowflakes into the castle. Wapol's face showed displeasure once again.

"It's so warm inside the castle!"

"Looks like we'll be able to have a cup of hot tea."

Borsalino brushed the snow off his body and smiled as he looked at the two people in front of him. He recognized them as the current king of the Drum Kingdom and their son.

"The doctors here are truly admirable for their ability to persevere in such an environment."

"No wonder it can be a major medical power; this work ethic alone deserves praise!"

Following behind, Furukawa Osamu tossed the large pistol in his arms into the air, and Baby-5, dressed in a black maid outfit, appeared. The girl looked around and a look of disappointment immediately appeared in her eyes.

This was not the palace she had expected; it was far too plain.

"Welcome, Vice Admiral Borsalino and Mr. Osamu Furukawa, the founder of HEART."

"The Drum Kingdom has everything ready. Please enjoy the unique cuisine of the East Island. We will depart soon and it will not affect the Navy's schedule."

The king, despite his weakened state, rose to greet the group. His respectful demeanor earned him a silent praise from Furukawa Osamu; this was a rare display of normalcy from the king.

Borsalino chuckled as he helped the other man up, and casually gave Furukawa Osamu a wink, as if to say, "With the king in this state, let's not try to poach him..."

Furukawa Osamu nodded slightly. Borsalino acted like a good-natured man; he could see that the king's life was coming to an end, so naturally he wouldn't "kick him when he's down."

"Hey! Listen up, the doctors in this country aren't leaving here!"

"They will always serve the country. Don't think that just because they have the support of the world government, they can do whatever they want."

Wapol suddenly glared and shouted a warning. He was very displeased with Furukawa Osamu's behavior and saw that he had no respect for him as a member of the royal family.

"Humph!"

Baby-5 let out a soft snort, and her right arm instantly transformed into a large gun barrel. Just as the girl was about to blast that "iron-mouthed idiot" to pieces, Osamu Furukawa waved his hand to stop her.

"I really like this country. Although it is covered in snow all year round, this kind of environment can actually temper one's will."

"You will be the next king. I hope you can take good care of this place. I hope that when I visit again, it will still be as prosperous as it was."

The natural environment of Drum Island is more suitable for the Snow-Snow Fruit than Furukawa Osamu had imagined. It is an excellent base, and the "Skinny Prince" in front of him can serve as a "synthesizer".

Wapol wanted to retaliate, but after being glanced at by Furukawa Osamu, fear began to grow in his heart.

The king secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Even the maid was a Devil Fruit user; the opponent must be even more powerful than reported in the newspapers.

"Wapol, don't be rude. Have you forgotten what I told you?"

"Lord Xiu, this way please, Lieutenant General Borsalino. I have some questions to ask you about the upcoming World Conference."

Baby-5 glared at Wapol, then trotted back to Furukawa Osamu's side. This prince wasn't what she expected; picture books and stories were all lies.

The banquet was exceptionally lavish. Although the king felt a pang of regret, he was relieved to learn that the Heavenly Gold would be maintained at its current level for the next few years.

The climate on Drum Island is cold and unsuitable for human mining. The entire country has already done everything in its power to extract the existing mineral resources.

If the quota is increased again, he, as king, is already prepared to sell slaves.

The humble king left a deep impression on Osamu Furukawa. According to Judge, most royals were hopeless fools, which was why he would kill the four kings of the North Sea.

After traveling for half a year, Furukawa Osamu encountered a normal human king for the first time, and the doctors he met also showed a high degree of loyalty, indicating that the country's policies had gained the approval of the people.

Baby-5, having prepared the bathwater, wiped the sweat from her forehead and squeezed next to Furukawa Osamu, asking in a low voice:

"Boss, are we just going to let that guy go like this?"

"Don't you think this place is perfect for mining and development using 'toy soldiers'?"

"Toys can't feel the temperature, so they can work to their heart's content. Drum Island should be located in the first half of the Grand Line, where a constant stream of pirates would be excellent labor."

"The factory here doesn't have to worry about heat dissipation, but as for the shipping route, we can't rely on the navy; we have to explore it ourselves."

As Osamu Furukawa gazed out the window, the scattered lights of the village under the night sky suggested that the island was underdeveloped and had enormous potential for future growth.

Baby-5 blinked her big eyes, tilted her head, and looked confused. The girl, too lazy to think, continued her maid duties.

"That sounds really impressive!"

"Boss, let me scrub your back!"

Osamu Furukawa knocked Baby-5 unconscious with a flick of his wrist. Seeing the girl asleep, he began to ponder the influence of willpower once again.

"Will compromising with Devil Fruits lead to being controlled by desire?"

-

At the end of the month, members of the member states, escorted by the navy, began to arrive in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.

This year's World Economic Conference did not receive extensive coverage from the World Economic News. Although the collection of taxes went very smoothly, the theme of the conference remained "reducing the burden."

The quota remains unchanged, but we can try to negotiate the resource allocation, since each country has a different environment and naturally produces different resources.

When the king of the Drum Kingdom bid farewell to Osamu Furukawa, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude. Although his lifespan could not be extended, his physical condition improved considerably after adjustments were made.

Seeing the vast expanse of greenery surrounding the sacred site, Furukawa Osamu stopped and smiled at the accompanying agent, asking:

"Are the plants here artificial? The environment of the Red Earth Continent is different in every section. This place originally seemed to be a desert."

"The plants were indeed artificially synthesized. I didn't expect that Master Xiu could detect this."

The young agent bowed in response, believing that the artificial synthesis could better showcase the power of the Holy Land, and that everyone who came here would marvel at the luxury and beauty of Mary Geoise.

Perhaps out of respect, no one spoke, and each member of the royal family walked quietly toward the building, accompanied by soldiers.

Furukawa Osamu stopped observing. He hadn't felt anything while riding the elevator, but now, the closer he got to the building, the more he could sense a special life energy slowly surging from the ground beneath his feet.

"Boss, what's wrong?"

Baby-5 looked up at Furukawa Osamu, who had stopped. She loved the environment here; it was even more beautiful than the sacred place she had imagined.

Furukawa Osamu smiled at the soldiers and continued walking. Just now, he had vaguely sensed an aura similar to that of the divine tree.

"Branches that have spread here? A giant tree that has been bound?"

Chapter 9 "Ancient Straw Hat..." (7200 words)

During the World Conference, the onlookers in Red Harbor were constantly "surprised," with cries of "Make way!" becoming the most frequent phrase uttered by the public in recent days...

"Look! It's a giant fleet of snail ships!"

"Germa from the North Sea?! Could the legendary Germa 66 really be real?"

"Make way! Germa and the other royal family members have arrived!"

Some onlookers cheered happily, as if being able to watch the show here was something to be proud of.

They may not be eligible to ride in the "bubble gondola," but living in this port city, their knowledge far surpasses that of other people, and many are proud of it.

Amidst the mingling of exclamations, cheers, and the sounds of cameras clicking, Reiju, standing beside her father, couldn't help but look around with curiosity, constantly observing the crowds and buildings.

"Father, are they cheering for us?"

Why is everyone so happy?

Dressed in a grey tuxedo and wearing a gold helmet, Judge scanned the room expressionlessly, paused for a moment, and then answered his daughter's question:

"Because we are royalty, we are born to be served."

Reiju's smile faded slightly. The girl didn't really like being served. Looking at the towering red earthen walls, she couldn't help but sigh softly:

"That crane is faster than our snail, and I don't know where its power comes from."

Judge didn't know much about this exclusive passage leading to the other side of the ocean through the World Government, but he had some guesses about his daughter's curiosity:

"Slaves are the driving force."

Fisher Tiger's attack on Mary Geoise freed a large number of slaves, and related news has been circulating for the past two years. It is no secret that the Celestial Dragons use "human resources" at will.

To maintain the massive city on the Red Line, Judge couldn't calculate exactly how many people would be needed, but he was certain that the World Government possessed far more advanced technology and had no intention of sharing or using it.

Technology can solve many problems, but the World Government only focuses on research and monopoly, and technology has never served many people. Judge was "recruited" this time, but deep down he still hates the World Government.

"The flight time for Bubble Basket Number Two has arrived!"

The naval staff loudly reminded him, and Judge took his daughter up into the gondola. From a distance, the gondola didn't look very big, but once inside, Reiju exclaimed in surprise. The interior space and decoration of the gondola far exceeded her expectations.

Some of the younger members of the royal family were shouting and yelling as the basket ascended; they had never experienced traversing the Red Earth before.

As they ascended to several thousand meters, many members of the royal family couldn't help but exclaim in awe as they looked at the clouds and the bubbles reflecting the sunlight.

"What a nice view!"

"It's so beautiful! No wonder it's the place where the descendants of the creators of this world live!"

Even before truly entering the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the group was already awestruck. Considering that they would be at an altitude of 10,000 meters after reaching the summit, many young members of the royal family got up and went to the exit of the gondola ahead of time.

"The bubble gondola has successfully entered port!"

"We are currently near the designated location. Please be careful of the area around your feet."

"Only after climbing that long and grand staircase can one reach the center of the world's oceans, the highest and largest continent—the Holy Land Mary Geoise!"

The voices of the Holy Land soldiers came from the side. The group that landed at the port all looked up and saw a slope carved out of the hard red soil, with huge stone statues standing on both sides.

Reiju was too short; at a glance, she could only vaguely see half of the huge white archway above.

Everything here is so big!

"There's nothing to see here. Xiu should have arrived by now. Don't keep him waiting."

Judge responded calmly and took the lead. To him, the massive building was nothing compared to the advanced technology.

God knows how this place was built, and how many slaves were used in the process...

Not far away, a few people from the founding nation of Alabasta were also silently walking. 38-year-old Nefit D. Cobra was in his prime and had come to the meeting with a proposal.

Cobra believes the World Conference can make the world a better place. Although the records left by his ancestors puzzle him, he now wants to take on the responsibility of the founding nation.