Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

"We'll talk about cooperation again later; you'll be interested!"

Chapter 12 "Stealing the Country, Part Three" (6500 words)

In May of the 1531st year of the Sea Calendar, the people of the New World Kingdom of Dressrosa were still immersed in music, food, and dance.

The festival last month extended into the beginning of this month, with the traditional costume performance even attracting the king's personal attention. The Kingdom of Dressrosa may not be that wealthy, but its people feel happy.

This month's "Flower Festival" is a favorite time for young people, and many choose to confess their feelings during this period.

"The Island of Love and Passion" is also another name for Dressrosa, a country full of love that has developed peacefully and stably under the leadership of King Riku.

The Dresden Palace stands atop a flower-filled hilltop. The reclusive Cyrus, however, has no interest in appreciating the scenery outside the castle and has arrived at the palace early to report to his beloved king.

"Scarlett and I have spotted those pirates while we've been out these past few days. The rumors are true, so please be extra careful!"

"Cyrus, Rebecca is six years old now, isn't she? I'm a little ashamed to say that I've been visiting you less and less these past few years."

King Riku, his hair now gray, suddenly smiled gently, looking at Cyrus with increasing satisfaction; his daughter's choice was right.

Cyrus's face showed a hint of surprise. This sudden conversation about everyday matters left him speechless. Sensing his embarrassment, King Riku suddenly whispered:

"Leave, Cyrus!"

"Take Scarlett and Rebecca and get out of here as soon as possible. This country has become a target of the World Government."

"It was my recklessness that ruined this country..."

"Why?! Is it because of those pirates? I'm willing to lead the royal army to drive them out; we can protect this country..."

Cyrus asked loudly, his expression growing increasingly puzzled. King Riku had been acting strangely ever since the World Conference ended two years ago.

Although he didn't come often, he could tell that the other party was hiding something.

King Riku once again displayed a complicated expression. During that postponed meeting, he and the King of Alabasta had jointly raised the issue of the danger posed by the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

To his disappointment, not only did none of the kings present support him, but after the meeting, a mysterious agent warned him not to interfere.

What he found most absurd was that some Celestial Dragons, somehow having received information, had developed a strong interest in his country...

Since the Donquixote family left the Kingdom of Dressrosa hundreds of years ago, the Riku family has taken over and liberated the enslaved tontatta tribe.

Although this made the country less wealthy, the Riku clan insisted on treating all citizens equally, and the "Legend of the Fairies" also protected the members of the Tontatta tribe.

King Riku was furious to suddenly discover that his country had become a "playground" in the eyes of the Celestial Dragons, but after protesting, he was warned again by the agents.

"It is your honor to be favored by God!"

After King Riku returned to Dressrosa from the meeting, this phrase kept replaying in his mind. When he learned that Donquixote Doflamingo had been released, he immediately guessed that the Celestial Dragons were behind it.

The news the navy sent him seemed to confirm this; King Riku didn't want to see his family hurt, and he was already planning a "last stand"...

Cyrus, seeing King Riku suddenly fall silent, didn't know what to say, and finally could only solemnly promise:

"I will not leave! I can never repay your kindness!"

“I will take good care of Scarlett and Rebecca. Whatever happens, I will stand with you and this country.”

King Riku's face showed emotion, and he patted Cyrus's shoulder with a slight smile.

Unbeknownst to the two, agents had entered the country last month to gather information, and Doflamingo had not only promised to hand over the Heavenly Gold, but also planned to "offer interesting toys."

Taking advantage of Donquixote Musegard Saint's disappearance, Doflamingo finally got the chance to strike at the Celestial Dragons.

-

The port city of Spedamaelz in the North Sea is becoming increasingly bustling, with its good order and beautiful environment attracting people from the surrounding islands.

Nottis was once a prosperous land in the North Sea, but in just a few years, it has been completely surpassed by Spedamaelz.

The neighboring three islands were also affected. HEART boosted local employment, and as long as you are willing to work hard, you can always buy your own house in Spedamaelz after a few years.

Of course, people in the commercial district can't afford to buy property there, so HEART has already started speculating on real estate...

The concept of "Central Ring Road" has taken root in people's minds. Coupled with the added benefit of "engineering school", the houses in the center of the business district have long been divided up by bankers, underworld families and HEART.

Although the tuition fees at the "engineering school" made the old man Wolf a little unhappy, the measure was indeed a huge help to the children!

Moreover, the "night schools" that have been established in the past two years have enabled more young people to obtain stable jobs. Although working in factories is tough, life is much better now than before.

In the underground laboratory connected to the warehouse next to the hospital, researchers were busy with their work.

The transformation of the massive ships towed back from the Drum Kingdom is of utmost urgency; the company needs to continue expanding its market, and the ships must keep up.

The shipbuilding industry also provides a lot of jobs, but there are currently too few skilled workers, resulting in a heavy workload for everyone. Fortunately, HEART is never stingy with overtime pay, so most researchers are both suffering and happy.

Wolf wore a pair of glasses with adjustable focus. The old man repeatedly observed the metal ball on the experimental device. The material problem was troubling him. Suddenly, a suitable material appeared, and the old man could hardly believe it.

"Lord Xiu, where did you get this from?"

"The corrosion resistance of this alloy is incredible, and its weight is also suitable for ship modification. If the data is correct, this should be a new alloy."

"With our current technology, it's very difficult to replicate; the alloy formula is strictly confidential!"

"Could it be naval technology? They shouldn't be so generous..."

Seeing the old man's fixed gaze, Furukawa knew that the alloy he had been eating these past two days was quite good. The fusion of the split spirit body with the "Devil Fruit essence" he had [collected] did not seem to have diminished its effects.

"Navy? Waterways and warships are the foundation of their world domination, and they won't share the relevant data and technology."

"I naturally synthesized the alloy, but there is currently a problem: the corresponding process for producing the alloy is lacking."

“I can help with the ingredient ratio, but to improve efficiency, both the pretreatment of raw materials and the production process need to be improved.”

"Can you design a corresponding device? If you encounter any mechanical structures that you cannot solve, just let me know."

Wolf took off his glasses, and the old man stared wide-eyed for a long time without saying a word. "The Great Leap Forward in materials science," he couldn't understand it at all. Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he asked in a low voice:

"Could it be a Devil Fruit ability?"

"I guess so! It's just that you revised the content of your plan. After all, sometimes you need a bit of luck when it comes to materials."

"Don't give up on the research once the materials are produced. Leave the sample synthesis to me, and provide a feasibility report every week."

Furukawa Osamu patted Wolf with a smile and made a request. Upon hearing "every week," the old man immediately jumped up, waving his hands and shouting loudly:

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"Submitting a feasibility report every week would probably drive me crazy."

"You just need to propose the theoretical feasibility, and I will help you verify it. This must be the scenario that every scientist dreams of, right?"

Wolf nodded subconsciously, but quickly shook his head repeatedly. The old man paced back and forth, but in the end he couldn't resist the temptation. Only the right materials could unleash his creativity.

"I've tentatively agreed! It's just the researcher's side..."

"Don't worry, you won't be shortchanged on overtime pay. If you achieve results, you'll still enjoy profit sharing, and your year-end bonus will be doubled."

Faced with Furukawa Osamu's "money-spraying strategy," Wolfe knew without much thought that the researchers would definitely raise their hands in favor, and his opposition would have no effect whatsoever.

"Sigh...it's a good thing to earn more money..."

"Lord Xiu, we will complete the modification of that ship as soon as possible!"

"Um... if I may ask, how did you manage to transport that ship here intact? We've inspected it, and many of the devices are malfunctioning..."

Wolf put it rather euphemistically, but in reality, Wapol's ship was enhanced by a Devil Fruit. Without that power, the hastily built ship would naturally have problems.

"It's a secret! Don't worry! Just like submarines, by the time the navy discovers them, we'll already be using them."

Seeing the curve of Furukawa Osamu's lips, Wolf's eyes twitched slightly. Since coming to HEART, things that defy scientific common sense have always happened.

"Could it also be a Devil Fruit ability? That can't be..."

Wolf muttered to himself, "How could such a large ship fit perfectly into the newly built shipyard without making a sound? The old man really couldn't figure out how it was done."

Driven by an irresistible urge, Wolfe could only force himself to bury himself in the action, and the more he explored, the more secrets HEART revealed!

After leaving the laboratory, Furukawa Osamu put his hands in his pockets. He could still use his unreasonable eye techniques, but Sumina Hiko's would only consume more of his reserved Sage Chakra.

"Are human desires also a form of energy? No wonder they were so easy to refine."

An incomprehensible energy was wrapped around the split spirit, so powerful that it altered the body's bloodline. Fortunately, the unknown will contained within it had been cleared away by Furukawa Osamu, and the spirit had taken its place.

With the ability to devour, theoretically one can consume the "Mother Fire Seed," but the spirit body still needs to upgrade its energy level, otherwise it will be difficult to leverage the planet's energy through the modified divine tree.

Just as Furukawa was about to continue "eating" some metal to explore the materials, Luo rushed to the entrance of the experiment, handed over the World Economic News newspaper, and, with a look of shock, whispered:

"Shu! Doflamingo has been released!"

"He suddenly became one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and last night he inexplicably became the King of Dressrosa!"

"The Navy offered no explanation, and no one answered the Den Den Mushi on Corazon's end..."

"How could this be? Doflamingo accomplished in one night what he had been preparing for for years. He shouldn't have this kind of power..."

When Luo saw the news early in the morning, he thought he had picked up the wrong newspaper. After checking repeatedly, he found it unbelievable that the navy had not taken any action and had allowed the royal family to change.

Noticing the worry on Luo's face, Furukawa Osamu glanced at the newspaper and gave a brief reply:

"Hundreds of years ago, Dressrosa was controlled by the Donquixote Family. After they became Celestial Dragons, the Riku family took over the country and freed the slaves."

"It's just like you think. Doflamingo used to be a Celestial Dragon, and even after he fell from grace, the two sides still maintained contact."

"The newspaper reported the day before yesterday that the Celestial Dragons had gone missing in the Sabaody Archipelago. Those people should take this opportunity to put pressure on the Navy."

"The action was faster than expected. I thought he would have to serve at least 5 years in prison. The justice that the world government promotes is weaker than I imagined."

"A...Celestial Dragon?!"

Luo's expression changed drastically. The "Creators of the World" had been promoted for so long that many people believed that the Celestial Dragons possessed noble bloodlines, which had almost become a consensus.

"Will Corazon be in trouble?"

"They'll probably be disappointed, but after Doflamingo became a Shichibukai, he's considered a member of the Marines. Corazon has essentially brought his brother back to the right path."

"Both of them serve the Navy. Corazon is safe. Doflamingo wouldn't be foolish enough to kill his colleague."

Furukawa Osamu shook his head slightly, recalling Corazon's righteous expression when he decided to give a just trial and abandon the execution. He knew then that Doflamingo would definitely return.

The assessment that Doflamingo is inherently evil is accurate; this time, he will definitely intensify his enslavement of that country.

After confirming that Corazon was alright, Ronaldo's emotions immediately calmed down. As for what happened in Dressrosa, he was curious but not particularly interested.

It's no surprise that Doflamingo has established a new base in the New World. Law believes that even if the Donquixote Family executives reunite, they will not pose any threat to HEART.

"Will that guy contact us?"

"After all, we still control the channels in the underworld, and Doflamingo certainly won't give them up."

After careful consideration, Law began to speculate on Doflamingo's plans with certainty. One kingdom was not enough; he was quite familiar with Doflamingo's ambitions.

“He needs labor, so we need to manufacture some more toy products.”

"You don't need to worry about this. Maybe HEART will enter a new world soon. Remember to take a look at the information on ancestral factor diseases that I provided to you."

After Furukawa gave him a final reminder, Law put the Dressrosa matter out of his mind, and a look of curiosity involuntarily appeared on his face:

"That blue scale disease? It seems there's no good cure for it, right?"

“If it involves bloodline factors, then it is already considered a genetic disease. Rewriting genes is something that only God can do.”

The more Luo understood about the bloodline factor, the more he could sense how outrageous this power was, even including the characteristics of Devil Fruits. At present, artificial Devil Fruits seemed to be a feasible solution.

The two walked up to the upper floors of the hospital. Furukawa Osamu did not answer the question directly, but only addressed some of Luo's confusion.

"In a few years, someone might come to us seeking a solution for treating leprosy."

"You still have time to continue your research. By then, your bloodline factors should be perfected, and improving your physical strength will be a piece of cake."

"Is he a Celestial Dragon?"

Upon hearing someone seeking medical help, Law immediately frowned and asked in a low voice. He had no goodwill towards the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, and even though the Navy offered him protection, he still had no intention of serving them.

"Of course not. Anyway, just focus on your studies. This is an opportunity for us to work together."

Luo believed most of Furukawa Osamu's "prophecy." The fact that he could contribute to the company's development even without treating the Celestial Dragons made him clench his fist and solemnly reply:

"I will find a cure!"

...

The "Mad King" of Dressrosa has abdicated, and the fundraising for 100 billion Berries has been cancelled. Without the threat of pirates, it was all just an excuse for the "Mad King."

The contents of the newspaper left the people of Dressrosa bewildered. They had indeed witnessed King Riku on horseback slaughtering people who refused to pay their dues, but the king's sudden madness remained questionable.

A thick cloud of smoke rose over the "Island of Love and Passion," as Don Quixote's family officers and their men had already occupied the kingdom's main thoroughfares. Two days had passed since the night of blood and fire.