Of course, all that fury had been Oscar-worthy acting.
Even so, Tenma couldn't help but admire the ruthlessness of these agents.
For the sake of closing the deal, they hadn't hesitated to sell out a trump-card spy who had been embedded for years.
Very CP0.
And it suited him perfectly. Since Rosinante had already fulfilled his role of passing on information, his value within Doflamingo's camp had reached its end.
"Since you already know everything, I won't waste words,"
Tenma shifted into a more comfortable position, his gaze playful.
"Kaido that drunkard has quite the appetite. You really aren't afraid he'll bite your hand off if you snatch food from his mouth?"
"We're well aware of that,"
the lead CP0 stood up, dusted off his knees, and regained his former aloofness.
"We've confirmed that your production capacity is expanding. You're fully capable of opening a second sales channel. The World Government wishes to become your second major client."
"As for the price…" He paused deliberately.
"We'll pay double. Twice what Kaido of the Beasts is offering."
It was an astronomical figure—one that would normally be impossible to refuse.
Although artificial Devil Fruits had side effects, double the price was already approaching the market value of genuine Devil Fruits.
To build an invincible army, the World Government truly spared no expense.
"Not enough."
To their surprise, Tenma merely waved his hand, utterly uninterested.
"If this is all the resolve the World Government has, then you'd better leave. I don't lack that bit of money."
The three CP0 agents exchanged looks.
This was double the profit margin! Even Kaido didn't get this treatment. How could this man be so insatiably greedy?
But since Tenma hadn't completely shut the door, there was still room to negotiate.
The CP0 agent on the left—silent until now—suddenly stepped forward, as if struck by an idea.
"If this is about the previous research facility on Punk Hazard, the World Government can let bygones be bygones—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, an invisible shockwave exploded outward.
The CP0 agent was sent flying like a rag doll, slamming hard into the wall and losing consciousness on the spot.
So fast!
The remaining two agents' pupils shrank violently.
They hadn't even seen Tenma move. The man who had been seated above them was now standing before them like a ghost.
"Punk Hazard?"
Tenma's voice was as cold as a Siberian gale.
"That was a trap you idiots set for me back then using the newspapers. That account was already settled, wasn't it?"
Of course it wasn't.
That place had been a core World Government research base—top scientists and all—cleanly packed up and taken away by Tenma.
But under the gaze of those eyes brimming with killing intent, the remaining two CP0 agents didn't dare utter a single word.
"Listen carefully. My patience is limited."
The floor beneath Tenma's feet began to tremble rhythmically.
Dust motes in the air spun rapidly, forming a visible vortex that locked the two agents firmly in place.
That suffocating pressure returned.
"If you don't bring out something that truly excites me, all three of you will stay here today as fertilizer."
"W-What exactly does General Tenma want? As long as it's within our authority, we can discuss it!"
Should've said that earlier.
Tenma sneered inwardly, his expression still unreadable.
"I want ten top-tier warships."
"What?!"
The CP0 agents hesitated.
The Navy's dominance of the seas wasn't just due to Admirals—it relied on those massive warships capable of crossing the Calm Belt.
Seastone-lined hulls, the most advanced artillery systems, astonishing defensive power, and firepower rivaling a Buster Call.
Ten such war machines represented an astronomical cost—and more importantly, a catastrophic leak of core technology.
But staring at the terrifying sphere of energy gradually forming in Tenma's hand, the lead CP0 clenched his teeth.
"Deal!"
Compared to the long-term strategic value of mass-produced Devil Fruit users, ten warships—painful as it was—remained within acceptable limits.
After all, once they possessed an army of ability users, they could earn this loss back sooner or later.
As for Tenma, this was nothing short of a jackpot.
He had sold defective artificial fruits to future enemies at a premium price, freeloaded an elite fleet of world-class warships, and even used another's hand to eliminate hidden threats.
With the deal concluded, the two CP0 agents felt as though they'd been pardoned from death.
Leaving behind a dedicated contact Den Den Mushi, they dragged the unconscious unlucky bastard away in disgrace.
After confirming those pests were gone, Tenma leisurely dialed Doflamingo's number.
"Fufufufu, good afternoon, General Tenma,"
Doflamingo's signature arrogant laugh rang out from the other end.
"What brings you to call me? New instructions?"
As the middleman between Kaido and Tenma, Doflamingo had been riding high lately, his ambitions in the New World swelling uncontrollably.
"Joker, I'm in a very bad mood right now."
Tenma called him by his underground alias, voice icy.
Doflamingo's laughter cut off abruptly. Even through the line, his shock and tension were palpable.
"What happened? Did some blind idiot subordinate make you angry?"
"There was indeed a blind idiot,"
Tenma said flatly.
"Someone sold your family's internal situation to the World Government. Even the artificial fruit deal is known to them now."
"They told me to my face that there's a rat among your family's core executives."
Crack!
In Dressrosa's royal palace, the wineglass in Doflamingo's hand was crushed into powder.
Red wine dripped down his fingers like blood.
Veins bulged at his temples, murderous fury blazing behind his sunglasses.
"I've already agreed to do business with the Government. You'll be responsible for following up on the second production line,"
Tenma continued mercilessly.
"Of course, you'll also handle Kaido's anger. And since the leak came from your side, you must give me a perfect explanation."
"…Understood."
Doflamingo's voice turned hoarse and low. Cold sweat soaked through his feathered coat.
Only after making a series of flesh-cutting compensation promises did he tremblingly hang up.
Within the room, killing intent born of betrayal began to ferment violently.
Time flew by. Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
At the hidden backup port of Blade Harbor, a colossal shadow now loomed over the sea.
Ten steel behemoths—each capable of carrying thousands of troops—lay silently at anchor, radiating oppressive presence.
This area bordered the arms factories and core research facilities—the very heart of Wano's technological might.
These ten warships weren't merely big.
At Tenma's directive, the craftsmen pulled out their ultimate trump cards.
The hulls were lavishly inlaid with massive amounts of seastone—a level of extravagance that defied belief.
Meanwhile, the weapons R&D teams worked nonstop, arming these behemoths to the teeth with the latest cutting-edge weaponry.
Because the modifications were done on finished ships, they saved immense time and money that would've gone into rebuilding keels.
In just one month, after consuming mountains of precious materials, the seastone armor achieved full coverage.
This cold-gleaming armor multiplied defensive power geometrically and came with a built-in "Devil Fruit Nemesis" attribute.
To prevent friendly fire, insulating layers were thoughtfully installed inside the hulls, allowing allied ability users to remain fully functional within the ship.
The armor design was exquisite—retractable, storable, and integrated with Wano's unique flying propulsion system.
Imagine it: ten massive warships, bristling with the world's top firepower, suddenly lifting off from the sea.
A nightmare made real.
This was a casual move Tenma had made during a consolidation phase—yet it forged ten true monsters of naval warfare.
Sea Circle Calendar 1507
Riding the aftershocks of Fisher Tiger's rampage at Mary Geoise, Tenma once again went into hiding,to madly build up strength during this rare window of stability.
In the latter half of the year, the long-awaited Flame Festival arrived on schedule—its scale dwarfing even the previous Tea Party.
Guests from all factions gathered. Tenma received gifts until his hands nearly cramped.
With last year's gift standards as precedent, every power went all-in this time, terrified their offerings wouldn't measure up.
Of course, not everyone could be as extravagant as Doflamingo, who treated powerful Devil Fruits like calling cards.
Sure enough, Doflamingo once again stole the spotlight—this time sending Baby 5, who had eaten the Arms-Arms Fruit.
And in a private transaction, to settle the exposure of the SMILE factories, he pulled every string and burned vast funds to obtain a Paramecia-type: Insight Fruit as atonement.
Tenma toyed with the fruit, weighing its value.
Not overwhelmingly strong, but not weak either.
Given to a sniper or a swordsman, it would be a massive boost—perhaps even cultivating an alternative "Hawk-Eyes"-level powerhouse.
It might make a fine reward for Kuina, whose swordsmanship was advancing by leaps and bounds.
As for this year's tournament, with top-tier combatants refraining from bullying the field, the precious Snow-Snow Fruit ultimately went to a newly risen genius swordsman of Wano.
In a single leap, he became a candidate general within Tenma's personal Oniwabanshu.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1508 · February]
With Wano as the absolute core, a vast intelligence network quietly spread outward.
Using the Revolutionary Army and the underworld as cover, the Shadow Guards' tendrils expanded wildly across the world.
Regions likely to produce powerful Devil Fruits in the coming years—and those potential powerhouse figures etched in Tenma's memory—were all placed under priority surveillance.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1508 · June]
A bombshell shook the world:
The Sea Train, built over ten years by Tom's Workshop in Water 7, was officially completed!
More than just a train, it was a miracle that shrank the distance between islands—ushering in a historic leap in travel speed.
At the same time, Shadow Guards embedded in the Drum Kingdom sent back triumphant news.
Beyond monitoring advanced medical technology, after years of waiting, they finally obtained the crucial prize—
The Munch-Munch Fruit.
A core puzzle piece for Tenma's future tech tree.
Whether it was breakthroughs in mechanical armies or plans to seize Devil Fruit abilities, this fruit was an indispensable key.
Taking it extremely seriously, Tenma dispatched the formidable Lafitte personally to retrieve it—ensuring absolute safety.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1508 · September]
Good news arrived from Amazon Lily.
At eighteen, Boa Hancock, with her overwhelming Haki and strength, ascended the throne as Empress and took command of the Kuja Pirates.
As she matured, her breathtaking beauty fully blossomed. Her personality also followed canon—proud, willful, and disdainful of men.
Yet before Tenma, the arrogant beauty snake instantly turned into a clingy kitten.
Influenced by Black Maria and Wano's open atmosphere, this Hancock knew quite a lot. After coming of age, her advances were bold and fiery.
At this year's Flame Festival, Hancock was unquestionably the star.
With unmatched strength and beauty that could topple nations, as News Coo spread her image worldwide, she was directly crowned "The World's Most Beautiful Woman."
Countless men drooled over the papers—while simultaneously seething with jealousy at Tenma, whom Hancock held so intimately.
To be fair, with Hancock's tall, perfect, devilish figure and the conqueror's allure of her Empress status, Tenma was enjoying himself immensely.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1508 · October]
Lafitte returned at last, bringing with him the Sea Train blueprints, Drum Kingdom's black-tech medical knowledge, and that all-important Munch-Munch Fruit.
The moment Tenma saw it, the candidate was already decided in his mind.
The fruit's upper limit was absurdly high.
Conversion. Synthesis. Digestion.
Each trait alone was god-tier.
Especially Synthesis—a universal key that could open the gates to entirely new technologies.
After layers of selection, Tenma chose the research division's second-in-command—Kompus.
His scientific ability was second only to Caesar, and his combat power was respectable. He was the perfect vessel for the Munch-Munch Fruit.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1508 · November]
As Kompus' mastery of the fruit deepened, a series of insane experiments officially began.
The opening shot: recreating the very foundation of Wapol's canon comeback—
Shape-Memory Alloy.
This metal was nothing short of a miracle in materials science.
Incredible hardness. Extreme corrosion resistance. And most absurd of all—plasticity.
It behaved like a living organism, carrying "lineage factors."
Though cold metal, once damaged it could self-repair like healing flesh.
Franky's absurdly tough General Franky, Germa 66's bug-level raid suits—their core material was exactly this.
More importantly, this alloy was the cornerstone of Vegapunk's dream: super weapons that completely obey humans.
If the metal contained biological lineage factors, that meant it could be encoded with Devil Fruit abilities.
Crack that, and mass-producing high-tech killing machines embedded with fruit powers became possible.
No need for complex artificial humans—just use machines as vessels.
A mechanical army with Devil Fruit powers… even replicating a composite monster like the Seraphim would no longer be a dream.
After a sleepless week of synthesis experiments, staring at the metal that seemed to breathe, Tenma knew—
Wano's tech tree had once again unlocked a crucial branch.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1508 · December]
With the new alloy's emergence, all experts from the artificial fruit project—except those maintaining SMILE production—abandoned their posts and swarmed this new topic like sharks smelling blood.
As research deepened, the alloy's potential proved limitless.
For example, creating mechanical soldiers directly infused with artificial fruit factors—forming an undead animal-type mech army.
Or combining it with Caesar's beloved toxin tech to produce mobile poison-dispersal war machines.
It could even store Yamato's terrifying lightning power, giving birth to true laser-energy weapons.
Though still in early stages, with this alloy, realizing these ideas was only a matter of time.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1509 · March]
Now fully adept with the fruit, Kompus began exploring the Munch-Munch Fruit's potential in human modification, following Tenma's vision.
A hapless Devil Fruit user had long been captured—today's "test subject."
The scene was a bit horrifying, but for the iron-willed Kompus, it was nothing.
He simply had to treat his mouth as a high-tech processing platform and overcome the psychological hurdle of eating a person.
With the first success under his belt, the rest went smoothly.
The ability user was swallowed into his internal space. Within that dimension, completely dominated by Kompus, all matter was malleable at will.
The results were exhilarating!
Without any bodily mutation, Kompus successfully used the subject's sound-wave ability.
Getting carried away, he even swallowed a terrified, green-faced Caesar—instantly creating a fusion monster wielding both the Gas-Gas Fruit and sound-wave powers, still controlled by Caesar's primary consciousness.
The era of truly monstrous technology had begun.
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