"Big bro, where are we going next?"
Atmos was flying through the sky with Roy on his back.
"Let think... Where's Izo?" Roy asked.
"I dropped him off with Ace. Seems like Ace is planning another assault on the Beasts Pirates," Atmos replied.
"Perfect, he can send Izo back to Wano," Roy said with a smile.
"Yeah, compared to two years ago, Ace has grown a lot. He might actually stand a chance against Kaido now," Atmos said.
"Who knows? Depends if he can beat Loxus first," Roy laughed.
"Loxus has beco a real monster. Word is he's already defeated King," Atmos said.
"If the current you fought the you from a year ago, how many could you beat?"
"A hundred."
"HAHAHAHA!"
"Exactly. With your Devil Fruit abilities being so powerful, you're definitely not the sa as before."
"But we're still no match for you, big brother. No one can maintain their abilities under your Haki. So, where are we headed next?"
"Let's go to Dressrosa," Roy said after so thought.
"Dressrosa? Isn't that Doflamingo's territory? Why are we going there?" Atmos asked.
"To collect a debt," Roy replied.
"Does Doflamingo owe us money?"
"You'll see soon enough."
The dragon soared through the sky as Roy pulled out the fruit in his hand. He needed to continue experinting to see if it could be turned into a complete fruit. If not, he'd have to find a way to destroy it.
.....
anwhile, Punk Hazard was bustling with activity. The Straw Hat Pirates had arrived, clashing with the mad scientist Caesar Clown, the Marines, and the Warlord Trafalgar Law.
By the ti Roy left Egghead, a day had already passed. Upon arriving in Dressrosa, Roy and Atmos checked into an inn.
Forces from all sides seed to be converging here. Atmos went out to gather information.
"Big brother, I found the fruit that was stolen from us back then," Atmos said, storming in with murderous intent.
"What fruit?" Roy was staring blankly at the fruit on the table when he looked up, surprised by Atmos's expression.
"The one you sent for Loxus to choose from, there were two. One of them, the Phoenix Fruit, got stolen. It's now in Dressrosa, and Doflamingo is offering it as a prize in the colosseum!" Atmos reported.
"Oh? It ended up with Doflamingo?" Roy raised an eyebrow.
A year ago, Roy had decided to take care of his son. He sent out two Devil Fruits, one for Loxus to choose from and eat, the other as paynt to Kaido.
Why give it to Kaido? Simple, Kaido had paid him obscenely well.
As an arms dealer, Kaido was one of the richest n in the world. The Beasts Pirates' wealth couldn't even be asured by national standards.
There were wars everywhere, pirates, Marines, and Kingdoms all buying weapons.
Even if war didn't exist naturally, Doflamingo light flas to keep business booming
As soon as Doflamingo fell, countless factions imdiately surrendered.
Weapons, not ideals, are the deciding factor in war among ordinary people.
That's the truth.
A single fruit could bring so many benefits. Roy had sent it out, knowing Kaido would never figure out its secrets.
Because Kaido would never expect that Caesar Clown happened to have a failed, yet actually successful, Replicated Devil Fruit created by Vegapunk.
It was just that Caesar's research skills were too pathetic.
Roy had arranged for Umit, the Shipping King, to transport the fruit, but it was intercepted during transit.
To ensure at least one fruit made it, Umai split the shipnt, a smart move that guaranteed one would reach Wano. The other had been missing ever since.
Because of that transport issue, only one reached its destination. The Beasts Pirates searched for the missing one relentlessly. Umit had to pay a huge compensation to Kaido, or else Kaido would've killed him.
Now, the missing Phoenix Fruit had resurfaced in Dressrosa after a year. What was Doflamingo thinking by putting it up as a prize? Was there so sche behind it?
"Keep an eye on the Beasts Pirates. See if they make any moves," Roy instructed.
"Big bro, that fruit is ours. I'm getting it back!" Atmos growled.
"Doflamingo wouldn't dare steal it outright. If it reappears a year after being taken, then the most likely explanation is..." Roy trailed off, laughing to himself.
Umit's cargo ships weren't that easy to rob. For one to be compromised, there were two possibilities: either the weather of the New World swallowed it, or it was an inside job.
If it was inside theft, then whoever was behind it must've been soone interested in researching artificial Devil Fruits.
That ant it was probably one of the people at the very top. Soone had wanted to research Artificial Devil Fruits.
After a year of failed research, the fruit must have entered the black market.
And who better to obtain first dibs on such underground goods than Doflamingo, the underworld's emperor and ultimate broker?
If Roy's guess was right, even Doflamingo didn't know the fruit's full origin.
He might've known it ca from the Whitebeard Pirates, but he likely never guessed it had originally ant to be for the Beasts Pirates.
Unknowingly, he had offended Kaido. The Beasts Pirates were probably already on their way.
As Roy was analyzing the situation…
Elsewhere in the New World…
Jack, who had just finished the war on Zou, received the news.
"Phoenix Fruit. Dressrosa. Doflamingo."
Jack clenched his jaw as his subordinate reported. Veins popped on his forehead.
"Good. Good. Good. Doflamingo really has so guts," Jack growled.
"Lord Jack..."
"Caesar's been captured, and now Doflamingo's true colors are showing. That damn clown actually dared to steal from the Beasts Pirates. No matter what, we're dragging him back for Kaido-sama to deal with!"
Jack abandoned everything on Zou and imdiately set sail for Dressrosa.
....
anwhile, Kaido wasn't in Wano at the mont, but Wano had also received the news.
anwhile, Kaido wasn't in Wano, but the news had already reached the country.
"The missing Phoenix Fruit is in Doflamingo's hands," Queen said.
"I know, you idiot," King replied.
"Your the idiot. Jack is already on his way. Doflamingo… How dare he lay hands on our property?" Queen sneered.
"Just kill him," said a figure erging from the shadows.
After two years, Loxus, now 18, had fully matured. He was even taller than Roy and nearly matched King in stature.
If Roy saw him now, he'd probably scream "genetic mutation!", wondering how his son had turned out like this.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu
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