One Piece: Scientist Simulator

Conqueror's Haki Unleashed

Dorry knelt heavily, one hand bracing against the ground while the other clutched his injured chest. The raw force of Conqueror's Haki bypassed his physical resilience entirely, delivering an attack that felt like it reached the core of his being. Blood trickled steadily from his mouth as he glared at the small figure before him with bloodshot eyes.

"Damn... b*****d..." he cursed silently, summoning all his strength to grab the giant sword lying beside him. Trembling, he rose to his feet, rage burning in his eyes.

Edie's expression remained calm, but the corners of his eyes crackled with electricity as red lightning surged from his body, accompanied by the sharp sizzle of raw energy.

"I said... kneel," Edie stated coldly.

Boom!

The air seemed to condense as an overwhelming force pressed down on Dorry like an invisible hand. Unable to resist, the giant was driven back to his knees, his head pinned to the ground.

"What do you want from me?!" Dorry screamed internally, his pride and strength shattered by the monstrous power he was witnessing. This man… he's no ordinary human. His use of Haki is unlike anything I've ever seen!

Robin, standing nearby, watched in awe. The air around the giant was filled with red lightning crackling ominously, creating an almost otherworldly aura.

"Haki," Edie began, his voice calm yet authoritative, "is the power of the seas—both natural and spiritual."

Robin listened intently as Edie walked toward the subdued giant. "There are two opposing seas in this world. The natural sea represents life, while the sea of souls embodies death."

As he spoke, Edie removed a lancet from his pocket, bending down to collect a sample of Dorry's blood. The contrast of his clinical precision against the immense power he had just displayed was chilling.

"Haki stems from the energy of life. Devil Fruits, however, originate from the energy of death." He glanced at Robin briefly. "This is the essence of their power once you strip away the myths and look at their roots."

Robin struggled to fully grasp the concept. Though she could memorize his words, the abstract ideas of the "soul" and "sea of death" eluded her. Dorry, on the other hand, understood nothing of the lecture—his focus was solely on enduring the crushing pressure pinning him down.

"Damn you! What do you want from me?" Dorry roared, his voice hoarse.

Edie tucked the filled lancet away before responding. "My name is Edie. I'm a scientist, and I need the blood factors of your race for my research." After a pause, he added ominously, "But just to be thorough… I'll take a little of your soul as well."

"What?!" Dorry's blood froze as he instinctively sensed a danger beyond his comprehension. "Let me go, human!"

"Life. Or Death."

Edie smirked, activating the Soul Ring—a manifestation of the Soul Fruit itself. His calm voice began to chant a spell, and an eerie pink light enveloped Dorry. Fear crystallized into tangible form, spilling from his body as pink wisps of energy.

Dorry's eyes widened in terror as Edie reached out, plucking a small portion of his soul as if tearing apart a delicate thread. The sensation was excruciating, and Dorry let out a blood-curdling scream before collapsing unconscious. In Edie's palm, the pink wisp coalesced into a compact sphere.

"Insurance," Edie muttered to himself, slipping the soul fragment into his own body. His mind churned with possibilities. He had devised two potential methods for achieving the enlargement experiment Charlotte Linlin sought.

The first involved integrating the giant's blood factor into human DNA to create an artificial race of giants. The problem lay in compressing the centuries-long evolutionary process into a matter of years.

The second—and far more feasible—was to develop a new type of Zoan Devil Fruit: Zoan - Human Fruit: Giant Form. By using both the blood factor and the extracted soul fragment, Edie could bypass natural limitations entirely.

Satisfied with his progress, Edie turned to Robin. "Let's go. We're done here."

Robin hesitated, glancing at the unconscious giant. "Are you just going to leave him like this?"

Edie chuckled. "Do you know why this island is called Little Garden?" He gestured around them. "To these giants, this place is a playground. There's no need to worry about predators; the creatures here are too terrified to approach them."

Robin nodded, seemingly reassured, and reached for Edie's arm. Together, they ascended into the sky, leaving Dorry behind.

As they soared through the air, a sharp purururu sound interrupted the silence. Edie gestured toward his pocket. "Answer it. It's likely Crocodile."

Robin obeyed, retrieving the Den Den Mushi. A deep, gravelly voice greeted her. "Edie... you called?"

Robin glanced at Edie, unsure of what to say, before holding the receiver closer to him.

Edie's voice was calm but commanding. "Crocodile, meet me in the port city of Alabasta. You have one day."

Without waiting for a response, Edie motioned for Robin to end the call.

"Crocodile?" Robin asked, wide-eyed. "The Warlord of the Sea?"

Edie smirked. "Exactly."

Tightening his hold on her, he added, "Hold on. We're going to pick up the pace."

"Yes, Mr. Edie!" Robin clung to him as they surged toward Alabasta at breakneck speed, leaving the prehistoric island far behind.

Somewhere on the Seas Near Alabasta

Crocodile sat perched on the bulwark of a pirate ship, staring at the disconnected transponder snail in his hand. The static tone rang faintly, yet the sound seemed to mock him.

He scowled, his brow furrowed. Hung up on me... The thought gnawed at him. What could Edie possibly want? Their last encounter on Jaya Island had been anything but pleasant—Crocodile still carried the sting of humiliation from being bested by Chenlong, Edie's monstrous creation.

"Crocodile!"

A hoarse voice pierced through the eerie silence of the blood-soaked deck. From among the heap of lifeless bodies, the pirate captain staggered to his feet, his form drenched in crimson. Summoning every ounce of strength left in his battered frame, he lunged forward, swinging a cutlass in a desperate bid to sever Crocodile's head.

The blade connected—but instead of flesh and bone, it sliced through what appeared to be sand. Crocodile's decapitated head tumbled, still smirking, even as it dissolved into granules, reforming seamlessly on his neck.

"Ha… pathetic," Crocodile drawled, his voice laced with disdain. "Your bounty might be worth 48 million, but your skills are less than garbage."

He moved with chilling precision, his clawed hand grabbing the pirate by the throat. The man writhed, cursing through gasping breaths, but Crocodile's grip only tightened.

"Do you know why there's a gulf between us?" Crocodile hissed. "It's the difference in levels, idiot."

His Devil Fruit powers activated, and the captain's body withered as moisture drained from him, leaving only a hollow husk. Crocodile cast him aside like trash, not sparing him another glance as he turned toward the horizon.

Edie wants to meet. A shiver ran through him. Ignoring Edie wasn't an option—whatever the man wanted, it could lead to complications. And if there was one thing Crocodile hated, it was uncertainty.

Alabasta: A Desert Kingdom's Vibrance

Alabasta stretched vast and golden, a kingdom bathed in eternal heat. The bustling port city welcomed Edie and Robin with its unique blend of vibrant culture and relentless desert life. The streets brimmed with merchants, their voices competing under the blazing sun, while pedestrians strolled in light, airy garments to combat the stifling heat.

Edie led Robin into a high-end restaurant, choosing a secluded table with a view of the bustling marketplace. While savoring the exotic cuisine, he waited for Crocodile, who, surprisingly, arrived sooner than expected.

A gust of wind and sand whirled through the open window, condensing into Crocodile's imposing figure before their table.

"Hisashiburi Dana(Long time no See), Dr. Edie." Crocodile's gravelly voice carried a mix of sarcasm and tension. His sharp eyes quickly shifted from Edie to Robin, narrowing as recognition set in.

Nico Robin.

A name steeped in mystery and potential. Crocodile's mind raced. The survivor of Ohara—one who could decipher the Poneglyphs. His ambitions for Pluton, the Ancient Weapon hidden in Alabasta, were tied to her capabilities.

Edie noticed the flicker of realization in Crocodile's gaze and smirked. "Seven years, and you're still as weak as ever."

The barb struck a nerve. Crocodile's jaw tightened, but he forced his voice to remain calm. "What do you want from me?"

Edie leaned back leisurely, but before answering, his eyes gleamed with mischief. He activated the Soul Fruit's power, muttering an incantation under his breath.

"Life. Or Death."

A chilling sensation gripped Crocodile, as if the very essence of his being was exposed to an icy abyss. Wisps of pink substance—ethereal and otherworldly—began to leak from his chest, drawn toward Edie.

"What… is this?" Crocodile gasped, eyes widening in horror.

Edie grasped a fragment of the pink mist, pulling it toward himself. "Just borrowing a year of your life," he said, his tone casual, as though discussing the weather.

The ripping sensation of his soul was agonizing, but Crocodile endured it, teeth clenched, sweat dripping from his brow. When the ordeal was over, Edie held a small pink orb in his palm, which he swiftly absorbed.

"I've got what I need. You're free to go."

Crocodile's hand clenched into a trembling fist. "That… was BIG MOM's ability. You took my lifespan!"

"Relax. It's just one year," Edie said, tossing him an injection. "Here, anti-aging serum. It'll keep your body youthful. Can't say the same for your soul, though."

Crocodile caught the vial, glaring at Edie. "You're insane…"

Crocodile took a deep breath, the lingering chill from Edie's soul manipulation still prickling at his nerves. If he had known he would lose a year of his life, he might have thought twice about coming.

But no, it wasn't without gain.

Quickly steadying himself, his sharp gaze locked onto the woman sitting beside Edie.

"She's a survivor, isn't she? Nico Robin... from Ohara?"

Robin's eyes widened briefly, betraying a flicker of fear. Her body instinctively shifted closer to Edie, seeking an unspoken reassurance.

Crocodile chuckled, his voice rich with sly intent. "How about a deal? I have information about the Ancient Weapon, Pluton. But deciphering that information requires her power."

Edie's calm demeanor didn't waver. He met Crocodile's ambitions with a casual smile, as if the Shichibukai's ploy was beneath him.

"Pluton isn't in Alabasta," Edie said, effortlessly shattering Crocodile's aspirations with a single sentence.

"What?!" Crocodile's voice trembled, and his expression darkened.

"I told you before," Edie continued, a playful gleam in his eyes. "The Ancient Weapon existed. I told it myself seven years ago, back in Logue town."

"What do you mean?" Crocodile demanded, his mind racing.

Edie leaned back, his amusement palpable. "Three Ancient Weapons exist, Crocodile. Where do you think they are now?"

He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle in the room. "Since I've already taken a year of your life, I suppose I owe you something in return."

"Pluton is in Wano," Edie revealed, his tone measured. "Kaido has found it. Uranus resides in Mariejois, under the watchful eyes of the Five Elders."

Crocodile's face twisted into a scowl. He wanted to challenge the information but knew better. Edie wasn't one to waste time with lies, and the precision of his words left no room for doubt—at least part of it had to be true.

"And Poseidon?" Crocodile pressed, his voice low.

"That's not something I'm willing to share," Edie replied, his smile unreadable.

The truth of Poseidon's identity flickered briefly in Edie's mind. Shirahoshi, just a three-year-old child, the mermaid princess of Fish-Man Island. Letting someone like Crocodile near her wasn't an option.

Robin, silent throughout their exchange, watched intently. As Edie finished his meal, she poured him a cup of tea, her hands steady despite the tension in the air.

Edie sipped his tea leisurely, his eyes sharp as they flicked to Crocodile. "So, now that you know, what will you do?"

Crocodile was quiet, his thoughts swirling. Pluton, guarded by Kaido, was unreachable. Uranus, secured in the Holy Land of Mariejois, might be accessible—just barely.

He let out a dry laugh. "Thank you for the information."

Edie raised a curious eyebrow. "You believe me?"

"You have no reason to lie," Crocodile said, his tone laced with forced politeness. "But why not cooperate with me and steal Uranus from Mariejois? You're a scientist—surely you're interested in the power of the Ancient Weapons."

Edie chuckled, standing from his seat. "Cooperate with you? Are you worthy of my time?"

Crocodile's jaw clenched. "Don't act like you aren't plotting against the World Government yourself. With the Hive's history, it's clear you want equivalent power to challenge them."

"Your insight doesn't impress me," Edie said bluntly. "If you want to play in that league, train harder first. Maybe then you'll be useful."

Edie turned to leave, Robin rising to follow.

"Wait," Crocodile called out.

Edie paused, glancing over his shoulder.

"You gave me this information for a reason. Don't insult me by pretending otherwise," Crocodile growled. "What do you want from me?"

Edie smirked, the predator behind his mask briefly showing. "Next year, in 1510, the Reverie will convene. If you're serious about Uranus, become a king of a franchised nation and attend as royalty. That's your only chance to uncover anything substantial about Uranus."

As Edie reached the door, he stopped once more. "Oh, and Crocodile—stay out of Alabasta. That's not a request."

With that, he was gone, leaving Crocodile alone in the emptying restaurant.

For a moment, Crocodile sat in silence, his expression unreadable. His plans were shifting, the foundation cracking under Edie's influence.

Originally, he had intended to seize Alabasta's throne over years, uncover Pluton's location, and transform the nation into a military superpower outside the World Government's grasp. But now?

Now, that path was closed.

"Humph," Crocodile muttered, rising to his feet. "Fine. I'll focus on training. When the time comes, I'll be ready to rewrite the rules."

He left the restaurant, his mind already racing with new schemes. Alabasta might be out of reach, but his ambitions were far from extinguished.