{Search function activated.... searching.... searching.... searching.... Target locked. Initiating trade window with target: Alex Mercer , World : Earth(Prototype)}
'Cancel connection!' I mentally commanded the system after reading that.
{Connection cancelled, search use consumed.}
I felt a profound sense of loss at this but could only accept it. The Prototype universe was famous and exceptional for one single reason, The Blacklight virus. It was a nasty thing that could transform biomass on a genetic level and as if that wasn't bad enough turned those injected with it into increasingly dangerous monsters. -
Alex Mercer was what one might consider a carrier of the virus but that would be like calling a nuclear bomb a very large firecracker. In truth the man wasn't even a man anymore but rather the virus itself having absorbed and turned into a thinking being. That world was no different than a modern version of Earth otherwise and as a result not worth trading with at all. I didn't want that virus here or anywhere else for that matter and everything that place had we had here too so that was that. I knew that eventually I'd get someone or some place that would get rejected out of hand but hoped that would take longer.-
Still there was no use crying over it so I accepted my loss and moved on. Things didn't quiet down or rather stay quiet for long after that. I got a call from Whitebeard that made things rather tense the very next day. He was unusually stern when he popped up this time and I quickly lost my smile as a result.
"what happened?" I asked concerned.
"It's the world government. They've been sniffing around for some time now and finally made a move. Jozu has been taken. They plan to publicly execute him at Marineford In two weeks." he said gravely.
I groaned at that. It made sense I suppose that the world government would still want to take out one of the big players of the pirate faction and naturally choose Whitebeard even if he wasn't on his last legs anymore. The fact remained that he was the oldest of the Yonko and also the most threatening. Not because of his crew but because of his knowledge. The Whitebeard pirates weren't weak by any means but they weren't much stronger than any of the other Yonko crews. -
The real problem was that the closer to death the old man got the more likely it was he'd share something with the world the government didn't want getting out, something Roger might have told him.
"You know it's a trap right?" I asked and he nodded.
"Those rats aren't even being sneaky about it. Anyone with even a little rattling above their ears could tell that outright executing Jozu would be better if they didn't want to deal with me. I'm already making plans to see if they can reel in this old man." he said with a fierce glint in his eyes.
"How can I help?" I asked without hesitation.
"Unless you've got some way grow much stronger over two weeks we'll need healing supplies. A lot of them." he said seriously.
I frowned but nodded "I might have something for growing stronger in that amount of time but it'll be in short supply and i'll need some stuff from you as well to make it." I said seriously.
"Whatever you need i'll take care of it." he said intrigued.
"In fishman island, in the royal vault. There is a box with a forbidden medicine in it, I need it. By itself the medicine would work to improve your crews strength drastically but the price would be burning whoever ate it's lifeforce. The more you eat the greater the strength but the higher the cost. I can't guarantee it but I think I can improve the effectiveness of the medicine while lowering the cost using methods from my world." I explained gravely.
I don't like it. It'll damage the foundations of my children." he said with a deep frown.
"If I'm right not really. See the medicine is giving the one who eats it strength but has no source to fuel this growth except through the very lifeforce of the one eating it. In theory if I mix a few things in from my world that are supplementary to growth like this then the draw on the lifeforce should either be removed entirely or drastically lowered. From years off the lifespan to months if everything works out. You can consider it intense training bottled into mere moments if that helps." I said honestly.
He was quiet for a few minutes as he really thought it over before sighing and nodding.
"I'll get the medicine from Neptune. We will still need a lot of healing items still." he said and I nodded.
"I'll take care of it." I said and he ended the contact.
I wasted no time at all and headed for the Headmasters office. The gargoyle loomed in the entrance blocking the way and I started going through the list of various candies until I got to pepper imps which was the pass phrase to get it to move aside. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk with a surprised expression on his face when I walked in.-
"Good afternoon young Alex. Is there something you need?" he asked kindly.
"I need to go to diagon alley. One of my contacts is about to go to war and asked me to help gather as many healing items as I can." I said honestly.
"That is a grave matter indeed. You will forgive me if I must ask why a child like you is getting involved in such a thing however?" he said with narrowed eyes.
I shook my head "I am not getting directly involved, this is merely part of my role as a merchant. I am merely to provide these items and hope it is enough to push the conflict to their advantage." I said honestly.