"Damn it! You guys just got the abilities like that???"
For top-tier fighters, the impact of abilities is relatively small. As long as their strength is enough, they can make their mark without relying on abilities. But for those at the bottom, a single ability can bring about a qualitative change.
An animal with human intelligence is the most straightforward manifestation of a Zoan-type ability user. Rory's porcupine is okay, but Harper's crow really made them envious. The ability to fly freely is a dream for many.
"Brother Mandfeish once said, luck is an indispensable element of growth. Who told you two to take a stroll? This is luck, I guess."
From an ordinary member being trained to a scout captain, then climbing step by step to a high-level official, Mandfeish was a model within the Hundred Beasts, often used in propaganda. Many ordinary members hoped they could have such an opportunity as Mandfeish did.
Ordinary abilities might not be mythical beasts, but they're still considerable progress.
Under the envious gazes of the two, they handed over duties. However, before they could relax and celebrate, they were ordered to report to Queen for a series of new tests. Also sent over were the confirmed failed SMILEs.
...
A period of time later.
"Boom!"
A SMILE disappeared in Queen's hand, and a large pit appeared at the firing range due to the explosion.
"Not quite the same, Lord Arceus. This thing can at most serve as an enhanced bomb. Compared to a genuine Devil Fruit, it falls short. At least these failures can't activate Demon's Grace."
After using those failures as a cost to activate the Gift of Nature, Queen gave a feedback report based on the results.
"By the way, Lord Arceus, those things have a peculiarity. The Human-Beast Form is fine, but both Harper and Rory reported that in Beast Form, the physical consumption instead increased."
A notable feature of Zoans is their immense stamina. Entering Beast Form instead leading to increased stamina consumption is evidently illogical.
"Could there be an error in the experiment results?"
Yamato asked while sucking on a lollipop. She was here purely because she found those fruits interesting and wanted to see the actual experiment results. The Gift of Nature wasn't exclusively Queen's technique.
Sorlithia's Ambipom could also use this skill. If it was useful, she planned to take some back as ammunition.
"We can't rule out this possibility. With only two, the experimental data might be insufficient. But these work well enough as cannonballs."
With the power exerted by its Gift of Nature, Queen approved it for use as special ammunition.
"But Lord Arceus, where did these things come from? I feel like they look so familiar."
"Kaidou got them from Doflamingo, or rather, Doflamingo volunteered them. As for the manufacturer... your old acquaintance, Caesar Clown."
"Manufactured Devil Fruits? His ability must be quite something then?"
Yamato didn't have much understanding of MADS and wasn't interested in such matters, but upon hearing Yamato acknowledging the other, Queen felt quite uncomfortable.
"No no no, Miss Yamato, that guy's a waste. He doesn't really have any special abilities."
"So, Uncle Queen, you can make these things too then."
"Uh... well... it might take me some time, but give me some time, and I should be able to make them too..."
Though Queen looked down on Caesar, he really couldn't make artificial fruits, not even those inferior ones. Their research focuses were different all along, and even with a library to supplement his knowledge, Queen couldn't replicate it.
He didn't have the Brain-Brain Fruit; he couldn't just remember everything at once.
"Alright, that's not the point. Kaidou has already decided to make a deal. Queen, how you negotiate the price with Doflamingo is up to you, but no matter what, you can offer him at most 10% of his asking price."
"Lord Arceus, this price... isn't it a bit too harsh?"
Outrageous asking and absurd bargaining are well-known tactics, but slashing prices from the waist is for the bold, let alone chopping from the ankles.
"That's your problem then. This thing is worth this price at most. How you get him to agree is up to you. Yamato, stop playing with those and come with me. I'll check your recent training results."
After giving Queen his mission, Arceus planned to leave with Yamato, but just as he was about to leave, Queen proposed a strange condition.
"Please wait, Lord Arceus. Can I add one more condition to the trade?"
"What?"
"I want to punch that bastard Caesar. If it weren't for that jerk's banana virus, my banana grove wouldn't have suffered. If possible, let Harper and Rory accompany me."
With Shaymin's help, Queen successfully revived his banana grove, but he held grudges. All the resentment towards the cause of this issue remained in his heart.
He couldn't handle Akainu, but Caesar was easy. Since Doflamingo could get him these, he surely knew where Caesar was.
"Handle it however you want, as long as the deal goes through."
"Leave it to me. I'll take care of this for you."
Yamato was led away to have her progress checked, while Queen packed up and called Rory and Harper. They boarded his Banana Brachiosaurus and headed to Dressrosa.
The Banana Brachiosaurus is his new ship. The reason for going to Dressrosa? He just wanted a publicly funded trip and to personally beat Caesar.
...
"Doflamingo, the Hundred Beasts sent a message; they agreed to the trade, with details to be discussed by their representative."
"Who is coming?"
"Plague Disaster-Queen."
"Queen? Seems they really do have interest in this."
How much of Queen's bounty was his own doing, the outside world didn't know. They only knew that this colossal bounty of 2.7 billion made him the Four Emperors group's top officer in many people's eyes. Many thought Queen was the Hundred Beasts' true number three.
In Doflamingo's view, this showed they took the matter seriously.
"But Doflamingo... they made a rather unique request."
As Doflamingo appeared quite excited, Pika hesitated on whether to present the subsequent issue.
"What? Money? That's negotiable."
He didn't plan to profit from this; he just wanted a backer, preferably securing some Seastone sales rights.
"No, Queen said they're willing to talk, but only if he can punch Caesar first."
Doflamingo's hand holding the wine stiffened for a moment, almost dropping the glass, but then he resumed his laughter.
"Fufufufufu, interesting. Tell Caesar I've prepared a celebration for him, with plenty of hot ladies involved."