"I've figured out how to create artificial Devil Fruits. It's by taking the power of the Lineage Factor, which Vinsmoke Judge researched, and turning it into a Devil Fruit."
"The biggest difference between these artificial Devil Fruits and real ones is that they can only be used once; they don't reappear after the user dies. Also, only Zoan-type Devil Fruits can be created artificially. Paramecia and Logia types, as well as creatures whose Lineage Factors cannot be obtained, cannot be used to create artificial Devil Fruits."
Orochimaru spoke while opening a screen, displaying his data.
"I already know all of this. What else?"
Uchiha Tamahiko nodded, then continued to ask.
Caesar's research capabilities weren't on the same level as Vegapunk's or Vinsmoke Judge's.
The most obvious difference was that one independently controlled a laboratory, the largest one under the World Government, while Vinsmoke Judge reigned supreme in North Sea, doing whatever he pleased.
Caesar, on the other hand, could only work for Doflamingo; he certainly didn't seem to have stronger research capabilities.
"These past few days, I found several Paramecia-type Devil Fruits, and also this body for analysis."
"Real Devil Fruits contain something that doesn't disappear; it reappears, just like a dead Tailed Beast revives!"
Orochimaru said excitedly.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Uchiha Tamahiko asked, puzzled.
"I captured some pirates, made them eat Devil Fruits, then killed them, trying to pinpoint where the Devil Fruit's power disappeared from when they died."
"I also directly destroyed Devil Fruits, monitoring them comprehensively for comparison."
"After much comparison and several experiments, I found this power, and discovered that when a Devil Fruit user dies, or when the Devil Fruit's physical form disappears, an energy appears that interferes with the Four Violet Flames Formation barrier. And they all disappear in one direction."
"Comparing with a map, I found that the most likely destination is Mary Geoise, the residence of the Celestial Dragons, the world's greatest rulers."
Orochimaru said very seriously.
He had spent most of this time conducting this experiment.
"Can't that energy be contained?"
"No, it feels like it's one with the world. I speculate that this energy might return to a 'mother body,' and then reappear somewhere else in the world, similar to how Tailed Beasts reappear, but it only enters a fruit's shell and changes it."
As soon as Uchiha Tamahiko finished asking, Orochimaru quickly replied.
He had found a direction, but he couldn't get close to the most crucial place, as he wasn't foolish.
Mary Geoise must contain more dangerous things; otherwise, why would it have stood for so many years in a sea full of powerful individuals?
If Uchiha Tamahiko hadn't come to him, he would have been preparing to seek out Uchiha Tamahiko.
"So, Devil Fruits are an energy containing 'rules.' When the user dies or the physical form disappears, the rules return to a certain point and then reappear. Is that what you mean?"
Uchiha Tamahiko summarized.
"Rules!"
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. The powers of Paramecia and Logia types represent rules."
Orochimaru's eyes lit up after hearing Uchiha Tamahiko's description, and he quickly confirmed.
"Why must it be fruit?"
Uchiha Tamahiko was most curious about this.
"Perhaps the 'mother body' of this energy is related to plants!"
Based on his experience, Orochimaru judged.
Hearing this, Uchiha Tamahiko paused, then muttered softly, "It couldn't really be distant relatives of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, could it?"
This made Uchiha Tamahiko somewhat serious. After all, trees made Uchiha Tamahiko a bit sensitive; those relatives were all tree-planters. If he truly forced out an Ōtsutsuki, Uchiha Tamahiko wasn't entirely confident he could defeat them.
"Leader, do you know something?"
Orochimaru saw Uchiha Tamahiko's expression and probed.
He felt Uchiha Tamahiko was too mysterious. How could the ability to traverse worlds be the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan?
He had read all of the Second Hokage's research on the Uchiha, and such an ability had never appeared. At most, there were space-time abilities, but they couldn't connect to Another World.
However, all possibilities existed, but the other party hadn't done anything too outrageous. In Orochimaru's eyes, he was somewhat neglecting his duties; after gaining strength, one could do anything, so why waste time managing a country?
"I'll tell you when we get back. Pack your things; prepare to leave."
Uchiha Tamahiko hesitated for a moment, then finally said.
For research, professional personnel were still needed. He had mentioned the origins of the Uchiha and Senju, but not the more distant things, including the God Tree and the true Ōtsutsuki.
Orochimaru didn't hesitate and immediately began packing. He killed the remaining pirate research subjects and had his snakes devour them. Any machinery that could be taken was taken; anything that couldn't was destroyed.
Finally, only Caesar remained, restrained by Sea Stone cuffs, and also bound by several white snakes, rendering him immobile. Orochimaru planned to take him back to see if he could be trained as an assistant. If not, he would use him as a new body; he was also very interested in a Logia-type body.
Returning to the surface, Uchiha Tamahiko immediately used his Perfect Susanoo to carry the few people and flew them to the nearest Marine base.
Conqueror's Haki instantly covered the entire Marine base. Just as the ordinary Marines were about to faint, the power of the Rinnegan erupted. Uchiha Tamahiko used his powerful mental strength to control everyone in the base. Six Paths Madara could control the entire world using Infinite Tsukuyomi, and Uchiha Tamahiko's strength was also Six Paths Level at this time. Although he didn't have the Ten-Tails, controlling a thousand people was still very easy.
He also used Conqueror's Haki to first break their mental defenses, and the Rinnegan then exploited the opening, meeting almost no resistance.
Controlling these Marines, he had them board warships and all head to Dressrosa. There, they would be brainwashed; if it didn't work, they would be released; if it did, they would start working immediately.
"Leader, how far are you from the Six Paths Sage now?"
After watching Uchiha Tamahiko's performance, Orochimaru felt that if it were him, he might not be able to resist this eye power, and he couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Still a tiny bit."
Uchiha Tamahiko raised his thumb and forefinger, making a gesture for "a tiny bit," and said.
Orochimaru naturally didn't understand the meaning of the gesture, but he also felt that Uchiha Tamahiko might truly be not far from the Six Paths Sage.
He should have the ability to go to Mary Geoise to find the truth about Devil Fruits!
"What did you say?"
"G-3 Branch has no Marines left?"
Two days later, Sakazuki was so angry that he crushed the cigar he was about to light.
....
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