The news of the death of Fisher Tiger, the hero of the slave liberation, dominated the headlines.
The report made no mention of blood transfusions or the specific circumstances of his passing—Tesoro's influence and your careful maneuvering had clearly ensured that the "official" version remained tidy.
Weeks later, Krieg found himself back in the Sabaody Archipelago. Under the shroud of a moonless night, a figure cloaked in a heavy robe moved with practiced silence through the back alleys, heading toward a prearranged meeting point.
Knock-knock-knock, knock-knock.
A rhythmic signal. A latch clicked from the inside, and the door creaked open.
Stepping into the dimly lit room was Gild Tesoro, owner of Stella Productions. The building was one of several "safe houses" Krieg and Tesoro maintained—dilapidated warehouses on the outside, fully furnished living quarters on the inside.
Seated at a central table was a massive man wearing a heavy robe and a cold, iron helmet.
"It's not exactly a 'pleasure to meet you'—I assume you're the hero everyone's talking about?"
"…So you're Tesoro's partner," the giant rumbled. "If it's not a 'first meeting,' have we crossed paths before?"
Krieg threw off his cloak, revealing his civilian clothes and a simple knit cap.
"I am Krieg, Rear Admiral of Marine Headquarters."
"What!? A Marine!?" Tiger surged to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. "Tesoro! You sold me out!?"
"Calm down, Fisher Tiger," Tesoro said smoothly. "I haven't betrayed anyone. Krieg, why don't you show him your 'secret'?"
Krieg pulled the knit cap down over his face, transforming it into a mask. Tiger froze, his massive frame trembling slightly as the realization hit him.
"No... you've got to be kidding me. The 'Masked Man' is a Marine!?" Tiger burst into a booming, hollow laugh. "Hah! What a masterpiece of a joke! The man the World Government and the Marines are hunting with everything they've got is actually wearing the uniform! Yeah... we definitely aren't strangers!"
He sat back down, his knees hitting the table.
"You're trusting me that easily?" Krieg asked.
"Hmph. Now that I look at you, the height and build match the man I remember fighting alongside during the chaos. Besides, if you wanted me captured, you wouldn't need this theater. I'm a dead man anyway."
Krieg pulled the mask up and sat at the table. Tiger removed his iron helmet, and Tesoro joined them.
"First," Tiger began, "thank you for saving my life."
"Thank Tesoro, and Maria Napole for sharing her blood," Krieg replied.
"Krieg, if I hadn't followed your specific orders, I wouldn't have known what to do with him," Tesoro added.
"Regardless," Tiger insisted, "I owe you. But let's get to it. I'm dead to the world. Why? What do you want me to do—or rather, what do you 'need' me for?"
"Sharp," Krieg noted.
"I understood you were the masked man. But even so, risking your position to hide a 'dead' criminal means you have a reason. You didn't do this out of pure charity."
"You're right," Krieg admitted. "Tesoro, I haven't told you the full scope of this yet either. As you know, I am the man behind the mask. Only you and... one other person know the truth."
"Is this other person reliable?" Tiger asked.
"Completely. Someone I trust with my life."
Krieg leaned forward, his voice dropping an octave. "I'll tell you exactly what I did during the raid on Mary Geoise. The fires in the Celestial Dragons' estates? That was me."
"I figured," Tiger muttered. "Fires were breaking out everywhere while I was leading the slaves out."
"Punching the Celestial Dragons into unconsciousness? Also me."
"...You really don't have a shred of respect for them, do you? Even as a Marine."
"And finally—this is a top-secret matter known only to me and Tesoro—the plague currently ravaging the Celestial Dragons? I was the one who distributed the pathogens."
"!!" Tiger let out a sharp laugh. "A masterpiece! So that is the source of their suffering! But... isn't that dangerous? What if it spreads?"
"Don't worry," Krieg assured him. "It requires direct administration to manifest. That's why I had to knock them out first—to inject them personally."
"I was worried about that too," Tesoro admitted, "but Krieg has it under control."
"I see," Tiger said, his expression turning solemn. "I understand what you've done. Now, what do you want me to do?"
"Before that, there's more. I also attacked CP9 and rescued the survivors of Ohara."
"So the 'reliable person' you mentioned is one of those survivors," Tiger guessed.
"Correct. Now, here is my request. Even after the raid, I've been secretly liberating slaves from human traffickers whenever I can. But lately, my duties as a Rear Admiral have kept me too busy. I can't be in two places at once."
"So you want me to take over the 'Masked Man' duties?"
"Exactly. By the way, the Marines' top suspect for the masked man is currently a pirate named 'Teach' from the Whitebeard Pirates."
"The guy on the wanted poster? Was that intentional?"
"Coincidence. Pure coincidence," Krieg said with a smirk. "So, what do you say? Will you take the job?"
Krieg slid the mask across the table toward Fisher Tiger. It was the exact same mask depicted on the global wanted posters—the design of a grinning skull.
The Genius Physician: Rear Admiral Krieg
Fisher Tiger has accepted his role, and the gears of the underworld are turning.
During the briefing, he mentioned a brother-in-arms who had been captured after a reckless solo raid on the Marines—likely Arlong, given the timeline.
Following the original script's logic, a pardon via the Seven Warlords system is the cleanest path. Krieg proposed that Jinbe, the current leader of the Sun Pirates, take a seat among the Warlords to facilitate this.
They agreed to discuss it with Jinbe later and called it a night.
The next day, Krieg headed to the headquarters of Stella Productions to scout a very specific talent he'd had his eye on.
"Hello, Miss Cindry."
Krieg offered a bright, professional smile to the woman chatting with the staff.
"Oh, Mr. Krieg. How can I help you today?"
This was Victoria Cindry, a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and an aura of elegance. Originally a world-famous stage actress, she had been captivated by Stella Productions' philosophy of "changing the world through song and dance."
She had famously walked away from her country, her family, and even her fiancé to come to Sabaody. Now, she served as the lead instructor for the company's performers, guiding them with a strict but masterful hand.
Krieg was a major sponsor in her eyes, and he intended to keep it that way. No need to complicate things with the "Rear Admiral" side of his life.
"I heard there's a persistent doctor who's quite taken with you. I thought I'd stop by and say hello. Do you know where he might be?"
"Ah, the Doctor? He followed me all the way here, apparently. And I thought I'd left everything behind..." She sighed.
"He must be truly captivated by your talent."
"Well, I'm far too busy with my students to think about such things. Last I saw him, he was with the President. Probably in the main office?"
"Thank you. I'll head up there."
Maintaining his persona as a polite, capable young executive, Krieg headed to the second floor. He gave a light knock.
"Tesoro, you in there?"
"Yeah, come in."
Krieg opened the door to find exactly the man he was looking for. Pointed ears, a long nose, round black spectacles, and a bizarre physique—a rotund torso supported by spindly limbs.
"Are you Dr. Hogback?"
"Fos-fos-fos-fos! Indeed! I am the world-renowned Dr. Hogback!! When people speak of 'genius,' they speak of me!! And who might you be? A face I don't recognize!"
The man let out a distinctive, wheezing laugh. Krieg noticed Tesoro off to the side, clutching his head in frustration. It wasn't hard to guess how the morning had been going.
"Nice to meet you, Doctor. It's an honor to meet a surgeon of your reputation. I'm Krieg, a... sponsor of sorts for Stella Productions. Tesoro, do you mind if I borrow him?"
Tesoro waved his hand dismissively—Just take him, please, get him out of here.
"Well then, Doctor, let's go somewhere we can talk more privately."
Once they were clear of the office, Krieg cut to the chase.
"Dr. Hogback, I'm here to scout you."
"Scouting? Fos-fos-fos! I don't listen to suspicious offers!"
"Is that so? Well, Tesoro and I are close. Very close. If I pull a few strings, I might be able to arrange for you to be on the same ship as Miss Cindry for our next tour."
Hogback did a physical double-take. "Tell me more about this scouting mission."
That was fast, Krieg thought. He explained that there was an island in the New World with a massive number of patients in need of surgery.
He kept the details of Amber Lead Syndrome vague for now but emphasized the scale of the medical challenge.
"Naturally, the compensation will be significant, and we'll handle all your security. I'm asking you because you're the only 'genius' I know who can handle a project of this magnitude."
In this timeline, he hasn't turned into a grave-robbing creep yet, Krieg mused. As long as I keep him occupied with real patients and the promise of Cindry's proximity, maybe I can keep his genius on the right track.
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