Red Line. Holy Land Mariejois.
"Aeridar-sama, please come this way. The Gorosei have been expecting you for quite some time."
A man in a black suit led the way to the entrance of a palace chamber, speaking to Aeridar with deep respect.
"Which day are they not waiting in here? Heh," Aeridar remarked with a trace of mockery, though his pace didn't falter as he pushed the door open and entered.
The man in the suit didn't dare respond, offering only a fawning smile as he watched this powerhouse and the ball of flame floating beside him disappear into the room.
Thud.
The heavy doors closed softly.
Stepping into the hall, Aeridar saw the five elders gathered in the center. Some sat upon sofas, some leaned against the great pillars, and one sat upon the white jade steps.
"Yo, Honorable Gorosei. We meet again!"
Aeridar walked toward them, greeting the quintet with a face full of smiles.
"Every time we see you, you bring a different sensation," the curly-haired Elder said flatly.
All eyes were fixed on Zhurong at Aeridar's side. Their gazes were as deep as the ocean, brimming with a cold, calculating wisdom. Zhurong, however, seemed entirely unfazed. Ignoring the scrutiny of the world's highest authorities, he looked around the room with blatant curiosity.
"It resembles Big Mom's Homies. Hers is called Prometheus; what do you call yours?" the blonde Elder asked expressionlessly.
"Let's call him Zhurong. The God of Fire, Zhurong," Aeridar said with a grin.
"Zhurong... the God of Fire from the myths of a certain Eastern nation." The Elder in the kimono sat cradling his katana, his tranquil gaze shifting from the flame to Aeridar's face. He clearly recognized the origin of the name.
"Master, can I burn them to death?" Hearing the topic turn to him, Zhurong looked at the Gorosei with a hideous, bloodthirsty leer.
Aeridar's eyebrows shot up at the suggestion. "If the opportunity arises," he said playfully, "I'll let you burn your fill."
At those words, Zhurong's interest was instantly piqued. He began sizing the Gorosei up and down, seemingly calculating exactly where to start the fire for maximum effect.
"Hmph! Insolent!" one Elder barked coldly.
"Arara~ Getting angry, are we?" Aeridar teased, his tone an uncanny imitation of a certain former Admiral.
"Aeridar, do not push your luck!"
"Do not forget your status!"
The Elder with the handlebar mustache and the blonde Elder scolded him in quick succession.
The departure of an Admiral-level combatant was a massive loss for both the Navy and the World Government, especially a Logia user as tactically significant as Kuzan. By intentionally mimicking Kuzan's speech patterns, Aeridar was effectively rubbing salt in their wounds, mocking the World Government's inability to retain their greatest assets.
"You didn't come here today just to spout nonsense, surely," the Elder with the long beard said calmly.
"I'm not that bored," Aeridar shrugged.
"Hmph. Good," the kimono-clad Elder grunted.
"I'll get straight to the point then! The Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law, user of the Paramecia-type Op-Op Fruit," Aeridar said, his voice dropping into a low, haunting tone. "You all know the secret of the Op-Op Fruit!"
"..."
"What are you trying to say?"
At the mention of the fruit, the Gorosei's expressions shifted. Their composure wavered slightly. The ultimate secret of the Op-Op Fruit was something very few people in the world were supposed to know.
"Trafalgar Law was once Doflamingo's subordinate," Aeridar continued, his lips curling upward. "Well, 'former' subordinate. And as for the taste of eternal life... Doflamingo wants a sample of it very badly."
"Doflamingo!"
The name made the Gorosei grit their teeth. That man was a spark of pure evil. If it weren't for his impossibly complex web of connections, his status as a World Noble, and the fact that he held the secret of the 'National Treasure' over their heads, they would have sent the Navy and CP agents to hunt him down long ago.
If a man like that gained immortality, he would turn the entire world upside down.
"This time, the Op-Op Fruit isn't in your hands, but you still want the secret of eternal life. Naturally, I want it too." Seeing the look on their faces, Aeridar narrowed his eyes. "So... how about a trade?"
"A trade?"
The Gorosei exchanged glances before looking back at Aeridar with suspicion.
"I find myself in need of the core data from the Brain Domain Experiments." Aeridar stated bluntly.
"The core data of the Brain Domain Experiments?!"
The Gorosei were visibly startled.
They had a vivid memory of that project. It had cost staggering amounts of manpower and resources, only to end in a catastrophic failure. Many of the lead scientists and dozens of researchers had perished in the 'accident.' The loss had been nothing short of disastrous.
The lab was destroyed, the staff decimated, and the findings were deemed practically useless. If it weren't for a few 'interesting' and significant breakthroughs in the final stages, the World Government's investment would have been a total waste. Unfortunately, since the primary scientists were either dead or permanently disabled, the research couldn't continue.
Under those dire circumstances, the Gorosei had no choice but to terminate the project and seal the records. Even Doflamingo didn't know the full extent of the core files. Thus, while the data Doflamingo eventually obtained was comprehensive, it was missing the most vital heart of the research.
"You open your mouth and ask for the Government's most vital research data. Quite a voracious appetite you have," the blonde Elder mocked.
Within the World Government, there were countless classified experiments, but very few were considered 'top-tier' core data. This category was limited to things like Devil Fruit research (artificial fruits, the technology for objects 'eating' fruits, etc.), the Navy's human weapons—the Pacifista, the latest alloy steel technology, and the multi-purpose applications of Seastone.
The fact that the Brain Domain Experiments were in that same tier proved just how significant they were.
"How big my appetite is remains my business. This is just a transaction." Aeridar waved his hand dismissively.
Given that the Gorosei had classified this as a maximum-level secret, there was no doubt that the core data contained something truly world-shaking.
"A trade isn't out of the question," the curly-bearded Elder said deeply. "But what do you have to offer in return?"
While the discoveries within that data were astonishing, they were currently useless. They couldn't be converted into military power or profit.
However, the man standing before them was an anomaly among pirates. He possessed a level of technological power that the entire world envied. If they could extract a technology from him that surpassed the World Government's own, then trading away the dormant Brain Domain data might be acceptable.
"For instance... that thing beside you. Just what kind of Devil Fruit power is it?" the long-bearded Elder asked.
"It certainly isn't a Homie Big Mom made specifically for you. Your relationship shouldn't be that good. Unless, of course, you became her husband!" The blonde Elder's voice took on a teasing edge. "Though, we don't believe you'd have the stomach for it."