New World, Punk Hazard.
Sugisawa Yuuto had three goals for this trip.
The first was to welcome new allies.
The second, to fulfill his promise to the children.
And the third — the most important — was to obtain the artificially created Azure Dragon Fruit.
The so-called Man-Made Devil Fruit Project wasn't originally developed by Caesar Clown.
Strictly speaking, Caesar was nothing more than a cheap imitator — a shadow chasing the work of a true genius.
The materials he used were all flawed.
Those who consumed his imitation fruits risked everything.
Failure didn't just mean losing the ability — it meant losing one's very humanity.
Their emotions would be stripped away, leaving behind hollow, laughing husks.
And even the few who succeeded became warped, grotesque beasts rather than true users of Zoan powers.
But the world's first artificial Devil Fruit was different.
Created by Vegapunk, it perfectly integrated the bloodline factor of Kaido, the Azure Dragon who ruled the skies.
That experiment succeeded — recreating the legendary Mythical Zoan: Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Form.
Yet, in Vegapunk's eyes, even perfection was not enough.
A perfectionist to the core, he declared the fruit a failure and reported as such to the World Government.
No one questioned him.
If Vegapunk called it a failure, then it must be one — or so they thought.
And so, the priceless fruit was quietly sealed away in the laboratory's vault.
The World Government might not have known the truth,
but Sugisawa Yuuto — a man who carried knowledge beyond this world — certainly did.
He knew that aside from its different coloration, Vegapunk's "failed" Azure Dragon Fruit was flawless in every other aspect.
Rather than letting it gather dust or fall into the hands of fools, Yuuto had taken it for himself.
Even if he didn't use it personally, it could serve as a powerful gift — a way to strengthen his guild's members.
Now, as Runti spoke longingly of regaining her former powers, Yuuto's mind immediately turned to that very fruit.
Her previous Devil Fruit — the Ancient Zoan Pachycephalosaurus — suited her iron-headed temperament well, but its potential was limited.
With that fruit, she was strong, but nowhere near the level of a true powerhouse.
However, with the Azure Dragon Fruit, her ceiling could soar — perhaps not to Emperor level, but certainly comparable to a First Commander or even an Admiral.
"Here," Yuuto said with a faint smile. "Try this."
Runti hesitated only for a moment before nodding. "If the President recommends it, then I'll trust you!"
She looked back at her beloved Pachycephalosaurus Fruit one last time, then took the new one in hand and bit down.
"Ugh! That's disgusting!"
Even Vegapunk's perfectionism hadn't extended to the taste of Devil Fruits.
But before Yuuto could even laugh, Runti froze.
A strange light flickered in her eyes.
The moment the fruit entered her body, she knew.
"T-This... this is— the Mythical Zoan, Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Form! Isn't this Kaido's power?!"
Her voice trembled with shock.
Yuuto smiled calmly. "It's a perfect artificial version of it. How does it feel?"
"It feels... amazing!" Runti cried, suddenly bursting with energy.
She leapt at Yuuto and clung to him like an overexcited koala. "President, you're the best! With this power, I'll definitely beat Yamato!"
Yuuto chuckled. "Don't get too confident. Power alone isn't enough — you'll need training and mastery if you want to surpass her."
"Yes, President!" Runti replied brightly, then hesitated.
Her face flushed crimson.
"But... I won't be training today," she murmured. "There's... something more important I have to do."
"Oh?" Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Runti's voice dropped to a whisper. "Last night... I wasn't at my best. But it's different now. Please, President — give me another chance."
Yuuto blinked, speechless.
Runti had been one of the new girls the previous night,
but she hadn't lasted five minutes before tapping out — and Yuuto, busy as he was, hadn't given her a second thought.
Now that she brought it up... well, perhaps a rematch was fair.
Ten minutes later, Yuuto left her room, sighing quietly.
She had improved — at least she'd lasted twice as long as before.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to push her too far.
After all, she was young and inexperienced.
He'd rather not break her spirit... or her sanity.
Another day of chaos and laughter came and went.
The Next Morning
The world outside roared in alarm.
Yuuto, still half-asleep, was jolted awake by the sound of panic echoing through the mansion.
"D-Dragon! A dragon's here!"
"There's no mistaking it! The only dragon in this world is—"
"Kaido! It's Kaido of the Beasts! Kaido has come!"
When Yuuto stepped outside, he found the citizens of the Flower Capital staring at the skies in disbelief.
Above the General's Mansion floated a small pink dragon, its coils shining in the sunlight.
"Wait, that's not Kaido," Nami said, squinting.
"Kaido's dragon form is blue. This one's... pink?"
"It's definitely not him," Vivi agreed. "The pressure is totally different!"
Erza crossed her arms. "That's no Emperor. The aura is far too weak."
Mira, Juvia, Wendy, and the others nodded in unison.
Having once fought Kaido on Onigashima, they could never forget the crushing power of his true form.
Compared to that overwhelming monster, this dragon seemed... young. Almost playful.
"Hey! You over there!" Yamato shouted up at the sky. "You're not Kaido!"
"Foolish Yamato!" the pink dragon snapped back. "You should be calling me Father!"
"What—?" Yamato froze, staring wide-eyed.
The girls below gasped.
"That voice..."
"It sounds like—"
"Runti?!"
"No, I'm your father!" Runti roared, clearly enjoying herself.
"Yep, that's definitely her," Erza said flatly.
"How the hell did Runti turn into a dragon?" Nami asked, baffled.
"Did she... receive one?"
"No, this isn't Take-Over magic," Juvia said quickly. "It must be a Devil Fruit ability!"
"Runti, what are you planning?" Yamato called up, half amused, half annoyed.
"Shut up, Yamato! I'm here for payback! Wake up — I'm gonna beat the hell out of you today!"
Runti's roar echoed through the city as her massive tail swept downward.
Yamato sighed. "Troublesome woman," she muttered, readying her kanabo.
The two clashed in midair — dragon flame against thundering Haki.
Half an hour later, Yamato's Thunder Bagua finally ended the one-sided battle.
Even with the mythical Azure Dragon Fruit, Runti couldn't match her yet.
Still, she'd lasted much longer than before — definite progress.
Two days passed peacefully.
Then, at the entrance of Wano Country — the waterfall that guarded its seas —
a massive whale-shaped ship slowly ascended against the roaring current.
At its prow, the mark of a mustached skull gleamed under the sun.
The Whitebeard Pirates had arrived.