"Wait," Bege pressed, his mind racing with the possibilities, "this Fuse-Fuse Fruit… have you experimented with fusing two Devil Fruit users? Could it grant one person two abilities? Or perhaps merge the abilities themselves into something entirely new?"
Ben Kosa smiled and shook his head. "Previous users of the Fuse-Fuse Fruit already attempted such experiments long ago. The conclusion was definitive: Devil Fruit powers cannot be stacked. Just as eating two Devil Fruits causes a person to self-destruct, attempting to fuse two Devil Fruit users results in the fused subject immediately exploding."
Bege sighed inwardly. Perhaps he was getting ahead of himself.
"But," another idea sparked in Bege's mind, "since the fruit can fuse any objects, it should be possible to fuse a Devil Fruit with a weapon, correct? Granting the weapon the abilities of the fruit?" He thought of Spandam's Funkfreed.
"Indeed," Kosa confirmed. "Fusion can certainly imbue a weapon with Devil Fruit powers. And frankly, my methods for achieving this are considerably simpler than those employed by the WG Science Unit."
Bege instinctively gripped the hilt of his Fire Cloud Sword, a wide grin spreading across his face. Excellent. He resolved then and there to find a suitable, powerful Devil Fruit in the future and fuse it with his beloved sword, elevating its capabilities even further.
Securing Ben Kosa's allegiance felt like a massive victory. Bege considered the scientist's potential value to be even greater than Vinsmoke Judge's, perhaps even surpassing Caesar Clown's usefulness. The lingering frustration and anger from the ambush on Jijinia Island completely evaporated, replaced by triumphant satisfaction. That very evening, Bege threw a grand banquet to celebrate Ben Kosa officially joining the Fire Tank Pirates.
The following day, Ben Kosa finished packing the essential research materials and equipment from his hidden base on Bipoth Island. Following Bege's orders, he then thoroughly destroyed the underground facility, leaving no trace behind, before departing the island alongside Bege and his crew.
However, Bege didn't set course directly back to Skypiea. Instead, he first navigated towards Mozzodo Island – the location of the Theta Intelligence Organization branch he had visited.
The ambush on Jijinia Island felt too coincidental, too perfectly orchestrated. The only ones who knew his specific destination were the agents at Theta. It seemed highly probable that the intelligence organization had leaked his plans. A more chilling possibility also occurred to him: what if Theta wasn't just leaky, but actively collaborating with, or even secretly controlled by, the World Government or the Marines?
Bege infiltrated Mozzodo Island once more, sneaking towards Theta's secret office under the cover of night.
He found the place completely deserted. Everything had been cleared out – furniture, equipment, personnel. Only an empty, abandoned office remained.
Bege's face turned dark, his expression grim. "Theta Intelligence Organization… World Government… Marines… Hmph! This isn't over. I won't forget this grudge."
His mood considerably soured, Bege returned to the Sky God. The massive airship took flight, finally setting course back to the sanctuary of Skypiea, where Ben Kosa was given accommodations and resources to continue his work.
Bege spent the next month recuperating on Skypiea, allowing his body to fully heal from the brutal series of battles.
Then, suddenly, news arrived that shook the entire world to its core.
Gol D. Roger had found Laugh Tale. He had conquered the Grand Line. He had become the Pirate King.
This event, the narration noted, was the definitive sign, the true harbinger signaling the imminent arrival of the Great Pirate Era. The countdown had officially begun.
Bege knew this coming era would be one of unprecedented chaos and conflict, a time when the world's greatest powers would clash for supremacy. To survive, let alone thrive and carve out his own territory in the turbulent New World, he needed even greater strength.
He reasoned that Roger's ascension to Pirate King would inevitably draw the intense focus of both the Marines and the other major powers of the New World. This global shift in attention would, ideally, grant Bege the breathing room he needed to implement the next phase of his own plans without immediate interference.
His next target: Lemon Island, located somewhere in the New World.
Lemon Island was a medium-sized island known throughout the region as an "Entertainment Island," a designated haven specifically catering to pirates seeking rest, recreation, and indulgence. Its districts offered everything a pirate could desire – brothels, casinos, bars, fighting pits, and all manner of illicit entertainment. Among pirates, it was commonly known as the "Pleasure Park."
Control of this lucrative island rested firmly in the hands of a powerful crew known as the Black Knight Pirates. Their captain, "Black Knight" Treade, was the user of the Paramecia-type Muscle-Muscle Fruit and boasted a bounty of 570 million Belli. His Vice-Captain held a bounty of 340 million, and the crew included three other officers with bounties exceeding 100 million, commanding a force of over a thousand pirates. To seize and hold such a profitable territory in the heart of the New World solely through their own strength spoke volumes about the formidable power of Black Knight Treade.
And he was precisely the target Bege had selected.
To fuel his ambitions for rapid expansion, Bege needed vast sums of money. While the gold acquired from Skypiea had been substantial, the intensive development and recruitment over the past two years had already depleted more than half of it. He desperately needed a reliable, high-volume source of income. Lemon Island, the Pleasure Park, fit the bill perfectly.
After carefully surveying numerous islands and factions within the New World, Lemon Island and the Black Knight Pirates had emerged as the ideal target. Bege's plan was twofold: first, forcibly bring Treade and his crew under his own command, thereby securing control over the island's immense revenue stream. Second, leverage Lemon Island's unique position as a central hub for pirates to establish and expand his own burgeoning arms dealing business, funneling the advanced weaponry developed by Kosa and potentially Germa into the New World market.
The heart of Lemon Island, and the stronghold of the Black Knight Pirates, was a massive, fortress-like structure known as Black Knight Castle. Its defenses were reputedly impregnable. The outer walls stood ten meters high and were three meters thick, constructed from a formidable blend of concrete reinforced with molten iron, rendering them impervious to standard cannon fire. The ramparts bristled with countless firing slits and cannon ports, the dark maws of the cannons alone enough to deter most potential attackers. This fortress was truly built like an impenetrable stronghold.
Even deep into the night, the castle walls remained brightly illuminated, casting light across the grounds for dozens of meters, while vigilant guards patrolled the battlements.
"Treade must be incredibly paranoid to build a fortress this ridiculously overkill," Moria commented dryly one evening, as he, Bege, and a select few officers observed the imposing structure from a distance.
"Well, it would certainly give most attackers a severe headache," Bege chuckled, acknowledging the fortress's impressive defenses. It could likely repel the vast majority of pirate crews, and even a standard Marine assault force.
"Alright then," Bege decided, taking a drag from his cigar. "Let's go pay this 'Black Knight' a formal visit."
He led Moria and the others forward. Utilizing Soru with incredible speed and precision, they easily evaded the night watch patrols, scaled the high walls in a series of silent leaps, and infiltrated deep into the heart of Black Knight Castle.
Inside the castle's largest, most opulent hall, a raucous party was in full swing. The key officers of the Black Knight Pirates were feasting, drinking heavily, and celebrating.
Seated upon the main throne-like chair at the head of the hall was a giant of a man, his body rippling with massive muscles that looked as hard as steel – this was Captain Treade. He had two scantily clad, alluring women draped languidly over his lap, laughing boisterously as he drank and joked with his officers below.
Suddenly, the grand doors to the hall were pushed open forcefully. Bege and his contingent appeared at the entrance. Bege, cigar clamped firmly between his teeth, coolly surveyed the scene of drunken revelry, a slight, calculating smile touching his lips.
"Quite lively in here!" Bege's voice cut through the noise, instantly silencing the entire hall.
The Black Knight officers abruptly pushed aside their female companions, turning to glare angrily at the unexpected intruders.
Someone in the crowd recognized the newcomer instantly. "Demon Dragon Capone Bege!" The name rippled through the hall, causing a wave of shock and apprehension.
From his seat, Treade stared intently at Bege, his expression hardening. He slowly rose to his feet, his terrifying muscles rippling with contained power, and walked down from the dais towards the intruders.
"Captain Demon Dragon," Treade said, his voice low and heavy like grinding stones, "state your business. Why have you intruded into Black Knight Castle tonight?"
Bege met Treade's gaze directly, his own expression turning serious, all trace of amusement gone. "I came here tonight to make you an offer, Captain Treade," Bege stated clearly. "I formally invite the Black Knight Pirates to join the Fire Tank Pirates, under my command. What is your answer?"
Treade's face darkened further, becoming thunderous. His officers quickly gathered behind him, their expressions a mixture of anger, defiance, and poorly concealed fear.
Treade replied slowly, his voice rumbling, "I appreciate the... specific invitation, Captain Demon Dragon. However, the Black Knight Pirates have absolutely no intention of joining any other pirate crew. I must strongly request that you leave Black Knight Castle immediately."
"Bege, why waste time talking to this muscle-bound oaf?" Moria stepped forward impatiently, drawing his giant pair of scissors with a sinister shing. "We never expected him to agree easily anyway. Let's just get started already." He glared menacingly at Treade and his gathered officers.
"Enemy attack!" Treade roared instantly, his voice booming with incredible volume, shattering the tense silence and echoing throughout the entire castle, alerting his forces to the intrusion.
_______
+50 chapters on: patreon.com/Shinobi_Scrolls