"Research talents? Hiss... That's a tough one, boss. But I've heard there might be some in Vegapunk's hometown. I'll arrange for someone to scout the area in the coming days.
If we just kidnap them outright, loyalty will be an issue. After all, research technology is an extremely valuable resource. If it leaks, all our efforts would be wasted."
Before Doflamingo could finish, Caesar waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about loyalty—I'll handle that. Once the technicians and research facilities are ready, have them focus on three things: artificial Devil Fruits, super clone warriors, and physique evolution serums."
"And those artificial Devil Fruits—no more of those trashy Gifters. If we do make them, we won't use them ourselves. Auction them off to whichever factions are desperate enough to buy them."
Doflamingo frowned.
Creating powerful artificial Devil Fruits was genuinely difficult.
He had funded Caesar Clown's research for years, and the strongest artificial Devil Fruit they'd produced was barely on par with the Beasts Pirates' Headliners.
Not entirely useless, but still garbage.
They spent tens of billions—sometimes more—every year, only to churn out a bunch of Gifters.
With that kind of money, they could've bought Devil Fruits by the truckload—if there were that many available.
"That brat who turned into a pink dragon—his fruit seems like an imitation of Kaido's Azure Dragon, doesn't it? At least his looks somewhat like a proper artificial Devil Fruit." Caesar suddenly remarked.
Doflamingo blinked. "Pink dragon? You mean Momonosuke? His Devil Fruit was part of an original batch left behind by Vegapunk. None of those exist anymore."
"Vegapunk again? That old man... Doffy, find out exactly where he is. One of these days, I'll just snatch him myself. Damn it, after all these years working for the World Government, he must've cooked up plenty of good stuff. It's about time he worked for me. Who knows how old he is—might just drop dead in a couple of years."
Caesar's words made Doflamingo's heart skip a beat—both horrified and secretly impressed by his audacity.
"And what about these super clone warriors?" Doflamingo asked curiously.
"Nothing too complicated. The Marines used one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Bartholomew Kuma, as a template to mass-produce those Pacifistas, right? I was thinking—why not use Kaido or even myself as the template? Clone an army of Kaidos or Caesars." Caesar said it as casually as discussing the weather.
Pfft—
The wine Doflamingo had been sipping shot straight out of his nose.
Even for someone as unflappable as him, Caesar's idea was downright terrifying.
Cloning Kaido and Caesar?
Doflamingo's mind involuntarily conjured an image of hundreds of Kaidos swinging their kanabō and hundreds of Caesars plowing through the Red Line like wrecking balls.
He shuddered.
That's some nightmare fuel right there!
"B-boss, it's not that easy, is it? I may not be a scientist, but I understand basic principles. The energy contained within you and Kaido is terrifying—far surpassing even Kuma's. To clone you two would require an unimaginable amount of energy. That's the real issue here."
Doflamingo wiped his nose and spoke cautiously.
Caesar picked up the large sake jug beside him and took several big gulps.
This was Kaido's personal jug, which he'd conveniently "borrowed" to hold his liquor.
"No rush, we'll take it step by step. At the very least, we should start by cloning hundreds of thousands of Germa's clone soldiers first. Damn it, thinking about Teach and Shanks having thousands of pirates under them makes me furious! Our Beast God Pirates control so much territory but have so few members!"
Doflamingo forced a dry chuckle but didn't dare respond.
Caesar's words were simply too outrageous.
Hundreds of thousands of clone soldiers? That was absurd.
Forget about the astronomical cost of producing that many clones—just arming them would require billions of berries at 100,000 berries per soldier.
This train of thought inevitably led Doflamingo to think about Tesoro.
That bastard claimed to possess twenty percent of the world's wealth.
'Sorry, old friend,' Doflamingo thought, 'but I'm broke, and I need your... berries.'
Maybe he could find an opportunity to have Caesar raid the Gran Tesoro and seize that golden ship.
"And what's this about physique enhancement serum?"
Doflamingo suddenly realized that while he considered himself clever, Caesar's vision far surpassed his own.
These ideas of Caesar's—like cloning Kaido and himself—seemed extreme at first glance.
Yet they weren't impossible, just extremely difficult.
But these were things Doflamingo wouldn't even dare consider on his own.
Caesar took several more gulps before exhaling contentedly.
"Borororo! This is a serum I've conceived—it can cause a metamorphosis in human bodies, dramatically increasing physical strength. Doffy, your body is quite fragile. Pity you're not of my bloodline, or I could strengthen you."
"Fufufufu, I wish I were one of your clansmen! I dream of being as strong as Katakuri," Doflamingo laughed.
Then a sudden realization struck him.
Scratching his head, he tentatively asked, "Boss... are you thinking about how your blood can enhance your clansmen but not others?"
Caesar nodded.
"Exactly. My blood contains immense energy. When absorbed by my kin, it not only heals injuries but also strengthens their bodies and can even awaken racial talents."
"But when used on anyone outside the Oni Clan, it only heals without fundamentally enhancing their physique."
"Look at my sons—Katakuri, Daifuku, and Perospero—their bodies have grown tremendously stronger."
"Later, I'll provide regular blood samples for research, to develop a serum that can promote physical evolution in others. I believe my blood likely contains the necessary components."
"Hiss... Boss, this idea of yours is truly... brilliant! I can't wait to see the clone warrior army and this physique evolution serum. When the time comes, I'll be the first to undergo the evolution!"
Doflamingo was genuinely moved, and his admiration for Caesar deepened even further.
Caesar was completely different from Kaido—he was a visionary leader, the kind that made Doflamingo willingly pledge his loyalty.
Not only was he overwhelmingly powerful, but he also possessed immense charisma.
Unlike Kaido, who was erratic and tyrannical, Caesar treated his subordinates with fairness.
What impressed Doflamingo the most was Caesar's foresight.
Though his actions sometimes seemed impulsive, they were always measured—never reckless.
"Hmm? Pica, what are you doing standing at the door? Is something the matter?"
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