Drop Some power stones! If you like the chapter! It helps to keep me motivated to upload more!💎💎💎Â
------
"How's it going, Nobes? Any new progress?"
Aaron greeted Nobes with a nod and a faint smile in response to his enthusiastic welcome.
He placed great importance on this Drug project — in just over two months, he had already invested nearly one hundred million Berries into it.
Though such an amount was no longer a big deal for him, it was still significant. In Vilia Port, bounty pirates came and went in droves. All he needed was to take down a few of them to make that money back — just like tonight's Maran. Pirates of that bounty class were nothing new to him; he'd already killed two before this.
As Shuma's intelligence network continued to grow, its information-gathering capabilities had strengthened rapidly. It had become almost impossible for bounty pirates arriving at Vilia Port to slip past his watchful eyes.
During this period, he had assumed the alias "Aaronuch", posing as a bounty hunter. He frequently hunted wanted pirates — partly to sharpen his combat skills, and partly to build up his fortune.
Still, one hundred million Berries was an astronomical figure for most people. Even in a field as costly as drug research, such a sum was enormous. After burning through that much money, he couldn't afford to come away empty-handed.
"We've successfully isolated the new synthetic material," Nobes reported respectfully. "But to further analyze what substances make up that material, we'll need more time. If we had better separators and molecular analyzers, our progress would speed up considerably. Of course, if Lady Kureha were to assist us, the development of the Enhancement Pill would be within reach."
Nobes held Aaron in deep respect — not only because Aaron funded the project, but also because he saw firsthand that Aaron's efforts genuinely benefited the people of the Drum Kingdom.
Enhancement Pill — that was Nobes' preferred term for the Drug. His dream was to create a medicine capable of boosting the combat power of the Drum Kingdom's army. The discovery of the Drug had thrilled him beyond words — it was the very reason he had been so easily recruited by Williams in the first place.
"As for Dr. Kureha, that's a bit tricky," Aaron replied after a moment's thought. "It seems she's left the country. I've already sent people to look for her, but they haven't found a trace. The only lead we've got is that she was last seen somewhere in Alabasta. As for the separators and analyzers, I've arranged for people to head to the Future Kingdom of Aarondimore on Karakuri Island to purchase them. That shouldn't be a problem."
He nodded again, pondering briefly.
Drum Kingdom was indeed a nation famed for its medical expertise, but not for its technology. Their machinery wasn't exactly cutting-edge by world standards. Still, that didn't worry Aaron too much — with enough money, importing superior equipment from technological powerhouses wasn't a problem.
For instance, the Future Kingdom of Aarondimore, located on the winter island of the Grand Line — the very birthplace of Vegapunk — possessed the most advanced science and technology in the world. Aaron was certain they could acquire the best machinery there.
As for Dr. Kureha, the legendary physician of the Drum Kingdom — her case wasn't something that could be solved with money alone. She was a legend in the medical world, a woman who viewed wealth as trivial, and at over 120 years old, she was far beyond the reach of material desires. A solitary, eccentric genius — threats or bribes would never work on her.
To win over such a brilliant and proud figure, the only path was perhaps through ideals — to help her achieve an unfinished dream or fulfill a lingering purpose in life.
There was no doubt: if Kureha were to join the Drug research team, the project's development would advance by leaps and bounds, and future refinements would face far less resistance.
After all, her medical connections were nothing short of terrifying. She had personally trained many of the world's most renowned doctors.
According to Nobes, she had once been a professor at the Drum Kingdom's Royal Academy of Medicine. If she were to speak a single word of endorsement, countless experts in pharmaceutical science would come flocking to her side.
Unfortunately, the old doctor was cunning beyond measure — her instincts for danger were razor-sharp, and her ability to vanish without a trace was second to none.
A month ago, she had quietly disappeared from Vilia Port. Aaron had sent scouts all across the kingdom, but not a single lead had surfaced.
Only recently had he heard from Williams that she was rumored to be in Alabasta.
"Lady Kureha has always been elusive — it's perfectly normal we can't find her," Nobes replied, slightly disappointed but quickly regaining his spirit. "Still, with better equipment, our progress will improve drastically. Don't worry, Lord Aaron — we'll soon crack the full formula of the Enhancement Pill."
In truth, they had already identified several of its components; only eight materials remained unclassified.
Nobes was confident — once they had the advanced machinery, the Berserker Drug's secrets would be entirely unraveled by his team.
After confirming the lab's progress, Aaron toured the research facility, chatting amicably with the other staff and promising generous rewards to further motivate them before leaving the lab.
"Hopefully, we can complete the Drug before the upcoming war…" he muttered to himself as he returned to his office.
He looked down at a small pouch containing samples — the drug Nobes and the others had reproduced using materials Shuma's men had stolen from a hidden underground factory. His expression grew grave.
That underground lab was located in the slums under the Dars Gang's control. There was no way the gang didn't know about its existence. If they truly possessed the Berserker Drug, that would be a serious threat.
The existence of this drug was one of the reasons he felt so desperate to grow stronger.
Though it didn't hold much appeal for powerful fighters, the potential consequences if one did take it… were terrifying to imagine.
Would it result in utter annihilation?
Who could say?
If that happened, it could easily end in mutual destruction. No matter who came out "victorious," neither side would escape ruin.
"And if it does come to that… who would stand to gain the most?"
Aaron carefully stored the Berserker Drug, placing it alongside a Devil Fruit inside a hidden compartment. His expression darkened as his thoughts spiraled.
In his mind flashed the faces of many figures — Dars of the Dars Gang, Regis of the Regis Syndicate, Lord Gilbert, the city's governor, and even Akio, the mysterious leader of the Akio Gang**.
But in the end, his thoughts lingered on one face — a man wearing strange sunglasses and a sinister grin.
---
For early access to advanced chapters visit my P@treon:
P@treon/ Dexy3
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!