HSSSSSSS...
The sound of gas being released echoed through the room.
CLANK!
The man's leg and arm cuffs opened, and he slowly stood up, looking down at his transformed body. He was at least ten feet tall, with every muscle looking as hard and strong as granite.
Feeling the immense power surging through his body, the man took a step forward. His foot sank slightly into the ground, a clear footprint now etched into the metal floor. His sudden, explosive strength was something he couldn't control.
"Power strong enough to leave a footprint on a metal floor... It seems his Doriki is at least over 500!" Aeridar said with a smile, turning around after watching the experiment. "Excellent! Absolutely excellent! Dr. Dalt, I knew I made the right choice all those years ago. With your talent, you might just be able to create a technology that allows for true human evolution."
What did a Doriki of 500 mean? It meant a person could use their raw physical strength to easily shatter rocks and punch through walls. They could even leave imprints on steel. People who had mastered the Rokushiki could use its techniques to punch through even steel plates, so leaving a footprint on a metal floor was easy for them.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even superheroes like Captain America, the Winter Soldier, Black Panther, or Spider-Man couldn't match this level of raw strength. (In the Marvel Comics Universe, it's a different story; the powers are often exaggerated, and many heroes have different versions and characters.)
"You flatter me, Captain. Without your immense support, I wouldn't have been able to develop any of this," Dalt said sincerely.
This was Dalt's honest feeling. The massive research base and all its high-tech equipment on the island cost nearly a hundred billion Berries. The various defensive installations built to protect it cost hundreds of millions of Berries on their own. In addition to all that, the facility had an annual operating budget of 30 billion Berries. Anything he asked for, he received.
When Dalt wanted to search for a mysterious island in the Calm Belt, Aeridar didn't hesitate to modify a warship and send it out. This alone was a costly endeavor. When Dalt finally located his target, Aeridar personally led a team to capture Calamodus for him. It was this mission that led to Aeridar's devastating defeat at the hands of Kaido, and Oliver's near-fatal injury and breaking of his treasured sword.
No one, not even Doflamingo or Germa 66, and certainly not the World Government, would have provided such unconditional support. How could Dalt not be grateful?
"Hahaha, we're partners, aren't we?" Aeridar laughed without a care. "Besides, you've played a crucial role in getting us to where we are today."
After watching the XT Agent experiment, Dalt led Aeridar to see the progress on the latest biological weapons project. Thanks to the "IQ" factor, the project was advancing smoothly. This had already been proven a year ago during the battle on Aznat Island. However, the new biological weapons were still a bit weak, and some of the creatures suffered from internal genetic collapse after intense combat and severe injuries. While there were only a few such cases, it showed a clear flaw in the process. Dalt's current focus was to perfect this, aiming for a flawless integration of genes.
Next, they observed the progress on Dr. Vade's robotics project, which was also coming along very well, with significant improvements to the AI system. Dalt and Vade were now collaborating on how to perfectly integrate biological and mechanical components. Some of the metallic prosthetic arms and legs were an accidental byproduct of this research.
Aeridar, however, was still very keen on getting his hands on the specialized alloy steel the World Government used to build Pacifistas. That alloy was exceptionally durable; even a master swordsman could barely leave a few marks on it, which was why the Pacifistas could stand up to pirates with bounties over 100 million. Otherwise, a swordsman of Zoro's caliber in the early days of his journey could easily cut through ordinary steel, a skill that earned him the title of a "steel-cutting" swordsman. Using that special alloy to create combat robots or mechanical arms and legs would dramatically increase their fighting power.
After touring the entire research base, Aeridar and Dalt arrived at Dalt's private lab.
"So, is the success rate for that one technique still low?" Aeridar asked casually, looking at the various research tools scattered around the room.
"It's too difficult. A tiny mistake leads to failure, and even when everything seems perfect, it still fails at the last moment," Dalt said, shaking his head in frustration. "I've conducted six experiments and wasted five Paramecia-type Devil Fruits. I've only succeeded once, and it was a fluky success that I still haven't figured out."
"Is there some key to the technique that wasn't recorded?" Aeridar asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"The technique is complete. There must be something I'm missing," Dalt said, shaking his head. "It's a good thing you brought that World Government technology. I plan to study the differences between Zoan and Paramecia types. I think I'll make a huge discovery."
"I appreciate your hard work. Just tell me what you need, and I'll get it if I can." Aeridar nodded. He didn't blame Dalt. If the technique were so easy to perfect, the World Government wouldn't have only figured out how to make inanimate objects "eat" Zoan Fruits.
"Being able to research this technology is the best reward for me," Dalt said with a fanatical look in his eyes. "Such a deep technology feels like the work of a 'god.' I'm more impressed by the scientist who invented this every day."
"You're not so bad yourself. You know, there are countless ambitious people in the world, including in the World Government, who would kill to have you," Aeridar said with a smile.
Dalt simply smiled and didn't respond. He walked over to a corner, took a small, brown pouch from a safe. It was about a palm and a half in size, with very intricate embroidery. It was a golden thread and silver thread rendition of the Chris Pirates' flag.
"This is the only successful item. I 'fed' it the Paramecia-type Pocket-Pocket Fruit," Dalt said, handing the brown pouch to Aeridar.
"Oh, the Pocket-Pocket Fruit? Sounds interesting," Aeridar said, his eyebrows raising as he took the pouch.
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