Inside the grand hall of Onigashima, Kaido was enjoying his rum with great satisfaction.
He downed one cup after another, feeling immensely pleased.
Seeing Reno approach, he drained his cup and smashed it to pieces.
"Wo lo lo lo lo~ Kid, how's your research going?"
The members of the Beasts Pirates in the hall followed Reno's steps with their eyes, their expressions inscrutable.
Some were skeptical, some were gloating, and others were filled with anticipation.
Facing Kaido's intimidating gaze, Reno calmly walked up and said, "It's been successfully developed."
He then displayed the tiger-class monster cells inside a box to everyone.
The crowd was initially stunned, and after a brief silence, they burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha... Is this the technology you claimed surpasses the artificial Devil Fruits?!"
"I knew it, it was all just a stopgap measure from you!!"
"Lord Kaido, we've all been fooled by this kid!!"
"..."
Everyone chimed in, even those who had been skeptical shook their heads, clearly losing hope.
From his throne, Kaido glanced subtly at Yamato, suppressing his anger as he spoke, "Reno, is this your explanation to me??"
Unmoved by the doubts, Reno nodded, "That's right, these are the tiger-class monster cells. As long as you can withstand their side effects, your strength will soar. Who wants to try?"
The crowd exchanged glances and then shook their heads, none of them making a move.
Feeling helpless, Reno pointed at one of the empowered individuals and said, "Do you want to have the strength of a true fighter? Eat this, and you can defeat a true fighter."
In the Beasts Pirates, the hierarchy of strength was extremely strict, with Kaido being the strongest without a doubt.
Below him were the Three Calamities, the Flying Six, the true fighters, and then the empowered individuals.
Below them were the ordinary pirates.
The empowered individual who was directly named was visibly startled, feeling terrified.
Challenge a true fighter? Isn't that akin to suicide?
Among the hundreds of empowered individuals, his strength was only average, with a significant gap to a true fighter.
Defeating a true fighter seemed like a pipe dream.
Noticing the cold stares from several true fighters around him, the empowered individual shrank back in fear.
"Eat it when you're told to eat it!!!"
Kaido spoke impatiently, already somewhat angry.
The empowered individual trembled, stepping out from the crowd with trepidation.
Reno smiled, patting his shoulder to reassure him, "Don't worry, as long as you eat it and withstand the side effects, defeating a true fighter won't be difficult."
Upon hearing this, several true fighters couldn't help but sneer.
The empowered individual hesitated for a moment while holding the tiger-class monster cells, as if making a decision, and then ate it without hesitation.
Eating it might offer a slim chance of transformation, but not eating it meant certain death, so he gambled.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the empowered individual, and they soon saw him collapse to the ground, letting out a series of harrowing screams.
Anyone who heard it would feel a chill down their spine.
"Damn it, I knew Reno was deceiving us!!"
"Is he going to die?!"
"..."
Kaido and the high-ranking members of the Beasts Pirates watched him with suspicion, their brows slightly furrowed.
This must be the side effect Reno mentioned.
Reno wasn't surprised; to enhance strength and achieve transformation, this was an essential step.
"Ah!!!"
The empowered individual's face contorted in extreme pain, his body twisting like a worm, and his screams grew more harrowing.
As he endured the pain, his body also began to change.
Under the effect of the tiger-class monster cells, his cells rapidly multiplied, and his physique visibly grew larger.
As time passed, the screams filling the hall gradually subsided and eventually ceased.
The empowered individual rose from the ground.
When everyone looked at him again, their widened eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Is this... the same guy from before?!"
"How did he become so muscular? The change is incredible."
"Could it really be because of that purple chunk earlier?!"
"He looks like a completely different person!!"
"Did it really succeed?!"
Quinn looked at the empowered individual with a face full of shock, his expression no different from the others.
As a scientist, he had thought Reno's claims were pure fantasy, something absolutely impossible.
But when he sensed the changes in the empowered individual's body and the aura emanating from him, he finally began to waver.
"Hmm?!"
Kaido instinctively let out a sound of surprise, examining the empowered individual with great interest.
The displeasure on his face had been replaced by astonishment.
Amid the various voices in his ears and mind, Reno smiled slightly and said, "You've succeeded. Now find a true fighter to be your opponent."
Reno's voice brought the empowered individual back to his senses from his joy, and he looked at Reno with gratitude.
The next moment, his gaze fixed on one of the true fighters, and he spoke with full battle intent, "Sheepshead, come out."
He was one of Sheepshead's subordinates, often bullied by him, yet he dared not speak out.
Now, he intended to teach this guy a lesson.
Sheepshead stepped out from the crowd with a sullen face. Although he was shocked by the changes in the empowered individual, he still didn't believe the other was his match.
"Kid, arrogance comes with a price. Watch how I deal with you!!!"
"Beat me first!!!"
The empowered individual sneered, and the usually timid him took the initiative to attack.
"Damn it, you really dare!!!" Sheepshead was furious. Did a so-called monster cell give him such courage?
"Giant Ram Horns!!"
Sheepshead roared, swinging his arms that had transformed into ram horns, smashing them towards the empowered individual.
Just when he thought he could defeat his opponent in one blow, the empowered individual's form suddenly shifted, disappearing from his original spot at an incredible speed.
"What?!!"
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