Trebol, understanding Doflamingo's implicit command, didn't waste words. He carefully tucked half of the precious Senzu beans into an inner pocket, nodded curtly, and practically oozed his way out of the office, leaving Doflamingo to his plotting. Nee... gotta hurry!
New World, Punk Hazard – the island eternally divided between fire and ice.
Amidst the desolate, snow-swept landscape of the frozen side, Caesar Clown, the self-proclaimed genius scientist, received the mucus-dripping Trebol, his arrival heralded by the crunch of boots on icy ground.
"Trebol? What are you doing here?" Caesar demanded, adjusting his large goggles, annoyance clear in his gaseous voice. Shurorororo! Doesn't Joker know I'm busy with vital research?!
"Nee! Caesar! Fetch me one of your wounded subjects! Now!" Trebol ordered, sniffing loudly, getting straight to the point.
Though perplexed by this strange demand from Doflamingo's executive, Caesar wasn't one to question orders directly, especially when they came with Trebol's inherent implication of Doffy's authority. He snapped his fingers, and one of his hazmat-suited underlings shuffled forward nervously.
"Injure yourself," Caesar commanded coldly, tossing a wicked-looking blade onto the snow at the subordinate's feet. "Or I can assist you." His tone left no doubt that his "assistance" would be far less preferable.
The subordinate's face paled under his mask. Getting hurt by Master Caesar himself? I might not survive! With trembling hands, he picked up the blade and, grimacing, plunged it into his own body.
Stab! Stab! Stab!
Three brutal thrusts. The man collapsed to his knees, blood instantly blossoming across his suit and staining the pristine white snow a sickening crimson. Three deep wounds pulsed, pouring out lifeblood.
Before Caesar could even fully register the gruesome scene, Trebol shuffled forward and quickly shoved a single Senzu bean into the dying man's mouth. Gulp.
A moment passed. Then… FWOOSH!
The familiar, impossible green light erupted from the subordinate's body. The bleeding stopped instantly. The deep stab wounds knitted themselves closed at a speed that defied reality! Within seconds, the man, who had been bleeding out on the snow, was scrambling back to his feet, looking down at his perfectly healed body in stunned disbelief!
Caesar's jaw dropped, his eyes bulging behind his goggles, wide with utter shock. "NANI?! (WHAT?!) What just happened?! How is this possible?!" he shrieked, his scientific mind utterly boggled.
Trebol grinned, mucus dripping, thoroughly enjoying Caesar's flabbergasted reaction. "Nee! This, Caesar, is what Doffy wants you to work on! This is Senzu! Replicate it!"
The sheer, reality-bending potency of the Senzu bean had instantly ignited Caesar's scientific curiosity, overriding his usual arrogance and caution. The potential! The applications! Shurororororo! This changes EVERYTHING! Without another word, he snatched the pouch of beans from Trebol and practically vanished into the depths of his laboratory, the promise of unlocking this miracle consuming his every thought.
Meanwhile, back aboard the Moby Dick…
Marco the Phoenix returned after several days of scouring various islands and underworld contacts, a triumphant look on his face. He had finally gathered the necessary, rarer ingredients for the Intermediate Senzu Beans!
Alex, in the meantime, had fully handed off the running of the basic Senzu production room to the well-trained crew. It operated like a well-oiled machine now, churning out the basic beans with impressive efficiency. His own Creation Points counter had, thanks to this mass production, finally broken the crucial 100,000 mark! Hirahira~rahaha! Finally! The next unlockable item from his Cross-Dimensional Invention System was within reach!
Just as Alex was about to mentally activate the unlock sequence, Marco's excited call echoed across the deck. "Alex! I've got them!"
Tch. Just my luck. Alex mentally sighed, pausing the unlock process. He headed out onto the deck to see what Marco needed so urgently.
"Alex! I managed to find all the materials for the Intermediate Senzu!" Marco announced, holding up a small bundle of rare herbs and minerals, still beaming.
Alex nodded calmly. He took the materials from Marco, focusing his intent. A soft, golden light enveloped his hand. Within moments, the light coalesced, solidified, and when it faded, a single green bean rested in his palm. This one, however, pulsed with a faint, yet distinct, purple aura.
Marco gasped, utterly awestruck once again by Alex's seemingly god-like ability to create something from nothing. It's like magic... no, something beyond magic!
"Stop gawking, Marco," Alex said casually, breaking Marco's reverie. "Take this to the Captain. No time to waste, Hirahira~rahaha!"
"Ah! Right, yoi!" Marco snapped back to reality, carefully taking the glowing Intermediate Senzu Bean as if it were the most precious treasure in the world, and hurried towards the main cabin.
Seeing the uniquely glowing bean, Edward Newgate immediately understood. This was the next step. Without unnecessary words, the Yonko (Emperor) tossed the Intermediate Senzu Bean into his mouth and swallowed.
Instantly, a powerful purple light radiated outwards, enveloping Whitebeard's entire massive frame! A deep, heartfelt groan of pure relief escaped his lips – a sound none of his crew had heard in years. Dark, stagnant impurities, the physical manifestation of decades of internal damage, began to seep from his pores, staining his skin. Oooohhh…!
After several moments, the intense purple glow subsided, the bean's potent energy absorbed. Marco, ignoring the grime covering his beloved Oyaji (Pops), immediately placed a hand on Whitebeard's chest, using his own senses to assess the internal changes.
"Marco... I can feel it," Whitebeard rumbled, his voice filled with a newfound vigor, a spark returning to his eyes. "Vessels... channels blocked for decades... they're clear now! Completely open! Only the very oldest, deepest injuries remain!" He clenched his massive fist, feeling a surge of strength he hadn't experienced since his prime. The constant, grinding pain that had been his companion for so long was... lessened. Significantly. He felt lighter, almost buoyant!
He turned his gaze towards the cabin entrance, where Alex stood observing calmly. A look of profound, genuine gratitude passed between the World's Strongest Man and the young inventor.
"Alex... my boy..." Whitebeard said, his voice thick with emotion. He clapped a heavy, appreciative hand on Alex's shoulder. "...Thank you. I never thought... at my age... I'd ever feel this... unburdened again."
"Hirahira~rahaha! I made a promise, Captain," Alex replied evenly, meeting the Yonko (Emperor)'s gaze. "And I intend to keep it."
Just then, Diamond Jozu, who had been on lookout duty, burst into the cabin. "Oyaji! There's— Huh?" He stopped short, blinking at Whitebeard's soiled appearance. "Oyaji? Why are you all... dirty?" He scratched his diamond-hard head in confusion.
WHAM!
With speed and power that startled even Marco, Whitebeard delivered a swift kick to Jozu's side, sending the massive Third Division Commander flying clean out of the cabin and onto the deck with a resounding crash!
"Oof!" Jozu groaned, rubbing his side as he picked himself up. "Whoa! Oyaji! Feels like your strength's gone up again!"
"Gurarararara!" Whitebeard laughed heartily, feeling exceptionally good. "Now, what was so important, Jozu?"
"Ah! Right!" Jozu remembered, scrambling back to the doorway. "Akagami (Red-Hair) is here! Shanks and his crew!"
Whitebeard's good mood didn't falter, but his eyes sharpened. "Akagami no Shanks (Red-Haired Shanks)... Let him come aboard."
Moments later, Shanks strode onto the deck of the Moby Dick, his presence effortless yet commanding, radiating an aura of immense Haki (Ambition/Willpower). Whitebeard, seated now on his massive chair at the bow, watched him approach, his gaze narrowed, appraising the younger Yonko (Emperor).
Shanks carried a giant gourd of sake, offering it with a relaxed grin. "Been a while, Whitebeard-san."
But Whitebeard cut straight to the chase. "What do you want, Red-Hair brat?" he rumbled. He noted, with some internal satisfaction, the flicker of surprise in Shanks' eyes as the redhead took in Whitebeard's appearance – notably lacking the usual IV drips and medical equipment.
"Heh," Shanks chuckled, his gaze sweeping the deck, lingering for a moment on Alex, who stood unobtrusively near the cabin. "Seems the rumors were true, old man. You really did find yourself someone quite remarkable."
"My affairs are none of your concern," Whitebeard retorted gruffly, picking his nose dismissively. "State your business!"
Shanks' expression turned serious, his usual easygoing demeanor vanishing. "The main reason I came... I need you to recall Fire Fist Ace. Tell him to stop pursuing Blackbeard Teach."
The air crackled with sudden tension. Whitebeard's eyes flashed dangerously. "Nani o. (Are you kidding me?)" he snarled. "Teach murdered his own nakama (comrade)! Broke the iron rule of this ship! He must pay the price!"
Shanks met his glare evenly. "So, you won't listen to reason?" His voice was low, deceptively calm, but heavy with unspoken power.
"Gurararara! Reason?!" Whitebeard slammed his fist onto the armrest of his chair. CRACK! "There's only one way to settle this!"
Shanks sighed, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword, Gryphon. "Looks like we can't agree." He drew his blade, the steel singing in the sudden silence. "Then let our fists and blades do the talking!" He unleashed a wave of palpable Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki).
"Bring it on, Red-Hair brat!" Whitebeard roared back, gripping his legendary bisento, Murakumogiri, his own immense Haki (Ambition/Willpower) crashing against Shanks'. "You're not strong enough to beat me now!" The very air around them seemed to warp as the two Yonko (Emperors) prepared to clash