"Dr. Indigo, the research and extraction of 'IQ' represents an extraordinary scientific achievement. I would hate to see such remarkable work abandoned because of the conflict between myself and Golden Lion Shiki," said William, his face somewhat pale as he crouched before Dr. Indigo. Looking directly into the scientist's eyes, he continued with apparent sincerity, "The true greatness of a scientist lies in transforming what the world deems impossible into reality. Using the extracted elements from 'IQ' to stimulate biological evolution is precisely such a groundbreaking endeavor—one that transforms the impossible into the possible. And such revolutionary work cannot proceed without your brilliant mind."
Dr. Indigo's cell resembled a comfortable bedroom more than a prison. Soft padding lined the walls, and despite being restrained with handcuffs and leg irons, the scientist showed no signs of mistreatment. The room even featured a desk with a matching bookshelf packed with scientific texts.
On the table before Indigo sat a plate of his favorite fruits.
For a prisoner, William's treatment of Dr. Indigo was remarkably considerate. Despite still recovering from his own injuries, William frequently visited the scientist, persistently attempting to persuade him to switch allegiances.
Dr. Indigo's intellect and scientific brilliance were unquestionably worth such effort.
The laboratory on Merveille Island had been built almost single-handedly by Indigo, as Shiki himself had possessed no understanding of such technical matters.
However, Indigo had loyally served Shiki for decades as his most trusted right-hand man. He wasn't someone who could be swayed by a few kind words or minor comforts.
As Indigo savored a segment of peeled orange, clearly relishing its flavor, he spoke with his mouth half-full: "You think you can buy me off? Keep dreaming. When you were still playing make-believe with children your age, I was already sailing the seas under Shiki's command. Even if you managed to defeat him through sheer luck, I won't grovel for my life like some coward. Just kill me and be done with it."
"In a life-or-death struggle, there's no such thing as luck for the victor," William replied, his smile fading as he rose to his full height. "And I have no intention of killing you."
Indigo let out a derisive snort. "Since you've been kind enough to provide these fruits, I'll offer you some advice: stop wasting your time."
Seeing Indigo's unwavering resolve, William sighed in apparent resignation. He patted the scientist's shoulder before turning to leave the room.
Outside the cell, Dampier leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Beside him stood Kuro and Aramis, while behind Aramis waited a man dressed in an outlandishly flamboyant outfit. His clothes were a riot of colors adorned with glittering sequins, and he wore star-shaped glasses perched on his nose. His eccentric style clashed dramatically with the more subdued appearances of his companions.
"Still refusing to talk?" Dampier asked as William emerged.
William offered a slight chuckle. "He's remarkably stubborn."
Aramis, however, seemed unimpressed. "We shouldn't have wasted time on persuasion in the first place."
He tilted his chin toward the flamboyantly dressed man behind him and added, "Let Jango hypnotize him. Then we'll see if he maintains this stubborn resistance."
"Jango's hypnosis doesn't work effectively on individuals with strong willpower and deep psychological defenses," William replied calmly. "Besides, I need his mind to remain intact and functioning. I won't risk damaging his intellect with hypnosis unless absolutely necessary."
The man in the star-shaped glasses was indeed Jango.
Jango served as a top operative in the Morgan Pirates' Intelligence Division Five. In the original timeline, without William's intervention, he would have eventually become a subordinate of the pirate Kuro, known for his dancing skills and hypnotic abilities.
Thanks to William's meritocratic approach to recruitment, Jango's fate had changed dramatically. His exceptional dancing skills and masterful hypnotic techniques had made him a rising star within Division Five.
"So what's the plan now?" Aramis inquired.
"Torture," William stated flatly. His expression had completely transformed, devoid of the warmth he had displayed in the cell, replaced by an unsettling calmness. "No physical mutilation—use water torture instead. Deprive him of sleep, break his spirit, and shatter his psychological defenses. After that, Jango can step in."
"Jango!" William called out.
Jango stepped forward from behind Aramis, placing a hand over his chest and bowing slightly. "What are your orders, sir?"
"I require a lucid scientist, not a mindless puppet ruined by excessive hypnosis. Is that understood?" William said with quiet intensity.
Jango nodded quickly in acknowledgment.
William then turned his attention to Kuro. Nearly two weeks had passed since the conclusion of the Sky Battle of the East Blue.
In truth, William's initial warnings about the threat posed by Golden Lion Shiki had been somewhat exaggerated, lacking concrete evidence. The fear that had spread throughout the East Blue had stemmed entirely from Shiki's infamous reputation.
However, after William killed Shiki and the floating islands—including Merveille—plummeted from the sky, the people of the East Blue finally witnessed firsthand just how terrifying Shiki's power had been. Without William's intervention, the devastation Shiki could have unleashed would have been catastrophic.
The fallen islands crashed down in the waters between the Navia Kingdom and the Goa Kingdom. Merveille itself landed near Whitespruce Town, triggering a tsunami that nearly obliterated the settlement. Fortunately, William had anticipated this disaster and evacuated both people and valuable resources in advance. Even so, the Free Trade Zone that William had painstakingly developed over many years—an achievement that had earned him considerable renown throughout the East Blue—was completely destroyed.
The other fallen islands caused varying degrees of damage to nearby settlements. But the most terrifying aftermath wasn't the physical destruction caused by the islands themselves—it was the monsters that had been bred and enhanced by Shiki and Indigo over the years using the mysterious substance called 'IQ.'
Some beasts had perished in the fall from such an immense height, but many had survived, their enhanced vitality allowing them to endure the impact. Among these creatures were species capable of swimming and even flying. These beasts were not only ferocious but also incredibly powerful. The entire region had transformed into a forbidden zone, resembling scenes from post-apocalyptic disaster films from William's previous life. Ships dared not venture into the vicinity, and the area had effectively become a quarantined territory that no one dared to enter.
After the battle, William had allowed his subordinates only two days of rest before assigning Kuro to oversee the containment of the affected region. Officially, the operation aimed to prevent the monsters from spreading and endangering civilian populations. However, the fact that William had specifically entrusted Kuro with this task suggested ulterior motives.
Most of the critical materials and personnel related to the experiments on Merveille had been evacuated to airships before the island's fall. Anything left behind would likely have been destroyed by the impact from such a height.
William had dispatched teams to search the island for any salvageable items, but his true interest lay in one of Merveille's other "specialties" beyond 'IQ.'
"How is the reforestation campaign progressing?" William asked Kuro.
"Smoothly," Kuro replied with a subtle smile.
Seeing Kuro's expression, William added a cautionary note: "Speed isn't the only priority. I don't want any information leaking out."
Kuro's smile remained unchanged. "Rest assured. I understand your intentions perfectly." ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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