A green-haired woman wearing glasses, Monet the Snow Woman, had become Caesar's secretary. Her role was to supervise him and ensure he fulfilled Doflamingo's orders.
Just one glimpse of the technology that allowed Zoan-type Devil Fruit abilities to be fused into objects left her stunned.
Still, as she stared at the sluggish, mindless purple slime creature born from the fusion, she couldn't help but feel the method seemed impractical. To spend a Devil Fruit worth hundreds of millions just to create a dull-witted weapon? It was hardly worth it.
After all, a capable human who ate a Devil Fruit could unleash far greater power than a tool with limited intelligence.
Of course, if artificial Devil Fruits were perfected, then scarcity would no longer matter—they could be produced and used freely.
Caesar's real expertise lay in poison gas and large-scale weapons of mass destruction. Yet, from years of watching Vegapunk's work, he had learned enough to tinker with artificial fruits. Though riddled with flaws, his knowledge allowed him to attempt extracting animal lineage factors, crafting SAD—the foundation for growing artificial fruits.
No one knew how many months it would take for the first to mature. Still, if he had access to more Zoan-type ability users, his work could accelerate. Perhaps he could one day rival Vegapunk, creating perfected artificial fruits as powerful as the one that birthed Experiment No. 88—the Azure Dragon fruit.
And while building these, Caesar had no intention of abandoning his true passion. Alongside Doflamingo's project, he planned to secretly restart his poison gas weapon initiative—this time under the grand title: "Nation of Death Project."
Across the Seas
As Punk Hazard drew closer, Souta Kiryuu's gaze hardened. Old memories resurfaced—memories soaked in pain and rage.
"Boss! Calm down!"
Capone Bege, seated inside his moving fortress-body, nearly panicked as he felt Souta's overwhelming bloodlust ripple through the air. It was suffocating, terrifying enough to knock him unconscious and send him crashing into the sea.
Souta exhaled sharply, suppressing the violent aura. With a sudden burst of speed, he shot forward, eyes locked on the island.
"Caesar… you'd better still be there."
Inside Punk Hazard
While commanding Donquixote family grunts, Caesar suddenly froze, his back breaking out in a cold sweat.
"What… what is this feeling?"
He glanced nervously around, but the oppressive dread wouldn't fade. His eyes finally settled on Monet.
Doflamingo had spared no expense—assigning even a Logia-type, the Snow-Snow Fruit wielder, as his handler.
"Beautiful secretary, call Doflamingo. Tell him to capture more Zoan users for me. The experiments will move faster that way."
He forced a smirk, trying to shake off his unease. But then the presence intensified—so sharp and suffocating it made his body quiver with dread.
The Return
Above the skies of Punk Hazard, Souta Kiryuu's eyes glowed with fury as he surveyed the island. The gas was thinning.
"Caesar, you bastard… you really came back here!"
He dove like a thunderbolt, the purple markings on his body writhing as they absorbed the lingering poison, clearing a pocket of breathable air around him.
Capone Bege, ever cautious, still strapped on the gas mask Vegapunk had prepared.
"Boss, there are a lot of people on this island—more than a hundred."
Enel's mantra swept across the land, his electromagnetic senses painting the island's life signs.
"Good. Let's slaughter them."
Souta gave no hesitation. He surged forward, Enel transforming into lightning at his side. Bege and his fortress-castle stayed on the shore, leaving the assault to monsters.
Every Donquixote family patrol they encountered fell instantly, struck down by bolts of lightning before they could send a signal. Punk Hazard had no surveillance network in place yet—escape was impossible.
The screams and crackling thunder echoed until finally, the laboratory's gates shattered under Souta's kick.
Terror in the Laboratory
Caesar's face turned ashen the instant he saw the intruder.
"It's him!! How is it him!? Why is Experiment 88 here?!"
He screamed in horror before instantly dispersing into gas, fleeing in desperation.
Monet froze in shock. After leaving Dressrosa, she never expected to face Souta Kiryuu again so soon.
"Caesar! You can't run!"
Souta's grin split wide, his Conqueror's Haki exploding forth. Black and red lightning surged, forcing Caesar out of his gaseous escape. A laser beam lanced through his leg, blood spraying as he collapsed, shrieking.
"Don't kill me!! Souta, listen—you shouldn't even be alive! You gained the poison factor, the transparency factor, because of me! You should be thanking me!"
Caesar's sobbing plea filled the room, his body trembling under Souta's suffocating killing intent.
Even Monet's blood ran cold. Souta's Haki was more ferocious than Doflamingo's, dragging Caesar from Logia form with sheer dominance.
She tried to speak—but lightning struck before her eyes, and Enel appeared, his dead-fish gaze boring into her. She staggered back, knowing all too well—Logia bodies were no defense against lightning.
Souta crouched over Caesar, voice low and venomous.
"You're right about one thing—I should thank you. If you hadn't blown up Punk Hazard, I wouldn't have escaped. But that doesn't change the fact that you killed me once. And I intend to return the favor."
Caesar whimpered, eyes wide as he groveled.
"Don't! Don't kill me! I can give you more! I can transplant Spark Red, Shock Blue, all of the lineage factors—your body can handle it! You're perfect! I can make you stronger than Kaido himself!"
His words tumbled out like a drowning man clutching at straws.
"And I've already partnered with Doflamingo! Kill me and you'll be at war with him too!"
Souta chuckled, then drove a fist into Caesar's gut. Blood and spit gushed from his mouth as his body folded like a shrimp.
"Doflamingo? I raided his territory just days ago. He won't save you."
"Please, Souta-dono!" Monet's trembling voice rang out. She forced herself to step forward, desperation trembling in her every word. "For my young master's sake, spare Caesar. We will pay—we'll trade treasures, even Devil Fruits—for his life!"
Her plea barely masked the terror in her eyes. Caesar was her charge, her mission. She couldn't let him die here.
Souta glanced at her, lips curling into a mocking grin.
"Doflamingo's face? Sorry. You're both my spoils of war now. You, Monet, and Caesar—you belong to me."
His gaze swept over her curving form, and his laugh rumbled darkly.
"Apologies, Doflamingo… looks like I'm stealing another one of your officers."