"Not bad. While the Pacifista’s bat capabilities still leave something to be desired, the progress is much faster than expected."

  Iuristic boratory, El watched as the researchers began iing and repairing the damaged PX-1. Turning to Ryan, Vegapunk, and Dr. Tsukimi, he asked:

  "What’s the current progress on the 'Pure Gold' research?"

  This was one of his top priorities—not just for himself, but also for the embers of the Fallen Angel Pirates. Although many of them were still in their prime, the passage of time would iably take its toll.

  Time, after all, is the most relentless force.

  Among his women, those like the Mythical Zoan Vampire Fruit user Linlin, the mermaid Ily, Helen, and Gerd didn’t o worry about aging anytime soon. However, others such as Tsuru, Sally, Baka, and Lillian were already in their early thirties. Had Nef, Stussy, Toki, and Furiko not traveled through time, they would be around the same age now.

  Thanks to Dr. Kureha, a master of loy and wellness, they maintained youthful appearances, looking no older than their mid-twenties. Even as they aged, their beauty only deepened, showing no sign of dee. Under her guidahey might eveain their youth well into their fifties.

  But El preferred to pn for the future. He didn’t want to enter his golden years while his panions slowly faded into old age.

  Moreover, his ambitioended far beyond preserving his immediate circle; any ce at loy was worth pursuing.

  The legendary “Pure Gold,” known for emitting a light capable of drastically slowing aging and granting near-immortality, was one such opportunity. The material, said to have limitless applications, came with minimal drawbacks.

  Acc to a records, over a tury ago, a stist on Alchemi Isnd in the North Blue succeeded iing a substance akin told. However, the brilliant light it emitted attracted a colossal nternfish, which devoured most of the isnd before vanishing into the sea.

  As a result, El had long instructed his research team to iigate Pure Gold. At the same time, he tasked Lillian—using her Gre-Gre Fruit ability—and the Fishman forces to search for the legendary nternfish that might still hold traces of it.

  "Pure Gold… does that thing eve?" Afar asked skeptically.

  Over the years, he had heard scattered rumors of the material, but the idea of a light capable of granting immortality seemed far too fantastical.

  "Based on the various records and ats we’ve collected, Pure Gold definitely exists," Ryan replied with a shrug. "However, its creation and refi involve numerous unknowns. With the st data we have, our progress has been minimal."

  "Even with the Munch-Munch Fruit, which theoretically allows us to accelerate our work, it’s not something erfect quickly," he added. "If we could recover a sample of Pure Gold from the giant nternfish you mentioned, I’m fident we could analyze its position and recreate it in no time."

  "No rush. Do your best," El said calmly. "Aside from Lillian frequently using her Gre-Gre Fruit to aid the search, I’ve already deployed aensive Fishman and Sea King forb the os for any trace of it."

  Sitting ba his oversized chair, El was far from disappointed. Narrowing his eyes with a determined gleam, he said, "O shows itself, I’ll make my move personally."

  Regardless of whether Pure Gold could be mass-produced, the reserves ihe nternfish were something he was determio obtain.

  "The allure of immortality… it seems even someone like you ’t resist it," Vegapunk remarked, stroking his oversized head with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

  "Of course not. Human desires are insatiable," El replied calmly. "It’s precisely that huhat drives exploration and progress."

  El harbored no illusions about his lofty goal of immortality—perhaps even true godhood. While ruling the world was his immediate target, his ultimate dream was eternal life and total dominion over everything. Oep at a time, he reminded himself; there was no point in being overwhelmed by distant goals when the present still had plenty to quer.

  "That same pursuit could also lead to self-destru," Vegapunk noted bluntly. "As you’ve mentiohe reckless use of a ons may have caused rising sea levels, drowniire nds and civilizations."

  "Perhaps," El ceded with a slight shrug. "But that’s why I have brilliant stists like you—to pn ahead and mitigate those risks."

  Shifting gears, El asked, "Speaking ress, how is the Artificial Devil Fruit Projeing along?"

  This was one of many top-tier projects on his agenda, alongside researto bloodline faodification, Pacifista development, and Pure Gold refi. These initiatives ed astronomical sums of money—resources El spared no expense in funneling into Totto Land’s stifideavors.

  Prime Misuru often pined about the ballooning budget, pointing out that the funds spent i few years were enough to stru entirely otto Land Kingdom from scratch.

  "There has been some progress," Ryan admitted. "But so far, we’ve only mao produce basic Zoan-type artificial Devil Fruits, including a few a varieties."

  "However," he tinued, "these have some gring fws. They’re far from perfed offer limited bes to the user. Worse, there’s only a 20% success rate. If someone fails to assimite the fruit properly, they lose the ability to express emotions other than ughter—regardless of how angry, sad, or paihey might feel."

  "And even if they succeed," Ryan added, "the user ’t e another artificial fruit to correct or enhany abilities. On top of that, individuals with artificial Zoan fruits are susceptible to the Paramecia Dango-Dango Fruit we recovered from Waing one of its dumplings makes them pletely obedient to whoever provides it, for at least a month."

  "So, the research tinues," he cluded.

  "Progress is progress," El remarked with a small nod. Then, with a knowing grin, he asked, "Tell me, these ‘fwed’ artificial Devil Fruits be mass-produced?"

  Ryan was taken aback, but before he could speak, Vegapunk’s brow furrowed as he interjected, "Wait. You’re not pnning to hand these out to your subordinates, are you?"

  El scoffed. "Of course not. I io sell them."

  "Sell them?" Vegapunk and the researchers exged uain looks.

  "They’re of limited use to us, but for others, they could be priceless," El expined. "Besides, Tsuru won’t stop pining about our spiraling research costs. She’s even threatening budget cuts."

  "Sell them?" Vegapunk echoed, still processing the idea. "Won’t that risk giving potential enemies an advantage?"

  El smirked. "That’s the beauty of it. We possess the Dango-Dango Fruit. Anyone who eats an artificial Devil Fruit be subdued with one dumpling. If we market these fruits strategically, we’ll not only gee reve also expand our influence—by turning potential enemies into loyal assets."

  The researchers fell silent, clearly taken aback by El’s audacious pn.

  Eventually, Ryan spoke. "To mass-produce artificial Devil Fruits, we’ll need your direvolvement, El-sama. The Tontatta Tree and other resources allow small-scale produ, but they’re far too slow for mass distribution. With your Quetzalcoatl form and its pnt-based abilities, you could boost our output signifitly and improve success rates."

  Bleam