Chapter 98: The Fuse-Fuse Fruit

Inside the metal doorway was a large, naturally formed cave. Fia's cheerful laughter echoed off the stone walls.

Rounding a corner, they entered a spacious cavern. Fia was in the midst of a boisterous game with Gabo and Limu.

Spotting Bege and his crew approaching, Fia immediately abandoned her game and ran over, tilting her small head back to look up at Bege with a wide, infectious grin.

Gabo and Limu scampered over as well, positioning themselves slightly behind Fia, offering Bege obsequious smiles while nervously rubbing their hands together. Gabo subtly nudged Fia, giving her pointed looks.

"Want more cola again, huh?" Bege chuckled, affectionately ruffling Fia's hair beneath her watermelon hat.

The trio nodded enthusiastically in unison, their eyes wide with eager anticipation.

Bege laughed heartily and produced a full crate of cola from his internal castle-body.

"Thank you, Brother Bege!" Fia cheered. The three immediately dragged the heavy crate off to a corner to eagerly divide their spoils.

"My daughter can be rather… unreserved. Please excuse her behavior, Sir Demon Dragon," Ben Kosa said with a helpless sigh, appearing from deeper within the cavern.

"Not at all. Fia is innocent and adorable. I quite like her," Bege replied smoothly, then shifted topics abruptly. "Dr. Kosa, young Fia and I seem to have hit it off quite well. I find myself feeling a certain... connection. I was wondering if you would permit me the honor of becoming Fia's godfather? Would you be willing, Dr. Kosa?"

Ben Kosa offered a polite smile but didn't answer immediately.

Fia, however, piped up curiously, "Brother Bege, what's a godfather?"

Bege explained gently, "A godfather means someone who will help educate you and protect you from now on, Fia."

Fia tilted her head, considering this for a moment. Then her eyes lit up brightly. "Brother Bege! If you become my godfather, will you give me cola often?" she asked hopefully.

"Hahahaha… Of course! Fia can have as much cola as she wants, whenever she wants!" Bege roared with laughter, thoroughly amused by the little girl's straightforward priorities. His crew members chuckled along with him.

Fia clapped her hands together excitedly. "Yay! Then I want Brother Bege to be my godfather!"

"Lord Demon Dragon! Can you be our godfather too?!" Gabo and Limu chimed in shamelessly, looking up at Bege with wide, hopeful eyes.

A dark line momentarily appeared on Bege's forehead in annoyance. He completely ignored their request. The two immediately drooped, squatting down dejectedly to draw circles in the dirt again.

Fia patted their shoulders reassuringly. "It's okay! If I get cola, you guys will definitely get some too!" They instantly brightened up.

"Sir Demon Dragon, please, have a seat," Ben Kosa invited, gesturing towards a simple seating arrangement carved from stone. He sighed again as he sat down opposite Bege. "These past years, Fia has endured much hardship, living with me in isolation on this island. I truly feel I have failed her as a father."

Kosa looked directly at Bege, his expression turning serious. "Sir Demon Dragon, I highly doubt you came all this way just for tea and casual conversation."

"Indeed," Bege confirmed, deciding to get straight to the point. "I recognize your exceptional scientific capabilities, Dr. Kosa. I came here to formally invite you to join my pirate crew."

Ben Kosa didn't seem surprised, merely nodding slightly as if he had anticipated this offer. He took a slow sip of tea before replying deliberately, "My joining your crew could bring you untold disaster."

Bege raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Oh? And what sort of disaster might that be?"

"The Marines and the World Government will never stop hunting you," Kosa stated gravely.

"Hahahaha!" Bege threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Is that all you're worried about? I'm the pirate who killed Vice Admirals Mad Tiger and White Lion! The Marines and the World Government already have me marked for death! Your presence changes nothing in that regard."

Kosa shook his head slowly, his gaze intense as he met Bege's eyes. "If I were to join your crew, and the Marines were to discover my affiliation with you, they will dispatch an Admiral specifically to eliminate you. Tell me honestly, Sir Demon Dragon, can you truly withstand the power of a Marine Admiral?"

Bege's eyebrow quirked again. What in the world did Kosa do to warrant having an Admiral sent after him personally?

His expression turned serious. "Dr. Kosa, do you know why I appeared on Bipoth Island so heavily injured?"

Kosa remained silent, waiting. Bege continued, "A short while ago, on a Marine science island somewhere else in the New World, I walked straight into an elaborate ambush. The World Government deployed CP0 – one agent whose combat power rivaled an Admiral's, and another elite combatant comparable to a high-ranking Vice Admiral. On top of that, the Marines sent three of their HQ Vice Admirals, along with their two most powerful 'Monster' Logia users. They laid a trap specifically designed to annihilate me on that science island… and yet, here I am. I survived, and I escaped all the way here to Bipoth Island."

Ben Kosa stared at Bege, utter disbelief written plainly on his face. Ingram, listening intently nearby while Roboran treated his wounds, also looked completely shocked.

"My point is this, Doctor," Bege stated with unwavering confidence, "I do not fear the Marines or the World Government. While I admit I may not be able to fight an Admiral head-on right now, give me five years, perhaps ten, and I absolutely will possess the strength to contend with them. I will have the power to protect you and yours."

Ben Kosa fell into deep thought, glancing occasionally towards Fia, who was now happily sharing her cola with Gabo and Limu. After several long moments of silence, he seemed to reach a decision. He gritted his teeth slightly and said, "If you truly believe you can gain the power to protect us… then I am willing to board your ship."

"Hahaha! Excellent! Excellent! Wonderful! Welcome aboard, Dr. Kosa!" Bege laughed heartily, genuinely pleased.

"Still," Bege continued, his curiosity piqued, "I have to ask. Why exactly would they send an Admiral after you? Was it truly because of that Devil Fruit you stole all those years ago?"

Kosa looked surprised that Bege knew even that detail. He gave a wry, bitter smile. "You even know about the fruit…"

Bege shrugged nonchalantly. "I happen to have another… associate… who is also a scientist, a certain Vinsmoke Judge. I merely inquired."

"That arrogant fool, Judge? He's working for you now too?" Kosa looked genuinely astonished. "Hmm, perhaps my choice isn't so misguided after all."

Kosa seemed to gather himself, then turned to Ingram. "Take Fia outside for a bit. We need to speak privately."

Ingram nodded and gently coaxed the protesting Fia, along with Gabo and Limu, out of the main cavern area. Once they were alone, Kosa began his story.

"The incident did indeed start because of the fruit," he confirmed, his voice hushed, "but the more significant factor… the primary reason for the relentless pursuit… is that during the theft, I accidentally killed someone. And that someone… turned out to be a Celestial Dragon." He spoke the last words softly, but his face still showed residual tension and fear recalling the event.

Bege nodded slowly, understanding dawning. Killing a Celestial Dragon… That alone would explain everything – the secrecy, the defection, the Admiral-level response.

Kosa continued, "I was originally a scientist in the Marine research unit, specializing in the field of Modified Humans. For years, my project yielded no significant breakthroughs, and I grew deeply frustrated. Then, I learned that the science unit had acquired a unique Devil Fruit – the Fuse-Fuse Fruit. Its power allows the user to fuse any objects together, organic or inorganic. When I heard about its ability, inspiration struck me like lightning! Such a power would be immeasurably beneficial to my research into creating stable biological hybrids! I immediately petitioned my superiors for access to the fruit, hoping to study it, perhaps even consume it myself… but I was flatly refused."

The Fuse-Fuse Fruit! Able to fuse anything together! Bege's brow furrowed. He mentally scanned his extensive knowledge of the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, yet found no mention of such a fruit. It was either incredibly rare, deliberately hidden, or perhaps even newly discovered at the time.

"I pleaded with my supervisor dozens of times," Kosa went on, his voice tight with remembered frustration, "but was rejected every single time. Later, I discovered that the supervisor had instead awarded that incredibly precious Devil Fruit as a mere bonus to another scientist… one who, in my opinion, had made absolutely no significant contributions worthy of such a prize! I was beyond indignant."

"You must understand," Kosa said, leaning forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with a remembered obsession, "the allure of that Devil Fruit, the potential it held for unlocking the secrets of biological fusion for my research… it was overwhelming. Under the weight of that temptation, I… I took a desperate risk. I decided to steal the Fuse-Fuse Fruit. But, unexpectedly, that other scientist discovered me in the act. There was a struggle… and in my panic… I accidentally killed him." Kosa paused, swallowing hard. "Only after he was dead did I realize the horrifying truth… the scientist I had killed was, in fact, a visiting Celestial Dragon who had taken an interest in the research unit."

"To survive the inevitable retribution, I fled the science unit immediately, taking the Fuse-Fuse Fruit with me. After years spent wandering, constantly looking over my shoulder, I eventually stumbled upon this remote island, Bipoth. I've remained hidden here for the past ten years."