"This... how is this even possible?!"
Queen's jaw dropped. His eyes bulged so wide they looked ready to pop out of their sockets as he stared at the snapped needle in stunned disbelief.
His syringes were crafted from some of the most resilient metals available—specifically designed to penetrate not just human flesh, but the hides and scales of dangerous beasts. Some of his experimental creatures had skin tougher than stone, yet his needle could pierce through them like butter.
But now... it had broken. Just like that.
What is this guy's body made of? Steel?
Queen shuffled closer, stunned, and reached out to run his hands across Darren's body. Darren flinched, goosebumps rising instantly.
The more Queen examined him, the more his expression shifted—from shock, to fascination, to maniacal glee. His small eyes lit up with a fiery obsession, his fat face quivering with excitement.
"Skin as tough as steel... muscles as dense and springy as volcanic rock..."
"Muhahaha!! This is perfect! You're the ideal specimen!"
He threw his arms up and practically shouted, flushed with joy.
"You, Marine—you're exactly the test subject I've been looking for!"
Then he muttered, "Well, I mean, the perfect specimen would be boss Kaido, but... he'd kill me, so—this works."
Queen looked Darren over again like a collector admiring a priceless artifact.
"Ordinary subjects can't handle my viruses. Even the mildest dosages drop them in seconds."
"But you? Hehehe... oh, you'll last."
Grinning grotesquely, Queen wiped a bit of drool from his mouth and turned toward Bullet.
"Well, no reason to rush now. Let's check out your structure too."
With another repulsive giggle, Queen waddled over and began pawing at Bullet—pinching, prodding, squeezing.
"You disgusting pig! I swear I'll kill you!!"
Bullet roared through gritted teeth, face bright red from fury. But injured and shackled with seastone, he was powerless.
"Resistance is meaningless," Queen cooed. "Scream all you like. No one's coming."
He puffed his cigar, thrust out his massive gut, and struck a ridiculous flexing pose.
"Don't underestimate the appeal of being fat. I chose this form! If I were thin, I'd be too charming! Muhahaha!!"
He turned back toward Darren again.
"Your physique's not bad either. Like a dinosaur, really... not bad at all."
Queen's beady eyes darted between the two men. Then, with a chuckle, he replaced the broken needle with a fresh one.
He approached Darren again and, with a grunt, activated Armament Haki. Inky black haki flowed like liquid down his arm and coated the syringe.
The silver needle darkened, gleaming with a sharp obsidian shine.
"This should do the trick..."
Queen moved in and jabbed the needle into Darren's neck.
This time, with the haki boost, it punched through his skin and muscle, digging deep into the vein.
Darren grunted through clenched teeth.
(Stabbed, shot, crushed—he never made a sound. But one little needle... and he grunted.
Funny how even monsters flinch at what every child fears.
"Now, try my latest virus. This one will make hell itself feel like a hot spring. Muhahaha..."
Queen injected the glowing green liquid into his bloodstream.
Darren's heart slammed in his chest.
His pupils shrank to pinpoints as blood vessels exploded red across his eyes.
Each beat pounded like thunder in the hollow silence of the cell.
Agony crashed through him.
It was a heat that ignited every nerve, tore through every muscle, and drowned his mind in unbearable fire. He dropped to his knees with a feral roar, hands clawing the ground.
For the first time in his life, he heard his own heartbeat.
In Bullet's wary gaze, Darren's skin began turning red before his eyes. Blood seeped from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. A pale steam began rising from his body.
And worst of all—his chest.
Veins bulged across his torso, his heart visibly pulsing through his skin in grotesque rhythm, like it wanted to burst from his chest.
"Hahaha! Can you feel it?!"
"That's the Mummy Virus! Your body temperature's spiking, the heat's burning you alive from the inside!"
Queen danced with delight.
"Your blood's evaporating! Dehydration will ruin your organs, and soon enough—your body will dry out like a mummy!"
Cackling wildly, he changed the needle and injected Bullet with the same virus.
Bullet gritted his teeth and growled in pain, trembling violently.
"Yes! That's it! That exquisite agony!"
Queen quickly rigged both men with monitoring devices, tracking their vitals while scribbling notes at lightning speed.
"Temperature's over 50 degrees..."
"Blood loss from evaporation... organs beginning to shut down after just five seconds..."
"Heart rate over 120 bpm... blood pressure dropping... Tsk, tsk, tsk... a normal human would be dead by now."
In full research mode, Queen looked strangely focused—his plump face tightened with intense professionalism.
Three minutes later, he lowered his pen with a sigh of satisfaction.
He looked at his thick notebook, now filled with valuable new data, and smiled proudly.
Darren and Bullet were collapsed on the floor, gasping, their faces deathly pale. Sweat soaked the ground beneath them.
"Well, that's it for today's experiment."
"We've got nine more days. Don't you dare give out too soon. I want you broken slowly."
Queen puffed a smoke ring, locked the cell, and waddled off down the corridor.
Darren lay still, panting, glaring after the bouncing figure.
Then—his eyes widened.
Wait... what is this feeling?
He could feel his body... changing.
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