"Oh? So it's finally here? Muhahaha... I've been waiting so long for those testing materials and reagents..."
Upon hearing the underling's report, the fat on Queen's face visibly jiggled, and his beady little eyes burst forth with a gleam of excitement.
The Beast Pirates' main base was hidden away on an uncharted, desolate island.
This forsaken land was rich in mineral resources, and with those, Boss Kaido had built several enormous weapon factories here. Combined with his command of military technology, he had laid down a massive arms manufacturing network.
Surrounded by unique sea currents, the island was utterly unreachable to the outside world without the proper markers or navigational cues.
This treacherous natural barrier was the strongest shield protecting the Beast Pirates' headquarters—but it also brought many inconveniences.
There were no forests here. No grasslands. And frankly, even if there had been, none of them—pirates as they were—would waste their time farming or raising livestock.
Pirates were born to plunder.
If they had the patience to till soil or hunt game, they wouldn't be pirates in the first place.
Thus, the Beast Pirates' entire supply of daily necessities depended on underground world cooperation—procured through various black-market channels, routed through multiple transfers, and only then cautiously delivered to the island.
For Queen, whose obsession was scientific research, this logistical nightmare had long been a source of misery.
Never mind the enormous funding needed for research—just acquiring raw materials and experimental equipment was a massive hurdle, only possible through dealings with the Underworld.
And transport capacity was extremely limited. The bulk of the load space had to be reserved for survival supplies, so this latest batch of lab equipment had taken Queen a very long time to secure.
Thinking of this, Queen turned and grinned maliciously at Darren and Bullet.
"You hear that? The new equipment's here! Once I develop an even stronger virus, you two will be begging on your knees, weeping in pain, pleading for mercy from the great Lord Queen!"
Before either of them could respond, Queen bounced away from the prison with a swagger that disowned family and friends, belly jiggling as he skipped out with glee.
The thick metal door slammed shut. Darkness returned to the cell, and silence reigned once more—broken only by the sound of their ragged breathing.
Suddenly, the harsh, gasping breaths grew calm.
Like dying dogs, Darren and Bullet slowly sat up from the bloodstained, pitch-black floor and leaned against the wall.
Their eyes met. As if the grotesque agony just moments ago had never happened.
"Hard to believe I, Douglas Bullet, have fallen this far," Bullet muttered.
He wiped the sweat—tinged with blood—from his face, tied up his tousled golden hair with casual indifference, and curled his lip in self-mockery.
Darren chuckled, tone playful:
"Weren't you enjoying it?"
Bullet scoffed, offering no rebuttal.
A strange glint flickered in his fierce eyes.
He hadn't expected it either—that fat man in suspenders had managed to create a virus so powerful... with such side effects.
If one could survive the initial phase of agony, once the virus took root in the body, it would trigger an immune and organ-level response—stimulating cell division and reconfiguration, boosting both internal systems and overall physicality.
Of course, Bullet, being a man of brute strength and not science, didn't understand words like "immune response" or "systemic reaction." All he knew was this: after each virus injection, if he pulled through, his body got stronger.
When he first realized this, Bullet could hardly believe it.
That such an absurd, almost lazy way of growing stronger could exist in this world?
In his experience, every step of progress was built on brutal training and battles between life and death.
Now? A simple injection. Endure a bit of pain. And boom—power rising like a tide?
Absolutely irrational.
Sensing the turmoil in Bullet's gaze, Darren couldn't help but smile inwardly, though a faint solemnity rose within him.
Queen's viruses—whether the Mummy or the Ice Oni—were undeniably formidable.
As infectious weapons of mass destruction, if deployed on a battlefield or in densely populated cities, they could annihilate millions effortlessly.
In truth, had Queen used a dosage over 50% from the beginning, Darren and Bullet likely wouldn't have survived.
Because of three reasons—"torment," "data collection," and "recruitment"—Queen started with low doses.
And in the process, their bodies had gradually developed antibodies.
As they fought off the virus, their physiques grew stronger in secret, little by little.
At this thought, Darren instinctively activated his innate ability to sense his body's current status.
Armament Haki: 31.119
Conqueror's Haki: 50.017
Compared to when Kaido first captured him, his Physique had surged dramatically—up by a full 7 points!
And that explosive growth in base resilience had brought with it a chain reaction, causing Strength, Speed, and Armament Haki to all rise by roughly 1 point each.
If he hadn't experienced it himself, Darren never would've believed such changes could happen in just a few days.
Over 10 points gained in combat attributes!
That kind of leap wasn't minor—it redefined his entire power level.
In the Marines' training camps, it would've taken three to six months of intense practice to reach this kind of increase.
Unfortunately, due to high-purity seastone restraints, all progress with his Devil Fruit powers was completely halted.
"...Though, it seems that fat man's virus is having less and less effect on us," Bullet noted, stretching his neck and wrists. The heavy seastone shackles clinked with a harsh clatter.
"Repeated infection with the same virus will lead the body to produce sufficient antibodies. The virus loses its bite over time."
At this rate, even if they were given a full 100% dose, it likely wouldn't do much damage anymore.
His data alone told the story.
Back when doses of 70% gave him gains of +0.09 or even +0.12, now the same strength could only trigger +0.03 or +0.04. The threat was fading.
Bullet gave a half-understanding nod, then frowned.
"But why hasn't that fat bastard noticed our physical improvements? He should have Observation Haki."
Darren grinned strangely and lifted his shackled wrists.