It was a seller's market now. Unless Stussy threw herself at the World Government's mercy, she'd find no one else capable of this task.
"You want Linlin's DNA?"
"Exactly. Since you collected Whitebeard's, you probably have others too.
Given your personality, I'd wager you've made more than one contingency plan."
To Oran, Stussy was a treasure trove, brimming with potential spoils. Having sailed with the Rocks Pirates, she'd crossed paths with countless powerhouses, giving her access to things others couldn't dream of.
Whether Stussy actually had Charlotte Linlin's sample, Oran didn't know, but that didn't stop him from probing.
"You're in luck. I do have her sample. I don't have anyone else's, though.
As a woman, I had some opportunities to interact with Charlotte Linlin."
"So, you're agreeing."
"Of course. My goal is Newgate. You can have her sample if you're interested."
In Stussy's mind, Whitebeard was the mightiest.
Oran didn't see it that way. After the Four Emperors structure solidified, there were three men and one woman among these sea monarchs.
Whitebeard, dubbed the world's strongest man, had roamed the seas from youth, surviving countless battles to earn his reputation.
Kaido, born in a non-affiliated nation, grew up on battlefields, honing himself through endless combat. Recruited by Rocks, he earned Charlotte Linlin's favor, gaining giant techniques and a Mythical Zoan fruit, with Linlin's support bolstering him significantly.
Shanks, Roger's apprentice, learned much under the Pirate King's wing.
Their strength was traceable, forged through rigorous trials. Charlotte Linlin, however, was an anomaly.
Abandoned as a child, she had no formal training. Her only passion was eating. Yet, in her youth, she'd killed a giant hero in a frenzied outburst.
Though that giant was past his prime, no ordinary child could've felled him.
Discovered by Streusen, she embarked on her pirate path.
Not long after reaching adulthood, Charlotte Linlin began a life of childbirth, single-handedly birthing a pirate crew.
With no training and much time spent on motherhood, Linlin's rise to Emperor status was almost entirely due to raw talent.
In terms of six-dimensional attributes and potential, she was the pinnacle.
Surviving this sea demanded top-tier personal might. For the future, Oran needed such strength, and with Stussy presenting the opportunity, he wouldn't let it slip.
"And the Haki training method?"
Surviving on Rocks' ship meant Stussy was no pushover, especially with Whitebeard as her partner. Oran was certain she had Whitebeard's Haki insights.
Given Whitebeard's nature, he wouldn't be stingy with those he considered family.
"The Haki training method isn't an issue, but I can't guarantee what you'll achieve with it."
This was the first half of the Grand Line, where Haki was still rare, but further along, Haki users would become more common.
Whitebeard was formidable, but his Haki didn't transcend the sea's norms.
His strength stemmed from his essence. Even with his training method, replicating another Whitebeard wasn't guaranteed.
Stussy's own Haki level paled in comparison to Whitebeard's, separated by a vast chasm.
She knew what top scientists could achieve, so while Haki's value was high now, she didn't mind trading it for greater gains.
"No need for you to worry about that."
Haki wasn't some internal martial art that could drive one mad. Its cultivation was about tempering the body to unlock inner potential.
Whitebeard's insights would save countless detours, especially for advancing Haki. Self-exploration might take years to grasp high-tier Haki techniques.
With a mentor, a breakthrough could come in days. Even a mediocre teacher could strengthen you significantly after a couple of years' groundwork.
"Looks like we've got a deal. I'll be staying on the ship for meals in the meantime."
Stussy needed to wait for her project's completion and had specific requests, like wanting a Whitebeard easier to control, not overly intelligent, but with the same potential.
With the deal struck, MADS's ship gained a freeloader. Caesar and Queen had no objections—as long as it wasn't someone like Oran, siphoning hefty research funds, it didn't affect them.
They were aware, though, that Vegapunk and Oran had launched a human cloning project. Judge took particular interest, envisioning mass-cloned soldiers to revive the Germa Kingdom.
Oran and the others' research pressed on. The P-particle filtration experiment continued, while Oran's upgrades to the Hextech Core entered the testing phase.
Of the Hextech Cores he'd brought, one powered Blitzcrank, another healed Kate's heart, leaving three in his possession.
Until he found similar materials or new synthesis methods, these were one-of-a-kind, but that didn't hinder certain experiments.
MADS members had shifted focus to Devil Fruit research.
Vegapunk explored his origin hypothesis, Caesar attempted fruit replication, and Judge aimed to apply fruit abilities to mass-cloned soldiers.
Queen, perhaps spurred by Kate, began human body modification on himself, while Oran sought to fuse Hextech Cores with Devil Fruits, exploring a new energy method.
In Oran's private lab, a metallic humanoid frame was taking shape, with a peculiar orb nearby. But then, Vegapunk's voice crackled through the intercom.
"Everyone, please pause your research and come to the meeting room. We've got a new problem."
Regular researchers kept working, knowing Vegapunk wasn't addressing them but the core members.
"Vegapunk, what's this about? My experiment was at a critical stage! If you hadn't interrupted, I'd have succeeded!"
Caesar stormed in, grumbling, but Vegapunk remained unfazed. Caesar's tantrum was clearly a bid for more funding.
As the others trickled in, Oran arrived last. Vegapunk nodded, his expression grave. "Everyone, we may be facing the greatest crisis since MADS's founding. We're… out of money!"
"Huh?!"