While everyone was still dumbfounded, Vir had already started setting up the fire.
As the large pot heated up, Vir took out the tool that connected Whitebeard's soul and physical sensations—a rope-like object with a small ball at one end that looked slightly unusual.
One end of the rope was tied to Whitebeard's corpse's arm, while the other end was stuffed into toy Jozu's mouth—there simply wasn't anywhere else to put it.
Seeing this, Jozu—who was already half-buried in the ground—felt everyone's scorching gazes and dug his toes in even harder.
Once connected, Vir used his Vibro-Blade to patch up all the gaps and wounds on Whitebeard's body. He didn't use excessive force—after all, even if Whitebeard could feel it now, no one else could hear his "weird screams". There was no need to waste the blade's durability for a few measly negative points.
After roughly smoothing out the body, Vir grabbed Whitebeard and unceremoniously tossed him into the scorching-hot pot.
With the tool linking them, Whitebeard could now witness everything happening to his body. Watching himself being thrown into the boiling pot and feeling the intense burning sensation, he had to admit—he was a little nervous.
The heat itself was bearable, but after witnessing Big Mom turning into Jozu earlier, he wasn't about to jinx anything. Who knew what insane thing Vir would pull next?
Meanwhile, seeing Vir actually throw Whitebeard into the pot, Kaido and the others widened their eyes in shock.
Damn. This guy was dead serious.
He just proposed a theory and immediately started experimenting? Talk about efficiency!
Though as the test subject, Whitebeard was in for a world of suffering.
The Marines and the Red Hair Pirates, upon seeing Vir's actions, actually sighed in relief.
Good.
Seeing you so capable puts our minds at ease.
Boiling the patient along with the medicine as a form of treatment? Only you could come up with something like that!
If this actually worked, the world might as well be ending.
Even Kizaru couldn't bear to watch, muttering "Kowai ne" one after another, his already sleazy face grew even sleazier with his furrowed brows.
Marco, who had just climbed out of the hole Jozu dug, watched with deep concern.
"Pops... can you handle this? Even though you're already dead..."
Marco knew the process all too well. The initial burning wasn't the worst part—it was when Vir started adding all kinds of seasonings: chili peppers, soy sauce, cooking wine, and so on.
Under high heat, those things would create bizarre chemical reactions with open wounds.
Earlier, Marco had only suffered from scalds and burns. Painful, but survivable.
But Pops' condition...
Looking at Whitebeard's heavily wounded body, Marco couldn't bear to watch anymore and turned away.
Meanwhile, as Vir tossed in medical ingredients one after another, Whitebeard's expression grew increasingly uneasy.
Using his fusion ability, Vir had transformed into a seven-to-eight-meter-tall giant, making it easier to handle the massive pot.
Whitebeard sizzled inside, and soon, a faint charred aroma spread across the battlefield.
No seasonings yet—just heating him up first to "enhance absorption."
As the smoky fragrance filled the air, everyone's expressions shifted again.
This guy was really going through with it.
Absolutely insane.
But... it actually smelled kinda good?
Kaido, Bullet, even Yamato and Luffy started salivating.
Even the Whitebeard Pirates and Marines found themselves swallowing hard—after such a long battle, they were pretty hungry.
But remembering that it was Pops—the same Pops who had just sacrificed himself to cover their retreat—the Whitebeard Pirates collectively slapped themselves across the face.
A synchronized "SMACK!" echoed, drawing puzzled looks from everyone else.
Shanks blinked, utterly lost as to why they were suddenly hitting themselves.
The aroma was so enticing that even the wounded on the ground started drooling.
Dr. Rogu glanced over—and nearly dropped his bifocals in shock.
Vir was grabbing handfuls of medicinal herbs from his medical kit and tossing them into the pot.
At first, Rogu didn't care, but when he saw what Vir was throwing in, his old eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
Without a word, he abandoned the heavily injured Zephyr and sprinted toward the Whitebeard Pirates' side.
The sudden movement drew everyone's attention.
Sengoku frowned deeply.
What the hell was Rogu doing?!
This was still an active battlefield!
A top-tier doctor like Rogu charging in recklessly—if he died here, it'd be an irreplaceable loss for the Marines!
"Ararara~ Old Man Rogu! It's dangerous over there, don't get too close!" Kuzan called out in warning.
But Rogu ignored him completely, rushing straight into enemy territory.
"Stay out of my business! Don't interfere!"
Kuzan froze. Sengoku's frown deepened.
What was this national treasure of a doctor thinking?!
That side was all enemies—what was a frail old man planning to do? Stab them with a syringe?
With his terrible eyesight, they were more worried he'd accidentally stab himself!
Sengoku wanted to stop him, but even he had to address Rogu with respect. He didn't dare force him back.
By the time he hesitated, Rogu had already reached the Whitebeard Pirates.
Without hesitation, he kicked Ace aside and shoved Marco away, his gaze locked onto Vir's hands.
Then, without looking, he stepped right into the hole Jozu had dug—
Sengoku and the others facepalmed.
Is this old man trying to be a comedian?!
Luckily, Marco reacted fast and yanked him up before he could faceplant onto Jozu.
The Whitebeard Pirates stared at this old Marine doctor in utter confusion.
What the hell was this guy doing?
Had the Marines lost their minds?
Sending a doctor to the frontlines was one thing, but a senile one at that?!
And he had zero combat ability—their Observation Haki hadn't even registered him as a threat!
Just as they were baffled, Rogu—still dangling from Marco's grip—shouted at Vir in desperation:
"STOP! DON'T THROW THAT!"
But it was too late. Vir casually tossed in two whole pounds of Dragon's Tail Blossom into the pot.
He then turned to Rogu, puzzled.
Seeing the herbs disappear into the broth, Rogu clutched his chest in agony.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! That—that was Dragon's Tail Blossom! And so much of it... YOU MONSTER! Such waste! CRIMINAL WASTE!"
Tears actually welled up in the old man's eyes.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
...What the hell was happening?
This old guy just called Vir a monster over some flowers?
Even Marco, as the crew's doctor, had never heard of "Dragon's Tail Blossom".
That only added to the mystery.
"Rogu-san, just come back already... He can use whatever he wants. Why bother?" Sengoku called out helplessly.
He had no idea what that herb even was.
But that one sentence unleashed a storm of fury from Rogu.
"SENGOOKUUU, YOU LITTLE BRAT! SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH BEFORE I RIP IT OFF!"
"Do you even know why that sword wound of yours—the one that shattered your bones—healed completely in just a month?! It's because we used two ounces of Dragon's Tail Blossom paste on you, YOU UNGRATEFUL WRETCH!"
"This herb is EXTINCT! The Marines only have half a pound left in storage!"
"And this demon just threw in TWO WHOLE POUNDS! I'LL SKIN HIM ALIVE! SUCH WASTE! WASTEEEE!"
His voice cracked with sheer heartbreak.
The revelation left everyone speechless.
This stuff... was that valuable?!
Sengoku suddenly remembered—his recovery had been absurdly fast back then. He'd even asked Rogu why they didn't use it more widely.
Now he understood.
How the hell could they, when it was this rare?!
If not for his life-threatening injury, Rogu would've never used it on him.
And Vir just... casually dumped two pounds into a pot.
Even Sengoku felt his stomach twist in regret.
The others could only gape.
An extinct herb.
Healed bone-shattering wounds in a month without aftereffects.
Only two ounces used for Sengoku.
This was miracle medicine!
And Vir had thrown in a thousand times that amount without blinking.
The Whitebeard Pirates' eyes gleamed as they stared at Vir.
...Forget it.
From now on, they were calling him Godfather.
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