The battle for the Fleet Admiral position on Punk Hazard lasted for a full ten days and ten nights.
The fighting was so fierce that the entire island underwent a radical transformation. In particular, the climate was violently altered, splitting the island into two halves: one perpetually frozen under a blanket of ice and snow, the other engulfed in blazing flames—the infamous Ice-Fire Island.
In the end, the victor was Sakazuki, who defeated Kuzan!
However, the battle was exceptionally brutal, leaving both Sakazuki and Kuzan severely wounded, each inflicting permanent scars on the other.
Sakazuki sustained multiple frostbite injuries, with scars left on his neck and face, and his right ear was partially mutilated.
As for Kuzan, his injuries were even more dire, with extensive burns across his body, his right arm almost entirely scarred by fire, and even his left leg severed.
Likely out of respect for their former comradeship, Sakazuki did not kill Kuzan but spared his life.
Once the fighting concluded, Marine ships surrounding the island swiftly dispatched elite forces and field medics to treat the two grievously injured Admirals. After being carried onto the warships, the fleet hurried back to headquarters. After all, they were two Marine Admirals; any mishap on the journey would be a massive loss to the Navy.
As for Punk Hazard, now the Ice-Fire Island, the Marines ignored it entirely. In their view, the island had lost all utility.
Naturally, Doflamingo and Aeridar had no interest in watching the Marines' ten-day-and-night battle for the Fleet Admiral position, nor would they linger in the sky for that long, so they had returned much earlier.
The moment the Marines departed, Caesar immediately called Doflamingo. Seeing that Caesar was alive and well instantly lifted Doflamingo's mood. Moreover, with the Ice-Fire Island acting as a massive cover, the lab was even safer.
A few days later, word spread. Sakazuki's victory led to his successful appointment as the new Fleet Admiral. Kuzan, unwilling to serve under him, resigned from his Marine post. He forced his discharge and left the Navy while his wounds were still severe, vanishing without a trace.
The resignation of a Marine Admiral was impossible to keep secret. Consequently, the earlier battle for the Fleet Admiral position was also exposed. This, combined with the retirements of Sengoku and Garp, sent the world into an uproar.
Of the three Marine Admirals, Sakazuki had been promoted to Fleet Admiral, and Kuzan had resigned. This meant the three Admiral slots were down to just one active officer: Borsalino, or Kizaru.
The Navy's high-level combat strength was suddenly and alarmingly depleted. The already turbulent tide of piracy exploded into a full-scale crisis. All Marine branches were stretched thin, and the sole remaining Admiral, Kizaru, was working non-stop, even causing the notoriously laid-back character to complain.
At the laboratory on Punk Hazard, two guests were being welcomed.
"Shurororororo~"
"Welcome, Joker, and King! Shurororororo…"
Caesar, the master of expressive faces, wore a deeply fawning look as he addressed the two important figures before him. One was his patron, and the other, a monster.
"Meeting you confirms your reputation, Dr. Caesar. I am eager to see the results of your research," Aeridar said with a slight, courteous smile.
"Of course! Of course!" Caesar's eyes crinkled with his smile, nodding repeatedly.
Many scientists across the world knew that the man before him was one of the very few big figures who valued science, was incredibly wealthy, and had the power to protect anyone. Although he smiled brightly and appeared harmless, he had two faces. His dark, hidden face was that of a man-shaped monster, more terrifying than an ancient Sea King.
Facing such a powerful and rich backer, Caesar, naturally, dared not offend him.
"Fufufufufu~" Doflamingo looked Caesar up and down, chuckling. "It looks like you've been doing pretty well these past few days."
"Joker, please don't remind me!" Hearing that, Caesar immediately put on a pained, tearful expression. "I was terrified these past few days! I haven't slept properly, and I've had no appetite! Those two monsters were too dreadful!"
Hearing this, Aeridar and Doflamingo exchanged glances at Caesar's glistening, well-fed face and smiled without comment.
Soon, led by Caesar, the three walked down a long passage and entered one of the three laboratories.
"Look, this is the finished product—a Zoan-type artificial Devil Fruit!"
Caesar, as if presenting a treasure, took a strange, red apple with yellow swirling patterns from a metal box and offered it to them.
"Looks decent," Doflamingo took it, examined it briefly, and then handed it to Aeridar.
"So this is the artificial Devil Fruit. It is quite marvelous," Aeridar looked at the strange apple in his hand with interest, asking without raising his head, "Are there only Zoan types?"
"Only Zoan types for now! It seems Paramecia types can currently only be used on embryos, and that technology appears to be exclusive to Germa 66," Caesar answered cautiously. "And this only imitates the powers of a true Devil Fruit. It will likely fall short compared to the real thing."
"That's fine. The point is, this can be mass-produced, correct, Caesar?" Aeridar tossed the artificial Devil Fruit back to Caesar and began strolling around the laboratory.
"Yes, that's right. It can be mass-produced." Caesar nodded.
"This must be the production material, then?" Aeridar asked, pointing at a large bottle of green liquid on the nearby counter.
"It is. This is called SAD. It's the essential raw material for producing artificial Devil Fruits." Caesar glanced at Aeridar in surprise. Though he didn't know how the man before him figured that out, he still nodded.
"You plan to sell this to Kaido, don't you, Doffy?" Aeridar turned and asked.
"Fufufufufu~ It seems you're not interested," Doflamingo grinned, offering no explanation.
"XT-Agent."
Aeridar pulled a tube of pale red liquid from his pocket and introduced it with a smile. "This is an enhanced version of SS-Agent. I won't go into detail, but its effects are at least five times stronger than the SS-Agent. For a powerful fighter, one injection of XT-Agent can replenish all necessary bodily energy. Long-term injections can significantly enhance all human bodily functions. The effects are remarkable."
Doflamingo and Caesar's eyes widened, and their breathing hitched as they stared at the pale red liquid in Aeridar's hand.
"This is an agent used exclusively within my kingdom. It has not been released outside," Aeridar said with a smile as he withdrew the tube.
"What do you want?" Doflamingo asked directly.
"The output of XT-Agent is low, Doffy. I will provide you with twenty-four vials annually."
"As for the artificial Devil Fruit trade, I want a thirty percent cut. You can tell Kaido that this is a collaboration between the two of us," Aeridar's lips curled into a slightly wicked smile.
"Fufufufufu~ You're taking thirty percent with a single sentence. You're giving me a real headache!" Doflamingo laughed, covering his forehead, but looking at Aeridar with amusement.
"However, I accept."