One Piece: Scientist Simulator

While Doflamingo welcomed Aokiji in Dressrosa, Edie was already en route back to Beehive Island, eager to evaluate his latest scientific endeavor.

Upon arrival, Edie stepped out of the research institute and made his way to a towering structure nearby.

Soul Tower.

Though named a tower, it was modest in height, standing just over fifty meters tall. At its apex rested a transparent sphere—not glass, but an artifact constructed from materials derived from Tot Musica, the Demon King of Song. Over the past two years, Edie had compelled Uta to summon the demon countless times, harvesting fragments of its soul before dispatching it each time. These harvested fragments were meticulously refined, culminating in the creation of the sphere at the tower's summit: the Soul Ball—a key component capable of blurring the boundary between illusion and reality.

Edie entered the tower through its base, where vigilant Bee Soldiers knelt in reverence upon seeing him.

"Lord Heavenly Father."

"Rise. Is Momousagi inside?"

"Yes, Lord. Both Robin-sama and Momousagi-sama are in the Soul Laboratory."

Edie nodded and proceeded. Upon entering the lab, he found Robin and Momousagi engrossed in their work, standing over a glass vessel containing a small, colorless crystal. Surrounding the vessel were advanced detection devices, their results displayed on a nearby screen.

"Hey, Edie."

"Mr. Edie," Robin and Momousagi greeted him warmly.

Edie approached the vessel, gazing intently at the crystal inside. This was Pure Soul Matter, extracted from the Sea of Souls using the Soul Tower. Such material had already proven invaluable, enhancing the energy levels of humanoid clones like [Usagi] to an unprecedented 420 billion.

"How are the tests progressing?"

Robin adjusted her glasses, smiling. "All results align with expectations. We're ready to proceed to the experimental stage."

"No need for human trials," Edie replied, pressing a button to open the vessel. He reached in and took the crystal, its size no larger than a fingernail.

Activating his Soul Fruit powers, Edie absorbed the crystal directly into his palm. Instantly, he felt an immense expansion within his soul—an overwhelming surge of power that shattered his previous energy ceiling of 120 billion like fragile glass.

Momousagi watched nervously. "Edie, are you sure this isn't dangerous?"

"It's perfectly fine," he reassured with a faint chuckle. "I wouldn't proceed without absolute certainty."

Robin, however, had a different concern. "Does this mean the Soul Tower is fully operational? Can it truly... resurrect the dead?"

Edie paused, deliberating. The Soul Tower's primary functions were clear: to subdue demons and extract pure soul matter to enhance energy levels. Resurrection, however, was an ancillary possibility—a speculative capability inspired by his understanding of Devil Fruit mechanics.

"Robin," Edie began cautiously, "there's no guarantee of success. Souls are far more complex than Devil Fruits and can't be fully quantified. But if you desire it strongly enough, there's a chance. Pray to the Soul Tower daily. If a new soul crystal appears in the petri dish, it means your wish might be realized."

Robin's eyes lit with hope as she nodded fervently.

Privately, Edie compared his creation to an artifact from a distant memory: the Hōgyoku from an anime he once enjoyed, Bleach. The Hōgyoku could manifest desires from the hearts of those around it, a feat Edie envied. The Soul Tower, by comparison, was rudimentary—a massive structure reliant on cumbersome processes.

Yet, advancements were inevitable. Just as the Blue Blood Device had evolved from a bulky contraption to the size of a wearable ring, Edie envisioned future iterations of the Soul Tower—sleek, efficient, and portable.

Leaving the lab, Edie descended to the underground facility, where he prepared for the next stage of his enhancement. After setting up the program, he stepped into the No. 1 Special Cloning Chamber. Unlike the standard clone-filling liquid, this variant was designed specifically for natural humans, offering a gentler assimilation process.

As the chamber flooded, sleep overtook him.

Days later, Edie awoke. The cloning chamber drained the liquid, and he emerged, feeling immeasurably stronger.

Donning energy-detection glasses, he unleashed his Haki, triggering a cascade of beeping as numbers appeared on the lens.

Energy Level: 300 Billion!

From 120 billion to 300 billion in a single enhancement.

"This is just the beginning," Edie mused, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

As he exited the lab, Hancock approached, her demeanor urgent.

"Mr. Edie, you're awake!" she exclaimed, latching onto his arm.

"How long was I out?"

"Six days."

Edie nodded, then noted her anxious expression. "What's happened?"

"It's the Soul Tower!" Hancock took a breath, steadying herself. "Robin claims her mother has been resurrected!"

Edie froze, his eyes widening. "What?!"

Six days? Could Robin's mother's soul truly have been summoned so swiftly? This outcome far exceeded his expectations.

"Let's see this for ourselves," Edie declared, his curiosity now alight. Together, they hurried toward the tower, the mystery of Robin's claim urging them forward.

Back in the Soul Laboratory

In front of the glassware, Robin stood nervously, her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles turned white. Beside her was Haizhu, a clone of Big Mom, wielding the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit to awaken a soul crystal.

"Mr. Edie!" Robin exclaimed emotionally, noticing Edie's arrival. "Mr. Edie, Mom! Mom is resurrected!"

"Don't rush just yet," Edie said, his tone calm as he walked over to examine the vessel with curiosity.

Through the glass, a light red soul crystal the size of a soybean glowed faintly.

"Heavenly Father!" Haizhu exclaimed, pausing momentarily.

"Go on, wake her up," Edie instructed, his gaze flicking to the large screen displaying data from the laboratory's detection device.

The screen showed the soul crystal's mass: 21 grams—the average weight of a human soul. However, the strong fluctuations detected within indicated this was no ordinary soul.

As Haizhu continued channeling the Soul-Soul Fruit's power, the light red crystal began to "melt," transitioning from a solid state to a ghostly, gaseous form.

Edie observed intently, musing, Is this truly gaseous? To him, it resembled the "ghost state" created by the Ghost-Ghost Fruit, though its properties defied simple categorization.

Before long, the soul material twisted and deformed, its color shifting from light red to pink. Eventually, it coalesced into a small, ghost-like figure—a round head with a spiral tail trailing behind.

Everyone held their breath as the little pink ghost opened its "eyes," which were little more than two black holes.

"Here it is?" the ghost murmured.

"Mom!" Robin cried out, her voice trembling with joy.

Edie crouched to meet the little ghost's gaze, asking curiously, "Do you know who you are?"

The ghost looked between Robin and Edie, confusion evident in its expressionless face. "Who... I am?"

Robin froze, her heart sinking.

Edie considered silently, No memory? But a soul should retain its memories.

"You are Nicole Olivia, an archaeologist," he said, his voice steady.

The name struck the ghost like lightning.

"Nicole Olivia..." The name unlocked a flood of memories. The ghost—no, Olivia—remembered everything: the flames of Ohara, the Marine's Buster Call, and the sight of her eight-year-old daughter.

"I am Olivia," the ghost declared, her voice trembling. "Born on the Island of Scholars in West Blue, the holy land of archeology, Ohara. I am an archaeologist... I died in the Marine's Buster Call!"

Her dark eyes settled on Robin. "Robin? Are you Robin?"

Despite the years that had passed, a mother never forgets her child.

"Mom!" Robin sobbed, tears streaming freely.

The reunion, after twelve long years, was profoundly moving.

Edie, momentarily touched, allowed them their moment. However, the scientist in him couldn't ignore the strange effects surrounding Olivia's soul—her awakening had caused the laboratory's temperature to plummet. Frost began forming, and a bright red alert flashed on the lab's monitor.

His curiosity piqued, Edie resisted his urge to experiment for now, considering Robin's connection to Olivia.

Robin turned to Edie with tearful, hopeful eyes. "Mr. Edie, can you create a clone... for my mom?"

"Placing her in any random clone could lead to rejection or unforeseen complications," Edie explained. "It's best to create a clone specifically for her—like an organ transplant. Compatibility is key."

He hesitated briefly before addressing Olivia. "Do you know where your body is?"

The question hung heavily.

Twelve years had passed since the destruction of Ohara. Olivia wasn't like Rocks; her body held no particular value for the Marines. It was likely burned or buried without ceremony.

"Have you ever donated blood?" Edie asked as a last resort.

"No," Olivia replied softly.

"Any preserved hair? Nails?"

Olivia thought for a moment. "When I was searching for historical texts at sea, I made a rag doll because I missed Robin. I used my hair to make it."

"A rag doll?" Edie raised an eyebrow. "And where is it now?"

"Burned with me during the Buster Call," Olivia said regretfully.

Robin's shoulders slumped, but her determination didn't waver. Turning to Edie, she pleaded, "Please, use my blood to create her clone!"

Edie considered the genetic similarity between mother and daughter. "The chances of success are higher with your blood factor," he admitted. "But there's still a risk of complications."

Robin's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she hugged Edie tightly. "Thank you, Mr. Edie!"

Caught off guard, Edie chuckled. "Alright, alright, let me go. We have work to do."

Olivia, observing her daughter's admiration for Edie, smiled warmly. Despite her ghostly state limiting her expressions, her maternal pride shone through.

The Process Begins

"Olivia, please forgive the temporary delay," Edie said as he activated the soul ring, carefully compressing Olivia's ghostly form into a pink soul ball.

Robin assisted Edie in the cloning laboratory as he extracted her blood, isolating her blood factor to create the perfect clone for Olivia.

After two hours of meticulous work, the embryo was ready. It was placed into the No. 1 special cloning chamber, and Olivia's soul was carefully injected into it.

"Now, we wait," Edie said, his voice filled with quiet confidence.

Robin stood by the chamber, her heart full of hope, as the path to her mother's true resurrection began.

[Happy Holidays!]