In the spring of the year 1481 of the Sea Calendar, the Totto Land castle was filled with the sweet, cloying scent of caramel mixed with a faint smell of blood.
Outside the delivery room, Perospero stood on tiptoe, trying hard to peek through the crack in the door.
This boy, who had just turned one year old but whose size already matched that of an ordinary six-year-old human child, was anxiously tugging at Kaizer's pant leg.
"Daddy, Daddy," his voice still carried a childish lilt, but his pronunciation was shockingly clear, "is Mommy giving birth to a little brother or a little sister?"
Kaizer bent down and stroked his son's pink hair — the exact same color as Linlin's, but softer in texture.
"Daddy likes both boys and girls." He paused, then added with a smile, "Of course, you are the same."
Perospero nodded half-understandingly and stood on tiptoe again to look inside. He had inherited not only Linlin's hair color and Kaizer's black eyes, but also that monstrous growth speed. At one year old, he could already run and jump, speak full sentences, and even show an abnormal talent for sweets — yesterday he accidentally knocked over a sugar jar, and the sugar grains had actually gathered into a small human shape on their own, though it only lasted three seconds before collapsing.
From inside the room came Linlin's roar — not a pained scream, but an impatient bellow:
"Mamama! Hurry up! I want to see my child!"
The delivering doctor was an old woman "invited" by Linlin from the Kingdom of Medicine. She was now trembling as she held a swaddled bundle, sweat beading on her forehead: "A-Almost done, Lady Linlin… the umbilical cord… the umbilical cord is still…"
"I'll do it!" Linlin sat up directly — the movement nearly made the old woman drop the baby. Her massive hand carefully took the bundle, holding it like a fragile piece of candy.
Kaizer pushed the door open and entered.
Inside the delivery room, Linlin was leaning against a specially made large bed piled with soft cushions. Her face was rosy, and she hadn't even broken much of a sweat, showing no sign of weakness after just giving birth. She looked down at the baby in her arms with an expression of gentleness that Kaizer had never seen on her face before.
"Mamama…" Her laughter was soft, afraid of disturbing the child. "Kaizer, look."
Kaizer walked closer.
In the swaddle was a baby girl. Like Perospero at birth, her size far exceeded that of a normal infant, but she was slightly smaller than her brother. Wet pink fetal hair stuck to her scalp, her eyes still closed, her little mouth puckering. Beneath her skin was a metallic sheen similar to Perospero's, but softer, like mother-of-pearl.
The most special thing was the faint silver pattern in the center of the baby girl's forehead, shaped like a closed eye.
"This is…" Kaizer frowned.
"Mamama! A natural soul mark!" Linlin said excitedly. "She inherited a part of my Soul-Soul Fruit ability!"
She touched the silver mark with her finger — the motion was impossibly gentle. The baby girl seemed to sense it and reached out a tiny hand from the swaddle, grabbing Linlin's finger.
"Kaizer," Linlin looked up, her eyes sparkling, "what should we name this child?"
Kaizer looked at the baby girl, at the silver mark, at Linlin's expectant expression, and suddenly smiled.
"Didn't we already decide?" He reached out and gently touched his daughter's tiny cheek. "If it's a girl, we'll call her—"
[System Notification: Second Daughter Born] [Name: Charlotte Compote] [Status: Healthy] [Inherited Traits Confirmed: Steel Balloon Physique (Mid-tier), Demi-human Bloodline Foundation (Awakening), Soul-Soul Fruit Affinity (Extremely High · Dominant), Ghost-Ghost Fruit Resonance (Latent)] [Special Talent: Innate Soul Mark (Can perceive soul fluctuations; may awaken Soul-Soul Fruit-related abilities upon adulthood)] [Potential Rating: S (Surpassing elder brother)] [Offspring Talent Activated: Father's Ability Synchronization Boost] [Rewards Dispensing…]
The system prompt arrived as expected, but this time the warm current surging into Kaizer's body was even more violent than when Perospero was born. It wasn't just a simple increase in power, but a qualitative leap.
[Reward 1: Sheep Talisman (from Jackie Chan Adventures)] [Effect: Astral Projection, Soul Projection, Soul Healing, Spiritual Perception. Talisman power has fused with host's bloodline and can link with Soul-Soul Fruit and Ghost-Ghost Fruit] [Reward 2: Demi-human Bloodline Fusion Increased to 38%] [New Trait: IBM Count +1 (Current: 3), IBMs can inherit part of host's abilities (Currently inheritable: Ox Talisman Strength Enhancement, Basic Armament Haki), Regeneration Speed Increased by 30%] [Reward 3: Storage Space Expanded to 100 cubic meters] [Reward 4: Soul Affinity Upgraded to High-tier, can actively release Soul Pressure (Weakened version of Conqueror's Haki effect)]
The information flooded his mind. Kaizer closed his eyes for a few seconds to process it. When he opened them again, the world looked different — he could now "see" the soul auras of everyone in the delivery room: Linlin's was a blazing pink, Perospero's was a lively orange-yellow, the old doctor's was a faint blue, and the baby Compote in Linlin's arms…
It was a pure silver-white orb, warm and bright like the rising moon. And at the center of that silver light, right where the silver mark was on her forehead, a small vortex was slowly rotating, absorbing the scattered soul energy around it.
"Compote." Kaizer finally spoke the name, his voice carrying a softness he himself hadn't noticed. "Her name is Charlotte Compote."
"Compote… Compote…" Linlin repeated it, then grinned. "Mamama! Good name! My little princess!"
Perospero also leaned in, standing on tiptoe to look at his sister. He reached out a finger to poke her face, but Kaizer gently patted it away.
"Be careful, she's still small."
"Little sister…" Perospero tilted his head, then suddenly smiled. "I have a little sister now!"
He turned and ran out of the delivery room, shouting as he went: "Uncle Longbread! I have a little sister! Her name is Compote!"
The old doctor finally dared to breathe again and retreated to the side, wiping sweat. Kaizer said to Linlin: "You rest. I'll handle the rest."
"Rest for what!" Linlin said, already trying to get out of bed while holding Compote. "I want to throw a banquet! The biggest banquet! Call everyone!"
"Tomorrow." Kaizer pressed her down — though he couldn't actually stop her. "Today you lie down properly. Longbread will handle the banquet."
Linlin pouted, but when she looked at the baby in her arms, she smiled again: "Mamama! Fine! I'll listen to you!"
Kaizer walked out of the delivery room. Longbread was already waiting outside, holding a tray with nourishing soup and sweets.
"Born?" The head chef peeked inside. "Mother and daughter safe?"
"Yes. A daughter, Compote."
"Compote… good name." Longbread handed him the tray. "Take this to Linlin. She must be hungry."
Kaizer took the tray and suddenly remembered something: "How are things at the port?"
"Those three masked ones?" Longbread curled his lip. "Still monitoring. But the castle is under lockdown today, so they can't get in. They're just wandering around the port district."
"Let them wander." Kaizer said. "As long as they don't cross the line."
He carried the tray back into the delivery room. Linlin was already humming a song to Compote — the tune was completely off-key, but surprisingly gentle. Perospero lay on the edge of the bed, staring unblinkingly at his sister.
Kaizer placed the tray on the bedside table. Linlin grabbed an entire stewed chicken with one hand and stuffed it into her mouth — the other hand still steadily holding Compote.
"Eat slowly." Kaizer said helplessly.
"Mamama! I'm starving!" Linlin said with her mouth full, then suddenly remembered and tore off a chicken leg to hand to Kaizer. "You eat too!"
Kaizer took it but didn't eat. He sat by the bed, watching Linlin devour the food, watching Perospero curiously poking at his sister's swaddle, watching Compote sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms.
At this moment, all the worries about Totto Land's affairs, the CP0 surveillance, threats from the sea, and the unawakened Conqueror's Haki… everything faded away.
There was only this room, these four people, this… peace.
"Linlin." he suddenly spoke.
"Hm?" Linlin's mouth was full of food.
"Thank you." Kaizer said, his voice very soft. "For giving me such a cute daughter."
Linlin stopped chewing. She turned her head, her huge eyes staring at Kaizer, then grinned — not her usual crazy laugh, but a gentle, heartfelt one.
"Mamama! Idiot!" She reached out her greasy hand and ruffled Kaizer's hair. "She's my daughter too!"
Perospero joined in the fun: "She's my little sister too!"
The family of four — despite the huge size difference — laughed together in the delivery room filled with the scent of blood and sweet caramel.
Late at night, in the castle study.
Kaizer sat in his chair with his eyes closed. Three IBMs floated behind him. The newly added third IBM had been named "Mist" by him — more slender than Shadow and Phantom, with more complex bandage wrapping and even stealthier black particle flow.
He was testing his newly gained abilities.
First, the Sheep Talisman. He focused his mind, and his consciousness began to separate from his body — not the complete detachment of death, but like astral projection. He "floated" upward, looking down at his own body, and could see the silver threads connecting the physical body and soul. With a thought, his soul could pass through walls and move freely around the castle.
He floated out of the study, through the corridor, and into the nursery. Semimaru stood guard outside the door, his Barrier Fruit's invisible field covering the entire room — not even a fly could get in. Yoru had transformed into the appearance of an ordinary maid and was dozing by the crib — but Kaizer's soul could sense that her mind was fully awake, her hand always resting on her sword hilt.
Compote was sleeping soundly. The silver mark on her forehead glowed faintly in the darkness. Perospero slept in the next room, hugging a candy-shaped pillow, drooling all over it.
Kaizer continued floating, heading toward the port district.
The three CP0 members were still there. White Crow and Gray Falcon were organizing intelligence in their room, while Black Owl stood on the roof, his masked eyes scanning the entire port. Kaizer's soul drifted right past them — no one noticed.
The Sheep Talisman's astral projection combined with the Ghost-Ghost Fruit's invisibility made for the perfect reconnaissance tool.
He returned to the study and his soul re-entered his body.
Then he tested the IBMs' new abilities. With a thought, Shadow, Phantom, and Mist all extended their hands at the same time — black palms gleaming with the metallic sheen of Armament Haki. It was faint, but it was definitely Armament Haki.
"The Ox Talisman's power can also be shared…" Kaizer had Shadow punch the wall. There was no sound, but a muffled thud came from inside the wall, and fine cracks appeared in the brick structure — internal damage caused by the transmitted force.
"All three IBMs can use Armament Haki and part of the Ox Talisman's power." Kaizer nodded in satisfaction. "Combined with astral projection for reconnaissance and the expanded storage space…"
His strength had indeed taken a qualitative leap.
But it still wasn't enough.
The shadow of Roger's slash still lingered. That aura of severing everything, that kingly pressure…
Conqueror's Haki had to be awakened.
Kaizer opened his eyes and looked out the window. Totto Land's night sky was clear, the stars bright.
Compote's birth had given him new power, but it had also brought new responsibilities. He was now the father of two children, one of the rulers of Totto Land, and Linlin's husband.
He had to become stronger — strong enough to protect all of this.
"Master."
Shadow's voice suddenly rang out — not through electromagnetic waves, but directly into his mind. The Sheep Talisman had deepened the connection between Kaizer and his IBMs.
"Speak."
"Underground level three, east corridor — abnormal soul fluctuation detected." Shadow reported. "It does not belong to any known guard or resident."
Kaizer's eyes turned cold.
"Take me there."
His soul left his body again, passing through layer after layer of floors. Underground level three was the storage area for infrequently used supplies. At the end of the east corridor, a white-masked figure was pressed against the wall, palm on the surface, with a faint light flickering in his hand.
CP0.
Not the three in the port district — a fourth one.
He was probing for something.
Kaizer's soul floated right in front of him, but the man didn't notice — the Sheep Talisman's soul form was completely invisible, undetectable even by Observation Haki.
The man probed for a while, then withdrew his hand and spoke quietly into his collar: "Confirmed. No anomalies on underground level three. No traces of contraband storage found."
A faint response came from the collar: "Continue to other areas. Focus on checking for hidden spaces or secret rooms."
"Understood."
The man turned and disappeared into the darkness like a shadow.
Kaizer's soul returned to the study, his expression grim.
CP0 really had more than the three on the surface. There were hidden agents, and they had already infiltrated the castle interior.
What were they looking for? The secret of Seastone processing? The Time-Time Fruit? Or… the soul mark on Compote's forehead?
Whatever it was, he couldn't let them succeed.
With a thought, Mist silently floated out of the study and followed the hidden agent.
Meanwhile, Kaizer walked to the bookshelf, pulled out a thick journal, and opened it. Inside were his records of Totto Land's development plans, personnel lists, resource distribution… and various contingency plans for dealing with CP0.
He flipped to one page, which listed several names, each followed by codenames and speculated abilities.
White Crow — team leader, ability unknown, suspected Animal-type Bird-Bird Fruit.
Gray Falcon — intelligence analysis, Paramecia-type Memory Fruit branch?
Black Owl — combat assessment, master of physical techniques, proficient in the Six Powers.
And now, he needed to add a fourth.
Kaizer picked up his pen and wrote in the blank space:
"Hidden Agent (Unnamed) — infiltration specialist, ability suspected to be Wall-Wall or Earth-Earth Fruit, has infiltrated underground level three of the castle. Purpose: Search for contraband or classified information."
After writing, he closed the journal and walked to the window.
The port district was brightly lit — Totto Land's citizens were working and living their lives.
Inside the castle, Linlin and the children were sleeping peacefully.
And he stood here, guarding all of it.
"Come on." Kaizer said softly, his eyes cold. "Let me see what exactly the World Government wants to do."
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