Chapter 111: The Possibility and Feasibility of Immortality

One of the highest-ranking members of the Donquixote family, the younger brother among the Donquixote siblings, along with the young boy regarded as a "rising star" due to his fierce temperament, had temporarily "departed," yet this did not cause the kind of "shock" one might have expected.

It was as if Rosinante’s simple message was taken as pure fact... that once Law’s lead poisoning was cured, both of them would return to the family.

Would Doflamingo really be naive enough to believe such a promise? Given his mercurial nature, it was hard to say, but judging by the likelihood... it seemed quite low.

Then why, at such a critical moment, did he not take a more proactive approach, instead simply accepting his own younger brother’s decision?

Only the heavens knew.

After Rosinante had been gone for quite some time, the entire Donquixote family remained remarkably calm.

Perhaps, at this moment, Aokiji could not have expected to receive any orders from Doflamingo akin to "bring Rosinante and Law back."

At that time, he was supporting himself on one hand, bracing his abdomen—human bodies are incredibly delicate and precise. After a severe injury, restoring oneself to a previous state requires a steady rhythm; instant recovery is nearly impossible.

Then, Aokiji heard a question that made him doubt his own ears...

"Can pirates find happiness?"

"Huh?" Aokiji stood up, took the towel draped over Ain’s small arm, wiped the sweat from his face, and glanced out the window along her line of sight... The brief moment of distraction meant he missed what Ain saw.

Just then, Senior Pink, the Donquixote family’s tough-guy archetype, passed by holding a bouquet of roses as red as the torches the crew had held only yesterday.

So when Aokiji turned his gaze back to the girl staring out the window, he thought... Has this child finally reached puberty? Though somewhat late, it was better than never.

Time is a god; some things remain unchanged for ages, while others undergo unimaginable transformations in a short span. Seeing Ain’s figure, with a chest size that could be marked as 85B, Aokiji felt a quiet satisfaction—he could answer that question.

Not for any other reason than the purity and innocence carried by the question.

"This is an exceptionally complex topic, requiring dialectical, case-by-case analysis. But if I were to give a clean, straightforward answer, it would be... no."

"After all, their original pursuits are fundamentally different. Simply put, pirates live on the edge of a blade, uncertain of when death will come. 'Seize the moment' is their guiding principle. For them, fleeting luck might exist, and even fleeting joy for some, but happiness in the usual or long-term sense is something they cannot truly feel."

"Everyone wants to experience happiness, and pirates are no exception. Yet even if they chance upon it, it’s merely a fragile commodity they cannot hold onto forever—ultimately, just an illusion."

Though Aokiji often rambled, these words were said in jest. Yet even such pretense occasionally struck a chord.

"Is it really like that..." Ain’s tone grew somewhat reflective, as she recalled a girl with small freckles on her cheeks they had met by chance in a nearby town—what was her name again? Ah, Lucian, right?

Was she truly someone who could never be blessed?

"But... now I am already happy enough, perhaps even unexpectedly so. I had lost hope, but this surprising growth is what truly moves me..."

Aokiji’s topic leapt about wildly, and his remarks were so straightforward and somewhat self-satisfied that before he could finish, he was struck at a vulnerable spot.

A slender finger pressed directly against his eyeball.

"My eyes! My eyes..."

Those just emerging from serious injury deserved no sympathy; his gaze was too lecherous, and tears threatened to spill—an inevitable consequence of the principle of equivalent exchange.

"Aki, is your condition still unstable? The young master is gathering everyone, and... huh? What happened?" Baby-5, who had come to relay some news, was instantly drawn to Aokiji’s tearful state.

"No, nothing. I was just moved by the story of a famous North Blue explorer from 400 years ago. Gathering, huh? Continue notifying the others in the family; I’ll stay here and be moved a little longer."

"Got it. The meeting place is in the front hall." Baby-5 said as her limited mental capacity whirred into overdrive... Was there really such a touching explorer in the North Blue? Plenty of con artists, yes, but explorers?

...

By now, Aokiji was mostly fine; describing his condition as "healthy" was fitting.

In fact, his severe injuries had left no scars—a phenomenon any doctor would find curious. But Aokiji dismissed it with the phrase, "Scars are a swordsman’s shame," implying that healing scars was a matter of willpower.

And now that Doflamingo was finally about to launch a new operation, Aokiji, feeling like a bubble soaked for 50 minutes and thoroughly humiliated, was free to move and naturally came over.

"Is everyone here?" Doflamingo’s gaze swept across the assembled group before he continued, "The reason I called this meeting is simple: we have just acquired some unexpected intelligence, and we are about to set sail on an unplanned voyage."

"The reason is simple: a group of foolish pirates wants to sell a Devil Fruit to the Navy through our hands..."

"Heh heh heh, the monikers 'Dark Broker' and 'Joker' still come in handy, huh?"

But Doflamingo quickly shifted tone, "Although these fools don’t understand the true value of that Devil Fruit, even so, the World Government or Navy’s offer will never be low. 4 billion Beli? 5 billion? 10 billion? Any of those are possible. However... for various reasons, I must get my hands on that fruit."

He gave a concise explanation of the situation and the reasons behind the operation.

"Young master, forgive my frankness, but is it necessary for you to intervene personally? Someone among us likely has ample experience in fighting over Devil Fruits." Jora suddenly spoke up.

To everyone’s surprise, a small child was clutching at her leg... Has someone just become a father?

Not quite that dramatic. After all, eccentric types hadn’t overrun the streets. This child, named Dellinger, was a half-fishman Jora had taken in.

Doflamingo had yet to respond when Aokiji interjected, "If Doflamingo doesn’t mind what happened last time and trusts me, I can guarantee to bring that Devil Fruit back."

"This isn’t a matter of trust. This is too important; I must act personally," Doflamingo said. Jora, who was not stirring the mood, truly deserved a chokehold.

Letting Aokiji handle it alone? Did Doflamingo mind?

Of course he did—very much so.

The reason was simple: the fruit in question was called the "Surgery Fruit," and its value was on a completely different level from the "Childlike Fruit" Aokiji had previously retrieved.