Bege stared, utterly dumbfounded, at the spot where Kira had just been. One moment, the seemingly invincible monster stood there; the next, nothing but gore. 'What in the blazes just happened?' he thought, completely bewildered. The terrifyingly powerful Kira had just... self-destructed?
Ingram painfully pushed himself up from the ground. His body was a horrific mess – skin torn away in large patches, raw flesh hanging loosely, bone visible in several places. He looked towards the pool of blood and viscera that was once Kira, a complex mix of emotions flickering across his bizarre face, finally settling into profound relief. "Kosa... he finally decided to destroy Kira."
Regardless of the 'how' or 'why', the immediate crisis was over. Bege let out a long sigh of relief and collapsed onto the ground, finally allowing the exhaustion and pain to fully register. He opened a gate in his castle-body, releasing his medical team to tend to the wounded.
"Moria," Bege grumbled, already feeling extremely frustrated, "are we cursed this year or something? Did we forget to check the damn almanac before leaving Skypiea?"
Moria, looking equally battered and dejected, could only sigh in agreement.
Ingram staggered towards Bege. "Where... where is Fia?" he rasped.
Bege released Fia, Gabo, and Limu from his internal castle. The moment Fia saw Ingram's horrific condition, she burst into tears.
"Ingram! Are you okay?!" she sobbed, rushing towards him.
Ingram's face was covered in blood and grime, not a single patch of skin unscathed. He managed to force a pained smile. "I'm… still alive. That's what matters."
His attempt at reassurance failed entirely; seeing his mangled state only made Fia cry harder.
Gabo and Limu looked around nervously. Seeing no sign of Kira, they visibly relaxed. "Kira's not here!" Gabo whispered urgently, pulling Fia's arm. "Let's get out of here first!"
Fear flickered across Fia's small face, but she tightly clutched Ingram's massive, clawed hand. Having been inside Bege's castle, the trio hadn't witnessed Kira's sudden self-destruction.
"No need to hide anymore," Ingram said weakly. "Kira… is dead."
"Kira's dead?!" The three Bipoth natives stared in shock, then collective relief washed over them, quickly turning into joyous cheers and relieved cries.
"Hey! If you don't get those wounds treated soon, you are going to die!" Bege shouted over at the swaying Ingram.
Ingram took two unsteady steps, then collapsed onto the ground. Fia shrieked his name, bursting into fresh tears. Bege waved his hand impatiently, gesturing for his doctors to prioritize Ingram.
"Ingram," Bege asked once the immediate panic subsided, "can you tell me who Fia's father is?"
Ingram fell silent, his gaze distant, not answering immediately.
"Sir Demon Dragon, if you have questions, you may ask me directly." A deep, calm male voice suddenly cut in. Bege turned to see two half-human, half-beast Modified Human guards flanking a tall, thin middle-aged man in a white lab coat who was approaching them quickly.
"Daddy!" Fia immediately let go of Ingram's hand and ran, launching herself into the arms of the man in the lab coat.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was out here?!" the man scolded Fia gently, though his tone held more concern than anger. Fia simply snuggled into his embrace, acting cute.
"Alright, alright, you always know how to wrap me around your little finger," the man sighed fondly, patting Fia's head. Fia beamed up at him, her eyes crinkling mischievously.
"Doctor!" Ingram greeted the man respectfully from where he lay.
The man in the lab coat looked down at Ingram's battered form and sighed deeply. He produced a vial filled with a shimmering green liquid from within his coat and handed it to Ingram. "Roboran, treat Ingram's injuries."
Ingram accepted the vial gratefully and immediately injected its contents into his arm. The female Modified Human guard standing beside the doctor, who carried a large medical kit, promptly knelt beside Ingram and began tending to his gruesome wounds with practiced efficiency.
The man in the lab coat then walked over to Bege, offering a polite smile. "My name is Ben Kosa. And this is my daughter, Ben Fia. Thank you for protecting my daughter earlier, Sir Demon Dragon."
Bege took a slow drag from his cigar, studying the man intently. "You know who I am?"
"The renowned Captain of the Fire Tank Pirates, Demon Dragon Capone Bege? Of course, I know of your exploits," Ben Kosa replied easily, still smiling.
Bege nodded slightly, remaining silent for a few moments before speaking calmly, "To be capable of creating Modified Humans like Ingram, and Kira... Mr. Kosa, you surely aren't some unknown entity. Would you perhaps indulge my small curiosity and tell me something of your origins?"
Ben Kosa smiled faintly. "I was formerly a scientist with the World Government's scientific unit. I left the unit some time ago." He paused, then corrected himself with a wry twist of his lips, "To be precise, I defected from the Marine scientific unit. Like you, Sir Demon Dragon, I imagine I am also quite wanted by the Marines."
"Interesting," Bege chuckled softly, his mind already racing. A scientist capable of creating beings like Ingram and Kira – living weapons possessing incredible strength and resilience... Ben Kosa's scientific prowess must be immense. The desire to recruit him, to gain access to such technology, sparked instantly within Bege.
"Sir Demon Dragon, it is quite chaotic out here. Why not accompany me to my humble abode nearby to rest and recuperate?" Ben Kosa offered politely.
Bege, however, waved a dismissive hand. "No need. I rather like it here on the beach." He wasn't about to walk into the den of a potentially dangerous scientist, especially while he and his core crew were still badly injured. If Kosa harbored any ill intentions, they could easily be trapped.
Ben Kosa nodded, clearly understanding Bege's unspoken caution, and didn't press the invitation. He turned, said a few words to Ingram and the guards, then departed with Fia, heading back towards the island's interior.
Once Kosa was out of sight, Bege took out a specific Den Den Mushi – the one resembling Vinsmoke Judge.
"Captain Bege?" Judge's distinctive voice crackled through the snail.
"It's me," Bege confirmed. "I have a question for you. Do you know a scientist by the name of Ben Kosa? He was apparently also formerly with the World Government's science unit."
"Ben Kosa?" Judge sounded thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, I know the name. He's a scientific doctor specializing in the modification of living beings. We were actually in the same research laboratory for a time, working together on projects related to human enhancement. Later, I heard rumors… apparently, he stole a Devil Fruit from the science unit's vault, killed another scientist who tried to stop him, and defected. I remember it caused quite a stir back then; the Marines even dispatched an Admiral to hunt him down, but he vanished."
"Do you happen to know which Devil Fruit he stole?" Bege pressed.
"That, I truly don't know," Judge admitted. "The science unit locked down all information regarding the incident very tightly. Very few people know the exact details."
Bege disconnected the call, his mind churning. Defecting from the World Government, killing a fellow scientist, stealing a Devil Fruit important enough to warrant an Admiral's pursuit... Just what kind of Devil Fruit could it be?
Bege and his crew spent the next three days recuperating on the beach of Bipoth Island. On the third day, a massive airship descended from the sky.
It was the Sky God. It had navigated the treacherous Calm Belt, homing in on Bege's location using the signal flares they had presumably launched earlier.
"Modi! I've spotted the signal flare!" Riki shouted from the crow's nest, peering through his binoculars at the colorful smoke rising in the distance. Relief washed over his face.
The Sky God adjusted course, heading directly towards the smoke signals. Before long, it arrived at Bipoth Island, landing gently on the shore near Bege's camp.
Modi, Riki, and the others quickly disembarked, their tense expressions relaxing visibly upon seeing Bege and the others alive, albeit injured.
"Bege, should we head back to Skypiea now?" Modi asked, assessing the battered state of his captain and the core crew.
"Wait a moment," Bege replied, his gaze drifting towards the dense forest leading into the island's interior. He wasn't ready to leave just yet. He was still thinking about Ben Kosa and the secrets this island held.
"Now that reinforcements are here," Bege thought with a calculating smile, "it's time to pay a proper visit to this former World Government scientist." With Modi, Riki, and the full might of the Sky God backing him up, he no longer feared any potential traps Kosa might spring.
Bege rallied his assembled forces – now bolstered by the arrival of the Sky God's contingent – and led them deep into Bipoth Island's interior. The path was marked by widespread destruction – shattered trees, cracked earth, deep craters – grim remnants of the ferocious battle between Kira, Ingram, and Weevil just three days prior.
They journeyed inwards, following Ingram's likely path, but found no obvious signs of Ben Kosa's residence or laboratory.
Suddenly, there was movement in the dense foliage ahead. A figure leaped out, landing silently before Bege. It was Ingram, his wounds mostly treated, though still moving stiffly.
"Sir Demon Dragon," Ingram stated impassively, "the Doctor sent me to guide you."
"Looks like he knew I'd come looking for him," Bege thought, his smile widening. "Hee hee hee... Lead the way."
Ingram guided them further into the island's depths, eventually arriving at the base of a large mountain. Near the foot of the mountain, the ground had collapsed inwards, forming a massive pit. Partially visible at the bottom of the pit was the glint of a large, metallic structure buried beneath the earth.
Set into the mountainside itself was a heavy, seamless metal door. As they approached, the door slid open automatically with a soft hiss.
Ingram walked inside without a word. Bege gave his crew a subtle glance, signaling them to remain vigilant. They tensed slightly, ready for anything, then followed Ingram into the hidden base.