Author's Note:
Q. Um... isn't Mama seriously working on something terrifying? Like, genuinely messed-up research?
A. She sure is... The question of whether it stays as a gag or actually gets put to serious use in the main story is... stay tuned.
---
So, today's front page of the World Economic News.
"The hot new shape-memory alloy 'Wapometal' begins full-scale distribution under the Golden Lion Pirates' initiative. Our special feature explores the special properties of this material and its infinite potential... it says."
That was the headline.
I think I've mentioned this a few times before, but Wapometal is a special metal created by Wapol, who's been staying with us, using his Munch-Munch Fruit Powers. It's got outstanding properties as a shape-memory alloy, with the potential to enhance the performance of all sorts of industrial products and Weapons. It's the talk of the town right now.
Until recently, since Wapol is affiliated with the Golden Lion Pirates, or rather, since we've been looking after him, we had a monopoly on both the production and consumption of Wapometal. And honestly, on the production side, that's still the case. Nobody else can make the stuff.
But we recently shifted that policy somewhat, and while it's being handled as a commercial venture, we'd been working toward making Wapometal available for general distribution. Today's article is about that effort officially going live.
From here on, though still limited in both scale and quantity, the Golden Lion Pirates will be wholesaling Wapometal in response to orders from various parties. And those transactions will generate enormous wealth. Without a doubt.
'I mean, well, Papa had been maneuvering toward this outcome from the very beginning...'
At first we kept it all to ourselves, using it exclusively to upgrade our weapons and whatnot, but it was inevitable that keeping it monopolized like that would attract all sorts of hands reaching in from the shadows. Pressure from the Government saying "let us have some too," spies infiltrating to try and skim Wapometal off the top.
We blocked or eliminated every one of those attempts, but keeping that up forever wasn't realistic. So, whether the pressure came openly or from behind the scenes, once it built up enough, the plan had always been to sell it publicly. Like this. From the very start. That way, instead of skulking around in the shadows, people could just pay proper money and get it through legitimate channels.
...Of course, even then, there are still people who want to deal under the table. Why? Because the supply on the "legitimate" side is limited, so it's constantly sold out and most people can't get their hands on it. Apparently there are tons of offers asking us to sell through back channels.
And Papa, having anticipated this exact development from the start, had already set up dedicated contacts for those "back channel" transactions, and even prepared separate inventory for them, before any of this went live. Honestly... when it comes to scheming, this man is top-tier.
Now, there was one more reason we decided to go ahead with the public sale of Wapometal this time around. That reason was the establishment of more efficient methods for utilizing Wapometal within the Golden Lion Pirates themselves.
This was the fruit of research by Mama, the supreme and most terrifying researcher in our R&D division. Thanks to her work, we can now use Wapometal in ways that significantly surpass normal usage, both in performance and cost efficiency. Things like the optimal alloy ratios for enhanced performance have already been figured out.
Meanwhile, out in the wider world, most people have never even touched the stuff, and they have zero accumulated know-how. Their only option is to buy large quantities and do their own research.
So, we can reduce the amount we need internally going forward, redirect the surplus to the market, and make massive profits by charging premium prices to people who are desperate for it. And for back-channel sales, we charge even more.
That was how it was supposed to go.
"Why are we about to run short on Wapometal inventory? Mama."
"I used a teensy bit too much in my experimeeeeents! I'm so sorryyyyy!"
And the person who can undermine all of that so effortlessly is also her.
This is the same thing that happened last time, isn't it? I bet she went and took more Wapometal than what I or Papa authorized, and used it for experiments and research. Honestly... Why is it that for this person, the option of "not doing the thing she was told not to do" simply doesn't exist in her head?
Well, but... whenever she does pull something like this, she usually delivers results that more than justify it.
"Sigh... Fine, I'll let the Production Department know. From now on, either submit requests for the exact quantities you need, or when you're going to use additional materials, report it properly beforehand. Beforehand! Got it, Mama?"
"Roger thaaaat! Thank you, Sue-chaaaaan!"
...But yeah, she'll probably do it again in a few days.
"By the way, Mama, what were you researching this time, and what results did you get?"
"Oh my, you want to knooooow? Well, I suppose I have no choiiiiice! I was planning to report it later since it's still in progreeeess, but just for you, it's speciaaaal!"
"This is supposed to be something you report on, or rather consult about, before you do it, you know? ...Also, I'm pretty sure I just said that."
"What I was working on thiiiiis time was a superconductor material that transmits lightning energy more efficientlyyyyyy, and preservation containers, like canned goods, that allow ultra-long-term food storaaaage, and a special coating with water-resistant, heat-resistant, impact-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and various other compound properties made by dissolving it in a special chemical solutioooon!"
"And it was plural."
...And sure enough, every single one of those sounds incredibly useful just hearing about them. I can't wait to see them take shape. This is exactly why I can never stay mad at her. She keeps producing results that far exceed expectations...
"...I'm looking forward to it, so do your best. Mama."
"Roger thaaaat! I'm so happy Sue-chan has expectations of meeeee! Your mother is going to work extra hard, so look forward to iiiiit!"
"Ah, actually, please keep it moderate."
***
"So that's how it went... Same as always, Mama was going a bit out of control. Ahh, I'm tired..."
"So basically business as usual, huh."
"Good work, Mother. I've got dorayaki, want some?"
"Yes please!"
"Wasn't asking ye, Leona. Well, I've got enough for the lot of ye, though."
Snack time back in my room, letting my three daughters listen to me vent.
These girls already know Mama's personality well, so they give me proper sympathy.
"Well... Granny's impulsive behavior certainly does keep one on edge, watching or hearing about it. I've felt that especially keenly since we all started living together on Merveille."
"No wonder Gramps and them get tired just bringing her up. But, well, she does make useful tools for us in return, so that helps."
"She's top-tier as an engineer, too... Didn't you just have her make you a weapon recently, Mom?"
"Yeah. Well, made isn't quite the right word. More like modified."
As I spoke, I pulled out the weapon I keep stored inside my body, my usual go-to: the Japanese umbrella. The weapon I always use when fighting opponents not worth drawing the Seven Star Sword for. I've used it since the old days, and continued to even after becoming a Shichibukai.
Up until now, this umbrella was just an ordinary umbrella aside from the hidden blade built into the shaft. But recently, Mama modified it, and it's become a proper weapon.
The shaft still has the famed sword Floating Cloud concealed within it, which can be drawn and wielded as a blade in a pinch. That part is the same as before.
On top of that, the frame, which used to be wooden, has been rebuilt by Mama using a special alloy incorporating Wapometal. Despite weighing almost the same as before, its strength has been massively increased. Against ordinary blades, it can hold its own even without Haki.
New weapons have been built into the tip and handle, too. Using a combination of a Milky Dial that produces Iron Cloud and a Jet Dial, it can fire Iron Cloud bullets like an air gun. Like a concealed weapon from an old spy movie, it can shoot right from the tip with a bang.
What's more, since the bullets are Cloud and the propellant is Wind rather than Gunpowder, the attack style is infinitely versatile. You can change the shape and size of the bullets, so beyond standard rounds, you can form armor-piercing shapes for maximum penetration, or fire large-caliber rounds for increased destructive power. The Milky Dial itself is one Mama selectively bred, so even on the Blue Sea, the Cloud maintains its shape for a while.
On top of that, by adjusting the output of the Jet Dial, you can also control the power and range, and by changing the discharge method, you can even fire in rapid succession.
It can become a handgun, a rifle, a machine gun, a shotgun, a magnum, a crossbow... anything. Attach a different Dial attachment, and it can even become a grenade launcher or a flamethrower.
I couldn't help thinking it had turned into something like the umbrella used by that strongest mercenary clan in the universe from a certain sci-fi Bakumatsu gag manga. That one was a Japanese umbrella too, if I recall.
Beyond that, a Flame Dial, an Impact Dial, an Axe Dial, and more are also built in. These are fitted into the canopy portion, so when I open it to block an enemy's attack, it can absorb part of the impact. Thanks to this, if an opponent uses a flamethrower, I can absorb the Flame, and I can absorb strikes and slashing attacks as well. And of course, I can blast all of that right back as a Counter.
And amazingly, an original Dial that Mama created through selective breeding is also built in. One that, as if designed specifically for me, is a perfect fit.
Its name: the Paper Dial. As the name suggests, it's a Dial that produces Paper. Shape-shifting Paper, at that.
By preloading it with moisture and plant fiber, it can produce Paper just like a Milky Dial produces Cloud. This means that even if the paper portion of the umbrella gets damaged, it can be repaired instantly. Think of it like paper clay. And it's not just slapping a layer on top. You can pinpoint-fill holes with paper clay, increase thickness, reduce it, all completely reversible and truly infinitely versatile. Add the right materials, and you can even produce Fireproof Paper or other special papers.
Well, I can do similar things with my own Powers, but this allows finer adjustments, and since I don't need to use Awakening techniques every time, it costs me zero stamina. So it's surprisingly handy.
Incidentally, this Dial has been deployed as standard equipment at the Golden Lion Pirates' administrative workstations, where it's highly valued as something like memo paper that takes up no storage space. Since you can refill it endlessly with just water and random plant fiber, the cost efficiency is unbeatable.
Of course, beyond weapons, the useful things Mama makes span a wide range. The girls here have all benefited from her work in various ways.
Take Suzu, for example. Agriculture-related, naturally. She'd already been using soil improvement fertilizers and nutrient solutions that Mama created, but recently...
"The other day, I planted some seeds Granny gave me, and what grew was absolutely enormous corn. So large ye'd never get anything like it even planting in Island Cloud up on the Sky Island."
"Ahh, that thing you showed us the other day... Yeah, that was seriously huge. A single ear was about as tall as me."
"Is that really corn?! I've never heard of corn so big you have to carry it on your shoulder!"
"Each individual kernel was about the size of a rice ball. It was honestly too big to eat as-is, but the taste was perfectly fine, and grinding it into cornmeal solved that problem. It grows quickly and keeps well, so I think it's quite excellent as a food source. The thing is, there are more and more similar vegetables being developed through selective breeding alongside this one, so if we keep producing at the usual pace, Merveille's storehouses are going to be bursting at the seams before long."
"It's gotten to that level? If you've got surplus you don't know what to do with, want me to talk to the Commercial Department about adding them to the export lineup? If they're that productive, we could probably distribute them pretty cheaply."
"There's a lot of potential uses, right? It could be a straightforward revenue stream, and it could also be used for the food aid that Grandpa and the others provide to impoverished Territory nations as part of their 'public face' operations. Or you could flood the market at prices lower than competitors and use it as economic warfare."
"Now, Alice. Do not so casually turn something I grew into an economic Weapon."
"But Grandpa would actually do it, wouldn't he..."
"...Well, yes, I suppose it would depend on the circumstances."
Next, Leona. She was so excited the other day about Mama making her new shoes. Not ordinary shoes, naturally.
Remember the Waver used on Sky Island? It's a jet ski-like vehicle for one or a few people, powered by a Breath Dial. Board types, shoe types, and all sorts of variants exist.
It needs no wind or waves, and you don't even have to paddle. A very convenient vessel, but extremely difficult to handle. Normally, it takes about five years to learn to ride one.
What Leona had made for her was a variant of that. Unlike a Waver, though, it doesn't have built-in propulsion for traveling. So what is it? Put simply: shoes that let you walk on air. With a Milky Dial and a Breath Dial built in, Cloud and Wind are instantaneously jetted from the soles in sync with each step, allowing the wearer to walk as if treading on solid ground.
"Ever since Granny gave me those, I can fly around all over Merveille and it's super fun and helpful! Way less tiring than Moonwalk!"
"And then the other day ye got carried away and walked all the way to Skypiea by yourself on foot, and Mother scolded ye. Ye haven't forgotten that, have ye?"
"Urk... Sorry about that. I'll make sure to ask permission next time..."
"Don't just ask permission. Make sure you take someone with you. It'd be bad if something happened... Well, I might not be the most convincing person to say that."
"You go off on impromptu reporting trips all the time, alone, flying. And since you became a Shichibukai, the places you can go have expanded, so you've gotten even more footloose. But Leona's shoes really are amazing. I tried them out the other day, and walking in them felt no different from stepping on solid ground. Seemed like you could use Shave and other techniques where footwork matters with the same feel as on the Surface."
"Oh, so they provide that solid a footing? I figured since it's Island Cloud, it'd just be a soft, spongy platform."
"According to Granny, she improved the Milky Dial so the Cloud it produces is a special type. Umm... what was it called... audacious... or sounding out... or gathering..."
"Dilatancy, Leona."
"That's it!"
Seriously? That's amazing, Mama... She even made something like that.
For reference, Dilatancy is a property where a substance feels soft when touched slowly and gently, but hardens when touched quickly or struck with enough force. In the real world, I think I've heard the principle is used in things like bulletproof vests... This is another technology that could be applied to Weapons.
"Though I think those shoes take a fair bit of practice before you can walk in them. The sensation of stepping on the ground is pretty unique... Well, probably not as bad as a Waver."
"Really? I could walk in 'em after just a little practice."
"Same for me, but when I had one of my subordinates try them on, they could barely manage a few steps. They almost tumbled right out of the sky, and their comrades had to rush to catch them."
"Ye two have good reflexes, that's why a little practice was enough for ye."
And then there's Alice...
"We don't need to hear yours. Ye needn't speak."
"Huh, why?! Isn't this the part where I share mine too?"
"Because ye... whatever Granny made for ye is bound to be something indecent."
"Indecent, how rude! Everyone's so happy when I use it! Myuure and Orive and Gina and Dirusha all go 'I-I've never felt anything like thiiis!' and moa..."
"And you're OUT!"
So yeah, Mama really can make things that are genuinely useful (I didn't say harmless), so honestly she'd be more than capable enough if she just kept things within that range... But she has zero interest in restraint or holding back, and on top of that, she does it out of goodwill roughly 95% of the time, which is what makes it so hard to deal with. The end products are legitimately useful, but a lot of people end up with stomachaches and headaches along the way.
Even now, she seems to be working on several dangerous-sounding research projects.
Like the Thundercloud-type Milky Dial she's developing jointly with Enel...
Or the compound-function Demon Den Den Mushi she's selectively breeding, which has eavesdropping capabilities like a Black Den Den Mushi, eavesdropping countermeasures like a White Den Den Mushi, signal jamming like a Horned Den Den Mushi, and on top of that can send and receive video, hack other Den Den Mushi to search call logs, and even perform tracebacks...
Or the weather Weapon "Storm Diffuser," which applies the principles of Dance Powder to locally eliminate severe weather, even violent storms, and forcibly create clear skies...
...If this one actually gets completed, it would definitively eliminate one of Papa's weaknesses.
But... the most dangerous one among them is probably...
'That thing... stored in the Vault where Mama keeps The Real Deal...'
I'll admit that thing is a useful technology. Depending on how it's used, it could become a Weapon on par with or even surpassing a Devil Fruit... and it shows considerable promise in medical applications too. It could even save people who had previously been hopeless cases due to congenital conditions or incurable diseases.
But... it's also true that misuse could lead to catastrophe. Frankly, I, the current Admiral, and Papa, the Supreme Advisor, seriously considered using our joint authority to halt the research entirely...
For now, we're taking a wait-and-see approach, but who knows what will happen going forward...
"Come to think of it, the other day when I walked past Granny's Laboratory, I heard some weird screaming coming from inside."
"That woman... is she once again doing something loud enough to penetrate the soundproofed walls? Well, Leona's hearing is better than normal, so perhaps that's why it was audible."
"Ah, no, it wasn't Granny's voice. It was a voice I'd never heard before... Maybe a researcher I don't know?"
'...Most likely one of the slaves Grandpa procured for human experimentation? Taken from a hostile Pirate Crew or something. Grandma does have a bit of a moral hazard streak herself.'
"Is the research that dangerous? Screams loud enough to be heard like that... That's a bit worrying."
"It didn't really sound like screaming, though? I mean, honestly, I couldn't even understand what they were saying... It was more just, like, weird noises."
"What? What were they saying?"
"Umm, if I remember right...
'Boob-flavored paper-thin sauce!' ...or something like that..."
"...What in the world."
"What does that mean? Grandma's chest is pretty big, you know? And they're firm, not paper-thin at all."
"And why exactly do ye know that, Alice?"
"We took a bath together the other day!"
"Truly indiscriminate."
"There was also... 'Chewy gyoza!' and 'Forest mouse... forest mouse...' and 'It's a kidnapping van, Mataro!' and 'Please subscribe to my channel!' ...or something like that."
"I don't understand a single one of those..."
"...What is Grandma even doing?"
...I should probably go check on things one of these days. I'm worried. When it comes to that particular project, even if it is Mama, I can't allow her to go too far...
For the record, on my way back, I decided to swing past Mama's Laboratory since it was bugging me, and...
"Lettuce! Milk! Bubble Poweeeer!!"
That was Mama's voice shouting... something like that.
...Yeah, I'm definitely scheduling an inspection. Unannounced.
To be continued...