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OPI Chapter 289: A Nation Cured, A Secret Buried
🕑 Added 2025-02-10 14:44:45 +0000 UTCThe kingdom of Flevance and the amber lead disease had always been a thorn in Imu's heart.
It could be said that it was one of the darkest acts committed by the World Government in the last century.
For Imu, this was disgusting.
An organization as powerful as the World Government, staining its hands with blood for petty money... Where was their sense of the bigger picture?
However, the decision to conceal the truth about the amber lead disease and collaborate with the Flevance royalty had been made over a hundred years ago. He could not hold the original culprits accountable.
So Imu made a drastic decision: instead of looking for blame within the World Government, he would place all responsibility on the Flevance royalty, both the current one and his ancestors.
Then, under the order of the World Government, the team of alchemists and the elite medical team headed by Doctor Kureha, escorted by a battalion of agents, settled in Flevance to treat all citizens and permanently close the amber lead mines.
As for the large number of creations made with amber lead, they did not represent an immediate danger, since they were only toxic after constant and prolonged contact.
Furthermore, the World Government not only had to cure the inhabitants of Flevance but also offer them a new home. With the truth exposed, no one would want to continue living there.
Fortunately, they had already prepared a solution: to move the population to the red earth continent and found the city of Flevance.
At the same time…
Four railway lines, which seemed to extend into infinity, finally traversed more than five hundred regions of the Red Earth Continent.
Although they were still far from reaching the original goal of fifteen hundred regions, this progress was enough to establish cities in the areas with railways. Thanks to the trains, both the transportation of supplies and the movement of people were greatly facilitated, allowing for better administration by the World Government.
It is worth noting that the trains used are the Hayajiro ones from the World of Kabane.
According to Imu's idea, these trains would in the future travel across the entire Red Earth continent.
In short, the matter of the Kingdom of Flevance could now be considered technically closed. With this, at least, a media time bomb was removed.
Otherwise, if the truth about Amber Lead Syndrome were ever revealed, the image that the World Government had built up over the past few years would suffer a devastating blow.
In his study, Imu reviewed the report on the Kingdom of Flevance and the measures taken by the Five Elders regarding its inhabitants.
He was very satisfied.
Once Law's amber lead syndrome was cured, he would be sent to the Drum Kingdom's Medical Academy for further training. With his talent in medicine, there was no doubt that he would become another super doctor of the Starfish World in the future.
[Knock! Knock! Knock!]
"Come in."
Imu looked up and saw Stussy enter the room. In her hands she carried a small red box with gold edges.
"My lord Imu, this is an offering from the Alchemy Kingdom of the Teigu World. They say it is a complete Philosopher's Stone. They hope that with this they can replace the payment of the Heavenly Tribute for the next ten years."
"A Philosopher's Stone!?"
Imu was startled, and then curiously picked up the box on the table.
When opened, a deep red gem, as large as a goose egg and with a perfectly polished surface, shone with a crimson glow.
"So beautiful."
The Philosopher's Stone.
A legendary treasure that exists in many fictional worlds, the ultimate jewel in the realm of alchemy, the supreme material that every alchemist yearns to obtain.
According to the historical records of the Alchemy Kingdom, accumulated over a thousand years, this stone is an alchemical amplifier capable of ignoring the principle of equivalent exchange, allowing the transmutation of any matter.
Or to put it another way, it can replace the price an alchemist would normally have to pay and conduct any transaction with the Gate of Truth, including those considered taboo.
As for its manufacturing method, records only mention that it is unknown.
“Haha.”
Imu couldn't help but let out a mocking laugh upon reading the information provided along with the Philosopher's Stone by the Alchemy Kingdom.
It was hard to believe that a kingdom with a thousand years of alchemical knowledge only had one of these stones. And if it really was unique, why would they so easily hand it over to the World Government?
Whatever the case...
He now held a Philosopher's Stone in his hands.
The first thing was to find out how useful it could be and then decide how to deal with the Alchemy Kingdom.
"If I'm not mistaken... this allows Human Alchemy to reach perfection, that is, the creation of beings with their own soul... or even true resurrection."
Imu fell silent, deep in thought.
He had a feeling that it would be best to save it for the future. You never knew when you might need it for something really important.
But there was a problem: if he didn't use it at least once, how could he be sure that the legend about the Philosopher's Stone was true and not just an exaggeration?
Then he remembered something.
"In the Empire, Dorothea has a fragment of the Philosopher's Stone. Although it is only a piece, it should be enough to experiment with its effects..."
But the question is how to get it?
She is already a mid-level researcher at the Biochemical Research Institute, and it doesn't seem appropriate to order her to hand it over directly.
After thinking for a moment, Imu called Stussy. "Stussy."
"Yes sir."
"Dorothea from the Institute of Biochemistry has a fragment of the Philosopher's Stone in her possession. Ask her what the World Government could use as payment to make an equivalent exchange with her."
"Understood!"
Stussy nodded respectfully
...
Noah's Ark, High Gravity Training Room.
Six spotlights hung from the ceiling in various positions, bathing the room in a completely purple glow.
Imu was drenched in sweat as he trained, even in an environment with fifteen times the normal gravity, each of his movements was precise and firm, without a hint of weakness.
Even though his muscles and bones trembled with a silent wail.
Even though the intense pain ran through every inch of his body.
His gaze remained indifferent.
And yet, deep inside, he felt elated.
He could clearly sense his potential being forced out, squeezed out by the pressure of gravity.
It was no wonder that figures like Garp and Bullet spent so much time in the Gravity Training Room. That feeling of becoming stronger was, without a doubt, addictive.
Just then, Stussy silently appeared outside the gravity area.
From a distance, she watched Imu complete his training, bearing the brutal weight of gravity.
Time passed slowly.
Finally, when Imu completed the series of exercises, he calmly stood up in the middle of the purple-tinged space.
At the same moment…
A remote control appeared in his hand.
With a single movement, he turned off the gravity field system.
The lights in the room immediately returned to their natural color.
As two maids approached to wipe away his sweat, Imu asked Stussy. "What did Dorothea say? What does she want?"
"Researcher Dorothea says she wants immortality," Stussy replied. "She claims that if she is granted eternal life, she will be able to learn infinite knowledge. And in exchange, she is willing to become the Celestial Dragons' faithful dog for all eternity."
Imu smiled after hearing this.
She had not said that she would swear allegiance to the World Government but rather emphasized that she would serve the Celestial Dragons exclusively.
This means that she is willing to do anything for the Celestial Dragons.
"Do you have any information on her current level as an alchemist? What branch of alchemy does she specialize in?"
Imu put on a white robe and walked to the edge of the upper floor. From there, he watched Historia training hard in the gravity field.
“My lord Imu, by the standards of the Alchemy Kingdom, Dorothea is an intermediate alchemist.”
“As for her specialty, she is an expert in biological modification. She can fuse humans with other creatures or equip them with foreign organs.”
Stussy accurately reported all information collected.
Dorothea's alchemical level was too low for the tasks he had in mind.
Perhaps this was due to his escape from the Alchemy Kingdom years ago.
“Order the Five Elders to train Dorothea with all available resources. She must reach the level of advanced alchemist as soon as possible.”
“Also, tell her that when she manages to ascend to that level, I will grant her immortality.”
Imu thought that the God's Knights needed to add alchemists in the future.
As for supposed immortality… Imu would simply give him a ring of pure gold.
"Yes!" Stussy nodded in response, then took out a small box from her pocket and said softly: "Lord Imu, this is the fragment of the Philosopher's Stone that Dorothea had in her possession."
“Good.”
With a simple wave of his hand, the box immediately disappeared.
“By the way, how is the transfer of those Super Class Danger Beasts to Starfish World going?”
Imu walked out of the gravity training building.
“The Five Elders have sent a squad of CP-0 led by Redfield to the Teigu World to invite them.” Stussy replied softly as she followed him.
