Finding a Devil Fruit, especially targeting a specifie, is not an easy task. While the Wover has vast resources and a rge iory of Devil Fruits, it is still a challenging endeavor. For example, CP9 iure provide several Devil Fruits to its agents, and even the Marines have their stockpile. However, when it es to the coveted Logia Devil Fruits, they remain highly sought after.

  But having an iory is ohing; finding the right fruit is another challeirely. First, you need access to a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.

  The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia is an incredibly rare and valuable resource. Only a handful of long-standing and powerful anizations across the seas possess it. This alone rules out most individuals and groups.

  In this regard, Cudius holds a natural advantage. Not only does he possess a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, but it's also the most prehensive one avaible.

  On top of this, he has ane—he has professionals w for him. One such person is his cousin, Dofmingo.

  Dofmingo has deep es within the dark underworld and an uny talent for acquiring rare and powerful Devil Fruits.

  His track record speaks for itself. His subordinates, whom he trained personally, are all exceptional in their abilities, with not a single one being sidered weak.

  Dofmingo's skills in log Devil Fruits are well-proven. For instance, he was responsible for finding the Gold Gold Fruit, though it was ter stolen by Tesoro. In the inal story, he also mao acquire the Mera-Mera Fruit following Ace's death, even though it was eventually lost again.

  By that point, Dofmingo had gone beyond merely finding Devil Fruits, he had begun "creating" them, elevating himself to another level altogether.

  With the most plete Devil Fruit Encyclopedia in hand, a resourceful ally like Dofmingo, and plenty of ma his disposal, Cudius was fident it wouldn't be too difficult to locate the Mera-Mera Fruit for Ace ahead of time.

  "Ohe World Summit is over, I'll start making arras for this," Cudius murmured, rubbing his thoughtfully.

  Before he could discuss the matter further with Nia, the phone snail in Cudius's hand rang again.

  Seeing the caller, Cudius smiled. "It's Sengoku."

  Uanding the need for privaia tactfully stepped aside and quietly poured tea for Cudius while he answered the call.

  "Sengoku, how's our little projeing along?" Cudius asked casually, his tone carrying a hint of humor.

  "Hahaha, don't worry, Yhness," Sengoku replied with a ugh. "The Marine fleet has already set sail. Tsuru is leading the operation with fifty warships. That should be suffit, right?"

  Fifty warships sounded like a lot, but Cudius wasirely sure. After all, he had no idea just how much gold was hidden in the Golden Land. Still, it seemed suffit, especially sidering that warships were quite rge, even the older ones in the fleet could carry a signifit load.

  "It should be enough," Cudius replied with a smile. "And if it's not, that's good news for us—it means there's even mold than we expected."

  "Exactly! If needed, we Marines don't mind making a sed trip," Sengoku said, chug.

  "So, I take it you mao vince everyone?" Cudius asked, his tourning curious.

  "Of course. Who would say no to such a lucrative opportunity?" Sengoku replied fidently.

  After exging a few more words, Sengoku ged the topic. "The list of participating nations for the World Summit has been finalized. As usual, fifty tries will be attending. Yhness, are you ied in participating? Think of it as a publicly funded vacation."

  Although the Wover has over 170 allied nations, not all of them attend the World Summit. Each summit rotates the participating nations. For example, during the st summit, Abasta was among the attendees, and they had proposed redug the Heavenly Tribute—a motion that was swiftly rejected.

  This time, however, Abasta wouldn't be attending. From the remaining nations, fifty new representatives had beeed to participate.

  Cudius stroked his thoughtfully but eventually smiled. "I'll pass on this so-called vacation. I've got too muy pte. You enjoy it on my behalf, Sengoku."

  Sengoku ughed oher end of the line. "Sounds like you're quite busy over there."

  "Of course I am," Cudius replied with a grin.

  "That's a shame. I was thinking of visiting Dressrosa afterward. It's your family's aral homend, after all. If you're ied, you should e with me," Sengoku said, sounding a bit regretful.

  These days, Sengoku found himself enjoying Cudius's pany more and more. Cudius had a way of notig opportuhers overlooked, and these insights ofteo signifit gains. Even though the Marines were already being from their ventures into the Golden Land and the Calm Belt, Sengoku believed there was always room for more.

  Cudius chuckled. "So Dressrosa is one of the representative nations this year?"

  "That's right," Sengoku firmed.

  "I'm curious about the pce, but I'll have to pass this time," Cudius said.

  Dressrosa, the birthpce of the Donquixote family, certainly piqued Cudius's i. However, he decided to let it go for now. After the World Summit, Dofmingo was set to officially bee one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, a pn Cudius had orchestrated.

  Dofmingo was eager to secure his position among the Warlords, as he cked a proper base of operations in the New World. His eyes were set on Dressrosa, the family's aral nd. Oablished there, Dofmingo's influend power would grow expoially.

  With this in mind, Cudius suspected that this summit would likely be the st oended by the Riku royal family of Dressrosa. He had no iion of letting his cousin's pns fall apart, it simply wouldn't be him.

  Pushing these thoughts aside, Cudius turned his attention back to Sengoku. "By the way, Sengoku, there's a small favor I'd like to ask of the Marines."

  "A favor? What do you need, Yhness?" Sengoku asked without hesitation.

  "I need you to help me locate a Logia-type Devil Fruit—the Mera-Mera Fruit," Cudius said with a smile.

  At this request, Sengoku groaned in mock exasperation. "Yhness, you really know how to assign difficult tasks. Are you doing this on purpose?"

  The Marines had been obsessively searg for powerful Logia-type Devil Fruits for years. Now Cudius was asking them to help him find o felt like he was rubbing salt in the wound.

  "Hahaha, what I say? My adopted son Ace has his heart set on the Mera-Mera Fruit. How I refuse him? I'm ting on you," Cudius said, casually shifting the bme onto Ace.

  Sengoku ughed as well. To outsiders, Ace's existence remained a mystery, with only Garp knowing the full story. Rumors abouhe most popur being that Ace was Cudius's illegitimate child.

  Sengoku didn't know if this was true, but Cudius had never dehe rumors, so perhaps there was some truth to them.

  "Yhness has made a request, so how we refuse? Alright, we'll keep a for the Mera-Mera Fruit," Sengoku finally agreed, albeit relutly.

  "Hahaha, I'll leave it to you then," Cudius said with a ugh.