Chapitre 172: Chapter 172
"Ross! You're finally up!" The voice of little Mansherry echoed from the side. I turned my head with difficulty, and every bone and muscle in my body was screaming in agony.
"How long... How long have I been out?" I asked, though my question was more directed at Miyamoto, who stood by the side of the cabin. From the way my body rocked, I could tell we were at sea. I struggled to sit up, but Mansherry stopped me.
"Ross, you should take it easy for a few days. Your body was completely destroyed. I had to transfer vitality from more than a dozen sea kings to heal your injuries," she explained, her voice tinged with exhaustion. As my observation Haki cleared, I noticed how pale and tired she looked. She must have been repeatedly healing me to keep me stable.
"Ross-dono, I am sorry, but your mentor commandeered our ship and is taking it to East Blue. We couldn't afford to lose the boat in your condition, so we decided to go to East Blue with them," Miyamoto explained, a hint of self-reproach in his voice for not being able to keep control of our vessel.
"So, the Marine Hero has turned pirate now and is stealing ships from other people, huh?" I chuckled as my observation Haki fully returned, seemingly enhanced by the ordeal.
"Bwahahaha! Brat, do you want another beating?" Garp's gruff voice echoed from the entrance, followed by Bogard.
I struggled to sit up as they entered the small cabin. "You sure woke up much earlier than I anticipated. Not bad. Did you perform any weird experiments to enhance your physique, kid? Your physique feels more akin to those with mythical devil fruit users. So, what's the secret?" Garp asked. He knew I would come around sooner or later, but he must not have expected it so soon after our fight.
"It's plain old physique training, Garp-san. I just used lightning to temper my body," I replied without holding back. Bogard, standing to the side, looked at me dumbfounded, as if I were insane. Who in their right mind would use lightning to temper their bodies? Even a lightning logia user would need to put down all defenses and take the lightning head-on to temper their body. The kid was as crazy as his mentor, maybe even more.
"Bwahahaha! Why didn't I think of such a method? Kid, you must help me try that method later. Who knows, maybe even I can improve my physique," Garp commented, contemplating the potential benefits of such a training method.
"So, how are they doing?" I asked, wanting to know about little Ace and Rouge. My observation Haki had already picked up their presence in the other room of the cabin, with Leo by their side.
"They are healthy and doing fine! Thanks to your little friend here, we managed to save Rouge. If not for the little dwarf's help, we might have lost her," Garp admitted, genuinely grateful for Mansherry's assistance. He had been more concerned about keeping them safe from the prying eyes of the government and Marines than about Rouge's condition.
"So, are you sure you want to take care of little Ace and Rouge? If the World Government even catches a whiff of their presence, they won't hesitate to sink entire islands. You know what they did to the infants and mothers on the surrounding islands of Baterilla, right?" I questioned, unsure of how things would proceed from here.
"Kid, don't be a sore loser. You lost the wager. Don't worry about them; I'm taking them back to my hometown. The people there might not be strong, but they are trustworthy. I will have Rouge change her identity, so you don't have to worry," Garp reassured me, his voice firm with resolve. He had already made plans, knowing full well how the World Government operated and how to outsmart them.
"Sigh! Fine, just let me know if you need any help regarding the matter. Alright, now everyone clear the room. I want to get some more sleep." I shooed everyone out, eager for much-needed rest.
Meeting little Ace and Rouge could wait until I had regained enough strength to walk around.
As the cabin quieted, I allowed myself to relax, my body sinking into the bed. My thoughts wandered to the battle with Garp, the clash of wills and Haki that had nearly torn me apart. I had come so far, but there was still a long way to go. With a deep sigh, I closed my eyes, ready to embrace the rest I desperately needed.
***********
Room of Authority, Mary Geoise
A man clad in a pristine white lab coat sat in front of the Five Elders, a privilege granted to almost no one in the world. His appearance was as unusual as his genius, with an elongated, bulbous head that seemed to house his extraordinary intellect. Vegapunk was a man centuries ahead of his time, and today, the Elders have called upon him to discuss several critical matters that will help them consolidate their power for years to come.
The Elders were acutely aware that Vegapunk was a double-edged sword. His boundless intellect made him indispensable, yet it also rendered him potentially dangerous. Nonetheless, they believed that as long as they kept him under a tight leash, this man of science would be instrumental in cementing the authority of the World Government for centuries.
"Vegapunk, have you made any progress regarding the matters that we assigned to you?" Elder Ju Peter questioned. Among the numerous projects Vegapunk was spearheading were the creation of artificial devil fruits, the development of a mechanoid army, the engineering of their own giant soldiers, and, most importantly, research on the lineage factor.
Before answering, Vegapunk leaned back slightly, his intense eyes betraying a mind that was constantly calculating. "Before we proceed with the discussion, I would like to know what happened in Ohara?" he asked.
He knew the question would displease the elders, but he didn't care. Everyone within the library of Ohara was someone he had become acquainted with. They were among the best minds in the world, and he had gained invaluable knowledge from the Library of Ohara in his younger days.
Elder Mars's eyes narrowed, but he answered, his voice cold and unyielding. "They were researching the ancient weapons, so they needed to be put down. But that isn't why we summoned you here. It has been a few years since you started working for us, yet there hasn't been any substantial progress on the projects we handed over to you. You have been consuming resources with no results to show. So tell me, Vegapunk, why should we keep you around?" The elder's words were sharp, a reminder that they could not let Vegapunk become complacent.
Vegapunk adjusted his glasses, a subtle but deliberate gesture. "Ancient weapons, was it? Let's not dwell on matters of the past. As for the progress, while not immediately visible, it is significant," he began, his voice steady and confident.
"Artificial devil fruits are notoriously complex, and creating a stable version requires meticulous experimentation. Although I haven't been able to replicate the fruit that you had specifically asked me to recreate, I have been able to integrate Zoan fruits with objects." Vegapunk placed a few objects on the table, which he had integrated with ordinary Zoan fruits.
"However, I have made significant breakthroughs in the lineage factor that will not only aid in this endeavor but also in creating enhanced soldiers and possibly even achieving giantification."
He paused, letting his words sink in. The elders listened intently, their stern faces betraying nothing.
"The mechanized cyborg army is also advancing. I have successfully integrated several models with advanced combat algorithms. While they are not yet perfect, they are leagues ahead of anything currently available. With continued funding and resources, I am confident we will achieve a functional prototype soon, but I need a suitable vessel who is willing to become part of the project. Without a suitable subject, I cannot proceed, and I have already shared these details with you."
Elder Nusjuro's eyes squinted. They all knew that the man sitting before them was keeping many things secret, but they had no way of prying open his mouth, even if they wanted to. As per what Vegapunk had said, he had requested a suitable subject for his experiments. They had considered suggesting Hector, but Vegapunk had laughed, saying that the man wouldn't even withstand the primary stage of modifications. However, Vegapunk showed partial results by weaponizing Kizaru's laser.
"So, what about the giant soldiers? Have you made any progress on that matter?" Elder Warcury questioned. The Elders knew that in the future, they might have to clash with Elbaf as they once did, and they wanted to know if they could create giant soldiers of their own. If they could, it would elevate the world government's power to a whole new level.
"The samples that were acquired from the giants within the Marines are subpar. If we truly want to create a replica of the giants with certainty, I would at least need samples from the royal lineage of Elbaf. Unless you can help me obtain those samples, I don't think I can make much headway in this field," Vegapunk answered, his tone matter-of-fact.
The elders went into deep contemplation, considering everything he had shared. The requirements Vegapunk placed before them were major hurdles, and without meeting these conditions, there would be little progress in the projects they were most vested in.
But what even the Elders were not aware of was that Vegapunk was deliberately placing these hurdles before them to delay their plans. He had already successfully recreated the artificial devil fruit by isolating the lineage factor from the samples they had provided, which belonged to Kaido, who had consumed the mythical Zoan fruit, Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu.
Vegapunk had successfully created an artificial version of the original fruit but declared it a failure and left it at Punk Hazard. As for the giant soldiers, he could already help create giants who might vary from 12 meters to 16 meters in height, with close to 60% of the original giants' strength and lifespan. However, he didn't disclose this information, knowing that handing over his successful research to the Elders would doom the world forever.
Vegapunk adjusted his glasses, hiding a glint of defiance in his eyes. "The primary obstacle remains the quality of the samples. To achieve the desired results, superior genetic material is indispensable. Without it, any attempt would result in substandard soldiers, far weaker than the giants of Elbaf. The royal lineage carries the strength and durability we need."
Elder Saturn, usually the most composed, tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought. "We understand your constraints, Dr. Vegapunk. We will discuss what measures can be taken to acquire what you need. However, our patience is not infinite. We expect results."
Vegapunk bowed his head slightly, acknowledging their authority while hiding his true intentions. "Of course. I am fully committed to delivering the outcomes you seek. With the proper resources, I am confident we can achieve remarkable advancements."
Elder Saturn leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "And what of the ancient weapons? Do you believe you can replicate or even create a new weapon that can surpass their power?"
"The ancient weapons..." Vegapunk paused, sensing the tension in the room. Although the Elders showed no outward signs, he knew the World Government must possess at least one ancient weapon.
"Unfortunately, without the blueprints of one of the ancient weapons, there is no way I can recreate a new weapon from scratch. Even if I were to design such a weapon, I don't think there would be any suitable power source to drive it. Well, maybe the lightning Logia fruit user might theoretically deliver such energy." Vegapunk's brain quickly shifted into calculation mode, his thoughts racing as he projected whether his whim of an idea could truly work. From his initial estimates, it seemed feasible.
However, he failed to notice the growing intensity in the eyes of the five elders. Only a select few knew about the World Government's greatest trump card: the ancient weapon Uranus. The issue was that, with its repeated usage during the war in the Void Century, the fuel source of the ancient weapon was completely depleted. To them, recreating the fuel source was much more important than recreating the ancient weapon itself.
Elder Saturn carefully broached the topic, not wanting to break Vegapunk's concentration. "Vegapunk, do you think it's possible to create a fuel source powerful enough to drive something as large as an ancient weapon, in theory? And can the Lightning Logia user be used as an alternate power source for an ancient weapon? Are there any other devil fruits that could be used in place of the lightning Logia?"
Vegapunk, murmuring his calculations, looked up to find all five Elders looking at him intently, hanging on his next words.
"Hmm, from my initial calculations, the lightning logia is definitely a possible power source. The amount of energy that a single bolt of lightning delivers is not something that can be achieved with any other fuel source currently available in the world." He then drifted, started murmuring a few scientific terms that the elders were least bothered with. Elder Warcury cleared his throat to gain back Vegapunks attention.
"So yes, a lightning Logia user with enough mastery over his devil fruit could theoretically be used as a power source for an ancient weapon, but that would require a few modifications. This is only possible if we really have an ancient weapon at hand. As for any other devil fruits, the only one I think that would remotely have a chance would be the Logia type Zuma Zuma no Mi." Vegapunk shared his wisdom, unaware that hundreds of plans were being triggered in the minds of the five Elders by this small revelation.
"As for an alternate power source, well, I'm not sure. I cannot guarantee such a source without extensive research," Vegapunk added, knowing that his relationship with the Elders was delicate. He needed to keep them interested; otherwise, they wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him.
The room fell silent as the elders absorbed Vegapunk's insights. Each of them was deep in thought, contemplating the implications of his findings. They were aware of the delicate balance of power in the world and understood that any advancement in ancient weaponry could tip that balance dramatically in their favor.
*****
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