章節 204: Chapter 204
"Ross-kun! Is what Dragon-san said true? Do you have all the books from Ohara?" Saul asked, hope shining in his eyes.
"Well, I did safeguard all the books," I replied with a chuckle. "They contain quite useful pieces of information about the world's history and many other topics." I knew what Saul wanted, but I wasn't going to hand them over for free. Nor was I going to extort him for it; instead, I saw an opportunity to build a connection with Elbaf.
"Ross, would you be able to part with those books?" Saul asked, scratching his beard awkwardly. He knew the likelihood of getting them was slim.
To his surprise, I responded, "Well, I might not be able to give you the originals, but a copy of the books is something the Donquixote family can help you with. We've already started replicating them, so providing Elbaf with a complete set is possible. You just need to wait, as we can only create so many copies each year, and there are more than a hundred thousand books." Saul's eyes widened in delight.
Dragon, however, looked at me as if I were an imposter. Since when did the boy he knew become so generous to people outside his family? His mind raced, and then he understood—I was making a play to build a relationship with Elbaf.
"Ross, since you are producing copies, would it be possible for the revolutionaries to get a complete set too?" Dragon added shamelessly. He needed access to many of the records and books from Ohara and was even willing to pay a certain price for them.
"Well, why don't we all pay our respects to the deceased first? We can discuss the rest later, and I would also like to have a chat with the smartest man in the world," I said, turning my attention to Vegapunk. His large head, brimming with knowledge and intellect, seemed almost too big for his body, giving him a unique and somewhat eccentric appearance.
Soon, we gathered near the lake, where the books had originally been dumped for safekeeping. Dora returned with a large boulder fished out from the sea at my request. I unsheathed Shusui, and the blade streaked through the air, slicing through the large boulder. Within minutes, a large, obelisk-like monument was fashioned out of the boulder. The finished obelisk stood close to thirty feet tall, and the cut was so smooth it looked like polished stone.
The giants dug a huge pit and buried the obelisk's base ten feet into the ground.
"Dragon-san, why don't you write something on the monument so the world can remember these fallen souls?" I suggested while sheathing Shusui.
Dragon nodded, stepping up to the stone monument. He coated his hands with Haki and started etching it with his fingers.
I couldn't help but smile at what Dragon had written on the stone obelisk:
"To the martyrs of knowledge, who braved the darkness in pursuit of truth. Your light shall never fade, and your sacrifice will be remembered as the foundation upon which the future is built. Here lies the courage of Ohara, undying in the face of tyranny. The pursuit of knowledge is the path to freedom."
The inscription captured the essence of the scholars' sacrifice and the enduring spirit of those who seek the truth. As we stood there, paying our respects, the only sounds were the crackling of embers and the distant melody of the sea.
"May your soul rest in peace, my friend," Vegapunk whispered. I noticed that although Dragon and Vegapunk seemed acquainted, Dragon was keeping his guard up around the scientist.
After discussing the details with the giants about the books, I brought up the possibility of acquiring a vast quantity of Treasure Tree Adam. Rumor had it that Elbaf had the largest supply of Treasure Tree Adam, and to create Pluton, we needed not only an enormous quantity of metal but also the finest wood.
Small quantities of Treasure Tree Adam occasionally surfaced at underworld auctions, but these meager amounts barely met a fraction of Pluton's requirements. To build the formidable warship, we needed a steady supplier, and the giants of Elbaf seemed like our best bet.
I already had plans to bring Dorry and Brogy into the Donquixote family by hook or by crook. They were elites, even among the giants, revered and respected in Elbaf. Their joining us would be a significant boon, but that plan had to wait until I reached the first half of Paradise.
For now, securing a relationship with Elbaf is crucial. Saul and the other giants had proven their trustworthiness in the short time we had known each other, and their willingness to cooperate was a promising sign.
Iceburg had been insistent upon finding Adam Tree wood for Pluton's construction. Although we still had some years before Tom-san returned, we wanted to ensure we had all the raw materials procured for building the second Pluton. One of the main reasons I wanted to speak to Vegapunk was because of this—I needed him on the Pluton project.
"Ross, you need to be careful when you deal with Vegapunk," Dragon warned, placing a hand on my shoulder while whispering. "He's someone who willingly joined the World Government. I'm not sure what the man truly thinks. Many say his only loyalty is to science."
Dragon treated Vegapunk with neither hostility nor trust. He had invited Vegapunk to join the revolutionaries, but the scientist had rejected the offer, saying the revolutionaries couldn't provide the resources needed for his projects. However, he had also promised Dragon that he would help with certain matters in dire circumstances.
"I have always wanted to meet the man whose mind is so advanced that the technology and discoveries he comes up with are at least centuries ahead of our own time," I praised softly as I stepped next to Vegapunk, who was standing by the shore, gazing at the far horizon.
"Donquixote Rosinante, it's simply an exaggeration. Compared to your achievements, mine seem lackluster, don't you think?" he replied with a light smile. His head was almost twice the size of his body, a testament to the vast intellect contained within. "Just in his teens, yet your name is well known throughout the world. So tell me, why have you come looking for me even after our good friend Dragon warned you to keep your distance? Or have you forgotten that I work for the World Government?"
"Unlike Dragon-san, I don't believe you truly serve the World Government. You only work for them because you have no better options. You must have considered all the factors before deciding to work for them, even knowing their true intentions," I said, watching for his reaction.
Vegapunk couldn't help but smile. He had expected the teen to be an arrogant fellow, just like many others who reach a significant level of strength at a young age and let pride get to their head, stopping them from using their brains.
"But that still doesn't explain why you're looking for me," he added.
"It's simple, Vegapunk. I want you to work for the Donquixote family," I said plainly.
Vegapunk turned to me slowly, as if I had made some sort of joke. "You can't be serious. Do you really think that the World Government will simply sit by while I leave them? I am only tolerated because they need me for now, but don't mistake that for favor. The World Government keeps me under close watch, and even then, why would I agree to work for someone like you? I don't think you can provide me with anything that the World Government can't."
"Tell me, Vegapunk, if I were to tell you that I know the future, would you believe me?" I spoke with a grin. Vegapunk's eyes sharpened, intrigued but cautious.
"The future?... What kind of future do you claim to know?" he asked, his curiosity piqued despite his skepticism, but I could tell beyond all that his mind had already started working on the possibility if there were really ways to know about the future.
I leaned forward and whispered into Vegapunk's ear, making absolutely sure that only he could hear what I said.
"You... How do you know that?" Vegapunk questioned in shock. I added a few more bits of information that I was sure would pique his interest.
"A devil fruit, perhaps... Very much possible. Maybe an ability like precognition or divination, or even a time traveler," he murmured to himself, thinking of all the possibilities where I could have obtained the information that I had just shared.
Vegapunk's eyes widened slightly at that last piece of information. It was something he had barely begun to conceptualize, let alone discuss with anyone.
"You have my attention," he said, his voice now tinged with genuine interest. "But knowing a few things doesn't mean you can change the course of events or provide what I need."
"And you're not yet in a position where you can challenge the World Government, so whether what you have told me will truly come to pass or not, it's useless. Ultimately, I am under the World Government's thumb. There is no way I would go against them," he added with a smile.
"Says the man who has been actively undermining the World Government for years. Others may not understand your motives, Vegapunk, but I know that no matter what kind of act you put on, ultimately, you are a man of science. And like any man who has dedicated himself to science, your end goal is to discover and illuminate the truth. Am I wrong, Vegapunk?" I responded.
Vegapunk was dead set on keeping up his act, claiming his allegiance was with the World Government. Even when I shared certain things about the future, he just wanted to find a logical explanation for it and was not ready to believe me yet.
Vegapunk looked out at the horizon, lost in thought. "You speak as if you know me well, Rosinante. It is true that my loyalty lies with science and the pursuit of knowledge. But the World Government provides the resources and protection I need to continue my work. Without them, my research would be at a standstill."
I leaned in closer, lowering my voice to a whisper. "Well, even then, that didn't stop you from prying into matters that are banned and considered taboo by the World Government. Tell me, Vegapunk, how do you think the Elders would react if they knew you were trying to restore that giant robot that once belonged to the Ancient Kingdom with resources from the World Government? Or that you were one of the main parties helping Professor Clover and the Ohara researchers from the shadows?"
Vegapunk's expression shifted from his usual casual, goofy smile to one of intense focus and suspicion. His eyes narrowed, analyzing my words with a keen intellect.
"And what about when they find out you've mastered a way to replicate a mythical Zoan devil fruit and even improved upon it? And I'm certain you've already discovered a workaround to create giants, yet you haven't disclosed it to anyone."
His gaze sharpened, the weight of my revelations pressing upon him. "You... what do you really want?" he asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and caution.
I smiled, a cruel glint in my eyes. "What I want, Vegapunk, is the world. To achieve that goal, I need someone like you by our side. It doesn't have to be all of you—just a part will suffice. I'm aware that you're planning to split your consciousness into different entities and create something called Punk Records. Am I right?"
Vegapunk couldn't help but gulp. If the previous matters could be attributed to information leaks or the young man in front of him bluffing, this was different. This was something only he knew of, a plan he had only recently conceived. Even the name, Punk Records, was something he had just decided upon for the central brain to be used by the satellites he was going to create.
The more Vegapunk heard, the more curious and shocked he became. "I just want you to create an entity and send it to Dressrosa. Make sure that only you are aware of its existence. Not even the other satellites you plan to create should know about it. Seal away the memory so the rest of your entities cannot access this conversation we are having. I am sure you can achieve that much, Vegapunk." I chuckled.
Vegapunk took a deep breath. The teenager in front of him seemed worse, much more worse than the Five Elders he had dealt with. And if he could truly discern the future, as he claimed, Vegapunk had to tread carefully. For the first time in his life, Vegapunk was at a loss for how to handle the situation.
Just as Vegapunk was contemplating his next move, I spoke again. "Vegapunk, I hope you haven't yet tampered with the artificial devil fruit you created, replicating Kaido's devil fruit, have you?" This was something I had to make sure of because if it was faulty, I would need to find a different devil fruit for Lucci. But if it was untampered, Lucci would truly live up to his name as the greatest genius in the last eight centuries.
Lucci, the one I have been personally training with all my heart, just imagining him with mythical zoan devil fruit like that of Kaido sent shivers down my spine, Lucci would make Kaido look like a joke once he grows up.
"Please tell me you haven't tampered with it." I pressed again, and with all the leverage that I had on him, I was sure he wouldn't play any trick, but then I needed to be careful; after all, he was the smartest man in the world. Vegapunk subconsciously nodded, indicating that he hadn't tampered with it yet. He had been planning to, but he was still studying the fruit and had planned to tamper with it before leaving for Egghead Island.
"No, I haven't. But... how do you know all this? Does that mean you truly know the future?" Even Vegapunk couldn't believe he was asking such a question.
"You can have the answers you need and much more, Vegapunk. Trust me, helping me is a way of helping yourself find the truth about this world. And a friendly piece of advice: just because you create your satellites doesn't mean everyone will remain loyal to you. The moment they are born, they become individual life forms with their own thoughts and behaviors. Don't get blindsided. For a man so bright, you did go down in a rather foolish way." I chuckled while Vegapunk's eyes widened at the crucial snippet of information I had shared.
Vegapunk's mind now entertained a solid possibility. Though he had never heard of such a devil fruit, what if there was a devil fruit that could help one travel through time or peek into the future?
This was all new. He had never entertained such possibilities, and what did the teen mean by getting betrayed by his own satellites? He knew they would be different entities, each with their own personalities, but he had never considered the possibility of one of his own creations betraying him.
Vegapunk now entertained the idea I suggested: create another entity only he would be aware of and make sure it was uncompromised. It could act as his second life, and who better to help him protect it than the young man who had made his mind race after all these years? Maybe, just maybe, he would truly be able to uncover the truth of this world.
"Will you truly share all the information about the future that you are aware of?" Vegapunk couldn't help but ask impatiently.
"That would depend on your sincerity. If you try and play tricks, I will know. You could fool the elders all these years, but it won't work with me. I genuinely want to offer you a place in my family. As for the rest, it depends on the decision you make. I suggest you leave Punk Hazard as soon as possible and leave the artificially synthesized fruit behind. I will consider it a token of your sincerity." I gave him a wide grin, which made Vegapunk frown.
The weight of my words hung in the air as Vegapunk mulled over his options. His mind, a labyrinth of calculations and theories, was now racing faster than ever. The choices he made in the next few moments could change the course of history, not just for him but for the entire world.
*********
Dear Readers,
I want to express my deepest gratitude for the constant support you have given my work. Your encouragement and feedback have been invaluable, and I am truly thankful for each one of you.
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Thank you for your understanding and for being an integral part of this journey. Your presence and support are what make this all possible.
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[Silent_stiele]
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Silent_stiele
Silent_stiele Dear Readers,
I want to express my deepest gratitude for the constant support you have given my work. Your encouragement and feedback have been invaluable, and I am truly thankful for each one of you.
If possible, I would love to garner even more support through power stones and reviews. Each additional review helps my work reach more readers, and even a single review can make a significant difference. Your support means the world to me, and I am deeply appreciative of every effort you make to help my work grow.
For those who would like to support me further and gain access to more than 55 additional chapters, you can do so on Patreon. Your support there is crucial and greatly appreciated, as it allows me to continue creating and sharing my work with you.
Thank you for your understanding and for being an integral part of this journey. Your presence and support are what make this all possible.
With heartfelt thanks,
[Silent_stiele]
Patreon : www.patreon.com/Silent_stiele
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