Suffer, People of Wano Country, Shamrock's Killing Intent

As the New World churned with shifting winds, on the eve of a major event in the making, Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

"Was it really going to be this troublesome?"

Inside the Marine Science Unit, decorated in a modern high-tech style, a tall Marine Vice Admiral sat in the conference room, with one ankle resting on the opposite knee, toe pointed downward, legs crossed in the textbook posture of an Admiral.

It was the same posture Kizaru and Akainu had assumed during the Summit War.

Strictly speaking, the pose was somewhat inhumanly uncomfortable, but anyone who could become a high-ranking Marine officer was an expert in physical combat. They all had a certain degree of skeletal flexibility.

Sitting on the other side of the conference room was Dr. Vegapunk, wearing a troubled expression.

He scratched his cheek with a finger, stuck out his tongue, and guiltily looked to the side.

"There's nothing I can do about it. The funding is seriously insufficient..."

In fact, during this period, Dr. Vegapunk had already thoroughly studied the body of the key figure, Blackbeard Teach, using the equipment provided by the World Government.

Combined with the secret Teach possessed, replicating multiple Fruits was theoretically possible.

But...

"We don't have that much money for experiments, Austin-san~"

Dr. Vegapunk stuck out his tongue and helplessly spread his hands.

"Not to mention that we'll need to make use of the Logia Type [Dark-Dark Fruit]. Whether it's finding that Fruit or refining this experiment until it can be put into practice, both will require enormous manpower and resources."

Dr. Vegapunk was indeed a genius, but even a genius could not conjure money out of thin air.

Money was what scientists valued most. That was why, when Dragon tried to recruit him, Dr. Vegapunk had not hesitated to continue serving