First Bloodline Fusion

Bright didn't stay long in Vegapunk's laboratory. After Vegapunk examined his body and drew a tube of blood, he sent him back.

It wasn't good for them to be together for too long.

When Bright pushed open the door and left the laboratory, Kizaru was already gone. Only Rear Admiral Hag was still waiting for him.

Hag said nothing, silently escorting Bright back to the prison. Bright, of course, had nothing to say to the Rear Admiral either.

After escorting Bright all the way back to the prison and personally closing the door, Hag called over a Marine.

"Go to my room and office, and bring my bed and desk over!"

From now on, he would absolutely not give this bastard Fishman any more chances!

Bright was still unaware that someone was now standing guard outside his prison cell.

However, even if he knew, he wouldn't care. The prison was equipped with monitoring Den Den Mushi to track his every move. What difference would one more person outside make?

Bright sat on the edge of his bed and fell silent.

What a disgrace.

He couldn't even catch his breath in front of Kizaru just now.

The feeling of powerlessness from his last capture resurfaced in his heart.

Too weak.

Still too weak.

This world was different from his previous life.

This vast, azure sea was never gentle. Only strength could withstand the storms on this ocean.

I need to become stronger.

At the very least, he needed the power to stand tall and speak to a monster like Kizaru.

Bright took a deep breath. Then, it was time to train.

Immediately, Bright rolled over and started doing push-ups.

The body's potential needed time to be stimulated and awakened, but Bright thought that active training should also be able to speed up the process.

Bright began to sweat profusely.

Time flowed by, little by little. Bright did only three things every day: eat, sleep, and train.

Perhaps the Kaido Lineage Factor he had fused with was truly starting to work. Bright could feel himself slowly growing stronger every day.

His strength, stamina, and defense were all improving bit by bit.

Bright really wanted to test his abilities, but now was not the time. After all, he was constantly under the Marines' surveillance.

He could only focus all his efforts on physical training.

Besides training, the only other "important" thing Bright did was provide blood and hair samples to Vegapunk when he ran out of materials.

Just as he had predicted, Kizaru never appeared before him again, as if he didn't exist at all.

As a true core member of the high command of the Marines, Kizaru had more important matters to consider.

This was, of course, a good thing for Bright, but the feeling of being ignored was also somewhat peculiar.

Although Kizaru paid Bright no mind, Rear Admiral Hag was always lurking outside his cell. Bright was surprised the first time he saw the bed and desk Hag had placed outside the door.

That man gave Bright no opportunities. Except for the time in Vegapunk's laboratory, he had always been by Bright's side.

It sounded serious, but in reality, it wasn't much. After all, Bright spent most of his time in the prison. The only times he was truly followed by this guy were during trips to and from the laboratory.

Bright quickly got used to the man's presence.

Then, one day, while Bright was on his way to provide blood samples to Vegapunk as usual, Vegapunk told him that Kizaru had been transferred. A new base commander had arrived at this base, also a Vice Admiral from Navy Headquarters.

Bright felt a pang of emotion. The man he had been so wary of had left so quietly, without causing any trouble in his life.

Perhaps, in Kizaru's eyes, having a Rear Admiral watch him was more than enough?

Bright saw the new Vice Admiral once, on a day he went to Vegapunk's laboratory.

It was a man who hadn't appeared in the original story. He was probably in his sixties or seventies, with white hair and beard. He should have been from the same era as Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr.

Perhaps because of his age, he showed no interest in Bright. He never saw him again after that one encounter.

Everything was peaceful. About four months passed like this.

Then, one day, Vegapunk summoned Bright to the laboratory.

"Hahaha, I've finally succeeded in deciphering it!"

Vegapunk's face was filled with excitement. "Your Fishman Lineage Factor is indeed far more complex than humans'! Even I took this long."

Bright also felt a surge of excitement. "So, can we start the truly crucial part now?"

"Now, you can start choosing the lineage you desire."

Vegapunk led Bright to a computer. When Bright looked at the screen, it was filled with dense images of fish.

"From the infinitely distant past, until now, all the fish that have been born in the sea, all your ancestors, some of whom may also be our ancestors, their appearances are all here!"

Hearing Vegapunk say this, Bright softly replied, "So, the ancient and the present have overlapped at this moment, haven't they?"

"They haven't overlapped yet, but it's close!" Vegapunk couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

"Then Doctor, can I choose as many types as I want?" Bright couldn't help but smile.

"Hahaha, that's a good idea, but abilities can't handle too many different Lineage Factors, even if these Lineage Factors come from within yourself," Vegapunk said with a smile. "But there's no need to make all the choices now, let's pick one first and try it out."

Try it out?

Doesn't that sound a bit unreliable?

Bright couldn't help but ask, "Handle? What does that mean?"

"Just think of it as me attaching the Lineage Factor to the ability," Vegapunk said casually.

Completely incomprehensible.

But it must be an incredible technology.

Bright browsed through the numerous fish on the screen and asked, "But Doctor, how do you plan to explain this to the government?"

Vegapunk glanced at Bright. "What, are you afraid I'll reveal this experiment to the government?"

"Don't worry, I have no intention of finding trouble for myself," he stretched, almost resting the back of his head on the ground, making Bright worry if his back would break. "There's another project happening simultaneously, the Fishman Bloodline Fusion Experiment, a plan to artificially create warriors with the power of Fishmen. The government is very interested in that."

Bright asked, "Then why not just recruit Fishman soldiers directly?"

Vegapunk straightened up and yawned, "There's no need to ask such a foolish question."

Bright also couldn't help but shake his head and smile. Yes, a foolish question.

"Doctor, I've chosen."

Bright pointed to a picture on the screen. "How about this one?"

Vegapunk leaned over to take a look. "Not bad, simple and unpretentious, but useful enough."

"Give me a week."

Amidst Bright's anticipation, a week quickly passed.

Bright was once again summoned to Vegapunk's laboratory.

Then, Vegapunk tossed him a somewhat familiar fruit.

"This--"

Bright looked at the fruit in his hand with some surprise.

Fiery red color, with layered scale-like skin.

This was the same fruit he had eaten before, wasn't it?

"Eat it, kid,"

Vegapunk said with a smile. "The lineage you chose is inside this fruit."

Bright was very confused.

What was going on?

Thanks to the great '20200324135500767' for the 200-point reward, and thanks to 'cthulhuelder' for the 1500-point reward, thank you both!