"Cough, cough. That's right, I'm the genius scientist, Thomas Grey!"
A flash of inspiration struck Grey. He put on an affected cough, then rudely shook off the Marine's hand.
"Don't get so close to me, you bastard!"
"I'm terribly sorry!"
The Marine captain named Gilbert Galan let go of Grey's shoulder. He didn't get angry at Grey's attitude; instead, a hint of delight flashed in his eyes.
The sloppy outfit, the disheveled hair, the heavy dark circles, and the unfriendly way of speaking.
This was a scientist!
"Dr. Thomas, forgive my bluntness, but may I ask why you came to Tiger Shark Island, an island known as a lawless land?"
For some reason, these Marines seemed to have a great deal of respect for scientists.
But knowing that was enough.
"Hmph!"
Grey snorted.
"It's because of my research. Some special materials can only be bought here."
"It's all your fault, Marines. You know this place is lawless, so why haven't you cleaned it up? If this place didn't control the flow of those special materials, I wouldn't have to come here—I can't buy them anywhere else."
"Ahaha, that's not something a soldier like me can influence."
Gilbert Galan scratched his head, looking simple and honest.
"But this time, Vice Admiral Onigumo brought us to Tiger Shark Island to wipe out all the darkness lurking here. From now on, Tiger Shark Island will be a place protected by justice."
Vice Admiral Onigumo!
Grey had heard of him. He was an absolute hardliner who upheld absolute justice, and he'd already been a Marine Headquarters vice admiral twenty years ago.
I wonder if Rod can handle him.
A flicker of worry crossed his mind, but Grey kept it off his face and merely nodded calmly.
"Vice Admiral Onigumo, huh? I've heard of him. I hope things turn out as you say."
"So, what did you stop me for? Even the Marines can't arrest people whenever they feel like it."
"You misunderstand, sir. We're not trying to arrest you."
Gilbert Galan waved his hands hurriedly, then hesitated, apparently unsure how to explain himself.
Scientists like this were usually difficult to communicate with.
In fact, although they had come to Tiger Shark Island with Vice Admiral Onigumo this time, they weren't his direct subordinates. They belonged to a special squad under Vice Admiral Stroberi.
They had previously followed Vice Admiral Stroberi to the North Blue on a mission. Since some follow-up matters still needed to be taken care of, they had stayed behind in the North Blue. As Vice Admiral Onigumo was heading back to Marine Headquarters this time, they had taken the opportunity to return aboard his warship.
The vice admiral they served, Stroberi, had always been a close associate of Admiral Kizaru. As Stroberi's subordinates, they naturally fell under Admiral Kizaru's command as well.
Several months ago, they had received an assignment from their superiors: keep an eye out for civilian scientists, treat them with respect if they encountered any during their missions, and preferably invite them to join the Marines.
According to rumors, the request had come from the genius scientist Dr. Vegapunk, who was said to be five hundred years ahead of human technology.
After all, the Marine Science Unit led by Admiral Kizaru was a special force that reported directly to him.
They didn't know how skilled the scientist before them really was, but he was worth a try!
The last person who'd successfully recruited a scientist had been promoted by a whole rank and transferred to the Science Unit.
Everyone knew the Marine Science Unit was the best assignment: easy work, lots of leave, and great benefits.
"We just want to invite you to join the Marines!"
After hesitating a moment, Gilbert Galan came right out and said it.
"Join the Marines!?"
Grey's voice cracked as he cried out.
"I know you may feel that joining the Marines would restrict you. But there are actually plenty of benefits!"
Gilbert Galan hadn't expected such a strong reaction from Grey. He hurriedly tried to salvage the situation, attempting to persuade him.
"The Marines are backed by the World Government and have the most complete research facilities, which can support all kinds of research projects. We also have ample research funding, so you won't have to worry about expenses. And no matter what kind of special materials you need, the Marines can find them for you, making your research much easier."
With every sentence Gilbert Galan spoke, Grey's eyes lit up a little more, as if he could already see the wonderful future the man was describing.
"Not only that, we have the greatest scientist in the world, Vegapunk! You could join Dr. Vegapunk's research lab and work with him on the latest technological advances!"
Seeing that Grey seemed tempted, Gilbert Galan struck while the iron was hot and continued to entice him.
Any scientist would admire Dr. Vegapunk, whose name represented the world's most advanced technology, and dream of conducting research alongside him.
"Vegapunk..."
At the name Gilbert Galan mentioned, Grey suddenly froze. The excitement in his eyes quickly faded as he came back to his senses, leaving behind the dreamlike scene the other man had painted.
"I'll think about it."
What was going on?
Why had he suddenly calmed down?
Looking at Grey, who had returned to his usual composure, Gilbert Galan was thoroughly confused.
He'd thought Grey had been completely captivated by the future he'd described. Why had he calmed down after Dr. Vegapunk came up?
Gilbert Galan took another look at Grey, and a sudden flash of insight struck him.
Got it!
This was an extremely proud scientist!
He wasn't willing to join Dr. Vegapunk's team. He wanted to stand on equal footing with him!
Convinced he'd figured out what Grey was thinking, Gilbert Galan was filled with excitement.
Although this scientist named Thomas Grey couldn't possibly reach Dr. Vegapunk's level, the fact that he was this proud meant he must at least have considerable scientific ability!
I'm getting promoted too!
That was the only thought left in Gilbert Galan's mind.
He bowed slightly to show his respect, then raised his head to look at Grey, his expression earnest.
"Dr. Thomas, please give us a chance, no matter what! At least come aboard our warship and have a look. It's equipped with the latest technology."
"Since you're a scientist, you've probably heard of it: the new-generation Marine warship that can cross the Sea Kings' lair—the Calm Belt!"
Hm?
Grey's mind began racing.
There were two major problems to overcome in order to sail through the Calm Belt.
First, how to avoid attacks from giant Sea Kings.
Second, how to sail without any wind.
Sailing without wind was manageable. I could do that with my own technology, though it wouldn't last for long.
But I had absolutely no idea how to avoid the Sea Kings' attacks.
If I learned their technology, could I upgrade the Polar Tang and let us cross the Calm Belt freely too!?
Before you continue