Peace Research Institute MADS

The Nine-Tailed Fox, Ahri, is a branch of the Vastayan.

Similar to the Mink Tribe in the pirate world, they possess animalistic features.

The Vastayan encompass an even wider range, with mammals, birds, reptiles, merfolk, and more being commonplace.

Ahri is a particularly special individual among them. She was born with an innate connection to the magic of the spiritual realm. It was for this reason that Oran's dream journey would occasionally bring him near Ahri.

Her powerful mental resistance rendered Oran immune to her innate charm talent. Her vast spiritual energy could even replenish Ahri's daily consumption. After several meetings, the two found themselves in a pen pal, or rather, dream-friend, relationship.

"It's been seven days. I wouldn't forget. The last time you appeared, you said you were in Bilgewater discussing business. I was curious why you've been appearing so frequently this time."

Oran was certain that months had passed since he left God Valley. It seemed the flow of time differed between the two locations.

"A slight accident. Please relay a message back to Piltover for me. Tell them I won't be able to return for a while and that they should carry on as usual. If there are any problems, consult Professor Heimerdinger."

The location of dreams is uncontrollable. It wasn't easy to find an acquaintance who could carry a message back.

"You're asking a weak woman like me to travel across the ocean just to deliver a message for you?"

"Are you a weak woman? It's not that troublesome. Just go find someone from Sett's side. I'm not sure when I'll meet another acquaintance, so I'm relying on you."

"Sett? That madman from the fighting arena? He'll do your bidding?"

"I'm very familiar with his mother. You must have heard of her. That guy is practically a mama's boy."

The night breeze blew, and Ahri was momentarily speechless. She felt something was off about Oran's words but couldn't pinpoint it.

"You have so many secrets. But what kind of trouble have you gotten into? Do you need help?"

"Some rather unique experiences. You wouldn't be able to help me. Time is almost up. I'm sorry to trouble you with this. When we meet next time, I'll bring you more interesting stories."

Oran's body gradually became ethereal, as if he had never been there.

"Troublesome man, always bossing people around."

Ahri turned and walked down a forest path. It wasn't a short distance to Sett's territory. Delivering the message from Ionia to Piltover required crossing the sea. To ensure timely delivery, she couldn't delay.

The dawn sunlight fell on Oran's face. Compared to yesterday, the Kingdom of Sorbet had changed little. Besides their daily studies, Bear and the others had a new routine: learning about the world alongside Blitz.

The metal shell remained as cold as ever, but Blitz's consciousness was beginning to grow.

"There it is, Blitz, catch it!"

Whoosh!

Blitz stood by the sea, with Kate sitting on its head. A mechanical claw shot into the sea, pulling a tuna with a trunk-like nose out of the water.

Blitz's growth module was learning quickly. As it caught the Elephant Tuna, it also emitted an electric current from its palm, stunning the fish.

"What a strange fish. It has the same nose as Lord Zunesha."

"It's an Elephant Tuna, a specialty of the South Sea. It's said to be a jewel of the ocean, a miraculous ingredient. The nose is the most delicious part."

Kate had never seen such a fish, but Blitz recognized its species based on the knowledge modules in its mind and began to explain.

"Blitz, you know so much."

"Master recorded relevant knowledge in my program."

"Do you know what Oran likes the most?"

Oran often appeared detached, his actions always driven by strong purpose. Neither Kate nor Bear knew what he was truly thinking. Even after leaving God Valley, they hadn't seen Oran display any significant emotional fluctuations.

"No relevant data. Blitz will ask Master tonight."

"Wait! You don't need to ask about that. Do you know what private matters are?"

"Don't understand. Blitz is still learning."

Despite having growth modules, Blitz was still naive about everything. Its well-developed logic system made it seem like there was a real soul within the metal shell, but when delving into certain issues, the robot's logic could be maddening.

Wooo!

Just then, a steam whistle suddenly sounded in the distance. A uniquely shaped steamship appeared in the waters of the Kingdom of Sorbet.

Unlike the streamlined design of ordinary ships, this vessel resembled a cylinder. The letters MADS were prominently displayed on its hull, and the flag above bore the word "pacifist" to signify peace.

The God Valley incident had ended months ago, but the state of the seas had not improved. The horde of monsters, under Rocks's suppression, had barely formed a cohesive group, primarily active near Hachinosu Island.

Now, with Rocks's downfall, many individuals who couldn't remain idle set sail once more. The BIG·MOM Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Flying Pirates—the pressure on the seas had increased significantly.

The Navy was constantly on the move, and the scope of the conflict was expanding.

At this time, some individuals began to take action.

One of the bosses of the underworld, known as the "King of Loan Sharks," Doflamingo, began operating some legitimate charitable ventures to enhance his reputation.

Under his investment, a peace research institute named MADS was established some time ago, recruiting a large number of scientists in need of research funding.

Doflamingo provided financial support for these individuals to research projects beneficial to peace. Regardless of the outcome, Doflamingo's objective was achieved.

The leader of this MADS team was Vegapunk. At this point, Vegapunk was not yet world-renowned as he would be in the original timeline, but he was already known in certain circles.

This was why he received Doflamingo's sponsorship. MADS was currently sailing the seas, conducting research while also recruiting new members and seeking out hidden "geniuses" worldwide.

Their arrival in the Kingdom of Sorbet was due to damage sustained by the ship, requiring repairs. From nearby areas, they had learned that the Kingdom of Sorbet seemed capable of forging superior metals.

"What kind of place is this remote? It doesn't look like it has a smelting plant. That Vegapunk guy is really easy to fool."

Two people in research outfits, with unconventional yellow hairstyles, were complaining about Vegapunk. They were researchers who had joined MADS for research funding, but neither of them respected Vegapunk's leadership.

In their eyes, their own technical skills were superior to Vegapunk's.

These two yellow-haired men didn't get along well either; they only found common ground in their criticism of Vegapunk.

"You're right. Wait, Queen, what is that thing over there?"

"Judge, it seems you're not that great either. Is that a robot in this backwater village??"