Wearing sunglasses and a floral checkered shirt, the man standing before Oran was Vegapunk, the director of MADS—a genius scientist who would later be hailed as being five hundred years ahead of the world.
Not long ago, when Judge and Queen had left the group to act freely, Vegapunk had also arrived at the newly constructed smelting plant in the Kingdom of Sorbet.
Vegapunk could sense a certain discordance. The entire smelting plant felt utterly out of place with the Kingdom of Sorbet, whether in its technology or architectural style.
While ordinary MADS researchers discussed payment with the workers here, Vegapunk made a few inquiries and found Oran, who happened to be providing technical guidance at the plant.
"Hello, I'm Vegapunk, director of MADS. I heard this place was built under your guidance. It's an excellent idea."
Oran remembered Vegapunk. Many invention projects had been connected to him.
Although quite a few of those technologies had been recreated from ancient documents, that in itself was an accomplishment. Research was not something one could put into practice simply by glancing over reference materials.
For one thing, the artificial Devil Fruit Vegapunk made in the original timeline was worlds apart from the inferior fruit Caesar had created.
The current Vegapunk did not yet possess so much fame or so many achievements. Compared to those future matters, though, it was his huge head that drew Oran's attention more.
"Is it strange? I'm an Ability User of the Brain-Brain Fruit, so my head is just a little bigger."
The Paramecia-type Brain-Brain Fruit could grant its Ability User an infinitely large brain capacity. For a researcher, it was quite a useful aid.
Oran himself was not averse to Devil Fruits. They were among the most mysterious things on the seas and could always provide considerable assistance. Bear's Paw-Paw Fruit had helped Oran quite a lot.
Oran himself was also interested in several Devil Fruits. The Munch-Munch Fruit, for instance, was on his list of plans. With that fruit, material limitations would be completely eliminated.
Several other fruits that were either powerful in themselves or highly conceptual had also caught Oran's attention, but there had been no opportunity to encounter them in the Kingdom of Sorbet.
"It's nothing. I've seen people stranger than you.
"I'm Xidilier Oran, the technical advisor here."
After a brief introduction, the two casually began discussing technical matters. Research concepts from different worlds started to intertwine, and it was then that Kate called Oran.
"Did you just say you were the director of MADS?"
"MADS isn't a particularly formal organization. Its members have a great deal of freedom. I can go take a look with you, and if they've caused you trouble, I'll handle it."
MADS was more like a salon gathering for science enthusiasts. They researched the same things while exchanging experience, with no clearly defined hierarchy.
Vegapunk was only able to manage others through funding. Due to matters of trust, D. Fild had also entrusted the management of funds to Vegapunk. If someone caused trouble, Vegapunk could cut off that person's research funding.
Science was inherently expensive. Once they left the organization, most people could not support themselves, which was why MADS maintained a relative degree of stability.
"Maybe there won't be any trouble, but let me make this clear first: I won't be paying any medical bills."
Kate had explained it clearly. The other side had started the conflict. In those circumstances, let alone injuring them, even if Blitz activated his extermination mode, Oran would have found it perfectly reasonable.
Vegapunk merely nodded. This was also an unwritten rule of MADS: members had great freedom and could act as they pleased, but if someone caused a major disaster, no one else would share the burden for them.
This place was not close to where Blitz had been fishing. Even though Oran set off immediately after receiving the message, it still took him some time to get there.
By the time Oran arrived, noon had turned to dusk. Under the setting sun, three figures were running along the shore. It was Blitz's first long-distance run since his birth, and the youthful memory some people would never want to revisit for the rest of their lives.
"How the hell has this thing's energy... not run out yet?!"
"How would I know?! Wasn't this mess caused by you, idiot?!"
Blitz closely pursued Judge and Queen, maintaining a highly ambiguous distance. He neither ran them over nor allowed them to escape. If they slowed down, they would experience the Electric Fist.
Queen and Judge had judged from the steam behind Blitz that he was a steam-powered robot. As long as they held out until his fuel ran dry, they would win. Yet Blitz's endurance had far exceeded their expectations.
After all, the Hex Crystal was Blitz's true energy core. Draining it completely had always been unrealistic.
"Blitz can chase you all day!"
This was the result of the learning module. Oran had only written Blitz's basic operating patterns. At present, Blitz did not truly understand emotions. Anger and rage were merely threatening expressions.
Blitz was doing this because his programming had determined that their actions warranted a lesson. Blitz had spent more time with Kate recently, which had caused him to acquire some feline habits, such as how to toy with prey.
"Blitz, that's enough."
The voice was not loud, but Blitz's sensors received the message. He immediately stopped and headed back toward Oran and Kate. Finally freed, Queen and Judge sighed in relief and collapsed stiffly onto the beach, gasping for breath.
"Master, Blitz awaits instructions."
"Move freely nearby and remain on standby."
"Understood."
Blitz swayed as he walked off to the side, helping Kate process the day's catch. If they did not prepare the fish soon, they would likely spoil.
"It's hard to imagine. It can carry out such a vague command?"
This was Vegapunk's first time seeing a robot with such a high degree of intelligence. Although he had produced some results in robotics himself, those robots required extremely detailed commands or ambiguity could easily arise.
Tell one to buy a piece of bamboo, and who knew what it might bring back.
But Blitz was different. If the current Blitz were told to buy bamboo, he would choose the piece most suitable for the situation and bring it back.
"Since it calls you Master, I assume it is your creation. Would it be convenient to ask what your line of thinking was when you developed it?"
A thirst for knowledge rose within Vegapunk. For someone like him, unknown technology was far too alluring.
"I merely stood on the shoulders of giants and made slight improvements to existing technology. It's nothing remarkable."
"Standing on the shoulders of giants... A fine metaphor. Isn't science passed down generation after generation in just this way?
"Mr. Xidilier, would you be interested in joining MADS?"
(End of Chapter)
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