Spiritual Victory and Conditions

Chapter 25: Moral Victory and Conditions

"Mr. Siderial, as the director of the MADS Institute, I formally invite you to join us. I believe the environment in this country will only limit your talent. Only by breaking free from these limitations can you better achieve your ambitions."

Vegapunk made the invitation sincerely. As he spoke, his tongue dangled like a tie. Besides his particularly large head, his long tongue was also one of his characteristics.

Vegapunk was currently in his prime. When he wasn't speaking, he could retract his tongue. When he got older, his tongue would truly become an external accessory, like a tie.

At this time, there weren't many people on the beaches of the Kingdom of Sorbet. The local residents had already gone home to rest. The sound carried far in the quiet sea breeze, and Judge and Queen, who were lying exhausted on the sand, heard it clearly.

Upon hearing Vegapunk's words, Oran hadn't said anything yet, but the two of them jumped up first.

"Vegapunk! What are you saying?! You're inviting him?"

"That robot just beat us up, didn't you see!"

The resentment within them seemed to give them back their strength, but Vegapunk didn't pay it any mind.

"Doesn't that further prove that Siderial's technology is superior to yours?"

MADS did not explicitly prohibit internal conflict. However, comparisons were made through their technological creations. Winning a fight only served to demonstrate the superiority of one's own technology.

Judge and Queen often competed, but this time they were both taken down by Blitz.

Vegapunk's words struck them like a heavy hammer to the heart. The thing they found most unacceptable was admitting their technology was inferior to others.

"If you're not convinced, then build one just like it. If you can do it, I'll give you a portion of my research funds. Do you want to try?"

D. Fild's sponsorship was substantial, but the total amount was fixed. It wouldn't increase just because more people joined. Therefore, in essence, the fewer people in the institute, the more funds they could personally utilize.

Ordinary researchers were fine; they were just assistants and couldn't touch the funds. But Vegapunk personally inviting someone clearly indicated he valued their abilities. If Oran officially joined, their operational funds would definitely be divided.

That's why they objected in this manner, but Vegapunk's reasoning left them speechless.

"Vegapunk, remember your words. There are two of us!"

After a moment of dejection, Queen seemed to recall something and looked at Judge beside him.

"Judge, let's team up first. If we join forces, we can definitely surpass these guys. We'll split the funds fifty-fifty then!"

"I agree, let's team up first. Let's start now. If worse comes to worst, we can pull Caesar in too."

"Mwahahaha, you're quite clever at this moment. Although that trash Caesar will take a cut, as long as we can defeat Vegapunk and the guy he favors, it'll all be worth it!"

The two helped each other up, laughing heartily as they walked towards the MADS research ship.

On a mental level, Judge and Queen had already convinced themselves. Judging by their current demeanor, it seemed they had already won.

"Blitz, I think we should find an opportunity to beat them up again. They haven't learned their lesson at all. These kinds of guys actually think they're better than Oran."

"Blitz agrees with your assessment, but a reason is needed."

Kate, who was smoking fish nearby, and Blitz witnessed all of this and even began planning their next move. Meanwhile, Vegapunk's gaze remained fixed on Blitz.

This robot, with its thought processes so close to human, made him increasingly curious.

"So, Mr. Siderial Oran, I am very serious."

"Joining you. What will I gain?"

Oran didn't object to joining this research group. It would be of great help to him. A ready-made, high-quality ship and research assistants with adequate basic knowledge were already a huge advantage.

Moreover, the research projects of MADS involved one of the most mysterious things at sea – Lineage Factors.

Since he had already come to this sea, Oran naturally wouldn't give up on researching such things. Compared to starting from scratch, having something to draw upon was naturally the best.

"Funds, materials, equipment. We can also explore new ideas together. Your robot seems to have a very peculiar power source. What if we could scale it up? This organization's goal is to contribute to peace. The world's conflicts originate from the struggle for resources. So, if there were an endless energy source, wouldn't people be able to lay down their disputes? Ah, I got carried away. That's my personal goal, don't mind me."

"A noble goal, but not very realistic. Human ambition will expand infinitely. Once it starts, it won't stop. Even if you create this energy source for the world, someone will develop even grander ambitions."

"How will we know if it's right or wrong if we don't try?"

Neither Oran nor Vegapunk criticized the other's ideas. They simply offered suggestions from their personal viewpoints because they both knew it was a difference in philosophy.

The conditions Vegapunk offered were exactly what Oran needed. The Kingdom of Sorbet couldn't provide Oran with huge sums of money, nor did it have the connections to find research materials. Devil Fruits, while seemingly common, were quite rare when considering the entire sea as a basis. An unknown Devil Fruit, whose specific name wasn't clear, could sell for at least one hundred million Belly. Only major powers possessed them.

Although he intended to join, Oran decided to take the opportunity to negotiate for more conditions since Vegapunk had proactively extended the invitation.

"Others cannot interfere with my research. I need an independent laboratory and sufficient funds."

"That is only natural. The robot you created already demonstrates your skill level. However, the specific amount will depend on the situation of the sponsor."

These demands didn't seem like much to Vegapunk; in fact, they were quite reasonable requests.

"Secondly, I need Devil Fruits for research purposes. The type doesn't matter."

The Kingdom of Sorbet lacked the channels, but Oran believed MADS would have them.

"This is one of our research projects, so it's not a problem either. However, if you want to use a Devil Fruit exclusively, we'll need to discuss the situation together, as such resources are not abundant."

Vegapunk didn't hesitate much before agreeing to these two conditions. Or, from Vegapunk's perspective, they weren't difficult demands at all.

"One last thing, I need an operating room. An operating room that meets hygienic standards, is fully equipped, and has sufficient medical personnel."