Farewell and a Minor Interlude

The day of parting came sooner than expected, on a calm afternoon with gentle seas.

Vegapunk had long since written his report and sent it to his direct superior, the Warrior God of Science and Defense, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.

As one of the Five Elders, Saturn was also interested in the Pure Gold mentioned in the report.

As one of the Five Elders empowered by Imu, Saturn no longer aged, but he had his own family and descendants to look after.

For the Celestial Dragons, Pure Gold could also prevent their descendants from aging, allowing them to continuously accumulate powerful individuals and strengthen their foundations.

The Five Elders had searched for and attempted to create Pure Gold before, but all their efforts had failed.

Even though Saturn regarded Vegapunk as nothing more than a lowly servant, he still acknowledged the big-headed man's exceptional intellect. Perhaps he really could create some miraculous device to locate Pure Gold, or even manufacture it outright.

So, after some discussion, the Five Elders gave the order for Vegapunk to search diligently for Pure Gold. He was not to neglect the matter, and they would provide the funding.

As Vegapunk's assistant and one of the Naval Science Unit's "Three Admirals," Mobius naturally accepted the assignment and prepared to set sail.

Borsalino happened to be leaving on a mission as well, so Mobius could tag along and hitch a ride on a warship.

At the harbor, Mobius was saying his goodbyes, though he was mainly saying farewell to Sentomaru.

"Mobius, you bastard! Don't underestimate the sea, and don't go dying out there!"

Sentomaru put on a cold and arrogant front. Though the big kid had become less adorable than he was as a child and somewhat tsundere after growing up, he had long since acknowledged Mobius.

His stiff words were also because this mission had excluded him. He was the senior here!

"Of course, Sentomaru. When I come back, I'll bring you a present."

Mobius did not mind at all. Instead, he wore a teasing grin.

Although the chubby brother before him had terrible taste in clothes, he was a genuine man. To repay Dr. Vegapunk, he had even been willing to fight Borsalino, the then-admiral, his old uncle, and his master.

Back when Vegapunk had been too busy, Sentomaru had helped Mobius learn to speak. The guy was cold on the outside but warm within.

"And I'm helping the doctor find something. With that loose mouth of yours, Sentomaru, you're not really suitable, you know~"

"What did you say!?"

Sentomaru flew into a rage.

"I have the tightest lips in the world!"

"Then what did you eat this morning?"

"I won't tell you that I ate rice balls this morning!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Mobius looked at Sentomaru with an amused smile.

Sentomaru came to his senses, his face turning bright red. Without saying another word, he silently stepped back.

Vegapunk and Borsalino watched the scene with chuckles. They really were still children.

"Then goodbye, Doctor~"

"Mm. Take good care of yourself, Mobius."

After bidding the doctor one final farewell and waving to the mortified, silent Sentomaru, Mobius left with a laugh.

Before we meet again, I'll definitely gain the power I want on this sea!

As he walked toward Uncle Borsalino, who was waiting for him, heroic ambition surged in Mobius's heart. He was about to...

"Wait!"

Suddenly, a shrill voice interrupted the farewells at the harbor. Everyone turned to see a gas man panting for breath.

He had ram horns on his head, long black hair, a light blue coat, and a pair of oversized gloves.

He looked decent enough, yet his whole body radiated a sinister, crafty air. He looked exactly like a villain.

Caesar Clown, another member of MADS, had also been recruited by the World Government and was Vegapunk's colleague.

However, Mobius had little to do with him. It could even be said that aside from Vegapunk, no one else here was familiar with Caesar.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Caesar?"

The Caesar in the story was undoubtedly a complete scumbag. Being a cowardly bully who feared death and preyed on the weak might have been understandable, but using children for human drug experiments and subordinates as weapon test subjects proved that he had completely lost his humanity.

Not to mention that in the future, Caesar would blow up the entire Bank Forbidden Zone, turning the island into a near-dead land filled with poisonous gas.

Even though Vegapunk was keeping an eye on him now and Caesar was merely a weapons scientist, with all his future atrocities yet to happen, Mobius still had an indifferent attitude toward him.

Yet Caesar seemed not to notice Mobius's coldness. Instead, he cleared his throat and approached with the air of an enthusiastic senior.

"I heard that you're heading out to search for Pure Gold, Mobius?"

"Yeah. The doctor is interested in Pure Gold, and I also wanted to go out and gain some experience."

"Ah, young people having drive is a good thing. I like that sort of temperament in you, Mobius."

Caesar laughed loudly and pretentiously patted Mobius on the shoulder. His eyes had been secretly watching all along, and when he saw no reaction from Mobius, his smile deepened.

"As your senior, I naturally have to show some goodwill when a kid like you is setting off."

"Come, come. I have a Devil Fruit here, passed down through my family for generations. It possesses tremendous power, so I'll give it to you."

As he spoke, Caesar pulled out a Devil Fruit from his clothes and approached Mobius with a smile.

"Come on, eat it!"

It was a blue Devil Fruit that looked utterly ordinary. Caesar appeared gentle, but he was actually forcing it into Mobius's mouth with great strength.

The Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit had vanished, leaving Caesar deeply agitated.

Though he looked down on Vegapunk and believed himself to be the greatest in the world, he had no choice but to admit that Vegapunk's intellect currently surpassed his own.

Because Vegapunk was no longer working on Artificial Devil Fruits, the World Government had thrown that task to him.

Although Caesar preferred creating weapons of mass destruction, he had no choice but to obey his superiors' orders.

Vegapunk's Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit was currently the only sample. Caesar often borrowed it for research, but last night, he discovered that it was gone.

When he asked Vegapunk, Vegapunk said that he had taken it back for reworking due to experimental needs.

At that moment, Caesar was in complete turmoil. Without that Artificial Devil Fruit as a sample, he would never be able to complete the World Government's order.

The World Government's attitude toward Caesar was nothing like its attitude toward Vegapunk. One was an ordinary genius; the other appeared only once in a thousand years.

He had thought everything was over, but then Caesar heard that Vegapunk's guard, Mobius, would be leaving today to search for Pure Gold.

Caesar had heard of Pure Gold too, but he had only considered it a legend.

They were clearly two separate matters, but Caesar put himself in Mobius's place and decided they were connected.

Maybe that old bastard Vegapunk had given the Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit to Mobius in order to protect his guard!

Caesar's earlier pat had actually been a test. There was Seastone inside his glove. If Mobius had eaten the Artificial Devil Fruit, he would be a Devil Fruit user and would have been weakened.

But Mobius had shown no change, which meant he was not a Devil Fruit user.

Still, Caesar was not reassured. To achieve his goal, he had even taken out his treasured Axolotl Fruit.

He had originally intended to use that Devil Fruit to create a living weapon of mass destruction.

Ordinary people could eat Devil Fruits, and giants could eat Devil Fruits.

Ordinary swords and guns could eat Devil Fruits, so compressed poison gas capable of covering an entire island could eat a Devil Fruit too!

At that point, it would become a living weapon of destruction on the level of a Marine admiral, a scientific creation that would allow Caesar to surpass Vegapunk!

But now, to prevent Mobius from becoming an Artificial Devil Fruit user, Caesar was willing to give up this Axolotl Fruit.

Devil Fruits could always be requested again, but there was only one Artificial Devil Fruit.

First, he had to stop Mobius. In the future, he would make Sentomaru into a Devil Fruit user too.

Of course, it would be some dispensable Devil Fruit like the Axolotl Fruit!

Caesar would turn all of Vegapunk's guards into useless trash!

Smack!

At the critical moment, Borsalino smiled and grabbed Caesar's hand, preventing the Devil Fruit from being shoved any farther into Mobius's mouth.

"How enthusiastic of you, Dr. Caesar~"

"Vice Admiral B-Borsalino."

"My disciple will naturally be given a fine Devil Fruit by me. There is no need for you to worry about it."

"Still, I shall accept the doctor's kindness on Mobius's behalf. A Devil Fruit worth at least a hundred million, Dr. Caesar is truly generous~"

Borsalino said with a smile, then snatched the Devil Fruit from Caesar's hand and tucked it into his coat.

"Of course, of course..."

Caesar forced out an awkward laugh. He had been too hasty and had actually forgotten about Borsalino, that monster of the Marines.

Damn it, what a loss! He had lost an Axolotl Fruit for nothing!

But with Borsalino acknowledging it aloud, that meant Mobius would not eat the Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit. He only needed to keep an eye on Sentomaru now.

"Mobius, aren't you going to thank Dr. Caesar?"

"Thank you, Mr. Caesar."

Mobius replied casually. He had also seen through Caesar's malicious intentions. If Uncle Borsalino had not intervened, he would have already punched him.

This guy was incredibly jealous of the doctor. He probably resented them as well.

Sooner or later, he would deal with that ram-headed freak.

With that little farce over, Borsalino patted Mobius on the shoulder. The two officially boarded the Marine warship and departed from the Bank Forbidden Zone.

Vegapunk and Sentomaru waved them off, while Caesar forced out a smile and wore the expression of an elder seeing off a junior.

Mobius leaned over the ship's rail and bid farewell to the doctor and Sentomaru as well, his gaze lingering on them for a long time.

Only when the warship had gradually moved far from shore and the two could no longer be seen did Mobius withdraw his gaze.

"This is your first time officially leaving this place. Hard to part with it, isn't it?"

Borsalino walked over, wearing the dependable expression of an adult inviting him to confide in him.

"More or less. It feels like graduating and having to face life alone."

Mobius sighed. Was this the second time in his life?

Borsalino smiled. After inwardly lamenting the merciless passage of time, he changed the subject.

"Here, that ram-head's Devil Fruit. Don't eat it. One look tells you it's no good."

He handed over the Axolotl Fruit, casually badmouthing Caesar behind his back.

He did not think much of Caesar as a person either.

Mobius accepted it with a smile and did not stand on ceremony. This was his old uncle, after all.

"I had originally wanted to prepare a Devil Fruit for you too. That power really is quite useful, but the Marines don't have any good ones in reserve right now."

Borsalino looked serious. He only had these two disciples, and he cared greatly about them.

Sentomaru was a stubborn fellow who did not particularly like Devil Fruit powers and focused solely on Haki.

But Mobius was different. He was very interested in Devil Fruits and had repeatedly said that it would be wonderful if he could obtain power like Borsalino's.

"Is there any Devil Fruit you want? I can ask around for you. I have a few connections in the Marines, you know~"

Now that he had obtained the Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit, it would already be enough if Mobius could only eat one Devil Fruit.

But Mobius now knew that he could eat an unlimited number of Devil Fruits. Therefore, there was only one Devil Fruit he wanted most.

The Devil Fruit known as the most vicious of all—the Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit.

The only Devil Fruit currently known to possess the ability to seize other Devil Fruit users' powers.

If he could obtain the Dark-Dark Fruit, Mobius could begin his Devil Fruit user hunting plan ahead of time, collecting the powers of all Devil Fruits and unifying them as one.

Thus, after setting sail, Mobius's plan was extremely clear.

But faced with his old uncle's question, Mobius considered the Devil Fruits the Marines might possess and said directly, "It would be best if I could get a Logia Fruit like yours, Uncle. If not...

Something that can move quickly like you do, or a Devil Fruit that can heal others, would work too."

The Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit had already given him physique, strength, elemental attacks, and other abilities. What Mobius lacked now was speed and endurance.

The future user of the Azure Dragon Fruit, Kaido, had been lacking in those two aspects. His speed was decent enough, but he had been worn down by relentless successive battles.

"Speed or healing?"

Borsalino rubbed his chin. Was Mobius trying to imitate him or ensure Vegapunk's safety?

What an adorable young man.

Borsalino had misunderstood somewhat, but it was not a big deal.

"I'll keep an eye out for you."

"Thanks, Uncle~"