"The Godfather" and the "Doctor"

A large paddle steamer was hidden in the shipyard, along with several warships Annus had seized and refitted.

The Angel Legion had sailed from the New World to Water 7 aboard those warships. Everything Annus had accumulated over the years on Hachinosu was now quietly stored in their cargo holds.

As for that paddle steamer, the "PACIFIS" painted on its flag might not have been enough to identify it, but with "MADS" carved into its hull, it was obvious whose ship it was.

"Has the 'Doctor' arrived?"

"He arrived a long time ago." Diumil nodded. "Just days after we reached Water 7 and contacted the Doctor, MADS's ship arrived."

MADS had been funded by Du Feld, the underground world's "Loan Shark King," and was also known as the Peace Research Institute.

Its members included scientists such as Caesar Clown, Vinsmoke Judge, and Queen, but its central figure was Vegapunk, whom Lilith called the "Doctor."

However, despite bearing the name of peace, Vegapunk was the only member who insisted on non-military research. Even so, his technological achievements remained coveted by many powers.

The greatest reason was that Dr. Vegapunk's intelligence far surpassed that of MADS's other members.

MADS had come to Water 7 this time mainly to accept Annus's commission and refit several warships.

As for why Annus could command these people, the reason was simple.

Aside from Annus and Dr. Vegapunk being friends, the main reason was that Annus had once provided MADS with a massive amount of gold in funding and had been deeply cooperating with Dr. Vegapunk.

After leading Lilith and the others back to the shipyard, Diumil kept watch over the waterway outside for a while longer. Only after confirming that nothing was amiss did he return inside.

"You've had a hard journey. Go wash up first. Annus, the Doctor, and Rocks are all resting in the warehouse room inside," Diumil told Lilith and the others.

"Rocks?"

Everyone's expressions changed at once.

"Hasn't that guy turned into a monster? Outside God Valley, he nearly killed us! Why did Lord Annus bring him back too?" Yale could not help asking.

"I'll explain that later. In any case, Rocks has returned to normal now..." Before Diumil could finish, Alice interrupted him.

"Rocks is still alive?! Please, take me to see him!"

At that moment, Alice's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Please calm down, ma'am. You're Rocks's wife, aren't you? Rest first. I'll tell Rocks that you arrived safely."

After soothing Alice a little, Diumil had rooms arranged for Lilith and the others.

Half an hour later, Lilith, freshly washed, was led by members of the Angel Legion to the compartment where Annus was staying, carrying a pair of red-haired infants in her arms.

Unable to suppress her longing, Alice had already brought Teach there.

"No matter what, thank you so much! You are our benefactor!"

While Rocks held little Teach and played with him, Alice was thanking Annus.

"There's no need to thank me. I only saved that guy because he helped me before..."

"Whatever the reason, thank you!"

Watching this, Lilith puffed out her cheeks in displeasure. Hugging the red-haired twins, she quickly squeezed Alice aside and sat beside Annus.

"Lord Annus! These are the two people you ordered me to save!"

Before entering God Valley, Annus had told Lilith and Yale that there were three people they needed to rescue.

Though they had actually saved six people in the end, far exceeding the original plan...

The three people Annus had wanted most were the three infant boys who would stand atop the tides of the next generation.

Teach, already two years old, could perhaps be called a child, but the red-haired twins before him were undoubtedly infant boys.

"Let me see..."

Annus took the two red-haired boys into his arms.

Come to think of it, which one was Shanks, and which one was Shamrock?

With that thought in mind, Annus searched through the infants' clothes and eventually found bracelets engraved with their names.

These were likely the last belongings Magnolia, Shanks and Shamrock's mother, had left for the two brothers.

Annus silently tucked them back beneath his sleeve. He reached out with his right hand and pressed Shamrock and Shanks on the shoulder in turn, then lit a candle and took out olive oil mixed with spices, smearing it over the two infants' foreheads.

"I anoint you as my godsons, that you may be cleansed, leave the darkness, and enter the light."

After completing the ritual, Annus held Shanks and Shamrock and prayed silently before the burning candle.

Lilith did not interrupt him throughout, understanding that this was a sacred Birkan ritual. She merely watched in silence from the side.

At that moment, an enormous head poked into the compartment.

Annus blew out the candle, kissed Shanks and Shamrock on the forehead respectively, then placed the two infants back in Lilith's arms.

"Oh my! It seems I came in at the wrong time?" the big head said.

The reason he was called a big head was that although the newcomer stood over two meters tall, his head alone was longer than the rest of his body.

From the front, the big head resembled a chainsaw. From other angles, it looked more like a hot-air balloon...

Yet a huge head also represented immense wisdom.

The newcomer was the genius who would later be known as the "World's Greatest Brain," born on Karakuri Island's Baldimore and possessed of scientific abilities five hundred years beyond the world—

Dr. Vegapunk.

"No, Doctor. You came at exactly the right time." Annus smiled.

He rarely gave others a friendly smile, because ever since crossing over, he had been surrounded by freaks, madmen, and perverts. The environment after joining the Rocks Pirates had been even more so.

There was naturally no need to be friendly toward madmen and freaks, much less enemies.

Only before the few people Annus felt he could speak with did he show friendliness.

For example, Harald, who possessed extreme violence yet could restrain it and longed for peace.

For example, Vegapunk before him.

The former had earned Annus's respect through his noble character.

The latter... had earned Annus's heartfelt admiration through his genius mind.

If wisdom could be exchanged for strength, Vegapunk would undoubtedly be the strongest in the entire world.

"That's good. It looks like you were conducting a sacred religious ritual, Annus..." Dr. Vegapunk smiled, then returned to the matter at hand. "One ship has already been refitted. Would you like to take a look?"