The Laboratory Shook Again, Sophon Took to the Skies!

Who exactly was the inventor?

Sengoku could not very well answer in front of so many people at the Plaza, so he brought Droplet, Vegapunk, and several others back to his office.

Only then did he tell Vegapunk, "Its inventor is a Celestial Dragon, Figarland Lynn."

A Celestial Dragon!

That revelation truly stunned the impatient Vegapunk, but he quickly recovered.

Unlike others, he had never mistaken the Celestial Dragons for useless trash. He simply drew in a sharp breath and sincerely exclaimed:

"What a terrifying fellow. To still study science in the environment of the Holy Land... he is simply a genius!"

Vegapunk had not mentioned the Celestial Dragons, but the environment! That was right. In such a luxurious environment, enjoying everything the world had to offer, who would go to the trouble of pursuing endless technology with no immediate reward?

"That's right. Saint Figarland truly is a genius. The Gorosei think highly of him. In the future, his technology will surely surpass yours."

Sengoku nodded in agreement.

"No, no. Do you know how unbelievable this is, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?

This thing has already surpassed the standards of the Great Kingdom! It has surpassed me!"

Vegapunk hurriedly waved his hands and spoke with complete seriousness.

Garp, Sengoku, and the few others who heard the words Great Kingdom all showed slight changes in expression, while the others did not understand.

Naturally, Sengoku and the rest would not pursue that topic. They merely watched Vegapunk excitedly circle around Droplet.

Before long, Vegapunk seemed to come back to his senses. He looked at Sengoku with burning eyes and said, "Take it back to my research institute..."

"Impossible."

Before Vegapunk could finish, Sengoku decisively rejected his request.

"This is Saint Figarland's invention. He granted the Navy the right to use it, and there is only one. If you want to study it, Doctor, wait until he returns."

Vegapunk was truly itching with anticipation.

Droplet before him seemed to radiate endless magic, making him unable to resist the urge to thoroughly and seriously explore it.

"What a shame..."

Vegapunk, currently in the form of his satellite Lilith, sighed.

Without Lynn's approval, there was no way Droplet could be handed over to him for research. Besides, the Navy still had use for it.

"Then, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, could you let me see the information on Droplet?"

Settling for second best, with his curiosity and interest fully stirred, Vegapunk could not endure it any longer and could only ask this.

"Fine. I'll have someone bring it over for you."

Seeing the look in Vegapunk's eyes, Sengoku could only nod in agreement.

There was not much information, really. It was merely Lynn's records introducing Droplet, along with its combat performance.

If Vegapunk wanted to see it, so be it.

After receiving the documents, Vegapunk finally left happily, intending to study them carefully in the laboratory and make scientific predictions about Droplet.

Yet as he departed, he kept looking back at Droplet every few steps, which everyone found rather amusing.

So the ever-mysterious Doctor Vegapunk had such a personality too.

After he left, only Garp, Onigumo, and the other Vice Admirals remained in the office. Then Akainu and Aokiji, the two Admirals, were summoned as well.

"Mr. Sengoku, the first objective has been completed. Are we moving out?"

Aokiji walked in with drooping eyelids and a listless expression.

Akainu Sakazuki entered as well, giving a nod in greeting before sitting down with his chest raised and head high, looking extremely cold.

Sengoku nodded, returned to his desk, moved aside the file labeled Happo Navy Chinjao, revealing the name beneath it. He looked toward the other Navy officers and began assigning their mission:

"Chinjao has already been dealt with, and Droplet has been fully revealed to the world. Next, the one we will eliminate is... Cavendish."

Buru buru, buru buru...

Just as Sengoku was issuing orders, the Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.

As soon as he answered, a slightly trembling voice came from the other end. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the Red Hair Pirates have been spotted! They are currently heading for the waters where Whitebeard is located! It seems they are going to... meet!"

A meeting between Four Emperors?

Whether they fought or shook hands and made peace, it would be a tremendous threat to the Navy.

If they fought, Whitebeard might trigger massive earthquakes and tsunamis that would sweep across the entire world!

If they did not fight, the two Emperors of the Sea might cooperate with each other!

"They are meeting? I'll take men there, and we'll bring Droplet too."

Akainu Sakazuki immediately stood with a cold smile, aggressively offering his opinion to Sengoku.

"Sakazuki, sit down first."

"Droplet isn't invincible, especially not against Whitebeard and Red-Haired."

Sengoku immediately felt a headache coming on. Why had nothing but troublesome matters arisen since he took office?

Two Four Emperors were meeting. Who knew what they were planning? The Navy could not simply charge over and tell them they were not allowed to meet. After all, it was those two. Even with Droplet, they could not act rashly.

"Are we just going to watch?"

Akainu was somewhat puzzled. Why hesitate at a time like this?

"There is no good solution for now. We cannot act rashly and let other forces exploit an opening. Besides, their purpose for meeting is still unclear. We only need to observe and decide how to respond based on the situation."

After pondering for a long time, Sengoku ultimately decided to wait and see.

But they would not simply sit around. Since Sakazuki was so eager, he could begin preparing for battle.

Akainu Sakazuki did not waste another word. He turned and left to gather his forces.

For the moment, only Sengoku and the others' discussions remained in the office.

However, at that very moment.

Far away in the New World, Gran Tesoro was slowly sailing across the sea. It could no longer be called an entertainment city; it should be called Golden Technology City.

This was Lynn's experimental technology site.

Gion, Chaton, Tesoro, and the others had nothing to do but watch Lynn's Black Laboratory from the central high-rise. If anything happened, they could leap directly down from the building.

But just as Gion, Chaton, and the others thought today would be as peaceful as yesterday, another stable day of clocking in and out.

A violent tremor spread through the area, as though the entire island were shaking.

"What's going on!?"

Chaton, Gion, Tesoro, and the other Navy personnel immediately became alert and sprang to their feet.

Then they saw that Lynn's Black Laboratory was the center from which the tremors spread. A circular opening seemed to have opened at the top of the completely black laboratory.

Afterward, everyone saw something indistinct being launched into the sky!

Sophon had originally been invisible to the naked eye. Lynn had made it into a small sphere, allowing it to move, launch, and unfold.

When the mature Sophon Technology had been created and launched into the upper sky, Gion, Chaton, and the others all looked upward.

Layers of indescribable, translucent black spread out in a regular square form, until they covered the skies above the entire Golden Technology City!