The MADS Peace Research Institute.
They, too, had been following the World Expo.
But the Swordsmanship Tournament held no interest for these world-class scientists.
The Mechanical Hand, on the other hand, had undoubtedly caught their attention.
For scientists of their caliber, the basic principle behind its operation was easy to guess.
But the crucial question was how it had been done. The answer held astonishing knowledge.
After they applied for funding to buy a few Mechanical Hands for research, a call came at once.
It was from their backer, Du Feld.
"Sorry, but you can't study that thing. After all the funding I've given you, promise me you won't research this technology. Even if you discover something, you must not reveal it to anyone else or any other faction."
Du Feld's warning was deadly serious.
Vegapunk and the others were surprised. This was the first time Du Feld had spoken so sternly, and there was an unmistakable threat beneath his words.
In truth, the moment those top scientists conceived the idea of studying the Mechanical Hand, the Eternal Kingdom, operating behind the scenes, had considered killing them all.
It had no doubt that, with their talent, those scientists might actually unravel the secrets of the Divine Domain.
Life-Mechanical Technology was the Eternal Kingdom's foundation. No other faction could be allowed to touch it.
In the end, however, it abandoned the idea.
It would have been a shame to lose scientists of their caliber. Their knowledge had helped advance the Eternal Kingdom's technology.
In the Eternal Kingdom, which placed great importance on technology, scientists held considerable status. They could even influence national policy.
It was the objections of the kingdom's own scientists that persuaded it to give up the plan.
More importantly, Vegapunk was the only one among them whom the