"Ah!"
A terrified scream rang out.
The door to Vegapunk's laboratory stood open. An assistant who had come to deliver research materials for him had collapsed on the floor, staring in horror at the headless corpse inside.
As Vegapunk's assistant, he recognized the body at once. It was Vegapunk's—even the three moles on his back near his neck were in exactly the right places.
"What happened?"
The scream drew researchers from along the corridor. They hurried toward Vegapunk's laboratory.
Everyone who saw the corpse was stunned.
Vegapunk had been the backbone of the entire MADS research institute, its most capable scientist. Yet he had died without a sound.
As the shock wore off, the researchers and scientists began to tremble. Fear rose within them.
They were all intelligent people, elites from scientific fields across the world.
They knew the institute was no longer safe.
They could not stay. They had to escape, and fast.
One by one, they turned back to their laboratories and quarters to gather their belongings and important research materials.
Those with connections quickly contacted the powers behind them.
News of Vegapunk's death spread through the entire institute.
All research had stopped. Now the only question was how to survive.
"Have them leave the institute with their research materials. Tell them to contact other scientists and researchers they know, too."
"Tell them people are waiting outside the institute. There's a ship on the island's east coast to take them away, so they don't need to worry."
Hades issued the orders to the Netherworld and put the Nether Guard on standby.
With the Mirror-Mirror Fruit's power to transport people, the Kronos Kingdom could assemble its strongest fighters in the shortest possible time.
Armed with better intelligence and able to act first, the Kronos Kingdom stood to claim the