Roy sighed and strode after him.
In the laboratory, Gracia was pointing to a beating heart sample in a culture vessel.
He spoke eloquently about vascular reconstruction protocols for multiple heart transplants.
As he listened, Vegapunk quickly scribbled something in his notebook, muttering to himself.
"So you see, if you connect three hearts in parallel within a single circulatory system, theoretically they could create alternating beats—"
"But if one of the hearts rejects the virus, the entire circulatory system will collapse."
My suggestion is to introduce an isolation valve.
"Yes! An isolation valve! Made of elastin, it can withstand pulsating pressure and automatically close in case of abnormalities—"
"Doctors."
Roy's voice came from the laboratory doorway.
The two PhDs turned their heads at the same time, their two old faces bearing the same expression—
The unique dissatisfaction and resentment of elementary school students whose discussions have been interrupted by the teacher.
"Academic exchanges can take time."
Roy walked into the lab, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness, but even more so with an undeniable captain's authority.
"I have important business to attend to now."
Vegapunk and Gracia exchanged a glance and put down what they were holding.
Roy walked to the lab bench and tapped his fingers twice on the smooth surface:
"Listen carefully to the following task list."
First priority:
Replicating Devil Fruit.
This is the most important task of all at present, and all resources should be prioritized for it.
We will all cooperate with you by providing blood samples.
Kaido snorted from behind, confirming the matter.
Second priority:
Prioritize replicating the top-tier fruit samples that have already been acquired.
The abilities of these fruits all need to be backed up for core members to use in multiple fruit transplants. You two can discuss and decide on the specific schedule.
"Third priority -- or subsequent task: "
Interdisciplinary research on lunar technology and Lineage Factor, optimization of mass production of mechanical soldiers, and upgrade of energy systems.
These things don't require immediate results, but don't leave them unattended.
"You can study the rest as you like."
After Roy finished speaking, his gaze swept over the faces of the two doctors:
"Funds, materials, manpower—report directly to Stella what you need."
All resources on Hachinosu will be prioritized for your research.
Vegapunk took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
"No problem."
Roy looked at Bar and gestured with his chin towards the taciturn, muscular man.
"Can you manage the new lab?"
Bar grinned, revealing a mouthful of somewhat yellowed teeth:
"Give me three days. With the Island-Island Fruit and the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, I guarantee I can build a super laboratory that even Admiral couldn't destroy."
"Three days?" Vegapunk was taken aback, his tone full of surprise. "Such a huge project, in three days?"
"Doctor, you're new to Hachinosu, you don't know yet."
Gracia, standing nearby, chuckled and patted Vegapunk on the shoulder.
"You'll get used to the efficiency with which Hachinosu develops its infrastructure."
Vegapunk adjusted his glasses and looked at the group of people in front of him.
Kaido leaned against the wall carrying the Hassaikai, Bullet grinned with clenched fists, and Roy stood calmly with his hands in his pockets.
Bar had already started squatting on the ground, sketching the laboratory on the surface of the rock with his fingers.
This group of people was unlike anyone he had ever met before.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Vegapunk turned around and called out to his assistants,
"Move the equipment! Move all the Lineage Factor analyzers to the new lab!"
The assistants hurriedly got to work.
Gracia waved to his team as well.
What are you all standing there for? Go help!
We've also moved the gene sequencer out of warehouse Number Three; the two families will use it together from now on!
The research assistants from Hachinosu responded and rolled up their sleeves to join the moving team.
Two PhD students stood at the lab door, one with his arms crossed, the other with his hands on his hips.
Watching the assistants on both sides move the equipment from the old laboratory to the new laboratory like ants carrying food.
"By the way, what are your thoughts on that pink Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon?" Gracia suddenly asked.
You mean the color issue?
Vegapunk adjusted his glasses.
From a genetic perspective, pink and cyan are almost identical.
The only difference lies at the end of chromosome 17—that segment of the gene sequence determines the color of the scales.
"So, the abilities are exactly the same?"
Exactly the same.
Dragon breath, cloud control, flight, and fire immunity—the core abilities are exactly the same.
Vegapunk's tone carried a hint of self-deprecation.
"Back then, I judged it a failure simply because the color was wrong."
Looking back now, I was indeed too obsessed with perfection.
"Perfectionism is an occupational hazard for scientists."
Gracia smiled.
"But now that we have you as a 'failure' as a foundation, the timeline for replicating the Azure Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon should be shortened considerably, right?"
"Theoretically, yes."
"With Kaido's blood sample, the first batch of replicas can be produced within three months."
"Three months?"
Gracia adjusted his glasses, a sly glint in his eyes behind the lenses.
"Do you believe that if we team up, we can get it done in two months?"
Vegapunk paused for a moment, then a smile slowly spread across his wrinkled face, "Want to take a gamble?"
"Let's take a gamble."
The two shook hands, then simultaneously turned and shouted to their respective teams:
Hurry up!
"Move all the equipment before dark! The formal experiment will begin tomorrow!"
Roy stood not far away, watching the two doctors get back to work, and then watching the assistants who were busy like ants, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Stella appeared beside him at some point, her notebook never leaving his side.
"The budget will be exceeded."
Her tone was flat but her words were direct.
"Of the materials Vegapunk needed, there were seventeen that were simply unavailable in the New World."
I just went over the accounts with Tesoro, and if we were to procure everything from the black market, this quarter's military budget would exceed it by thirty percent.
"Then let's go rob it."
Roy's tone was flat.
Stella rolled her eyes. "I knew you'd say that."
But she still opened the notepad and started writing furiously in the notebook.
He kept repeating the names of those rare materials as he wrote.
Roy watched her walk away, muttering to herself, and a smile appeared on his face.
In the distance, a deafening tiger's roar echoed from the training ground, followed by a streak of fiery, Conqueror's Haki Inazuma shooting into the sky.
Bullet and Kaido are at it again—these two battle maniacs can't stand not fighting every day since they met.
Roy ignored them.
He turned and walked toward his office, already planning his next move.
The transplant schedule for the remnants of Whitebeard's crew needs to be arranged; Ace and the others will arrive in a few days.
The core members of Kaido Pirates also need to undergo heart transplants simultaneously, as Vegapunk's plan to replicate his Devil Fruits requires their Lineage Factor.
And there's that Straw Hat Boy stirring up trouble in the New World—
There's so much to do.
But today, there is at least one thing to be happy about.
Hachinosu boasts the world's most powerful group of scientists.
And this is just the beginning.