Sengoku and Ryokugyu were blindfolded in their cage.
All that could be heard were the orderly footsteps and deep, powerful commands.
Sengoku's heart sank slightly.
This place doesn't have the lax and chaotic feel of a typical pirate crew's base; instead, it resembles a well-trained military fortress.
Is this really a pirate's lair?
After passing through several heavy iron gates and long corridors, the group entered the interior of the joint experimental base.
All experimental equipment was operating at full capacity, and the high-energy particle accelerator was humming loudly.
Various biological samples were immersed in the transparent culture chamber, and a dense stream of data was jumping on the screen.
Vegapunk was frowning in thought as he stared at a pile of experimental data when he heard footsteps and looked up.
" Roy, you're back."
His gaze shifted from Roy to Sengoku and Ryokugyu, who were being escorted in.
Those eyes lit up instantly.
"Two live subjects, both at the level of Admiral, and still conscious..."
Vegapunk put down the data panel in his hand, circled the cage halfway, and his eyes showed a pure and extreme research enthusiasm.
"You never disappoint me, Roy."
Ryokugyu has passed out.
However, the Sengoku remained clear-headed.
He watched all of this through the gap in his blindfold.
Vegapunk, that mad scientist, is actually on Hachinosu.
And it seems even more enthusiastic than rumored.
Roy smiled:
"Analysis of these two individuals' Lineage Factor, cell samples, Devil Fruit, and in-depth testing of their physique and Haki."
We can take our time making it; if we run out of materials, we can always have new ones delivered.
He paused.
"But now, I'm more curious about the progress of something else."
Upon hearing this, Vegapunk adjusted his glasses.
"You mean the Replica Fruit, right?"
Roy nodded.
Vegapunk said nothing more and turned to walk deeper into the laboratory.
He stopped in front of a metal wall and pressed a spot on it.
The wall slid open silently.
Soft light shone through the dark compartment.
What comes into view is an entire wall of storage cabinets.
From top to bottom and from left to right, the individual culture chambers are densely packed together.
In each incubation chamber lay a Devil Fruit of various shapes and colors, lying quietly.
Each fruit has a label attached to its bottom.
Paramecia Fruits: Op-Op Fruit, Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Warp-Warp Fruit, Door-Door Fruit, Barrier-Barrier Fruit, Hobby-Hobby Fruit...
Logia: Glint-Glint Fruit, Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Flame-Flame Fruit, Cloud-Cloud Fruit, Sand-Sand Fruit, Gas-Gas Fruit...
Mythical Zoan: Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, White Tiger Fruit, Okuchi no Makami Fruit, Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Nine-Tailed Fox, Vampire Fruit, Cerberus Fruit...
Hundreds of top-tier Devil Fruit were neatly arranged, emitting a faint glow.
At the top row, there are a few fruits whose shapes are not yet fully stable; they are obviously unfinished products, slowly taking shape in the cultivation chamber.
Yamato had somehow gotten behind Roy.
Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open.
"These... these are all..."
Vegapunk crossed his arms, his face displaying the satisfaction and pride typical of a scientist.
"After countless experiments and screenings, combined with Lineage Factor samples collected by Roy from all over the world."
Hachinosu now possesses the world's most complete Devil Fruit gene bank.
Each fruit here retains the purest Devil Fruit power, waiting to be consumed.
This entire system is even more complete than we initially planned.
Roy's gaze slowly swept over the fruits.
A glint of light flashed in his eyes.
He couldn't help but burst into laughter.
He was able to control his emotions while on Onigashima.
But at this moment, in Vegapunk's laboratory, facing an entire wall of Devil Fruit, Roy could no longer suppress his joy.
Laughter echoed in the laboratory, causing several empty culture chambers to tremble slightly.
This was the first time Yamato had ever seen Roy smile like that.
She had been by Roy's side for so many years, witnessing him kill, set traps, and effortlessly scheme against the world, but she had never seen him laugh so recklessly.
But she didn't find it scary.
On the contrary, I feel that Roy in this state is more like a real person.
Meanwhile, Sengoku's expression had completely changed inside the cage.
He stared intently through the gap in his blindfold at the entire wall of Devil Fruit.
Cold sweat slid down his forehead and dripped into his collar.
These fruits...
If all the core members of Hachinosu were to eat the second and third Devil Fruit...
What will this pirate crew become?
A monster army whose combat power has doubled?
Sengoku's heart skipped a beat.
"Impossible..."
His lips were pale, and his voice sounded like it was being squeezed out of his throat.
"This technology... even World Government don't possess it..."
Upon hearing this, Vegapunk turned and glanced at him, his tone flat:
"Of course your World Government won't let me do it freely."
The Sengoku was left speechless.
He knew this guy.
Vegapunk, the only truly "super brain" in the World Government for hundreds of years.
Now in Roy's possession, it has become the sharpest weapon on Hachinosu.
Ryokugyu woke up too.
He groggily opened his eyes and saw the entire wall covered in Devil Fruit. His pupils contracted sharply, and he froze in the cage, forgetting even to breathe.
"This... this is..."
Nobody paid him any attention.
Roy stopped laughing.
He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and solemnly thanked Vegapunk.
"Doctor, you've done so much for Hachinosu."
Roy's tone was sincere, without a trace of politeness.
"I will unconditionally meet any of your research needs from now on."
Funds, supplies, experimental subjects—anything is acceptable.
Vegapunk smiled and adjusted his glasses.
" Roy, you are the only person in this world I can study to my heart's content."
We look forward to continuing our pleasant cooperation in the days to come.
Roy nodded.
Then he raised his hand, opened the storage bag, and Telekinesis to wrap up the Devil Fruit in the storage cabinet one by one and put them inside.
Hundreds of fruits, not one was missed.
After harvesting the fruit, Roy didn't stay in the lab any longer.
He led Yamato away from the experimental base and traveled by vehicle towards the central hall of Hachinosu.
It was already evening on the island.
The orange-red sunset pressed against the sea, bathing the entire Hachinosu in a warm hue.
Yamato followed Roy, stealing a glance at him.
"You were laughing like that just now, were you holding it in for a long time?"
"A little."
Roy looked at the distant sea.
"The navy has been driven out of the New World."
The next step is to make everyone on Hachinosu stronger than they are now.
"These fruits will come in handy."
Roy pushed open the office door and walked to the window.
A fruit had appeared in my hand without my noticing.
The surface has spiral patterns and a faint blue sheen.
"The Navy has already ceded the New World."
He muttered something under his breath, tossed the fruit up, and caught it again.
"Next comes the truly great era."